??? on PONTOON Boats..........

[hammersley]

OK - don't laugh... ... how practical are pontoon boats for all around use - I mean can you tube/ski behind them????

 

[RRees]

Some of the newer style "Pontoons" looked really sweet at the latest Boat show here in Des Moines, Iowa. My cousin has one that she keeps up on Lake Panorama, Iowa and it performed really well even with a dozen or so relatives (family reunion). We didn't pull any skiers. If Iowa had more/better water recreational areas, I would invest in another boat. Our lakes get too crowded. Of course they one I looked at, at the boat show almost cost as much as my truck.



Later,



Bob

 

[Hoefler]

Skiing behind one is not fun. They have a miserable wake and usually under powered. If you are looking for something to tube and ski behind as well have a group of people on, look at a deck boat. Same concept, except it has a full hull versus 2 or 3 logs. If you are looking at one with an inboard/outboard, I would think twice. Especially if you are doing your own maintenance, they are stuffed in very tight, and can be very treacherous to work on ( exposed screws, sharp edges, etc. . ). I had one you could not get to the oil filter let alone off and out of the engine compartment. One more thing, their are not the most fuel efficient design on the water either.

 

[MA2LA]

I have tubed behind my Dads but he only got a 60hp and it struggles to get the job done. the big deck is nice to just relax and have fun on though.

 

[Skydiver]

I've was involved with boats from 1978-1986 and again from 1996 till 2001.



Boats can be a nightmare. A pontoon will be much more comfortable than a V-hull runabout. If you have been on a crowded lake you already know that a V-hull can beat you since less.

Look for a pontoon boat with the larger pontoons. They will ride higher and smoother. As far as engines do not skimp get one that has enough power to run at an efficient rpm range. The I/O engines are difficult to work on as far as reaching the lower half of the engine. I would recommend a 4-stroke outboard.

Harris makes a real nice unit.

Never buy a boat without a test ride and a complete going over. Check underneath also. Don't forget to check the trailer for rust, runner condition and axel bearings.



Never store a boat without winterizing. You will find marine components are over priced.

Have proper safety equipment, GPS and take the water safety course.

 

[DWeiler]

OK - don't laugh... ... how practical are pontoon boats for all around use - I mean can you tube/ski behind them????

This is what i'm looking at Premier Pontoons - Pontoon Boats, Pontoon Boat Manufacturer, Premier Marine, Inc. - Home S series 25FT with a 225Hp Honda outboard in the future. PTX package also so i can haul some skiers/tubers,but mostly for the leisure ride/fishing around are place at the lake. They have come along way with regards to handling/performance than 10 years ago especially with the triple tube designs now,but they are pricey,mine will be upward of 50k but i hope its the last boat i buy and last me several years. PS---I'm a really big Honda fan(quads/gennerator/cars/20hpHonda outboard-now)but the Mercury Verado has caught my eye(superchargedOo. ). I just don't know if i should just stick with the Honda 225 or move over to a Mercury225HP or 250HP ,my #1 priority is reliability and the Honda 20HP i have now is a great little runabout motor that starts every time on the first pull mounted on a 12FT inflatable. Any advise/experience with Mercury is greatly appreciated.

 

[hammersley]

Wouldn't that Pontoon be great with a

Cummins

 

[Skydiver]

If you could find a unit with a inboard/outboard V-8 (for ballast reasons)and swap it for a properly tuned 4bt with about a 18" diameter 26 degree prop. Think about it, Turbo charged 4bt. It would have to be propped correctly.

 

[hammersley]

Actually the best setup would be a big Hamilton Pump

a 5. 9 and this bad boy



Hamilton Jet Model HJ292

 

[mberry]

This is what i'm looking at Premier Pontoons - Pontoon Boats, Pontoon Boat Manufacturer, Premier Marine, Inc. - Home S series 25FT with a 225Hp Honda outboard in the future. PTX package also so i can haul some skiers/tubers,but mostly for the leisure ride/fishing around are place at the lake. They have come along way with regards to handling/performance than 10 years ago especially with the triple tube designs now,but they are pricey,mine will be upward of 50k but i hope its the last boat i buy and last me several years. PS---I'm a really big Honda fan(quads/gennerator/cars/20hpHonda outboard-now)but the Mercury Verado has caught my eye(superchargedOo. ). I just don't know if i should just stick with the Honda 225 or move over to a Mercury225HP or 250HP ,my #1 priority is reliability and the Honda 20HP i have now is a great little runabout motor that starts every time on the first pull mounted on a 12FT inflatable. Any advise/experience with Mercury is greatly appreciated.

