Tritoon shopping, newbie, need some opinions on performance

[pbjsammich]

I've been into bowriders and performance boats for a while....really like the functionality of the toons. Wife and I are thinking of making a switch, but on a very limited budget. Found this guy in our price range. Unfortunately, it's not local....requesting you toon experts to give me your thoughts on performance expectations before I take the drive up to look at it:


It's a 2001 Sundancer 22' with a 135 Merc Optimax.

Tritoon, U-shaped pontoons, NO lifting strakes.

Owner claims 35mph top speed.


-Will the third pontoon (w/o strakes) get this boat on plane?

-I'm not overly concerned about top speed, more concerned about pulling up a skier/wakeboarder. Won't be doing it often (maybe 2-3 outings a year). Will pull a tube just about every outing.

-Will a pontoon boat with strakes perform as well as this tritoon w/o strakes?

Any advice is appreciated!!

Ken

 

[The Rooster]

Re: Tritoon shopping, newbie, need some opinions on performance

Not sure Ken !!! Strakes definetly make a difference, but that's a nice package there. I would think 35 mph would be in the ball park. I know a friend w/ an older 2000 model 22' Suntracker Regency, Triple tube, w/out strakes. He runs 28-30 mph w/ a Merc. 115 4-stroke. That 135 Optimax is a full featured V6. Sounds plausible. Good luck !!!

 

[pbjsammich]

Re: Tritoon shopping, newbie, need some opinions on performance

Not sure Ken !!! Strakes definetly make a difference, but that's a nice package there. I would think 35 mph would be in the ball park. I know a friend w/ an older 2000 model 22' Suntracker Regency, Triple tube, w/out strakes. He runs 28-30 mph w/ a Merc. 115 4-stroke. That 135 Optimax is a full featured V6. Sounds plausible. Good luck !!!

I was hoping to get some "real world" numbers from some of you guys. That's certainly encouraging! Appreciate the reply Rooster!

 

[5150abf]

Re: Tritoon shopping, newbie, need some opinions on performance

The short answer is yes, the boat wiht strakes will do better BUT almost all boats with strakes reccomend a 150 minimum but I do think a a boat with strakes would perform a bit better even with a 135.

35 sounds doable with that package and adding strakes could be up to $1000 and could get you maybe a few mph but the only way to know would be to add them adn the odds that you would get them on in the right place the fisrt time is kinda slim so probably best to skip that and run the boat as is.

 

[pbjsammich]

Re: Tritoon shopping, newbie, need some opinions on performance

The short answer is yes, the boat wiht strakes will do better BUT almost all boats with strakes reccomend a 150 minimum but I do think a a boat with strakes would perform a bit better even with a 135.

35 sounds doable with that package and adding strakes could be up to $1000 and could get you maybe a few mph but the only way to know would be to add them adn the odds that you would get them on in the right place the fisrt time is kinda slim so probably best to skip that and run the boat as is.

I think the price on the tritoon is fair....if it were CHEAP I'd consider doing some modifications. Rather just buy something that fits our needs right off the bat. I've read up on adding strakes....as you pointed out, seems like a hit or miss thing regarding getting the right placement.

Glad to see I'm getting a pretty consistant response from you guys that this boat should meet my expectations. Think I'll be calling the owner today and make it happen. I'll be boating in lake Conroe, which is a pretty rough lake in summertime. Seems a tritoon, even without strakes, will handle the chop better than a pontoon boat.

Will post pics if this all work out. Hope to keep the comments coming from you guys!

 

[GrandDad]

Re: Tritoon shopping, newbie, need some opinions on performance

The top speed is probably about right - we have a 22-foot high-performance tri-toon with a 150 that will do 37 with biminis up and two people aboard, a bit less with 4-6 people (and grandkids).

One thought - since you are used to the perfromance of a vee-hull, make sure you drive this boat, specifically evaluating the turning ability. My experience (some may disagree) is:

- a standard tri-toom (all toons equal in size) will handle a bigger motor that a toon with two toons and therefore go faster, but it won't handle like a vee-hull.

- several mfrs (Premier, Manitou, Bennington) make performance tri-toons where the middle toon is much wider that the outer ones (ours has 26" outer and 36" middle). They tend to handle more like a vee-hull. Problem is tha they also cost quite a bit more and are more difficult to find on the used market.

So, our boat will maneuver somewhat like a vee-hull, which makes it better for tubers especially.

