Bennington Pontoon Strength

[Joindy]

My new Bennington 22SLX has been delivered and is on my boat lift. My pier Shop...who maintains and installs my piers and lift each year is very respected on my lake and has I would guess maybe 1000 customers {thus lot of experience}, has indicated that although Bennington builds a good boat, their pontoons are sensitive to damage. He indicated the lift support system for the pontoons needs to be set up correctly to avoid damage, while some other competitors are like tanks and no need for concern. Any comments of this? I have the regular-basic 25 inch pontoons and not upgrades.

 

[TomS]

He is correct that it needs to be set up correctly, but I seriously doubt there is any basis to say that Benningtons are "sensitive to damage". 


Perhaps he should read Nick's account of running his Bennington directly over a submerged rock formation, and making it 50 miles safely back to the ramp with little or no damage HERE

 

[Tooner]

It seems like now a days everyone has some kind of Axe to grind. 

 

[bcpnick]

Ha! Yeah, read my account that TomS linked to. I would say they are most definitely not prone to damage after hitting a massive rock under 3" of water at upward of 20mph and coming out unscathed. I still find myself looking under the boat because I can't believe it made it through all that. 

 

[SEMPERFI8387]

Cobras were notorious for easily damaging the aluminum body panels, but Pintos were almost indestructible for the money.


My question is, would you rather own a Cobra or a Pinto ..... 


Seriously though, I don't know of anything that "special" to be set up. Either boards full length under keels or supported at the front "nose cone" joint and the rear cap area. These are the strong points. If you look at Goldenrods pics, you can see how Bennington has them supported at those points in the factory.

 

[goldnrod24]

The center elipitical tube has this reinforcement, but as far as I know, not the round tubes.