Need recommendation

[pgrizz]

we have always had cabin or open bow boats, we were looking at deck boats and for kicks looked at pontoons. we really know nothing about them but they look like they will fit our boating style, they have so much more room to move about. we like to fish and the kids like to tube and ski, we are looking for a 20' or 21'. any suggestions on manuf, motor size and anything else we should consider? Thx Pam

 

[The_Kid]

Re: Need recommendation

I've got a 24' Playcraft with an Evinrude 88 on it. I've pulled tubes without a problem with 3 adults and 4 teenagers on the boat. For a 20 footer I'd probably want something in the 65 to 75 HP range.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Need recommendation

Welcome to iboats. i have a 20 footer, with a 2004 50hp Evinrude, would not consider trying to pull a skier, may a tube, but not a big one.

if you want to ski, etc, a tritoon would be best with around a 150-200 hp. they are built for the faster speeds. most pontoons are slow cruise boats.

i do have a Chris Craft 230 (23 ft) Deckboat, w/ 5.7 volvo drive, seats 13, is good space for around 8 on board. we ski, dive, snorkel, go off shore, in this boat.

 

[5150abf]

Re: Need recommendation

With the right set up a pontoon will do almost anything any other boat will do with a fabulous ride as a bonus.

I have run them across 3' chop at 45 and they ar still as smooth as cadilac where a V hull would be beating you to death.

You are certainly in right market to get a very good deal on a boat as many dealers/manufacturers are looking to move non-current boats, new 07 and 08 models.

I am very partial to Bennington, they consistently have the highest build quality and stand behind their boats, there are really very few other brands that can compete as far as build quality and design, of coarse I am partial as I work there but we honestly do build the best boat.

I can tell you to stay away from Oddysey/Southbay, build quality and design leave alot to be desired, they are the same boat but change their name once and awhile.

Also Tracker is a very basic entry level boat, they sell alot of them btu most people trade up after a short time.

This is, of coarse, is my opinion having been in the buisness for 22 years.

One thing to watch as you decide is to check that the company you pick is still in buisness, we have lost alot of builders in the last year and a half.

You don't give price range but you can get a new toon anywhere from $12000 to $62000 so I am sure there is something in your price range.

Good luck and let us know what you end up getting.

 

[steelespike]

Re: Need recommendation

I like the toons for their room,stability,versatility,and smooth ride.But:: they are slow and rrequire a lot of horsepower to get any speed. tri toons are faster.Keep in mind the more hp the more fuel. A 50 will use about 5 gph(gallons per hour) a 100 about 10 and so on.If a 50 drives at about 20 mph a 100 would probably run about 26 -28.The advantage with the 100 is you could run it at the 50s speed and get close to the 50s gph while the 100 would be loafing.Driven within their design limitations the toon is fairly economical.

 

[Jeff Walkowiak]

Re: Need recommendation

I have been boating most of my life, I had my first 14 foot with a 40 lark evinrude on it back in 1964,, I rode my bicycle to the marina every day in the summer to use the boat I was only 12,, I have owned a lot of different boats including jet boats and p w c's. Recently I purchased a pontoon and was totally happy with the room and the versatility but as mentioned they are painfully slow and wast a lot of fuel plowing through the water. I have been constantly modifying mine to do what I want it to do and after upgrading the engine from a 50 hp to a 70 hp " this is only a 16 footer", I have decided to build hydrofoils under the boat to get the thing up out of the water and hopefully improve the top speed and the fuel efficiency, I'm only half way through the mod and am waiting for the foils to be formed at my sheet metal fabricator,I should be getting them within a week, and by then I should have all the mounts completed.
I would think the advice about the tri toon would be the correct approach and I have seen some with angle welded along the sides of the pontoons to add lift , this may help you with water skiers as it appears it will reduce the plowing effect regular pontoons seem to have.
With pontoons I am beginning to think the bigger they are the better they go through the water. Also a tri toon would sit higher when you are stopped as it has more buoyancy, I used my engine tray for added buoyancy by building a chamber within it and filling it with foam to counter the added weight of the larger engine.
Keep doing research and hopefully you will decide on the correct boat for what you want it to do, they are a lot of fun.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Need recommendation

