Back to the main site

24 SSL

kaydano

kaydano

Well-Known Member
Messages
4,287
Reaction score
2,163
Hi All - First time poster and new forum member here. I've been reading this whole site and the info is AWESOME! Thanks to all of you that post!

We'll be buying one of the newly designed SSL models (2012) in September. The single, double-wide rear lounger is like nothing we've ever seen on a pontoon before. It's like a love seat couch. Perfect. See photo. We've been looking for a pontoon for 6 years (been on a waiting list for a slip) and when we ran across the SSL, we KNEW this was the one!

I'm concerned about it having enough speed to satisfy the kids tubing, and eventually wake boarding and skiing when they get older and heavier (ages 12 and 8 now)...

The 24' SSL will have a 115 HP Mercury, express 3rd tube package and lifting strakes on all tubes. We made the deal subject to a satisfactory test drive with sufficient speed. I was told by 2 dealers it should hit 35 MPH... I feel like it needs to run 27-28 with the boat about half loaded with people, fuel, gear to be adequate. Last thing we want is for the kids to NOT have fun, and not want to go boating.

My concern is with the brand new motor needing a break-in period prior to running it full throttle, will I do any significant motor damage running it wide open just long enough to get a GPS speed reading so I can make sure it's the boat we want? I'd go with the bigger 150 HP, but our budget for this is maxed out with the 115 HP.

Should I trust the dealers on the 35 MPH speed estimate?

Or should we run the boat full speed at the test drive and break the break-in "rules" (and possibly void the warranty - Hadn't thought about that until just now - They'll see that on the computer probably)?

Any advice or ideas are appreciated!

This boat is very similar to the SLi, best I can tell. It would be great if someone out there had this same (or similar) set up and could pass along some speed info. Thanks!

22SSL.jpg
 
Last edited by a moderator:
kaydano said:
I'm concerned about it having enough speed to satisfy the kids tubing, and eventually wake boarding and skiing when they get older and heavier (ages 12 and 8 now)...

The 24' SSL will have a 115 HP Mercury, express 3rd tube package and lifting strakes on all tubes.

I know you say later in your post that you're maxed out on budget, and if you are, you are. Everyone has their limits. Still, I have two thoughts...

First, 115 is the big motor for people who are looking to just do some cruising, maybe some fishing and to run around the lake to the different bars/restaurants. Entry level power for skiing is the 150. That's not scientific mind you, that's just based on the general experiences of people who own "performance" pontoons.

Second thought is that anyone who has a stated intention of using their Benny to pull a tuber, skier or wakeboarder should think long and hard before passing up the ESP. It makes a tri-hulled pontoon boat handle like a monohull traditional boat.

Perhaps you could revisit the particular boat model, length and option package to see what can be juggled...?

Also, and this might be a good option for you... See what you can get if you take a 2011 or 2010 model that hasn't sold yet. I don't think I'm giving away any sort of state secret when I say that a dealer who sees labor day fast approaching is going to want to sell anything he still has from the current and prior model year as soon as possible.

Perhaps for instance he has a 2011 GCW with ESP & 150 that he would let you have for about the same price so he can stop paying interest on the loan he had to take out to put it on his showroom floor.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained, you know? Never hurts to ask.

We made the deal subject to a satisfactory test drive with sufficient speed. I was told by 2 dealers it should hit 35 MPH... I feel like it needs to run 27-28 with the boat about half loaded with people, fuel, gear to be adequate. Last thing we want is for the kids to NOT have fun, and not want to go boating.

My concern is with the brand new motor needing a break-in period prior to running it full throttle, will I do any significant motor damage running it wide open just long enough to get a GPS speed reading so I can make sure it's the boat we want? I'd go with the bigger 150 HP, but our budget for this is maxed out with the 115 HP.

He SHOULD have a boat you can test drive. What was he planning to do? Order your boat, buy it, let you test it and then possibly back out of the deal?

Should I trust the dealers on the 35 MPH speed estimate?

Personally, I have my doubts that a 24' tri-toon with a 115hp engine is going to break 30mph, and if it does, I suspect it's speed will come down rapidly with the weight of passengers and the drag of a tube or skier.

A dealer's top speed experience will be on a brand new boat with clean logs, a pristine prop and on glass smooth water. They may even have a full tank of fuel on board, which if it's in the rear help to lift the front end and reduce drag.

I could be wrong about my thoughts on your anticipated speed of course, and I have no doubt that people here who own a 115hp engine in a comparable boat will share their experiences with you.
Click to expand...
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Kaydano,

Welcome to the Bennington forum. A lot of knowledgeable Bennington owners here who can provide valuable information.

