Pontoon "Boats"...

For the life of me I will never understand why these are a "thing". For the amount of money spent on just these two outboards alone, one could have WAY more boat, and WAY more creature comforts.

Greetings,

Mr. t. I am not of quite the same opinion although I see absolutely NO use in Sea Doos/Jet skis

Pontoon boats can be fantastic small, back bay platforms.

Lots near me and growing every year. Even rental companies are switching

Even pontoon trawlettes!

psneeld said:

Pontoon boats can be fantastic small, back bay platforms.

Lots near me and growing every year. Even rental companies are switching

Click to expand...

Pontoon boats used to have 40hp engines and were relaxing cruising "boats". But 600hp??? Why?

Pontoons are the leading family and leading party boats on most inland lakes. You can have many aboard for a cookout or pull a water skier or fish or just ride around. We haven't owned one or desired to but certainly understand those who do.

I love pontoon boats! Rented several over the years,would never own one personally only because thats not my primary boating style. Purpose built boats for lakes and bays... Its like riding around on your front porch! If I owned a lake house, I'd have one, for sure. I don't get the 600 HP either.

Sailor of Fortune said:

I don't get the 600 HP either.

Click to expand...

That much HP sort of contradicts the purpose of that style of boat, which is why I completely don't understand it.

Totally untrawler-like!

Untrawler like? Who cares! Its a fun ,purpose built boat. Most of the Pontoon boats (especially the rentals) have adequate HP for puttering....Always going to be the 600 HP type dude, trying to out pontoon the others. Look at the South Fl center console market....

toocoys said:

That much HP sort of contradicts the purpose of that style of boat, which is why I completely don't understand it.

Click to expand...

Actually doesn't as it's evolved. They did start with small engines, but the issue was kids wanted to ski so it meant two boats or selling them. The solution was bigger pontoons and tritoons and larger engines.

I have a 300 hp on a lake. Gets me 40 to 50 mph depending on how many people. Nice when weather comes in and you need to get off the lake. Multi purpose boat. With modified Triton it gets up and banks which is great for tuning or skiing. Likely 200 hp 2ould be enough but I dont mind a little extra birdie up.

Lol tritoon and giddie up

We call them canal patios , and they do a great job as almost maint free thin water cruisers.

One doesn't need 600 HP to water ski. In fact, I'm not sure it's even POSSIBLE to ski behind 600 HP with balls to the wall. IMHO, the dude in the OP is just showing off.

My son has a pontoon boat he uses as a SCUBA platform on Wisc lakes. He used to have a Sea Ray powered by twin Chevy V-8's but likes the pontoon better for diving.

Wife and I just returned yesterday from a cruise to the Slate Islands in Lake Superior (trailered the DuNORD to Terrace Bay, ON). On the way up we stopped at a nice N Wisc lake to visit friends. They have a typical Pontoon boat, as do many, many others on that lake. Out on a jaunt around their lake (10 mi long) I began to imagine a "cruising pontoon fitted with a full-length folding canopy. Such a canopy would be constructed in halves, so that the forward half might be folded down in order to create an open deck forward for day-outings around a lake. When the canopy was fully erected, and closed in with mosquito net and roll-up vinyl windows (like the cockpit in our Albin) the pontoon might offer berths for four, as well as a rudimentary galley opposite the helm console, for cruising sheltered lakes, bays, and rivers. All folded up for road transport, and covered by a fitted tarp, the vessel would present less windage, similar to those Apache folding camper trailers people had years ago.

Such a vessel might also be used strictly as a road travel RV. We presently use our Albin as a RV in KOA's along our way to distant water.

I think they can be great if someone wants a stable platform for flat water. I admit to seeing a few here on Puget Sound and wonder why anyone would possibly want one here. The water is too cold to play in other than a few days a year and the water can frequently get quite rough.

Moby Nick said:

One doesn't need 600 HP to water ski. In fact, I'm not sure it's even POSSIBLE to ski behind 600 HP with balls to the wall. IMHO, the dude in the OP is just showing off.

Click to expand...

