Let's go Fast

[Cubbyblue22]

Hey everyone. Watching Brad Rowland go 107 mph on his pontoon i'm sitting here thinking, why not me? I might not want to go that fast but i'm wanting to build something similar. I'm wanting to put twin 150's behind each log in the back and then leave the transom open for fuel. Wondering if anyone here has ever tried this or know how to properly mount these. Yes I've talked to the insurance company and they say "what's the difference between having a fast pontoon or a fast car" so no worry there. Let me know if anyone has ever tried this and what you might need to do . Thanks!

 

[crb478]

I like the concept! I might try to find 2 matching center logs with built in transoms, and then fabricate something between the two to hold the fuel tank in place. With lifting strakes it should get the front end up and really move.

 

[BrianMc]

We talking twin or tri-toon? Twin would be faster,but you'd want to start out with some 25"-27" tubes for the weight of two V6's. I'd rather have a triple myself for handling with that much HP. I'd also look at either fabricating in some pads on the transom much like bassboats run on,possibly some short tunnels to be able to raise the motors higher.

Also consider for about the same weight of the 150's you could run 225's+.

 

[The Rooster]

You speed freaks are missing the whole point of a Party barge !!!

 

[BrianMc]

Lol, I hear ya Rooster. Suppose it's always been this way. 10 sec. VW,s all the way to Ford's new 500 HP pickups. We have 100+ mph bass boats already. What would really be cool is a flying barge. You gotta admit. It'd be pretty cool pulling up on a bass boat that's making a run across the lake.

 

[ahicks]

There would be no recovery possible if that front end ever got up a little. Love speed, but it's too easy to get hurt playing in stuff that's intended to go fast. This is an accident looking for a place to happen.

 

[Silvertip]

Did you talk with your insurance "agent" or directly to the "insurance company"? The answer an "agent" gives you might be totally different than the response you get from the "company" should you be involved in an "incident" (and this project has all the makings for an "incident"). Ever see a pontoon submarine when taking a wave over the bow?. I have. At even 20 MPH there will be wet and very likely damaged people.

 

[BrianMc]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCEF6zOFj2o

There are factory tunes with 600 hp running 90 mph. The old party barge is still available for the family outings and booze cruizers ,but pontoons are turning a new leaf. Not only are they becoming viable A to B fishing machines,but they are also becoming performance oriented. I agree with a twin being scary at higher speeds if your in rough water or carrying a load wrong,but a tritoon will take a lot more. I ran mine in 2'-3' white caps last weekend at 40 mph against a 20+ head wind. That was the most stable and smooth ride against chop as I've ever been on,and I've owned 22' bayboats with way more hp. I know I could double my HP and feel safe driving it,but mine isn't a factory built toon. You gotta use common sense.

He's talking about 300 hp,at best 60-70 mph??? There are 300 hp pontoons all over. No, you don't hang 300 hp on a factory pontoon that's built for 30 mph tops,but can you modify one to run with 300+,absolutely....common sense and research applies here. Probably what this post is about.

 

[ahicks]

Holler when you get back from one of those 70mph runs. See if you still think something like that is a good plan. Most people never have, nor will they ever see that kind of speed in a boat. Those that have, will (should?) have some pretty serious respect for that kind of speed on the water. It's not a question of can you (just put enough horsepower on a couple pieces of plywood). That's not the hard part. It's a question of can you safely?

The problem is the shape of the hull that's required to get something going that fast on the water. If the air gets a hold on it, all stability is lost. The only thing that might still be in the water is the prop. Now add a little gust of wind and see what happens.

A tunnel hull or hydro can get into some pretty serious trouble pretty quickly at anything over 60-65mph. And you want to try it with a pontoon? Go for it....

If you're talking 40 or maybe even 50mph, I'm in. That might be fun...

 

[BrianMc]

Ah grasshopper, but I have been at those speeds plenty of times,and I have been at the prop only touching the water stage too. I even had my last 3500 lb. bayboat running those speeds with a video to prove it. Nobody is talking about bolting big HP to some plywood. That's why I mentioned incorporating some pads to run on,to add stability. Getting air under the deck is a must to run those speeds. You sure aren't going to do it running flat. A tritoon isn't grabbing anymore air than an 96"-102" wide mono hull. You can barely fit between the tubes. Not much room to pack air under that.

I had a 60 mph big block pontoon playing with me recently. When he went around me with 4 people in the boat he was running very stable and his guests where busy laughing and having a good time. Not the death trap you speak off. Sounds like your the one that needs a ride in a go-fast.

 

[ahicks]

10 years with a big block in a V-drive equipped Sanger kept tied up in front of the house, gave me all the speed lessons I would ever want.

"Sounds like your the one that needs a ride in a go-fast."
You have absolutely no idea..... So go ahead. Holler when you get back.

