Pontoon seating arrangements... ins and outs... your opinions please!

[Gnu2boating]

WOW!...

I spent most of the day looking at NEW pontoons and all the things they have on them. Short of a 3 BR and basement, some have about everything else.

Now... I believe that I am in the market for a 25' higher performance pontoon for skiing/tubing. Other than that... I am an open book.

I looked at Premier and Bennington today, and they seemed spectacular.

Our trouble now is not only WHICH and WHICH ONE... but even perhaps MORE important, now that we have looked at them, is the SEATING ARRANGEMENT.

After I have decided on what size, power, and make... I need to determine the seating. Our family is 6 and we would probably have at least 2 more with a possibility of 6 more at times.

What are the ins and outs of seating arrangements you WITH ALL THE EXPERIENCE have found? Do you typically use the head/changing room on a pontoon? Do you like the captains chairs or would you rather have another couch? Some have a large, walkthrough seating area in the back and some have an enclosed seating area, cutting off access off the back. Do you use the side entrance or would you put additional seating there? Any experience with the 'blow up matresses, which go between the couches? What about cooking (grill) on the rail?

If you were to put together your 'perfect' pontoon... what would it have on it and how would it be arranged?

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Pontoon seating arrangements... ins and outs... your opinions please!

i use one side entrance 99% of the time, but occasionally wind conditions i have to use the other side. i prefer access to the stern, never know when you need to clear a prop. i like some clear area on the rails, just for a little fishing. stern access, fish n ski makes a good boat. women like the potty.

 

[5150abf]

Re: Pontoon seating arrangements... ins and outs... your opinions please!

Premier and Bennington are both excellent boats but I would go with the Bennington, of coarse I am biased as I work there but we do make a very nice boat and have the best warranty in the buisness, 5 years, front to back, everything but the engine, which is covered by there warranty.

Just looked through my catalog and saw 11 floor plans for the 25 and yes they can get pretty posh, our top line QXI has actual granite on the table/cooler.

I have taken out several company boats and would get the privacy enclosure, I have 3 daughters and it really comes in handy, it is really nice for getting out of wet cloths when you are done skiing/tubing.

I have 5 and with all the freinds that came along we got up to 11 or 12 and we always had plenty of room and seating and once you sit in the captains chair you won't want to get up.

If you are going to ski/tube you will want a ladder and normally the side gate is used at the dock or to jump out of the boat to swim.

I would also look at a tri tube option with lifting strakes, possibly our ESP package, makes the boat actually bank in turns, hard, it is really impressive.

Look around at everything that is available and make up your own mind, see how everything is put together, are the deck and rails screwed on or through bolted ect, compare warranty, pick several boats and start narrowing it down till you have a winner.

If they were to give me a boat I would get a 2575 RLi with a Yamaha 250.

 

[jafo9]

Re: Pontoon seating arrangements... ins and outs... your opinions please!

imho, sofas are better than single recliners. seems to give more seating options and "pack" more people into the same space. my family likes the "sundeck" on the back of ours which is the rectangular pad over the motor area and which also hides the changing area.

one thing i wish mine had was a ladder in the front. seems silly to have to swim all the way to the back of the boat to reboard.

i also would think a sink wouldn't be that useful. i'd rather just have a space for a cooler. i also like the boat that have the bow filler seat for when you really need the extra seating.

good luck.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Pontoon seating arrangements... ins and outs... your opinions please!

Seating arrangements need to be considered with how the boat will be used the majority of the time. If you plan to do any amount of fishing for example, you will quickly find that having only lounge style seating is a hindrance. If you fish, you will want two pedestal mounted bow chairs. If you fish very infrequently or not at all, then that's obviously not a consideration. On a pontoon you tend to have a larger number of people all of whom tend to get up and move around. With that in mind, you don't want so much seating that you essentially end up with no deck space to move around. All that furniture looks nice but it can be obstructive. Whether or not you need a porta potty or changing room depends on the bodies of water you frequent. Inland lakes generally have ample resorts, parks, etc., that one can pull into for nature calls. When leaving for an outing one can change into swim togs before departure. So my view of a changing room and porta potty is that they take up valuable deck space. Only you can decide if these features are necessary for your intented use of the boat. Storage is also important. You will quickly find out that the more people you have on board, you also need support equipment like life jackets, ropes, towels, etc. You don't want this stuff littering the deck when not in use. Bimini is essential as is a well fitting playpen cover.