When considering a pontoon, pay very close attention to what it's "real purpose" will be and look at floor plans that meet those needs. Floor space on any boat is at a premium so the idea is to maximize its use. If fishing is high priority, there are three basic floor plans. One has an open front deck (no rails) with a couple of fishing chairs out there. I really dislike those for the simple fact it is unsafe since there is nothing to hang onto should you get bounced around by a wake or wave and you essentially lose that area since the area is blocked off by the fence behind you. The better setup has a low railing around the front with a front gate. More floor space inside the playpen area. The third type is like the second, but it also has fishing chairs at the rear. The center part of the boat can have any type of seating you heart desires. If fishing is not a priority, then the sky is the limit. I happen to feel changing rooms, porta potties and the like take up valuable space and unless you are on extremely large bodies of water you are likely in eye-shot of a resort or campground for nature calls. As for size and power -- that depends on whether you intend to tow the boat and tow tubes or skiers. That takes power. If towing this rig, you need to understand that towing a pontoon is like towing a barn door sideways in the wind so you need a little more power in a tow vehicle than you would with a regular boat. For most folks, a 20 - 24 footer is a good compromise between space, ability, versatility and performance.

 

[pgrizz]

Re: Need recommendation

thanks everyone for your input, we know what layout we want and the size around 20'. i guess the top speed we would want is 28-30 in order to pull skiers and tubers, so we need to verify the motor size against the boat size, correct? never thought about the towing but i am assuming it would not be worse than pulling a 31' travel trailer? 5150, if you did not work at Bennington what would your next choice be in toons, we are looking at a price of around $20,000? thanks for all your help. pam

 

[thegreatpiscator]

Re: Need recommendation

Hi Pam,
You didn't say whether you plan to trailer your boat only twice a year, or on a regular basis. If it's the latter, you definitely would not want to be dragging around a pontoon boat, no matter how big your tow vehicle is! They are a pain to load on the trailer, (especially if it's windy) and equally so when launching. Now, I'm sure some smarta** will write in and brag how he trailers his boat hundreds of miles...all summer long, and it's a piece of cake! But with 53 years of boating experience, I'm just saying that if you're planning on regularly trailering a pontoon boat, you're courting trouble. Incidentally, they do NOT lend themselves well to either fishing or skiing. The bimini top and its supports seem to always be in the way when fishing, with the exception of the two bow seats. Secondly, yes, you can put enough horses on a cattle trough and make it pull skiers, but why bother? Pontoon boats are great for puttering and partying, but they are not designed for high-speed performance. Of course, most dealers are only more than happy to sell you bigger and more costly engines to make that tub do what it was not designed to! And when you consider that essentially, what you are buying is an oversized swim raft with a bunch of costly patio furniture and a motor that can run into many thousands of dollars, new pontoon boats are WAY overpriced. That said, I'll admit that I own a 22 ft. Crest pontoon boat with a 40 horse Johnson. I bought it used, and paid less than 1/4 what a new one would have cost. We keep it in the water all summer long, and I don't even own a trailer. I pay a guy $50/yr. to launch and pull it out each season. From your expressed needs, you may want to look for a larger deck boat, such as a Hurricane. They trailer well, seat 8-10, and will outperform any pontoon boat on the water. But if your heart is set on a pontoon boat, they are all basically the same design, consisting of a deck over two or more sponsons, and a bunch of seats. The deck is usually the first thing to go, followed by the furniture, and then the bimini top. All of these can be readily replaced. The aluminum pontoons and frame, barring an accident, last virtually forever. The only other concern is the engine, and you'll need to find a "reliable" mechanic for that. Don't automatically assume that just because "so and so's" is the biggest marina around, that they must be the best. It has been my experience that they sometimes confuse profitability with honesty. Ask your boating friends and neighbors, they ought to be able to help. And finally, you didn't say where you are located, but keep in mind that because of the climate, a boat used in Michigan or Indiana has likely seen a lot less hours than one in Arizona or California. Well, I probably told you more than you bargained for, but I'm retired, and obviously don't have a lot to do. I just don't want to see you throw your money away, when you can have a boat that's almost like new for 1/4 the cost. Good luck, and feel free to write me directly if you wish.

Master Chief P.J. Anderson, U.S.N., Ret.
Lansing, MI
ander721@msu.edu

 

[Joe R.]