My parents have a 1985ish 27' "Party Barge" that they basically rebuilt the entire thing except the frame and pontoons. I had not ever been on one before theirs and I must say it is the most comfortable boat I've been on. Very roomy, stable, 90HP Yamaha outboard has plenty of power for it's use. It's very comfortable to fish from also. I think it's rated for 18 people on board but it gets a little cramped. My 19' open bow runabout on a busy lake would shake the fillings out of my teeth sometimes.

Personally, I would stick with the Honda outboard. You want as much reliability as you can get on the water. The Verado is built by Mercury, the others in their line somewhere between 50 and 200HP are built by Yamaha and painted black for Merc which I would be fine with.

 

[BILLVO]

I have a 22' Bennington tripple tube with a 150 Yamaha four stroke and it does right at 38 mph. You can pull skiers with ease. Be sure to get at least 25 inch tubes with lifting strakes to get it to plane out.



Here is a link to my last thread on it.



https://www.turbodieselregister.com/forums/other-vehicles/186881-new-pontoons-need-advice.html





Or you could just get one of these.

 

[KLockliear]

What is it you want to do with the boat? Party deck? Ski? What else? Where do you boat (lake, river, ocean, etc). What kind of money do you have to spend on it? 5k, 25k, 75k?

 

[OL RATLR]

??? on PONTOON Boats......

For a all purpose boat a pontoon is hard to beat. Pleasure,ski,fish,ect.

 

[rweis]

Some pontoons are square or rectangular and get up on plane MUCH better because they have a flat side underneath. Getting a tube pontoon up on plane is a self defeating exercise. The faster you go the less surface area in the water to get up on plane with. A square or rectangle pontoon maintains the same lifting surface. Generally same hp will get you 10 - 15 knts more speed with square or smaller engine (less gas used, lighter, etc)



Try a round pontoon and a square pontoon same hp / weight and you will see the difference dramatically.



I live in florida where we have a "few" pontoon boats. I would look for one with a METAL honeycomb deck NOT a wood deck sheathed in metal. The wood WILL rot and then you get to take the deck apart and rebuild it every couple of 8 years or so.



Put your fuel tanks forward up toward the bow to help offset the weight of the engine and better balance the fore to aft weight distribution. A lot of pontoon boats have the console well aft, that hurts the weight distributation, looks good, but sucks the weight distribution. Same thing for the console being on one side, get it in the middle if possible. You can learn to park it from the middle just fine.



Where are you going to put the potti? Everyone that does long days with mixed company always winds up getting a potti. Just where is it going to be located?



Totally agree on outboard vs inboard outboard. They are just about all outboard down here.



Don't forget the child rails everywhere that are NOT OPENABLE by a 6 yo (2nd grade). You will have small children on it sometime and you do not want to have to literally hold their hand every second. Obviously HIGH quality life vest for all, the smaller the child the better the life vest, and do not forget about a life vest for the dog, my dog jumped over the rails trying to chase birds more than a few times, oh, water activated strobes on the life vest for night, especially for the children and dog. Trying to find a child or dog overboard at night in the dark when seconds count you need all the help you can get. Practice that a few times with the dog and you will see what I mean.



DUAL fuel filters WITH water seperators (the clear bowl type are nice so you can see when it needs to be drained) and change them regularly.



Just my . 02



Bob Weis

 

[KLockliear]

Again, depending on what you want to do with it, and how much you want to spend, there are all kinds of options out there. Here's a few "options":



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This one is actually an Advantage 28' Party Cat hull with a flat deck:



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Then, of course, there is the fastest one:



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