The new SSL has an awesome configuration with that rear lounger! Perfect for water sports activities (for spotters) and for cruising. It will probably be the first spot taken by your passengers. We have enjoyed our rear facing loungers in our RCW more than I had even imagined prior to our purchase. Especially enjoyable is when we pull up to our favorite sand bars and just watch the kids swimming or the other boats passing by.

Now, about the 115hp power plant and whether it will satisfy the water sports needs of you and your growing kids (and their friends). I think the dealers may be a bit optimistic on obtaining 35 mph when you have your boat loaded up with people, fuel, and gear. Do yourself a favor and take a similarly weighted Bennington out (if the SSL is not available) for a test run. Take your kids and other adults with you and load up that boat similar to a real life situation. That's what I did and knew after about 10 min. that the original engine I was looking at would not have the power we needed. If there is any way you can make some budget/option adjustments to get the 150hp power, that would be great.

Best of luck in your decision.
 
Thanks guys. You've given me some things to think about.

Just to clarify, we didn't order this boat, the dealer already had it on order, and it just happened to be exactly what we wanted. Or thought we wanted.

As far as I know, changes can still be made since its not built yet. We could get the 150, it's just that much more money, and we're already spending more than we thought we would. For years we've been looking at pontoons, and figured we'd look until we found a creme puff that was a year or two old, low hours, and at a "gotta sell" price. I've done that with cars over the years, and gotten some outstanding deals. You just have to be patient and flexible...

But then we saw the Bennington, sat in the Captains chair (which is more comfortable than any chair in my house by the way), saw the double lounger, and that was all it took. Still in sticker shock. Its been one of those "you know it when you see it" kind of journeys, and we've never really been "wowed" by anything we've seen to date. Until now, that is. This is THE one.

So, yeah, we need to do some more test driving. And I will talk to the dealer about the ESP package. I figured the express package wasn't a lot different than the ESP with regards to top end speed, especially for a smaller motor like the 115. But, I will ask and see what the price and performance delta is.

If anyone reads this and has a 24 footer with either ESP or the express package and a 115 or a 150, let me know what you think. THANKS!
 
Much of this may be moot...

Bennington just posted this new model (24 SSL) on their website today. ESP does not appear to be an option on this model. Remember, this is the "S" value line.

Also, the spec sheet says 115 HP is the max motor size. Although the "build a boat" options show the 150 is available (and my dealer called the factory last week and was told 150 is an option).

So my only choice for more performance may be the 150 HP (if it really is an option)... I will find out next week.
 
Don't forget dealer stock in 2010 & 2011 boats.

If you are willing to be flexible in color choices and furniture arrangements you can often find a really good deal.
 
I would not believe your choice of boat with a 115 will run over 30. Especially with some people on board. My dealer told me a 2274 twin would run 27-28 with a 115 (4 stroke), and low thirties with a 150. I would sacrifice what ever needed to get a bit more power if you want to do anything except cruise the lake. The Benningtom brochure even states that a 115 is the minimum engine for use with lifting strakes, as you have to get enough speed for the strakes to do what they are designed to do. Remember that pulling someone up on a wakeboard or skis, is a taxing on both the skiier and the engine. Pulling a tube creates alot of drag also, which reduces speed.

Oh yeah, most break-in instructions include a bit of full throttle even early on. ( my verado instructions said 1 minute of full throttle for every 10 minutes of run time during break in, so don't sweat it, just don't hold it there at full throttle long.

Good luck and happy boating.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I seriously doubt you will get up to 35 mph with that set up. My RCW can hit about 25mph with 4 adults on board at max throttle. I ran it this past weekend by myself with top down and max was 30.7 mph.

A bigger concern should be that to reach 25mph+, you'll need to consistently run wide open. Reliability and fuel economy might be an issue. I personally am trading my 115 in on a 150 come spring.
 
Our 24SLi with a Mercury 115 Optimax runs at about 27-28mph with two adults and three kids on board, along with a full tank of fuel. With one adult and two kids I get 29mph. Speeds are via GPS. This weekend my wife pulled me on the tube (225 lbs) and the boat topped out at 25mph. I'm satisfied with our 115, however, you can never have too much motor. We have the standard two pontoons - no tri-toon option.

Shawn
 
Welcome to the forum. With the 115 you will probably see mid to upper 20s with 2 adults and minimal gear at WOT. See if you can get the boat with a 150 and choose the 32 eliptical with strakes. I believe this combination will probably get you close to 30. I have a 22 ft boat with a 150 and ESP. The best I have seen is 38 mph with 1 adult. With 6 adults and 2 kids, loaded with normal gear and full tank of gas I got 31 to 32 mph. Dealers tend to be very optimistic with performance figure.
 
Well, here's what happened today.

