I/O into pontoon boat

[jimmer4444]

I was thinking of fabricating an I/O into a pontoon boat,has anyone seen this or done this before?

 

[KCook]

Re: I/O into pontoon boat

Crestliner does this best. Take a look at one.

Kelly Cook

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: I/O into pontoon boat

there are several mfg's that do i/o's on poontoons

 

[Dunaruna]

Re: I/O into pontoon boat

[colour=blue]Very common downunder. The rear section of the toons are beefed up and turned into engine bays, the outdrives bolt to the rear of the toons.

 

[Tubingluvr]

Re: I/O into pontoon boat

I have a 2.5 OMC on my 24' harris

 

[5150abf]

Re: I/O into pontoon boat

So you have an i/o motor and out drive and you want to put it on a toon?
If you actually do this put up pics, would be interesting to see what you come up with.

Won't be easy but it can be done, that is alot of work though.

And I beg to differ that Crestliner does it best, Bennington makes the best one of coarse.

We actually made a 28' I/O for Earnhart Jr earlier this year, he ordered it delete engine so I can only imagine what he put in it.

 

[180shabah]

Re: I/O into pontoon boat

I/O 'toons been around for a while - Some of them are pretty wild.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: I/O into pontoon boat

Some years ago I saw a pontoon powered by twin jet-drives. One drive inside each log.

 

[flipjoe]

Re: I/O into pontoon boat

seen a guy with a v-8 in a home made pontoon once with a shaft and prop no outdrive.

 

[steelespike]

Re: I/O into pontoon boat

Keep in mind your adding a lot of weight probably need the biggest logs possible your adding a heavy power source and the modifactions needed
to make it work.Getting the height right will be an adventure.

 

[180shabah]

Re: I/O into pontoon boat

Keep in mind your adding a lot of weight probably need the biggest logs possible your adding a heavy power source and the modifactions needed
to make it work.Getting the height right will be an adventure.

Formula that works:

24" outer logs, with a 27" center log set 6" lower than the outers. At higher speeds you will ride primarily on the center log AND it will roll INTO the turn just like a V-hull does.

 

[btlfedbu]

Re: I/O into pontoon boat

you seem knowledgeable about this... where has your knowledge came from??

 

[5150abf]

Re: I/O into pontoon boat

There are several manufacturers that do it that way and it is inherently unstable, you are effectively making a outrigger.

The boat will never find a center and be VERY upset by waves and wake since it is floating mostly on the center tube.

I actually know someone that was driving one pretty fast, they turn hard to port, in the middle of the turn the boat hit a wake and flipped to the starboard side, so he is turning left and the boat is banking right, very bad design, it is good for banking the toon but is a major comprimise for every other area of the boat.

For the most stable platform you need all 3 tubes to be at the same depth, I'm pretty sure someone makes a banking toon with all 3 tubes at the same level, oh ya, its Bennington with there elliptical center tube.

 

[imported_John o]

Re: I/O into pontoon boat

There are several manufacturers that do it that way and it is inherently unstable, you are effectively making a outrigger.

The boat will never find a center and be VERY upset by waves and wake since it is floating mostly on the center tube.

I actually know someone that was driving one pretty fast, they turn hard to port, in the middle of the turn the boat hit a wake and flipped to the starboard side, so he is turning left and the boat is banking right, very bad design, it is good for banking the toon but is a major comprimise for every other area of the boat.

Strongly disagree. I've got one. No I/O though I've got an outboard. Same tube configuration though. Never found a wave that bothered me as far as stability. It rides rock solid stable through all but the worst waves on my lake.

There is some small side to side roll when getting broadsided by waves but not any worse than on any other pontoon I've been on.

When going across the waves at up from about 20 degrees up to 90 degress (waves coming straight into the bow) I have no rock at all. Cuts through them/goes over them with ease

 

[smclear]

Re: I/O into pontoon boat

If you plan to do this, keep in mind engine access. I had a JC 266 Tritoon with a 5.7 in it. In order to winterize it, change the oil, plugs, etc. you literally had to hang upside down (with your feet pointing straight up) to reach anything. Never understood that in an otherwise great boat.

Compare that with a Bennington. Huge difference. The engines in the Bennington's are very easily accessed. It's almost a pleasure to work on them.

My advice would be to spend some time looking at as many mfg.'s models as possible. Then pattern your design with all the +'s you find in all the different designs.

Good luck, sounds like a pretty fun project.

 

[Mr. Florida]

Re: I/O into pontoon boat

There is one in Steinhatchee, FL that has an 8.1 L "built" engine. Might be a 24', not sure.

He blew the doors off us coming into port one day. He must have had 12-15 people on that thing and pulled away from the 34' ProLine with twin Merc 250's I was riding on with about 6 people. He pulled away from us and we were doing 42 MPH!!!! Never saw a pontoon go that fast.