Hello! New to Tritoons

[searl6542]

First I want to say hello to everyone. I am new to the site and to the world of boating/pontoons. My wife and I are awaiting our first tritoon. It's a Sylvan Mirage Cruise 8522, 150 HP with the RPT performance tubes. We plan to use it in fresh water only for cruising and tubing mostly.

We will be keeping it on a trailer, as we do not have the option to use a slip. I plan on giving it a cleaning after each use and I am aware that I should not clean it with any car cleaning products. Does anyone have any tips on routine maintenance etc? Also, tips on launching/retrieving without a dock?

 

[The Rooster]

Re: Hello! New to Tritoons

Welcome "Searl". Sounds like a really nice rig for a first "Toon". We won't believe you until we see pics . Need more info. Where will you be boating? Have you checked out the launches you may be using? Are you going to be comfortable towing your rig? 303 Aerospace protectant is one of the best products for your vinyl, but it's pricey. Good luck !!!

 

[lakegeorge]

Re: Hello! New to Tritoons

Searl, What brand of motor is the 150.

 

[searl6542]

Re: Hello! New to Tritoons

Rooster, I'll believe it when I see it too! As of today the unofficial word from my dealer was that we can expect it by may 20th. I'll be doing the majority of boating on lake Champlain in Vermont. I have been looking at all of the ramps near by. That would be about 5 or 6. Closest being 15 mins away and the farthest about 30 mins. My biggest concern is available parking of the trailer if we don't get to a ramp early enough. As far as towing goes, I should be fine. The largest that I have towed is a 25' travel trailer. I'm hoping the toon tows as smoothly as the trailer did.

Lakegeorge, the engine is a mercury.

 

[The Rooster]

Re: Hello! New to Tritoons

Rooster, I'll believe it when I see it too! As of today the unofficial word from my dealer was that we can expect it by may 20th. I'll be doing the majority of boating on lake Champlain in Vermont. I have been looking at all of the ramps near by. That would be about 5 or 6. Closest being 15 mins away and the farthest about 30 mins. My biggest concern is available parking of the trailer if we don't get to a ramp early enough. As far as towing goes, I should be fine. The largest that I have towed is a 25' travel trailer. I'm hoping the toon tows as smoothly as the trailer did.

Lakegeorge, the engine is a mercury.

Excellent choice in motors !!! Would that be one of the new 4-stroke 150's ? We have the same parking problems down here at the public launches. If you're not in the water by 10:00, it could be a long walk back to the dock !!!

 

[Ryanlewis2010]

Re: Hello! New to Tritoons

I love lake champlain i used to go up there every year as a kid and stay at kampersvile at lake dunmore. im planning on towing my boat up there sometime after may so maybe we will see you up there

 

[5150abf]

Re: Hello! New to Tritoons

Look into SHark Hyde (sp), it like a clear coat for the tubes and you won't have to clean them every time you go out since they weill never get dirty, it is pretty cool stuff.

Sylvan makes a nice boat and the factory is about 10 minutes from my house.

 

[lakegeorge]

Re: Hello! New to Tritoons

Rooster, I'll believe it when I see it too! As of today the unofficial word from my dealer was that we can expect it by may 20th. I'll be doing the majority of boating on lake Champlain in Vermont. I have been looking at all of the ramps near by. That would be about 5 or 6. Closest being 15 mins away and the farthest about 30 mins. My biggest concern is available parking of the trailer if we don't get to a ramp early enough. As far as towing goes, I should be fine. The largest that I have towed is a 25' travel trailer. I'm hoping the toon tows as smoothly as the trailer did.

Lakegeorge, the engine is a mercury.

Searl, They put that motor on my new toon and when the dealer went to try it out it blew a hole in the engine. Mercury is sending a new one ASAP and it should be in next week. I hope it's better than the first one.
Mercury has had problems with getting parts for production and the wait on that motor is 60 to 90 business days, as per Mercury service rep when I called them a few weeks ago.

 

[searl6542]

Re: Hello! New to Tritoons

Lakegeorge, I hope we don't run into that type of problem with ours! Hopefully, your second one is problem free. It is the new four stroke engine that we're getting. When we test drove the toon it was smooth and quiet. Our new engine has the 5 yr warranty on it. I believe the dealer is going to put it in their test tank and run it thru some test before hooking it up to the boat. He told me that if an engine is going to fail its usually right off. After that it's usually ok. So keeping my fingers crossed.

5150, I'll have to read up on the shark hide. Sounds like it will help me spend more time cruising and less time cleaning, which is a plus! Thanks!!

Ryan, lake dunmoore is about 2 hours south of where we are. I've never been there, but maybe we'll have to make the trip down with the new boat!

 

[Water logged]

Re: Hello! New to Tritoons

Welcome to the forum searl6542, can't wait to see the pix. Back in 1971 I was boating on Champlain out of Mallets Bay. Biggest body of water I have been on in something smaller than a cruise ship.

Glenn

 

[searl6542]

Re: Hello! New to Tritoons

Welcome to the forum searl6542, can't wait to see the pix. Back in 1971 I was boating on Champlain out of Mallets Bay. Biggest body of water I have been on in something smaller than a cruise ship.

Glenn

Glenn, thanks for the welcome. I really don't plan on being out on the largest part of the lake often, if at all. I have been out in it with a friend in his 18' bowrider when a storm kicked up and it was no laughing matter. One tends to initially think "it's a small lake" compared to the ocean and the great lakes, but it can pack a punch of its own.

 

[searl6542]

Re: Hello! New to Tritoons

Look into SHark Hyde (sp), it like a clear coat for the tubes and you won't have to clean them every time you go out since they weill never get dirty, it is pretty cool stuff.

Sylvan makes a nice boat and the factory is about 10 minutes from my house.

I started looking into the shark hide and my question is how do you apply it to the parts of the toon that are resting on the bunks?