Dont worry about pontoons sinking, They fill them with foam these days.


All boats under 26 feet are required by law to float even if the get swamped or punctured.



I have a 22 foot crestliner and the boat is great.

I would recommend......

1. I would get an out board, not an inboard. You will want the extra room. 10-15 life vests take up alot of space.

2. Get at least 100hp, that way you can go fast enough to ski and tube. I got a 50hp and tubing is a bit lame and I can only keep a skier up when Im going straight.

3. Make sure you get a top with it. Sitting out in the sun gets old fast. Mine only has a top for the back half. when we go out, in 20-30 minutes every one is clustered in the back half in the shade.

4. I strongly recommend getting something with a privacy/changing room. Once you start using it, you wont know how you ever lived with out it.

5. Get a grill for it. Trust me, get a grill.

6. If you have a choice between fishing chairs or couches, go with the couches. It will give you alot more room to lounge around when only a few of you go out.

7. This is the most important, If this boat is for the family, Splurge. Your kids will love it. If your wife enjoys it, she wont give you greif when you put money into it. If its for hanging out with your freinds,..... Dont spend to much. In 3 or 4 years they will be sick of it and you wont ever be able to get any body to go to the lake with you.

 

The foam does work too, belive me I have tested it and seen it tested too

Here is my jet ski a few weeks ago.



It worked then!!!!


Thats what busted water line will do with out a bilge pump.
Thank god the foam worked too, I was in about 100' of water. I'd had to have divers go get it if it went to the bottom.

I've tested others as well. The fun and whoas of working close with R&D and return departments. That was the fun part of my job I loved those days, except when it was 20º with freezing rain and had to be out on the water with them. We ussually tried to pick better days, but some times couldn't avoid it, it just had to be done.

I am not as nervous on a tri log toon, but still not as relaxed and comfortable as I am when I'm in a stringer hull. I have seen a couple of those sink to the gunnel too, but not as many and not near as devastaing or dangerous as a capsized or submarined bow on a toon. I've just seen to much. I know what can happen and with my luck, if it can happen.... then it's not a matter of if it will happen to me. It's simply a matter of when will it happen to me. LOL Often there is nothing the Pontoon captian can or could do, it's simply a matter of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

You can get a double bim that covers the entire deck. You can also get a double bim with full side curtains that completely enclose the deck (AKA Full enclosure). Or a single bim with curtains that encloses the helm and aft seating (AKA wind break). Although with most bands, with the curtains on, then you are restircted to 5 mph because any faster and the wind will bend the bimini frames. Both are a PIA to put on especially on the water, but are handy if it's cold or raining.

 

Party barges rock Definately get a top with it, all day on the lake in the sun isnt so fun when your shedding like a snake afterwards.

But Ill tell you what I told my buddy when he bought his boat.
BOAT= Bend Over And Take it

Hella fun to own, but just be sure you have somethign stashed away for repairs

 

We have a '97 Grumman 20' pontoon boat with a 9.9hp on it [our lake is hp restricted], and for simple cruising, the 9.9 moves the boat decently, though I think that the 24v Minn Kota pushes it faster . Tracker was my first choice, but got a great deal on this one at the time, and so far, it has been bullet proof.

The grill is a good idea: the family crusies the lake and grills out as we do it. My main recommendation is to go with as big a boat as possible...the extra room is always nice. I wish I had gone with a 22 or 24, but being limited to a 9.9hp, that was going to be more boat than the hp could push.

Woof
Bowser

 

I have a 2005 sweetwater 24', hands down the nicest boat on our lake, electric motor only but I still love it. I was out last night at 2am tied to a couple of other boats

 

Or as Brew says BOAT = Belt Out Another Thousand

As I say BOAT = The only 4 letter word left to call it.


Don't know about the fun to own part, was more fun when I was just borrowing it. Definatly fun to use when your not working on it.

 

um.

DAMN.

That brings a new meaning to the word..."party Boat".