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90hp OR 115?

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Chuck 21SLX

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I'm about to order my first new pontoon. A few years ago, I co-owned a used Sylvan 24ft. with a 90HP Mercury. I'm ordering a 21SLX with 2 25" tubes. I hope to cruise, water ski, and tube, often with 4-6 adults on board. Should I go with a Yamaha F90LB 4 stroke or upgrade to a 115HP?
 
List price for the 115 ,is $847 more according to the build site .I would go with the 115 .Much less to upgrade now that in the future
 
Is there ANY possibility of getting up to a 150hp? It will be asked, so might as well get it out of the way now. Just based on your expected load and use, it is definitely the best option. That being said, you had a 90hp before, so at least your expectations should be realistic. If those are really the only options, than the 115, but I would look LONG and hard at the budget for a 150. Maybe a last year model reduced price is available with your preferred options.
 
Understand very well budget constraints but if you are going to have 6 adults on board and want to tow or ski the configuration you describe may have a tough time. More HP and perhaps strakes will ensure you are not dissapointed
 
Without strakes, you will be water skiing at 14 mph which is no fun.
 
The seat of the pants difference between a 90 and a 115 is little to none. Having owned a 115, I would never recommend it to a prospective buyer.
 
We had a 22' with a 115. The boat was a two toon with lifting strakes and no underskinning. It was great with two adults on the boat. With just me I could hit 35. Added some more human and that quickly cut in half. It you are not able to add a third tube setup I'd at least add strakes and under skinning. It will help big time.
 
Im guessing you will get a resounding ....... 150......:D
 
Thanks for feedback... The 21 SLX has a max HP of 115. We're not interested in a larger boats, so 90 vs 115 is it. Strakes aren't recommended for anything under 115. So, I guess it could be 90 vs 115 plus strakes.
 
Chuck 21SLX said:
Thanks for feedback... The 21 SLX has a max HP of 115. We're not interested in a larger boats, so 90 vs 115 is it. Strakes aren't recommended for anything under 115. So, I guess it could be 90 vs 115 plus strakes.
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Since part of your stated use is watersports with 4-6 adults, I would 100% go with the 115 and strakes on a two toon set up.
 
Chuck 21SLX said:
Thanks for feedback... The 21 SLX has a max HP of 115. We're not interested in a larger boats, so 90 vs 115 is it. Strakes aren't recommended for anything under 115. So, I guess it could be 90 vs 115 plus strakes.
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Ahh, but the 21' SLX is available with SPS and the 150. If you seriously plan to watersport and don't want a larger boat, spring for the SPS/150.

Or, you'll be back in a year telling us how you had to upgrade. Ask me how I know.
 
goldnrod24 said:
Ahh, but the 21' SLX is available with SPS and the 150. If you seriously plan to watersport and don't want a larger boat, spring for the SPS/150.

Or, you'll be back in a year telling us how you had to upgrade. Ask me how I know.
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Add me to that "ask me how I know" list
Much more cost effective to upgrade now on your original order
 
More people have upgraded, read sold and bought new (and cost MUCH more in the long run) to a new boat due to underperforming horsepower than any other reason.
 
We did that after 3 months!! Best decision ever to upgrade.
 
Chuck 21SLX said:
I'm about to order my first new pontoon. A few years ago, I co-owned a used Sylvan 24ft. with a 90HP Mercury. I'm ordering a 21SLX with 2 25" tubes. I hope to cruise, water ski, and tube, often with 4-6 adults on board. Should I go with a Yamaha F90LB 4 stroke or upgrade to a 115HP?
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Like what the other fine members have said........115 at the very least. 150 if you can. If you plan on having 4-6 adults onboard AND you want to ski you're going to want more HP........Or less people.
 
Add me to that "how I know" list on the 115. Man, did I make a dumb-ass decision on that!

Chuck, you are not going to like reading this, but you are about to order the wrong boat. My sole mission on this website is to prevent people from making the same 115 mistake I did. You are asking if you should spend another $900 to upgrade to the 115. Respectfully, you are asking the wrong question.

If you think you want to do water sports on that boat, please take a step back and reevaluate that decision. Seriously. There are a lot of people here to help, so just keep asking questions until you are SURE you are doing the right thing for your family.
 
Is there a significant benefit to a Yamaha 115 VMax as opposed to a plain 115?
 
kaydano said:
Add me to that "how I know" list on the 115. Man, did I make a dumb-ass decision on that!

Chuck, you are not going to like reading this, but you are about to order the wrong boat. My sole mission on this website is to prevent people from making the same 115 mistake I did. You are asking if you should spend another $900 to upgrade to the 115. Respectfully, you are asking the wrong question.

If you think you want to do water sports on that boat, please take a step back and reevaluate that decision. Seriously. There are a lot of people here to help, so just keep asking questions until you are SURE you are doing the right thing for your family.
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I appreciate the candor. Most folks won't be so straightforward! Since you're willing, I'm very open to your candid suggestions, because I won't be upgrading after this purchase. I'd really like to be pleased with it. I'm wondering if my intentions for using the boat are interpreted as being too focused toward water sports. I am 62. My wife is 58. My son and daughter-in-law (32) and their two children (now 4 years and 4 months) live nearby and will utilize the boat with us. Our water skiing with the old boat was purely for fun. We were "okay" with the 90HP on a 24ft boat with adults on board, but certainly would have been happier with more speed. My wife never tried to ski at all before and won't now. None of us is more than a novice and won't be. Our grandkids won't do more than tube for quite a while. We have three local lakes. Primarily, we will swim, grill, picnic, and float. However, I want to be able to ski and tube. My kids will use the boat to take their friends who also have young families. They will want to ski. So.... I'm thinking that we're on the right track, but VERY open to your suggestions. THANKS!!
 
The reality is a 115hp is not going to do well for tubing/skiing with adults on a two toon set up. It’s fine for your other uses, but is really underpowered for that use on a pontoon. It lacks both the buoyancy and hole shot power that is good for adult skiing/tubing - or kids doing those things with 4 or more adults on board. With the SPS tritoon set up, and a 150 hp, skiing and tubing would be fine. It is just the reality of the set up.

IF an SPS with a 150hp can be an option, that is certainly the route to go for watersports. Tubing is a lot of drag on a pontoon. Getting an adult up on skis with a pontoon is tough out of the hole. A tritoon, with lifting strakes and a 150hp is made to do it.
 
Looking at the build site, bare minimum upgrade option could be, ellipticals with strakes, gives you the 150 option. Throw in minimum hydraulic steering and you have a ski boat .... ;)
 
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