Tri-Toon vs. Pontoon Style Deck Boat

[Forest Gump]

I am planning to buy a boat sometime in the next 2 or 3 months. I may buy used, or I may buy new.

I will be using the boat on a freshwater lake. We will be cruising around with my kids and some of their teenage friends. We will be doing some tubing, occasional skiing, and probably even wakeboarding from time to time. However, most days, we will just cruise out, pull up to a sand bar, and do some lounging, sunning and swimming.

I have been looking at bowriders, deck boats, and pontoon boats. My friends that know me best keep steering me in the direction of a pontoon boat, or more specifically a tri-toon boat. I like that idea, and I can easily see my family in a pontoon style boat, but it is honestly a little bit overwhelming to look at all that is available.

Without getting a whole lot more into my specific circumstances, I am just wondering of some of the pros and cons of the Tri-Toons vs. Pontoon style Deck boats.

 

[figgyb]

Re: Tri-Toon vs. Pontoon Style Deck Boat

If you plan on pulling skiers you will definitely want one of the higher-hp tri-toons. Lots of good options out there, enjoy your search!

 

[jestor68]

Re: Tri-Toon vs. Pontoon Style Deck Boat

If this is what you're referring to as a pontoon style deck boat; I would recommend that over a Tri toon if you are going to be doing any water sports. The tri toon(or any toon) makes a weird shaped wake, while the glass hull of the Hurrican makes a "normal" wake suited for water sports.

It's not quite as ugly as a toon as well. Of course,if you're interested in a deck style boat, why not get a full fiberglass boat and get a nice looking boat.

 

[filthy]

Re: Tri-Toon vs. Pontoon Style Deck Boat

WOW that thing looks expensive, Awesome but expensive!

 

[airdvr1227]

Re: Tri-Toon vs. Pontoon Style Deck Boat

It takes alot more than dragging a third pontoon through the water to make a pontoon boat a good platform for water sports. If you just add a 3rd toon all you've done is increase the amount of tin you are dragging through the water by 33%. Something about those toons is going to have to reduce the amount of drag, like lifting strakes, and elliptical planing pontoon or the like.

 

[DesertHunter]

Re: Tri-Toon vs. Pontoon Style Deck Boat

Don't know if this helps but I just purchased a 2003 Sun Tracker Tritoon W/150 MercuryXR6. I have had it on the lake two times so far. Yesterday was the first time I had friends and family with me along with assorted gear coolers, fishing equipment, etc.). The water was pretty rough but one of the reasons I wanted a Tritoon was because of the stability and performance. I was able to still get 34 MPH according to my Hand held GPS with no splashing or spray over the deck. Running a aluminum 15.5 prop with a 15 pitch. I was told by staff at a local marine store that I may be able to get 3-5 more MPH with a SS prop. I am very happy with both the ride and performance of this boat as it meets all of my needs, fishing, family and water sports.

 

[Old Screwball]

Re: Tri-Toon vs. Pontoon Style Deck Boat

You can't have enough info. I have a 2012 18' Sun Tracker Party Barge. We optioned the largest engine allowed for the transom, a 75hp Merc 4 cycle. After experimenting with 3 props, 13, 15, and 17 pitch we got the best RPM at Wide Open Throttle with the 13 pitch. With 4 adults and 2 children, and a days worth of food and beverage and a bunch of kids stuff I can run 24.5 MPH (GPS) at 5600 RPM. Not very thrilling tubing for a teener, I guess you could ski, but you would have to hold on a long time for the toon to plane. Most of the hi HP pontoons we've seen are Tri's. If I had read a little more before spending the cash I'd have bought at least a 150hp Tri. You can always back off the throttle and go slower

Good Luck

 

[Forest Gump]

Re: Tri-Toon vs. Pontoon Style Deck Boat

Thanks for all of the info. I appreciate your responses.

 

[Bamaman1]

Re: Tri-Toon vs. Pontoon Style Deck Boat

I'm an old inboard outboard owner, and have had all kinds of boats and personal watercraft for 40 years. Since 1985, my main boat has been a 24' twin toon (pontoon) boat with a Yamaha 115 hp 2 stroke. It's a good size boat, will pull skiers well, but handles like a pig.

Last Summer, I bought a new Bennington 24' tritoon boat with a Yamaha 150 hp four stroke outboard. The tritoon handles much better than my old twin toon boat, and it has plenty of power to pull tubers or ski's or haul 13 people around. I'm topping out at 40 mph @ 6000 rpm's, which is redline. I have the rear facing lounge seats, and upholstery that's very, very plush.

Modern tritoons are not your old man pontoons--two toons and 40 horsepower. Pontoon/tritoon sales are currently the only bright spot in a marine industry that generally sucks. Modern pontoons have so much room, and they're a fantastic ride for inland waters.

If you're wanting to do some reading on pontoon boats, go to the biggest website: Pontoon Boat & Deck Boat Forum • Index page

Just about everyone will tell you to get lifting strakes that get the nosecones out of the water for speed and efficiency. Most owners will tell you to buy the biggest engine you can afford--90, 115 or 150 horsepower. The high performance pontoons are usually powered by 250 hp motors, but they're expensive. You can make anything out of a pontoon you want--low and slow, big and fast. They're they way to go for a family, and last a long, long time if properly maintained.

 

[WaterDR]

Re: Tri-Toon vs. Pontoon Style Deck Boat

The pontoon boats with fiberglass hulls I think are a perfect blend of space and performance. Problem is....they look goofy as hell....like someone goofed at the plant. They have not been well accepted in the market and resale on them is questionable. For that reason, I would not by a new one. Logs also have some great advantages over a fiberglas hull.

I live in an area where pontoons are very popular on the St. Croix river. You NEVER see toons with fiberglas hulls because of the following reasons:

1 - They are much harder to beach and use in the cove areas. Many of the toons are able to run in areas where the water is only 2' deep. Can't do that with a V-Shape Hull. They are also less stable at anchor then a boat with actual pontoons.

2 - While the fiberglass hull is great for water sports, etc.., a pontoon is much better suited for just crusing and going slow. A fiberglass hull either needs to plane, or be glowing at slow no wake speed. But, if you want to cruise at say 12 mph, you need logs. This is why a tri-toon with a larger motor is so nice. It runs great slow....and it can still run fast.