Not trying to start a fight here, but...

[1976SRV190]

I notice the majority of threads in the toon section deal with trying to make them FASTER.....Why even buy a pontoon if you want to go fast? Or, is it just that you bought it, have had it a while and it is getting to be boring on the water because it is so slow? My best lake buddy has a 18ft toon with a Mariner 50 on it and man, that thing is SLOWWWWW. It MAY make a total of about 18mph~21mph MAX!

I want a pontoon, but don't care if it only goes 20 or so because all I want it for is fishing and swiming/recreational. So even if it tops out at say, 25mph, thatll be enough.

I can see wanting more speed if your toon only will hit 15 or 20, but if you want say 35~40 out of a toon, isn't that like buying a Volkswagen bug if you REALLY want a fast car?

 

[samm835]

Re: Not trying to start a fight here, but...

I agree with what you are saying, but I know in the question I had somewhere on this forum....it was more of a safety and a question of I want to get as much power as I can SAFELY. Only because I like to get somewhere as quick and as safe as possible. I didn't sell my runabout and get a pontoon and think the pontoon was gonna run 45 or faster. I know running a pontoon to fast will only turn it into a submarine. Maybe most people don't realize this, fast PONTOONs are unsafe, now a TRI-TOON is a little different. Again I think when some ask these questions, they are schooled by the experience here and then they realize that a 200 HP isn't safe for a toon. Just my 2 cents. Good post though......
Samm

 

[steelespike]

Re: Not trying to start a fight here, but...

Toons have their good points.You can take a bare toon and turn it into an overnighter,or a fantastic fishing platform,a gazeebo with a deck,porch glider and charcoal grill,a fully equipped floating living room,diving platform,Maybe one of those big plastic garden sheds could be adapted as a cabin.etc,etc.It will get as good or better mileage as a runabout up to about 8 to 10 mph.Ride really smooth.Can be adapted easily so the infirm can boat.My 86 year old mother could just step aboard at high water and use a rubber maid stool to board in low water. I have found my 18 footer to be pretty easy to handle in tight spaces considering its size. 8 X 19 ft.But you're not likely to ski or get from here to there really fast.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Not trying to start a fight here, but...

Go ahead and start the fight! I'll hold your coat. Actually, the entire over powering issue is less about safety and more about the legal system. Chances are someone that powers a boat with more HP than the capacity tag says will never have a problem with the power aspect. But sooner or later they may be involved in what I will call an "incident" that may have nothing to do with the over power issue. Unfortunately the personal injury lawyers (more aptly called ambulance chasers) have screwed up the legal system with the help of their judicial buddies and even the slightest altercation ends up in court. With that in mind, your insurance company would likely leave you out in the cold since their paper work likely says the boat has the original engine on it which was within the capacity plate max rating. Since you overpowered, you violated their policy and they won't pay. So when the dust clears, that means all your stuff now belongs to someone else.

 

[rrhodes]

Re: Not trying to start a fight here, but...

I will add my 2 cents to this. I have a new 25' Triple Tube. I got it so instead of deciding which family member to take out I can I can invite all of them. My Toon runs about 26 - 27mph WOT with a Honda 115 4 stroke. I would love to get 30+ but not because I want the speed. If I can run 30mph at WOT then I can back off the throttle and save fuel but still run 20-22mph. My toon is rated for a max HP of 150hp but I could not justify the $4k more to get another 5mph. They also offer a performance package which sets her up for up to 225hp.

Pontoon design has come a long way. I don't think it is safe to take an old twin log boat and run 40+mph but at the same time they have planing Triple Tubes that run 60+

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Not trying to start a fight here, but...

I think that if speed is a major issue then a toon is not the boat to get (unless you have a lot of $ to spend)

 

[cuzzx]

Re: Not trying to start a fight here, but...

I have had a Toon since 1993 and loved each and every day on the water. My Toon was 18ft rated for 50 and powered by a 75 Evinrude. Never put a speedometer, just tach. Love what little speed I had and went everywhere while fishing in the Bay.
Today I have a 1995 20ft rated for 70 and run a 75hp. Just put it in the water a few weeks ago. With the wrong prop it moves pretty good. I'm searching for the correct prop. I will be putting a speedometer on this Toon just to see what it does. .