Re: Need recommendation

I have a 2001 22' Oddessey tri-toon with a 300 hp I/O. It is the greatest, most versatile boat i've owned. It will do 52 mph, pulls skiers as good as my Mastercraft, seats 12 comfortably and has a changing room that is used all the time. I tow it everywhere and have no problems. If you have a family or like to invite guests get a pontoon. The space and stable ride is unbeatable. The ONLY way to know that the boat you want has enough power and has the right options is to drive BEFORE you buy.

 

[DJ]

Re: Need recommendation

thanks everyone for your input, we know what layout we want and the size around 20'. i guess the top speed we would want is 28-30 in order to pull skiers and tubers, so we need to verify the motor size against the boat size, correct? never thought about the towing but i am assuming it would not be worse than pulling a 31' travel trailer? 5150, if you did not work at Bennington what would your next choice be in toons, we are looking at a price of around $20,000? thanks for all your help. pam

We have two Starcraft 20' pontoons. Both powered with Mercury 75 HP engines. One 2-stroke, one 4-stroke.

To get 29-30 MPH out of a 20 footer, you need a lot more than 75 HP. We get about 25 with three or four people aboard. That's pushing it.

Both are "adequate" for water sports and I mean just "adequate".

Let that be a guide for your shopping needs. I'd be looking at something in the same size range with a minimum of 115 HP.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Need recommendation

it takes a lot of power to push a toon.

 

[samo_ott]

Re: Need recommendation

I have been boating most of my life, I had my first 14 foot with a 40 lark evinrude on it back in 1964,, I rode my bicycle to the marina every day in the summer to use the boat I was only 12,, I have owned a lot of different boats including jet boats and p w c's. Recently I purchased a pontoon and was totally happy with the room and the versatility but as mentioned they are painfully slow and wast a lot of fuel plowing through the water. I have been constantly modifying mine to do what I want it to do and after upgrading the engine from a 50 hp to a 70 hp " this is only a 16 footer", I have decided to build hydrofoils under the boat to get the thing up out of the water and hopefully improve the top speed and the fuel efficiency, I'm only half way through the mod and am waiting for the foils to be formed at my sheet metal fabricator,I should be getting them within a week, and by then I should have all the mounts completed.
I would think the advice about the tri toon would be the correct approach and I have seen some with angle welded along the sides of the pontoons to add lift , this may help you with water skiers as it appears it will reduce the plowing effect regular pontoons seem to have.
With pontoons I am beginning to think the bigger they are the better they go through the water. Also a tri toon would sit higher when you are stopped as it has more buoyancy, I used my engine tray for added buoyancy by building a chamber within it and filling it with foam to counter the added weight of the larger engine.
Keep doing research and hopefully you will decide on the correct boat for what you want it to do, they are a lot of fun.

Having hydrofoils on the boat will make it very difficult to trailer! But a cool idea. And I'd love to see pics of it as you progress if you don't mind posting them.

 

[5150abf]

Re: Need recommendation

If I were buying a boat and couldn't get a Bennington(BLASHEMY!) I would look at a Preimer, Crest, Smoker Craft or Starcraft sort of in that order, if rumors are true Smoker and Star Craft are both made at the Smoker facilities and Preimer went under.

As I said I'm not sure who is even in buisness anymore, it has gotten really really ugly in the toon world, even Bennington has been idled for the last month, our last day of production was Jan 21 and we go back the 23 of this month and we were doing the best of any company so I don't know who is left.

We will still be around when all this is over and in a very good position to pick up huge market share but in the mean time it is a little tight, last I heard we had 500-600 orders waiting for financing so if Washington can ever get some credit freed up we are fine.

I knew it was coming and planned well ahead so I am fine.

You should be able to get a very nice boat for what you have to spend.

Good luck

 

[WNYBob]

Re: Need recommendation

we have always had cabin or open bow boats, we were looking at deck boats and for kicks looked at pontoons. we really know nothing about them but they look like they will fit our boating style, they have so much more room to move about. we like to fish and the kids like to tube and ski, we are looking for a 20' or 21'. any suggestions on manuf, motor size and anything else we should consider? Thx Pam

I have a 24' Premier Alante with a 90 Yamaha. The Alante is the leisure boat from the helm forward and fishing chairs, live well etc on the stern, along with a factory installed ski/tube bracket on the stern. We absolutely love it. It is one boat that literally does it all. Shallow draft to get in where even the smallest boats can go, yet the 90 moves it right along. the ride is superb even on the weekends when the weekenders have the lake all chopped up.