 

[imported_John o]

Re: Pontoon seating arrangements... ins and outs... your opinions please!

I have a Manitou Osprey Pro SHP with a 175 Yamaha on it.

I wanted something that would be great all around. I am fast enough (38MPH with full load) to pull anything yet plush enough to just cruise and enjoy myself, and have enough fishing goodies to catch a boat load.

The Osprey Pro is designed as a fishing pontoon so I have chairs on all four corners. While I don't have a rear gate I can reach anything back there I need to reach.

I had the front two chairs replaced with the reclining captains chairs from their Legacy model. Would like to tell you they sit well but I've never sat in them underway or at anchor. My guests sit down and won't get up. :^) (Actually they sit incredibly well)

total capacity is 11 people.


Have live well forward between the lounges which will double as a cooler. Also have a live well aft. Rod racks fore and aft and a locking rod locker stbd of the helm.

Double bimini so everything but the four corner chairs can be in the shade.

The Manitou SHP package is one of the top three best maneuvering (I'd say the best) pontoons out there (Bennington and Premier seem to be the other two). I can do donuts at full speed and easily jump my own wake. (Scares the passengers though :^) )

I have gates port and stbd, each equipped with a vers-a-track ladder. The kids board one side and run across to launch themselves from the other. (get a five step if anyone is large or has bad knees)

Also have a front gate where I've got my trolling motor mounted (74 pound thrust remote operated).

I have a small pop up changing room but the lakes I'm normally on put me no more then 5 minutes from a restroom so I use that space for regular storage.

So far it's met all my expectations. I'd have to say I'm very pleased with it in every way.

 

[64FAIRLANESC]

Re: Pontoon seating arrangements... ins and outs... your opinions please!

My Ideal Pontoon Would Be A 25 Ft Crest Savanah Hpt(High Performance Technology) With A 300hp Suzuki. Rear Entry For Easy Access For Tubing, With Bow And Port Gates. I Would Also Take The Sink, Fridge, Blender, Digital Gauges, And I Love The No Cable All Electronic Controls On The Suzuki. I Would Also Want The Power Remote Control Bimini Top. 50-55 Mph On A 25ft, 2 Tube Boat Is Always Fun. I May Be A Little Biased Because I Work At A Marina That Got This Package In But I Work There So I Could Never Make The Payments On A Boat Like This. The lake we are on has several different marinas carrying several different lines. I prefer the Crest, Bennigton and Godfrey pontoons just because I trust the build quality of these companies. You need to talk to a salesman about what you would like to do with a pontoon (tubing, fishing, ect), how many people you would usually have on the boat, what kind of performance you want ect. A good salesman should be able to direct you to what kind of pakage would suit what you would be using the boat for. If not go to a different dealer that can give better advise.

 

[TooManyQuestions]

Re: Pontoon seating arrangements... ins and outs... your opinions please!

I ordered a Osprey as well (however not the Pro).

I agree with a lot with John and what he did.

I wanted fishing off back though. But what I did with front is had bench on helm side going forward (no gate) and put a captains chair (matching switched helm chair as well) on passenger side (I will get my starboard and port down pat soon) so that someone (80 year old father in law) could fish off front as well.

I had a two pole table (for stability) installed next to captain chair in front with straight edge of table coming out 90 degrees from rail so that gate can open flush to back of table. Took Johns advice and added 5 step ladder at only side entrance on passenger side.

Left the standard seat arrangement in the helm and passenger area under the bimini top (only took standard).

Going to use rear live well as a serving area for beer and snacks (Sorry dad).

Ive given this a lot of thought during the last 4 weeks and changed my mind several times with advice from folks on here.

I get it delivered on Thursday.

Cant wait. Im like a kid waiting for Christmas morning.

Im spending more money than I wanted to (about 8K more), but I like what Im getting and will always be able to look at what I got and not wonder "What if"

Ok.

Now another question that I left on another thread as well.

RPMs and trim.
What idea RPMs do I want to run at for fishing (slow crusing) and tubing (2/3 to full throttle)? And does the trim have something to do with the RPMs?