16. ft pontoon boat

[Zertis]

I would like to get some feedback on 16 ft. pontoon boats. I would like to hear the pros and cons of pontoons of this size concerning trailering, launching and loading as well as how well they handle on the water when the wind picks up. I fish mostly for crappie and there would be only two people on the boat most of the time. I do not care about screaming down the lake but want to be able to head for the hills when a storm comes up. I have found a few 16 ft. models but not many. Is there a lot of difference in the 18 ft. versus the 16 ft.? Also the smaller tires on the trailer make me nervous? Please help educate me on the pros and cons of pontoons of this size. Thanks for your help!

 

[rickdb1boat]

Re: 16. ft pontoon boat

Zertis <br /><br />I've never had a 16'er before, but have had a 20'er and now have a 24'toon. I can say that the bigger you go, the smoother the ride in choppy water. A 16 footer should be fine in smaller lakes and such. But personally, I would go with at least a 18 foot model for the room and ride. A 50 HP on an 18 footer will get you to about 20 MPH. Fast enough to get out of the weather if needed. Get the largest logs that you can find(23" Min.) and the largest Motor that the boat & your budget will handle. The biggest complaint is being underpowered and it's way more expensive to change to a bigger motor later. Then there is the weight to consider when towing. Obviously, the bigger you go the heavier they are. Pontoons are by nature harder to pull than a runabout or other such hulls. It depends on how far you are planing to tow it and the tow vehicle. The difference between the 16' and 18' towing will be little. I recommend a full size truck or large SUV for towing any distance. They are easy to tow if you have the correct vehicle. The small tires are the norm for these trailers, as they allow easier launching. Never had a problem with them, but I am currently looking at going to larger 13" tires to ease the towing. I have yet to find out if it will help, but have had positive advice regarding their use. Launching and loading are just a matter of practice, as with any other boat. No big deal once you "learn" the boat. On the up side, you can fish, swim, beach it, cruise and relax very easily on a pontoon boat. They're stable, easy to drive and don't use too much gas. Try to get a motor with Tilt and Trim, even though most will tell you that it's not nessesary. It does make a difference! And it sure is nice when you're fishing or beaching to hit the button and raise the motor in shallow water, instead of hanging over the back and trying to lift it by hand. Hope this helps a bit.

 

[steelespike]

Re: 16. ft pontoon boat

Rick covered it real well.I agree the 18 is a better size I have an 18.with a 50.Evinrude.<br /> Max is about 20-22 mph.It takes huge amounts of horsepower to get any meaningful increase in speed. The 50 on ours is a great match I cruise at about 4,000 rpm.Gives reasonable speed without eating huge amounts of fuel.I think it handles<br />amazingly well at no wake speeds and at the dock<br />especially considering the size and I run with side and front curtains most of the season.Like<br />running with a sail all the time.<br />I love the versatility you can make it like the patio at home or turn it into an overnighter<br /> or anything in between.How many boats can you fish from a porch glider?<br />Try www.mypontoon.com/mypontoon for more info.<br /> Good luck.

 

[rogerwa]

Re: 16. ft pontoon boat

I concur with the opinions above. I used to tow around a 21ft pontoon with a 50 hp motor. <br /><br />I would definitely go with the additional two feet. It makes a big difference. For instance a 16 footer will probably be 6ft wide as opposed to an 18 footer that will be 8ft wide. From a square footage standpoint thats 96 Sq ft VS 144 Sqft. A big difference.<br /><br />Weight is really not the issue as these boats are farily light. I am guessing my 21footer was around 2000lb with engine. The issue, whether a 16 or an 18, is profile. Towing my 21ft at hiway speeds was more like a 4000 boat. The current open bow that I have doesn't drag nearly as bad and is at least a 1/3 greater in weight.<br /><br />You need at least a full size SUV to tow one.<br /><br />Trailering is no big deal so long as you have a good quality trailer. I had a single axle float on. (supported the deck not the toons). this was easy to launch and retrieve. I could launch it anywhere including my driveway. The trailer could drop the boat right on the ground. Consequently, the boat on the trailer rode lower and offered less wind resistance than if it was a drive on trailer (supports the toons). The only down side to the float on is the narrow track, which on a low budget trailer, may be very tippy.<br /><br />AS far as horsepower is concerned, I would always promote the highest amount you can afford. However, this is for most practical purposes a displacement hull. In order for you to benefit from higher horsepower, you have to have enough to create lift and get it out of displacement mode into a semi-planing mode. That is why tri-toons do better, more lift. Tube size is critical here. Go with the largest you can afford. You may be better with less HP and more tube. I have a friend that has an old steel pontoon boat, that is heavy heavy heavy with a 9.9 on the back. It scoots across the lake just fine. <br /><br />If you can solve the trailering issues, pontoons are great verstile boat and perfect for fishing..

 

[wynkndwild]

Re: 16. ft pontoon boat

I own a 16ft bass tracker with the half log in the middle and have no complaints. It has a 40hp Evinrude on it, and while she ain't the fastest thing on the river, she still gets ya where you want to go. I tow it with a 2000 Ford Ranger without a problem, and can get it in and out at the ramp by myself if necessary. As far as the size goes, mine is 16'1" x 8'1". The smaller tires on the trailer are a bit of a concern for me, but I just installed bearing buddies and I make sure that they are properly greased before I pull out of my yard.

 

[SpinnerBait_Nut]

Re: 16. ft pontoon boat

Just have to add my .02 worth here.<br /><br />I have a 24' Funtoon all aluminum pontoon made in Muncie, Ind.<br />It has a carrying capacity of 5000lbs.<br />Most toon are dead at 3000lbs.<br /><br />By far the best toon I have ever had.<br /><br />It sits on a 2 axle trailer with torsion bar suspension, again the best set-up to date.<br /><br />It also sports a 115 Merc that was brand new 2 years ago and it has no problems with putting it on plane.<br /><br />If you can, get an all aluminum toon.<br />That way you have not rotted out floors.<br />Mine is a 1984 model, but you could not tell it by looking at it.<br />Still looks brand new.<br /><br />Just a thought on the float on trailers.<br />They are very tipsy and you have to watch them real close or your toon will be sitting down on one of it's tubes.<br />Been there, done that.

 

[Zertis]

Re: 16. ft pontoon boat

Thanks to all who have responded. Great information to consider.

 

[rickdb1boat]

Re: 16. ft pontoon boat

Let us know what ya get..