My dealer was at the Bennington factory today for their dealer rep weekend event, and he test drove the exact same boat I'm looking at (24SSL, 115HP, tri-toon, strakes) and said he absolutely LOVED the new design, and that it went 35 MPH with 6 people on board, that it would be their hot seller next year, and that they will order more. 35 MPH with 6 people on board. AMAZING.

So, maybe something is new with this boat. Maybe the boat weighs a lot less, who knows.

Thanks, LT1GMC, for the info on the WOT during break in. That had me worried. That info (WOT on break in) is not available on the Mercury website. Funny though, it is in their "FAQs", but the answer is basically "buy an owners manual". Anyway, I will not feel bad going max speed for a very short time during my test drive now.

Ericscher - Unfortunately, this model is "THE ONE" for us, and it's just now coming off the assembly line as a brand new model, so while I'd love to get a "must sell" 2010 or 2011 model (which would normally be more my style, actually), we're sold on this particular model with the rear-facing love seat.

Oh yeah, to upgrade from 115 to 150 was about $4k (MSRP/retail) including the hydraulic steering upgrade.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Well, congratulations on your new boat then!

:D
 
Still cautiously optimistic about the top speed of this boat (35 MPH is hard to believe).

We'll see what the GPS says during the test drive in a couple weeks. I will post some pictures of it.
 
No way will a 115 push any 24' pontoon boat with 6 people on board to 35 mph! Unfortunatly it is very common for dealers to be liberal with performance figures but this one is a blatant lie. ( This will probably get me a message from TB ). With 6 people on board you will probably be alot closer to 20 mph then 35 mph. I am not trying to start an argument I just do not want to see you buy a boat then be disappointed. You will be able to tow tubes and such and probably be able to wakeboard or ski with the 115. But you will not have a speed demon and with 6 people on board you will see a big reduction in performance. If you doubt this just ask here or on some other forum such as pontoonforums.com. Oh and by the way Bennington introduced the SSL models in March 2011. Go back to the beginning of this forum and you will see.

Please don't take offense with this post. When I bought my boat the dealer told me it would do low 40s. I did my research on several forums and everyone told me it would be upper 30s. I made my decision based on these real world figures not on what the salesman told me. The end result I am very happy with my boat.
 
After rereading your post I see you will be taking a test ride, so I am sorry about my above rant. Now the question is will they let you open it up to verify their performance statemant.I am curious though, when you take your ride see if the boat lists to the port side. Manitou has a similar model with the rear facing lounges on one side and it seemed to me this would cause the boat to list to the side with most of the furniture on it. Maybe Bennington was able to combat this with the placement of the gas tank, batteries, etc. I know alot of people are not bothered by listing but it drives me crazy when I am in a boat crusing down the lake all cockeyed :blink: .
 
No offense taken in the slightest. I appreciate ALL the independent opinions and I also appreciate your looking out for a fellow Bennington owner (or soon to be owner, that is).

That is what a forum is all about. That's why I'm here. I read a lot of forums on lots of topics (not just boats) and in general, I tend to believe/follow those that rant a little, because it shows they are passionate about the topic. I find they also tend to know what they are talking about.

Plus, it can be a little entertaining from time to time!
 
I need to correct a statement above. The dealer told me today the 24SSL went 35 MPH with 2 people (not 6) on board. This was a tri-toon model (express package) with lifting strakes all around and a 115 HP Yamaha.

I will post actual GPS reading when we test drive it ourselves in a couple weeks.
 
I believe that the exress pkg with strakes might get you into low 30s. I would not want dtrakes on the outside of the toons. The outside strakes will make it diffcult to turn. With strakes on the center tube and on the inside of the outer tubes the boat will bank into turns. I believe there was somone on here that has a boat set up like that and he really likes it.

Also you might want to consider hydrolic steering the 115 is not much lighter than 150 and I would not like to drive my boat without it.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
My local dealer worked with Bennington on the design of the 24SSL. They had it in stock in May this year as a custom build and have another 2011 for sale. It is simply a different layout from the 24 SLI. Same toons and structure. I'm sure someone has a 24SLI tritoon and let you know their speed.

It is a nice layout and I was actually going to buy the one off the lot but it sold. Ended up going with a 2275GCW. The price difference was immaterial and after thinking about people having to climb over to get to the outboard seat on the SSL I decided that the split rear loungers would work better for me in the long run.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
The "snuggle seat" is what the wife wants. (By the way, that's what "SSL" stands for, "Snuggle Seat Lounger"!) She sees her and the kids snuggling up in that seat. I can see her point.

But, I don't see any of my poker buddies snuggling up in it!!! The GCW (split loungers) would be a MUCH less awkward option "for the guys".

It was a tough call in my mind, but the wife is set on that snuggle seat.

So....

Snuggle seat, here we come!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top