pontoon handling

[aussiepontoon]

Hi i have just impoted a 24ft Harris Flotebote with a Mercruiser 135hp 4cyl engine..To Australia
My questions are can i change out the 135 and replace it with a Mercruiser 4.3 V6
Next ...my boat seems to tilt oven on turns and as i dont think it will turn over it an uneasy feeling..
Would rakes on the toons, even a 3 center toon help...
I want to make the pontoon safe but it is underpowered..
Does anyone have a healthy Mercruiser V6 ..

 

[lakegeorge]

Re: pontoon handling

Hi i have just impoted a 24ft Harris Flotebote with a Mercruiser 135hp 4cyl engine..To Australia
My questions are can i change out the 135 and replace it with a Mercruiser 4.3 V6
Next ...my boat seems to tilt oven on turns and as i dont think it will turn over it an uneasy feeling..
Would rakes on the toons, even a 3 center toon help...
I want to make the pontoon safe but it is underpowered..
Does anyone have a healthy Mercruiser V6 ..

Well, a third toon can be added as long as the person doing it knows what they are doing. You could call the mfg. and get their opinion. I would think that with your engine it will run in the low 20's
The 3rd toon will definitely make it more stable.
You need to see what horsepower the plate on your boat recommends before changing the engine, if you put a 3rd toon on then you can add more horsepower.

You may want to talk to a good mechanic and see what can be done to your engine to increase the horsepower.

 

[aussiepontoon]

Re: pontoon handling

Hi thanks for the reply.. I am getting around 25mph but thats with the engine working hard the manufacter has recommended up to 230hp for my pontoon so i think installing a 220hp 4.3 V6 will be fine..
As for handling the boat just seems to roll on the rear on cornering i have tried adjusting the load on the boat but it is still there. Will adding a third toon just create more drag and slow the boat even more..should i install strakes i have not seen these only heard of them so i am not sure what they look like.....Oh and the year of my boat is 2001 Harris 24ft Floteboat
love the layout and the ease of the I/O engine but just need to refine it..Paul

 

[River_Lizard]

Re: pontoon handling

It's a pontoon or a field plow, whichever one you'd like to pick...but performance is probably low on the scale when dealing with a pontoon. Adding strakes will provide lift but cornering performance.....I couldn't even begin to suggest something for that. Pontoon logs are just not designed for turning like a good V bottom is...they're two completely different types and perform completely different. It sounds like you should have got a deck boat instead of a pontoon...IMO.

 

[steelespike]

Re: pontoon handling

I would think that a 135 could make 30-32 if healthy. There are probably exceptions as pontoon speeds are all over the place.
A brief look at 22 ft pontoons with 115 outboards produced 6 models that ran 30 mph to 32.
From my very brief check longer toons seem to hold speed better.
The pontoon is just not going to turn sharp. There is a"belly pod" my term that greatly improves performance
and handling but I don't think it will ever turn quick especially with an I/O on the back
and your thinking even more weight.I did see a video of a 24 footer with a pod added it did appear to go all most like a runabout.
If you want to go fast with a pontoons room consider a deck boat.

 

[sasto]

Re: pontoon handling

I wouldn't mess with her. Just like any lady....you just need to learn her limitations and go with it. Accept her for what she is.