Purchasing new Pontoon boat

[Chloebell101]

Hello everyone! New to the site and was hoping for some input. We are upgrading our 1st boat (97 Fisher purchased used 5yrs ago). I am pretty sold on the new model (Sweetwater SW 2286 DL). I have priced the tri toon with 150hp but it completely blows my already increased budget. We would like to tube and be able to take it into town 18 miles or so without it taking 3 hours. Our last boat had an 85 force that never ran well and we basically stayed close to the marina. Really looking forward to some speed. I am going with the 115hp. Most likely Mercury 4 stroke command thrust. Was stuck between the Mercury and the Yamaha F115LB but have concerns with lack of Yamaha dealers in my area.

Main questions that I get conflicting info on is the tube size. I planned on upgrading to the 25" tube from the std 23" but was told it may just slow me down some. I was also thinking about lifting streaks but have also read that you really need a min 150hp for the lifting streaks to actually be a benefit.. I don't want to regret not getting options, but I don't want to pay for something that is working against me. I was going to add the hydraulic steering (Bay Star) is it a good feature.? One last question, is the correct way to tube to use the ski/tow bar? I wouldn't hate any feedback on the Mercury Command Thrust vs the Yamaha either.

Thanks so much for any input. There is so much to think about with this purchase.

 

[The Rooster]

Welcome to Iboats. The 25" tubes are a nice upgrade overall. On tube size, bigger is usually better. Any penalty in speed would be minimal. You're not really going to see the benefits of the lifting strakes w/ 115 hp on a twin tube barge. The hydraulic steering upgrade is nice, but pricey. Mercury or Yamaha, can't go wrong w/ either. Good luck !!!

 

[mpilot]

The two tube 2286's here are running high 30's to low 40's in speed with the 115 on the back with the lifting strakes and 25 inch toons. That's a good package for speed and decent maneuverability.

 

[Chloebell101]

Thank you for the feedback. Been on the fence about the lifting strakes.

 

[ron nh]

I would get the tube upgrade for sure. Strakes will help with straight on speed but with a 2 tube 22'er you will NOT come close to 40mph, without strakes you might not hit 30. You sound like you want a little performance? I feel you will be looking to buy a tri-toon pretty soon after your purchase. Hydraulic steering is not a good investment with that setup. I won't be fast enough to really help. I test drove a 22' sweetwater tri-toon last year with a 150hp yami, top speed was 38. The mercury 115 command thrust is awesome, but with that set up you'll be running it real hard for nominal speed. If you possibly can, get the tri-toon. If you buy something you're not happy with it will cost alot more when you trade or sell it and start over. Good luck, it's a tough call.

 

[The Rooster]

I would get the tube upgrade for sure. Strakes will help with straight on speed but with a 2 tube 22'er you will NOT come close to 40mph, without strakes you might not hit 30. You sound like you want a little performance? I feel you will be looking to buy a tri-toon pretty soon after your purchase. Hydraulic steering is not a good investment with that setup. I won't be fast enough to really help. I test drove a 22' sweetwater tri-toon last year with a 150hp yami, top speed was 38. The mercury 115 command thrust is awesome, but with that set up you'll be running it real hard for nominal speed. If you possibly can, get the tri-toon. If you buy something you're not happy with it will cost alot more when you trade or sell it and start over. Good luck, it's a tough call.

+1 ^^^

 

[mpilot]

I would get the tube upgrade for sure. Strakes will help with straight on speed but with a 2 tube 22'er you will NOT come close to 40mph, without strakes you might not hit 30. You sound like you want a little performance? I feel you will be looking to buy a tri-toon pretty soon after your purchase. Hydraulic steering is not a good investment with that setup. I won't be fast enough to really help. I test drove a 22' sweetwater tri-toon last year with a 150hp yami, top speed was 38. The mercury 115 command thrust is awesome, but with that set up you'll be running it real hard for nominal speed. If you possibly can, get the tri-toon. If you buy something you're not happy with it will cost alot more when you trade or sell it and start over. Good luck, it's a tough call.

If it is the 25 inch package with strakes he will hit right around 40 with the right prop setup, definitely high 30's......I've been on that exact boat but with a Yamaha doing just over 40 GPS. The local dealer used to order that pontoon with the 27 inch toons and strakes and hit right around 45mph GPS. On the package with big strakes vs a tritoon you are actually a little slower top end on the exact same boat with the same motor and three toons because of the extra drag. See below a video of the 27 inch toon version...I say it's planed out, what about you?

Also, the second video is the 24 foot version of that boat with a 150hp (still twin toons) going 45mph. I've got a friend that's experimented with a giant motor pod like is used on the express tritoon packages and twin logs that is getting well over 60mph. When you put the giant strakes like Sweetwater does you are basically turning the boat into a flat bottom boat that planes out fast as heck and runs a lot faster than a regular pontoon. If top speed was a main goal I'd look at the Etec HO motors....I'm not a two stroke fan but their 150HO pushes some express tube tritoons near 50mph where the 4 stroke equivalent is only running high 30's to low 40's.

All of that being said, the trade off is the ride...once on plane at high speed the twin tube Sweetwater boats I have been in seem to ride a lot more like a flat bottom boat than a pontoon. I'd opt for the tritoon personally even if it is a little slower.

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

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dGlP4HDwqk

 

[Silver Eagle]

If I had to do it all over again I wouldn't buy a pontoon boat. Instead I'd buy a deck boat. They come with more HP power, power steering .There faster and easier to handle . New pontoon boats are way over priced.

 

[Chloebell101]

I am looking for some performance but want to be able to enjoy the low key rides as well. I honestly wasn't expecting to hit 40 (wouldn't mind it tho) but would love mid 30's..... mpilot - you had mentioned the trade off with handling.. what part of the pkg effects the handling in a negative way? The lifting strakes? Will the hydraulic steering not help that?

 

[mpilot]

I am looking for some performance but want to be able to enjoy the low key rides as well. I honestly wasn't expecting to hit 40 (wouldn't mind it tho) but would love mid 30's..... mpilot - you had mentioned the trade off with handling.. what part of the pkg effects the handling in a negative way? The lifting strakes? Will the hydraulic steering not help that?

Hydraulic steering can actually make it take longer to turn as there are more rotations lock to lock. Make sure to ask about this as there are two different helms that give you different ratios. The bottom line on a pontoon with big strakes like this is that it will not lean into turns. You are seeing a lot more manufacturers take the lifting strakes off the outside of the two outside toons (on tritoons) so that it can lean into the turn more like a v hull. It won't really handle worse than a normal ponton though that also will turn like a brick. Hope this answers your question.

 

[ron nh]

There are guys on another forum with that exact setup who are hitting 29, 30 gps with 115 mercury ct @ 5,500 rpms. I don't know if they have different options for strakes but there is definitely something different in those videos. That being said I know that sun tracker put out that setup some years ago that would hit those #'s so it is possible.

 

[mpilot]

There are guys on another forum with that exact setup who are hitting 29, 30 gps with 115 mercury ct @ 5,500 rpms. I don't know if they have different options for strakes but there is definitely something different in those videos. That being said I know that sun tracker put out that setup some years ago that would hit those #'s so it is possible.

I think they do have different strake packages ....I'd make sure you get this package if you are going to get them. Like I said, it's a really good straight line boat and actually takes the water fairly well because the nose gets up and out of the water.