I take it out alone fishing in the morning. Can go out latter in the day, I fish, my wife lounges, suns and reads. Moves anyone right along with a tube. Haven't used it for sking but there is no doubt it would get the job done.

Come evening it's time for sunsets and cocktail cruises. People come to town, pleanty of room for whoever and whatever. Have had it to evening on the water concerts and fireworks. Had my own load of 8 guests for munchies and drinks, then two other boats tied up on either side and put the max of 14 people on it towards the end of the evening.

And foot for foot it's a lot cheaper than a V-hull and can be used for so many things and comfortably, besides just flying around burning up gas or trying to do social events on a fishing boat.

There is definitely no buyer's remorse on that one.

My neices and nephews the speed boat demons and gawd awful jet ski freaks were all eeewwwwww you got an old person's boat. Until I had them out on it just once. Then it was all "can we borrow it?" meaning they want to take it to the popular young adults sandbar to party. I'm when you're my age you can buy your own, you're not trashing mine. lol

 

[EGlideRider]

Re: Need recommendation

I would definetly look for a pontoon that has both port and starboard doors because you never know what side you need to tie up to.

I was in the market for a new pontoon last year because my other was nearly ten years old. I was surprised how difficult it was to find a boat with both doors. I finally settled on 09 a 24' Bentley.

As far as trailering, I've been trailering pontoons for nearly 30 years, including my last 32 footer, and have never experienced any trailering problems. Just make sure you have guides on the trailer and it will l load as easy as any other boat.

 

[SoulWinner]

Re: Need recommendation

Trailering a 'toon is no big deal. While they are wide and can be a bit tough to see around while backing, thousands of people tow their 'toons every season. The worst thing about towing a pontoon boat is what it does to the fuel mileage of the tow vehicle. Pulling tubes behind a 'toon requires more room to turn the boat around than a V-hull boat. I do not pull tubes or anything else with my Crest, but there are dozens of pontoon boats on the river here every summer pulling all kinds of toys. To date I have only seen two people on skis behind a pontoon boat.

I think I was the very first guy around here to max the HP for the hull rating. I hung a Merc 115 4 stroke on my 'toon, and llove it. Before the end of my first summer with this boat I was seeing other 'toons with big engines on them too. One good reason for putting a big engine is that at low speeds, like when you are trying to drive the boat up on the trailer (really easy to do BTW) a small motor with a small prop will offer very little steerage at idle RPM's. A big honking motor with a big four blade prop moves enough water at low RPM so that you can steer the boat onto the trailer, and easily pushed the boat all the way up to the stops.

So, if you play on lakes or really wide rivers I think you would find very few complaints with a pontoon boat, and the size you are considering is big enough for a lot of folks to enjoy, but still easy to navigate around docks, other boats, and up small rivers. What ever choice you make, don't skimp on the motor. If you don't get the biggest one the hull is rated for, I doubt you would be satisfied with anything smaller than a 90 on a 20' boat.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Need recommendation

also you can save a lot of $$ by buying used, and installing new seats, etc.

mine is a 20 year old 20' monarch.

 

[Jobless Recovery]

Re: Need recommendation

I used to have a 2000 reinell 20" bowrider. Loved it (at first) but with 2 kids, us and and the junk we bring along, it quickly ran out of space and worse, if we brought along friends. Now we have a 20" Crestliner Pontoon and have so much space, and stability. we pull the kids on the tube & kneeboard (kids now are 19 & 21) with no problems. We even use the welded rings on the tubes with a tow harness (which keeps the tow line clear from the motor) You won't regret a pontoon. We even bbq on it and have wonderful days with lunch on the lake. Just be sure you have enough horses for pulling (ours is 90HP Johnson). We keep making changes to suit our needs, right now were having a double bimini top installed to afford much needed shade along much of the entire boat. Next I would like to add a sundeck across the back section to include a porta-potti and changing room. It will also help diminish some of the engine noise too.

Good luck and hope you find what you're family needs.

 

[lncoop]

Re: Need recommendation

Hey Jobless, you caused me to see a ghost. I saw a post from tashasdaddy who we sadly lost late last year. It took me a second to realize the thread was two years old.