Need it to ski barefoot. lol

Moby Nick said:

One doesn't need 600 HP to water ski. In fact, I'm not sure it's even POSSIBLE to ski behind 600 HP with balls to the wall. IMHO, the dude in the OP is just showing off.

Click to expand...

Wifey B: Next you'll be saying we don't need 900 hp on a center console. Or 2720 hp on a coupe. I have a need for speed.

Had a 24’ pontoon for a while. 150 HP Yamaha on the back. It would cruise 35 mph wide open and suck a tank dry in no time. I think 50-75 hp would have been more practical. One nice option it had was a fold up changing room/ head. The girls liked it. All in all it was a fun boat for the water I was in at the time and I miss it. It also had a full side grill in the bow.

Just spent the last couple of days coming through the AICW in North Carolina and they are a big percentage of the boats on the water and on the docks.

I guess they are like Crocs - there is a big market for them although they are not my style!

There are quite a few in our area (river cruising). The owners seem to like the SQFT/LOA that they provide. I've yet to see a high HP twin OB but there is a nice Bennington with a big block that can really lay some tracks.

Greetings,
Mr. t. The Admiral and I (and Cruiser the Redbone Coonhound) just got back from a 2 week adventure on our "small" boat. We saw several pontoon boats set up as cruisers (full canvas/screens). Vagabonds? Perhaps but they were on the water. Horses for courses and ya run what ya brung. No less "ridiculous/poinless" than this:






The tent in the aft cockpit housed 2 young men (9 and 12 years). 3rd year in a row and looking forward to the 4th.

You can't beat the cost per sq ft of usable space on a pontoon boat (when buying new).

RT Firefly said:

Greetings,
Mr. t. The Admiral and I (and Cruiser the Redbone Coonhound) just got back from a 2 week adventure on our "small" boat. We saw several pontoon boats set up as cruisers (full canvas/screens). Vagabonds? Perhaps but they were on the water. Horses for courses and ya run what ya brung. No less "ridiculous/poinless" than this:

The tent in the aft cockpit housed 2 young men (9 and 12 years). 3rd year in a row and looking forward to the 4th.

Click to expand...

RTF, pic not showing.....I see a link in there but hidden...

IMO putting big motors on a pontoon boat is like putting a supercharged big block in a minivan.

latravcha said:

IMO putting big motors on a pontoon boat is like putting a supercharged big block in a minivan.

Click to expand...

That would be so cool!

Big tires in the back, shag carpeting inside. Just like in the 70's.

A buddy of mine has a marine dealership in Central Alabama. He used to sell mid-tier ski boats. Now not so much, mainly sells pontoons and bass boats. Most of the pontoons he sells have 200+ HP on the transom.

"Most of the pontoons he sells have 200+ HP on the transom."


And pull water skis or tubes for the kiddies.

Get on a nice one on an inland lake (like Lake of the Ozarks, where we spend a lot of time) and your impression will change. It will likely change instantly if you take a ride on one.


There is a reason these boats are dominating market share right now on lakes across the country. You have to purge any thoughts of "your grandpa's pontoon" you may have from days gone by. With 3 pontoons, lager pontoons, lifting strakes they plane beautifully (no longer displacement hulls). They bank like a v-hull. They cut through fairly rough water (as in inland lake rough water -- not talking 4' seas here, but just choppy lakes) better than a like-sized v-hull. They are far more comfortable. They hold more people. They can have plenty of shade with a big dual bimini tops. Their square footage for their length cannot be touched by a like sized v-hull. They seem to be an ideal safe platform for kids, for dogs, and for those getting up there in years. They really are amazing boats.


I was on LOTO in a 24' open bow sea ray and a buddy was in a 24' tri-toon. It was a little choppy. We were going about 8 miles up the lake to a restaurant. There is NO WAY I could run the sea ray in the chop and keep up with them without beating ourselves to death. They were as comfortable as could be in the tritoon and outrunning me by probably 10 MPH. They were probably on their 2nd drink by the time we got there and tied up. That was around 2007, when they were just starting to get nice. By 2010, we owned one. I have bought and sold about 7 boats since then.... we still have the South Bay tritoon.

In my opinion, for a day boat on an inland lake, there is nothing even close to a nice tritoon. Try one. They may surprise you!