Anyway, you might be quite happy with how the tritoon handles, I would just drive before you buy if it were me...

 

[lakegeorge]

Re: Tritoon shopping, newbie, need some opinions on performance

Ken, Look up boat tests on the internet, you will find a few magazines that have tested about every size toon out there with stats. The toon that your looking at should not have any problem doing 35 mph.

 

[Bamaman1]

Re: Tritoon shopping, newbie, need some opinions on performance

Look up Manitou's web site. They have a link to a UTube page comparing their SHP high performance hull (27" mid toon and two 23" toons with strakes) to the same boat/engine with 3 toons (no strakes)--on a closed boat course. Their SHP hull runs circles around a tritoon, and performance is very impressive.

If the price is really right, you can always accept the tritoon's limitations.

If you ever have questions about performance, I have found Boattest.com to have the most comprehensive boat speed information.

 

[Blank-N-Ship]

Re: Tritoon shopping, newbie, need some opinions on performance

You probably won't see much of a speed increase simply by adding a third pontoon with the same engine. The third pontoon allows for heavier engines/loads but it also has more drag. You'd want to go with a bigger engine in most cases.

Strakes will help pull you out of the water but just remember that a fair amount of the water that comes off the underside of those strakes will hit your crossmembers and show up as drag. Underskinning would cut down on that drag.

Look up Manitou's web site. They have a link to a UTube page comparing their SHP high performance hull (27" mid toon and two 23" toons with strakes) to the same boat/engine with 3 toons (no strakes)--on a closed boat course. Their SHP hull runs circles around a tritoon, and performance is very impressive.

Just watched the video. The guy test-driving it says "20... 30... (big grin) ...40... (smile relaxes a bit)" Keep in mind he never said "50". I'm guessing that this is what the driver had in mind (or thought the boat was going to do).

Leisure Kraft's tritoons will go 50+, btw. And I'd bet the price is less. I work there, I should know.

 

[pbjsammich]

Re: Tritoon shopping, newbie, need some opinions on performance

I missed out on the tritoon literally by a few hours. So, I'm shopping around once again. Kinda glad, cause it gives me some more time to do my research and save up my pennies.

Going to try to get up to Lake Conroe this weekend....there's a Bennington dealer on the lake that has a handful of tritoons/pontoons left. Said they can arrange some test drives, so I'm going to give it a shot.

 

[The Rooster]

Re: Tritoon shopping, newbie, need some opinions on performance

Shopping for one is at least 1/2 the fun. "PBJ". Plenty out there to choose from. Good luck !!!

 

[pbjsammich]

Re: Tritoon shopping, newbie, need some opinions on performance

Well, I've found another that seems to be a good lead so far. Again, not local, but the owner has sent me lots of pictures. 08 Bennington 21'. Tritoon, lifting strakes, Yamaha F150 (07, 150hrs), dual axle trailer. A little bit more than I wanted to spend but it's a very fair "end of the season" deal.

Only major defect I see on the boat is that is has a decent sized dent in one of the pontoons. Probably about a foot wide, 6" tall. Pretty far from the lifting strake, a few inches off where the pontoon "bracket" is welded at the top. Owner said a jet ski came in a little hot. Been like that for over a year, no issues, only cosmetic. Did some reading up on this and doesn't seem to be a major issue, and likely repairable if it's not creased (doesn't appear that way in the pictures). Just an eyesore unfortunately. Again, looking to the experts, any advice?

Anything in particular you guys suggest I look at, specific to pontoon boats? Pretty straightforward what I'll be looking for on the outboard, but as said, I'm still new to these pontoon boats.

Currently planning on checking it out on friday. Keeping my fingers crossed it shows as well in person as it does in the pictures!!

 

[lakegeorge]

Re: Tritoon shopping, newbie, need some opinions on performance

pjs, There is a guy on this site that works at Bennington and I hope he chimes in to offer his opinion on repairing dent. That rig sounds nice and fast also.

 

[pbjsammich]

Re: Tritoon shopping, newbie, need some opinions on performance

Happy to report I picked it up on Saturday. I'm a new toon owner! Plan on cleaning her up and taking some pictures this weekend. Appreciate all the info posted in this thread so far!

 

[The Rooster]

Re: Tritoon shopping, newbie, need some opinions on performance

Good for you "PBJ". Can't wait to see pictures !!!