What size motor to achieve more speed?

[rhino_160]

Hey all,
I have a 22' Manitou Oasis with a 2011 Suzuki DF70A Fuel Injected motor. I spent last season going through props to achieve the best top end as well as best maintained speed while pulling a tuber. The best i am achieving with a full tank of fuel with 4 adults is around 19 mph. With a full tank of gas, 2 adults, and pulling 2 adults on a tube i achieve 16 mph with a drop to 12-13 mph when turning sharp. This is all running a 5800 RPM at WOT. This speed is not where I would like to be. I am thinking of upgrading the outboard rather than a different boat as we love the room this one offers. My question is, who has a 115,135, or 150 outboard on their 22' pontoon (or close to these specs) and what speeds are you achieving? I would love to achieve a 30-35 mph speed to get across the lake faster. I am trying to figure out what size outboard to look for to get this speed. Thanks in advance.

 

[gm280]

Obviously a larger engine yields more top speed. But you shouldn't power above the manufacture's recommendation on their spec plate. So anything up to and including their max engine specified would be my recommendation. As for speed, that remains to be seen. It is a pontoon after all... JMHO!

 

[rhino_160]

I understand the manufacturers rating. That is not my question though. Hoping someone with a boat of similar size can chime in that has a larger motor than I do to let me know their top speed and so on. thanks in advance

 

[junkman41]

you may have to think about a third pontoon with 150 hp

 

[steelespike]

Your not likely to find the exact combination I did find a Encore 22 with a 115 Etec. 22.9 @ 5600 w 14X11 prop.
Also a Oasis 23 23 @ 6000 w 13 3/4 X 13 And an Aurora 24 27.1 @ 5900 w 14 X 11
Also found a 130 on a Osprey 24 29.1@5700. w 14 X 13.

 

[rhino_160]

It is rated at 115 and that is what I am considering if I can achieve the desired speed. I have not done the "skinning" of the undercarriage yet either. Would like a comfortable 30-35 mph with 4 adults if able

 

[achris]

It is rated at 115 and that is what I am considering if I can achieve the desired speed. I have not done the "skinning" of the undercarriage yet either. Would like a comfortable 30-35 mph with 4 adults if able

You are probably going to need to go to a different hull type. Pontoons were never designed with that sort of speed in mind. They are for leisurely cruising quietly around a sheltered lake or river, not towing skiers or tubes are ungodly speed.

And yes, 115hp is the maximum rating for that 'toon, but loaded it will be in the order of 1-1/2 tons. My boat (1.8 ton mono-hull) originally had a 165hp engine, and it topped out at 32mph....

 

[steelespike]

takes a lot of hp to make a pontoon go faster I found 3 Manitous with a Etec 115 A 22 made 22.9 with a 14 X 11 prop 5600 rpm
A 23 made 23 with a 13 3/4 X 13 @ 6000, a 24 made 27.1 With a 14 X 11 @ 5900.
I found a 130 on a 24, made 29 with a 14 X 13 @ 5700.
My very limited observation over the years the longer boats seem faster for the same hp.
You can see it takes close to double the hp to gain 10 mph.

 

[rhino_160]

It may not be price effective for me to try and sale my current outboard and buy another, larger outboard. I may stick with trying to skin the bottom and stop there for $ sake. May consider selling it and getting a v-hull deck boat.

 

[steelespike]

There is an after market 3rd "tube" I think called water glide or easy glide that is said to operate almost like a run about.

 

[WaterDR]

I have a 24ft+ pontoon and make 28 with a 115. But I must be honest....don;t waste your money trying to upgrade. You will get hosed unless you can find someone willing to make a trade. If you were to sell or trade your motor for a 115, you are looking at about 6k. When buying your pontoon, you could have probably made that same upgrade for 2k.

 

[rhino_160]

I may just sale it and go with a deck boat to achieve the same kind of passenger room but with the ability to get across the lake a bit faster. I love my pontoon but it gets old not being able to explore all the lake because it takes so long to get from one point to another.

 

[junkman41]

I think you may want to consider selling the pontoon and getting something like what achris has to get across the lake quick. JMO, you are asking for a lot for a pontoon.

 

[Najataagihe]

I have a 24' two-log pontoon with a Mercury FourStroke 150.

Since the bimini top is only rated for 30 mph, I haven't opened it up all the way, yet.

Wifey likes the shade.


According to my GPS, I hit 32 mph at 5000 rpm.

That's with six adults, total, towing a three person raft - about 1250 lbs. of people on 2000 lbs of boat.

With a 6000 rpm WOT, I should be able to hit close to 35 mph.


Note to self: that is almost too darned fast on water with no impact safety gear on person.


While you might want to just trade for another boat, don't rule out pontoons because of your experience with this one.


I learned at a young and tender age that you buy a motor that equals (but not exceeds!) the rating plate maximum or you are going to have degraded performance.


Have fun!

 

[HotTommy]

Rhino,
Two years ago I bought and refurbished a 24' two log pontoon boat with a 90 HP outboard. It's performance was very much like you described yours. With three adults on board and two people on the tube, it would give 18 MPH straight ahead and slow to 12 MPH in extended turns. Last winter I swapped to a 150 HP outboard on a stronger engine pod. I also sheathed the underside of the boat. After working out all the bugs it's about 9 MPH faster. In other words, a 67% increase in power and fuel consumption yielded a 50% increase in speed.

Drag from air and water increases geometrically as speed increases. So doubling your engine power will not double your speed. My wild guess is that you'd see a 60-70% increase in speed if you doubled your engine power. Keep in mind also that most pontoons plow through the water. A heavier engine will make your boat sit lower in the water, meaning you'll have more pontoon surface plowing the water..

 

[1983 ercoa 21']

If you're willing to do the work yourself you will save alot of money!!
I personally started with a 83 toon with a 25 hp stepped up to a 70 then a115 and was running around 32 slinging a 15 pitch. And remind you this was a older crank rated motor. Then added a third toon with the 115 that slowed me down a little but sure turned better. Now a 150 is hanging on it haven't tested it yet. But I don't have much money in my boat and it's all aluminum even the floor now.

 

[rhino_160]

I may upgrade the engine to the rated 115. Only issue i currently have a very nice and quiet fuel injected 70 Suzuki and they are not easy on the pocket book. Hoping to find a used fuel injected for a decent price. Just can't see paying $8000-$10000 for a new motor right now.

 

[achris]

BOAT = Break Out Another Thousand.... Owning and maintaining toys is never cheap...

 

[rhino_160]

Achris, I hear ha lol. I am going to go by the loca marine shops and see about trading my 70 for a 115. I will see what they offer and price wise as well. Think I will also look into the under skinning as well. Will have to research the best material for that and go from there

 

[Old Screwball]

2011 19' Sun Tracker Party Barge. 75hp 4 stroke Merc. (largest available with this transom) 4 adults and a tank of gas 24.6 mph (GPS) with a 13 pitch prop at 5800rpm. It has strakes. I'm faster than neighbor's 21' with a 90hp Merc The aftermarket 3rd 'toon' costs about 4 grand and will get you another 4mph. At some point you have to consider selling the Pontoon and going back to a conventional hull. Pontoons for the most part aren't fast. Now, go into the 70 or 80 grand arena and look at Cheetah or other deck boats and you can go really fast and still have room for a dozen people to dance.....