Ok, what I have noticed. Older Toons were light with low hp and the newer Toons weigh more and double the hp.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Not trying to start a fight here, but...

here is the Coast Guards word on over powering. not the personal injury attorneys.

The United States Coast Guard has an opinion on this frequently asked question, and their answer from their website is reproduced below:
Can I use a bigger motor on my boat than what it's rated for?
It is not a violation of Coast Guard regulations to install or use an engine larger than specified on the capacity label, but there may be state regulations prohibiting it, and restrictions from your own insurance company regarding this.
There are no Coast Guard regulations against exceeding the safe loading capacity, however, there may be State regulations or restrictions from your insurance company which prohibit this. There is a Coast Guard regulation that gives Coast Guard Boarding Officers the power to terminate the use of a boat (send it back to shore) if, in the judgment of the Boarding Officer, the boat is overloaded. There is no fine for this, unless the operator refuses the Boarding Officer's order. We certainly hope that you will abide by the rating, as overloading may lead to capsizing or swamping of the boat.
NOTE: The Coast Guard Capacity Information label is required only on monohull boats less than 20' in length. The label is not required on multi-hull boats, pontoon boats (catamarans), or on any sailboats, canoes, kayaks, or inflatable boats, regardless of length.
As the Coast Guard mentions, local regulations may apply. For example, in the state of Ohio one should be guided by this regulation:
Capacity Plates
(ORC 1547.39 & ORC 1547-40)
No person shall operate or permit operation of a watercraft in excess of any of the stated limits on the capacity plate. When no capacity plate exists, no person shall operate or permit operation of a watercraft if a reasonably prudent person would believe the total load aboard or the total horsepower of any motor or engine presents a risk of physical harm to persons or property.

 

[MikDee]

Re: Not trying to start a fight here, but...

I was at the lake last week, with the jetski, in between runs, I was standing by the water, when I heard a boat powering up just past the buoy's, as usual. It had the familiar sound of a small block chevy, when I turned to look it was maybe a 20-22' Toon? The question I have is, do some of these come with a 5.0 or 5.7 Mercruiser?

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Not trying to start a fight here, but...

there are i/o toons. guess you could put anything in them.

 

[MikDee]

Re: Not trying to start a fight here, but...

there are i/o toons. guess you could put anything in them.

I guess just out of curiousity, I was wondering, if these came factory equipped with a V8 Mercruiser? Not that it matters, I don't plan on getting one.

 

[smclear]

Re: Not trying to start a fight here, but...

Many ponttons will come with i/o power. My family has owned a pontoon in some form for the past 50 years. We just purchased a new JC Suntoon Triple Tube with a Honda 135 on it. It does quite nicely for top end. Our last two pontoons were JC Tritoons with Mercruiser i/o's (5.7 litre) The Tritoons definitely have a better ride as they actually have a planing hull on the center tube. JC is the only manufacturer to offer this. In fact the name Tritoon is a registered trademark that applies to JC pontoons with the planing hull. All other pontoons with three tubes are just that, three regular tubes and not a planing center tube. There is a huge difference.

As to the need for speed on a pontoon, it is a very valid request. Anyone caught out in the middle of a body of water, with any sort of emergency (medical, critical phone call, or for the more timid, a bathroom need) will want to get back to shore ASAP. A fast pontoon is NOT a safety problem. They can handle speed quite well. Just don't expect them to turn like a typical hull.

 

[rrhodes]

Re: Not trying to start a fight here, but...

I wanted the Tritoon when I bought mine but could not convince the Wife to spent the extra $10k

 

[Rancherlee]

Re: Not trying to start a fight here, but...

When you don't want or have the ability to have 2 different boats at the lake and quick pontoon is a better option than cramming 7-8 people in a little boat. I bought my pontoon to have fun with the family while still having the ability to pull a tube or skier if I lighten the load on the pontoon. Its also nice to have when you are 15-20 miles away from the cabin/campsite on a chain of lakes and need to get back in a hurry. 15 miles away takes you over an hour to get back with a small motor thats around 1/2 the boat capacity or less. only 1/2 an hour when it maxed out which is a HUGE difference if the weather is turning bad or there is an emergency. With todays engines a BIG 4 stroke/DI 2 stroke isn't going to used hardly any more gas at idle/slow cruse speed than a smaller engine and its nice to know you have the power to move out when you need to. The only down side is the initial cost.