 

[BrianMc]

I understand now. I've ridden in one of those opened up on a small lake. Scariest ride I've ever been on. Not sure how fast it ran. He said it'd do 80,but think it was more like 60-70. Still damn scary on a flat bottom. I've actually about purchased one locally just for the cool factor,and they are that. A simple bass boat running up on pad feels way more stable. Easily controllable and they practically ride on air. Do admit to there being a pucker factor in a 90 mph bullet ride. I use to help a lot of these guys with there setups and prop selections.

You need to watch for one of these performance toons on your local lakes. I think you'd be surprised how stable they are. I plan to build another toon some day,but it'll be another fishtoon. I believe I could make a 22"er run near 60 with a single 225-250. Don't have much use for a faster barge myself,but would love to build one. I'll be sure to holla either way.

 

[BrianMc]

In Rowland's own words,

Representing the outboard engine ranks was Brad Rowland of Lake Shelbyville, Ill. Outfitted with triple Mercury 300 X outboards with a combined 900 hp, his 25-foot-long Forest River Southbay 925 pontoon boat hit 100 mph during its Sunday run.

With the exception of jack plates for the engines, which allows for drive-height (or X-dimension) flexibility, there are no modifications to Rowland™s boat or its engines.

Like Gouty, Rowland, a plumber by trade, is far from a professional racer. Also like Gouty, the 40-year-old has been around boats most of his life, has a passion for pontoons and is competitive as hell. He said he understands why people don't get going fast in a pontoon boat, at least at first.

€People think you a™re nuts until they take a ride he explained. My pontoon boat is just so stable ”it will go over anything. I like the ride of a pontoon boat and I like the room. Its so spacious and plush. This is the third one Ive owned, so it™s in my blood I guess."


Geesh what is wrong with this forum software!

 

[BrianMc]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLRwkrBZzsA

Take a ride on Brad's boat yourself. 107 mph with 3 people onboard. A lil nuts sure,but still pretty cool.

 

[glenn property of pam]

if you had 2 motors and put one motor behind each toon what would happen if one motor cut out at speed. Would the toon still go forwards as directed by the steering or would it turn due to the torque of the motor on one side.

 

[ahicks]

Don't know which would turn you faster. The drag of the prop on the dead engine or the offset of the one still making power. Not a good thing either way!

 

[BrianMc]

If all that was touching the water was your props I'd say hang on. You still have a lot of tubes,strakes,and lower units steering you forward at those speeds. The first thing that'll happen is it falling on it's face when you loose half your power. That'd be like jerking your stick back to half throttle. If it takes 300 HP to run 60+ and 150 HP to run 40+,loosing half will drop you down where there's over 1/2 of your tubes in contact with the water,and we all know how hard it is to turn a toon even cranking on the steering. It might veer on you,but it's not going to turn you. Unless your on auto-pilot and up grabbing another beer you'll be pulling the stick back and counter steering hardly noticing a change in direction.

Just my take on a good question. Hopefully a go-fast twins guy will chime in,but doubt there's any hanging on here.

 

[Cubbyblue22]

I'm def. talking 3 toons here. 2 would be downright crazy in my opinion if you were to try twin motors, but I just don't see why not. Insurance i'm not worried about because this isn't the first time someone's tried doing this, they see this all the time. Plus I really don't see the harm in a little speed. The pontoon industry has changed so much in the past 5 years I think it's time for me to jump in. Finally Pontoons are doing what everyone wants them to do: be spacious and be able to pull a wakeboard and get some wind in our hair. I just want to build one myself rather than go out and pay $80k+ for one. There's companies sprouting up left and right making all the parts for these pontoons. I just built the one I have now 3 years ago and the industry has changed so much since then I would be doing a lot of things different had they been available to me at that time. So i'm just wondering if there's anyone out there that has this same mentality and has actually built one? My pontoon that I built is a 24' Twin Pontoon with a 90 hp on the back and I still don't have enough weight on the back when I have people on. Yes I have been on a toon when you hit a big wake come overboard but it's not that big of a deal just gotta give it some time to float back up lol. Also usually when your running at higher speeds there's very little chance of capsizing in the front because you'll be running on a plain. Most of this is common sense, if your water conditions are choppy with high winds, probably not a good idea to try and top the boat out. Most of the time when your boating the weather is nice and you can have more control. Maybe i'm just crazy and adventurous but when i'm on the river and I have a runabout pass me going 50 when i'm at full throttle going 18 with passengers I have a competitive side of me kick in wanting to throw it in a different gear and pass them right back. Call me crazy but I guess that's just what i'm looking for.

 

[1983 ercoa 21']

Yes I agree! I know outboards are the way to go but my inner child says BBC and jet drive how cool would that be ?

 

[LittleRiverMotorsports]

Here ya go brian. This shots (nitrous) for you. LOL


Got a 75 mph bass boat and IHRA drag race so had some fun with the bottle in that photo.
Agree with the rest. The pontoon is for going slow. Doing a whole lot of mods to mine but that 50 on the back is all i'm going to need on the 24. We're on the water so its fixing to be our run down the dock evening cruiser.