Complete Noob with Bennington Fever

Irie_Vibes

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Hello all!
Well...due to Covid and the job I have, I am fortunate to now be able to work from home full-time. This has enabled my wife and I to try to realize some of our retirement goals sooner than later including to moving to a waterfront home and getting a boat. We've had a ton of fun just researching all the different options and learning about boating in general since I am a complete noob to boating even though I've been a Florida boy all my life. I appreciate this forum as it has already helped me narrow down some of my options and answered many of my questions already, though I still have many more and I'm sure there are questions I do not even know to ask yet.

We will be moving to a home right on a canal that leads straight out to the Gulf. The house has a floating dock and no boat lift. It's on a wide canal that I believe is deep because on the other side of the canal is a large marina (just guessing). I do not know if the canal floor is muddy, rocky, or whatever. The location is in Hudson, FL, and our boating goals are primarily leisure boating, finding sandbars/islands to stop at to chill, grill, have fun. Most of the time it will just be my wife and me in the boat, though I'm sure there will be times with friends/family as well. I don't know if it's realistic or not, but I would also like the ability to boat from Hudson to Clearwater/St. Pete area as well, which is around 60 miles or so. There is no need for pulling skiers or anything like that. I will not be going out "deep sea" or anything like that.

I would like to have some confirmation on some of my initial purchasing thoughts:

  • Pontoon vs. Bowrider - I've seen some say pontoons don't belong anywhere but on inland, calm waters. However, I wonder if those people lump all pontoons together without taking into consideration some of the extra "rough water" features the Bennington's have. I believe a pontoon will be fine for our needs (of course, will not go out in bad weather), but I do want to be safe in the event we are caught in a storm. I would like confirmation if you feel a pontoon would be good in this coastal environment or if a different boat design would be better/safer.
  • Sport Performance System vs Yamaha Twin Elliptical Saltwater Packages - I've searched these forums extensively, and I think I've come to conclusion that for my environment, the Yamaha Twin Elliptical Saltwater Package would be best suited because of the extra buoyancy/speed and not doing water sports. However, I've read the SPS package does help in rough water. My primary concern is safety in the event I happen to get stuck in some rough waves. I don't think I'm too concerned with tight cornering the SPS package provides. SPS does have more fuel capacity, which may be handy for longer trips. I would be going with a 150HP (maybe 200) Yamaha. Thoughts on this?
  • Docking and Cleaning - I see Bennington and other manufactures recommend to thoroughly wash down the toons, exterior, interior, and motor flush with fresh water after each outing. That seems like a lot to me being a noob to this. I can see my wife an I putting around in the boat several times a week, so that would get old quick, it seems. Plus, not having a boat lift will make cleaning the toons impossible. In the real world, what do you guys do? I see some without boat lifts on this forum simply take a hand scrubber to wipe down their toons while parked at a sandbar or other shallow water every once in a while. That seems reasonable. What's your thoughts? Am I going to be in trouble without a boat lift?
That about does it for now for my questions. I look forward to being part of this community and even more so to ordering my boat when that time gets here. Looking at getting a 22SL. If it helps, I can post photos of the back of the house we hope to get to show the dock/canal.

Thanks
 
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Congratulations on the new home and the future Bennington. We are on the other side of Florida and most boat on the inter coastal. My boat is in NY but we go on my friends Bennington. He trailers and at times leaves it in a dock for a week. He tells me he cleans his toons every couple of weeks when it is on a trailer and uses a pressure washer. His toons look pretty good with that amount of treatment. He did have them sharkhide when he bought it in the spring. I think eleptical is a good choice for the uses that you say
 
Congrats and welcome!

If you are new to boating my personal advice (and probably not shared by many) is to take baby steps and learn the ropes before taking a big plunge like running the ocean. Salty dogs that have boated their entire lives still end up in bad situations on big water due to weather, mechanical trouble or other. People will give you advice about “picking your day” but we all know how weather forecasts work - near me on the Chesapeake you could go from light chop to 4 footers in an hour without warning and you’re white-knuckling it to make it back to a safe harbor.

As much as it pains me to say this, I think a bowrider would be more forgiving when the stuff hits the fan, especially if a two-toon 22’ 150hp is your other option. If you do go the pontoon route, stay inshore until you learn basic navigation, reading weather, how to troubleshoot your boat and how to generally be a safe captain. Once you get those essential skills down, then you can venture further and further out. VHF, EPIRB/PLB etc need to be part of your emergency equipment once you get a few miles out.

Can a pontoon be an ocean vessel? Of course, but a butter knife can be used as a screwdriver as well. When you don’t use the proper tool for the job you have to be even more on your “A” game which you still need time to develop. Boating is awesome and rewarding but like anything else there are risks - continue your research and ask lots of questions (especially from those who have actually done it).

Good luck!
 
If you have the ability to bump up your budget a bit, the new L series (for the 22+ foot) have the optional ESP, which is the tritoon with the center elliptical pontoon.
It will add buoyancy, resulting in a little less draft depth, more stability, and better handling. You can add the saltwater anodes to it.

If you do plan to venture into big water, even if it's near-shore, then the general recommendation is to get as much horsepower as you can equip the boat with, in case you need to go WOT and get back to shore in as little time as possible.

Still having trouble deciding between the TEPP, SPS, or ESP?
Check around with the waterside dealers in your area and ask to schedule test rides with the varying pontoon configs so that you can best determine what will fit your needs the most.

Check this thread out:

 
we have a 2019 23sxp fastback with a 200hp Yamaha and a sps package. we do gulf water and inter coastal and remain keenly aware of the weather while boating. Storms can be unpredictable and we rarely go more than a couple miles off shore. The sps package is great for this type of boating. We had spent many enjoyable hours on our friends Bennington sps for several years in Sw Florida prior to buying our own boat.
 
You don’t need to take baby steps. You can boat in golf the way described and a tritoon will great
 
OP - several articles for your consideration.

Of note from Bennington:
“A protected saltwater bay, inlet, or mangrove swamp is often a more suitable pontoon boating environment than the open ocean. Keep an eye on the weather, keep your weather radio set for alerts, and avoid rough conditions.”




 
Bennington offers a Bowrider on the L and R series .
Below is a link to the build site

 
First shop around for the right dealer.
Find one that will take care of your service needs, warranty needs, help guide you through the purchasing process so you get the correct vessel and lastly provide a competitive price. The competitive price is worthless if the dealer doesn't take care of ALL of your needs.
Talk to other boaters and get recommendations. Odds are that a Bennington dealer will be in the lists of recommended dealers, but believe it or not, there are crappy Bennington dealers as well.
 
In addition to all the good suggestions above. Take a safe boater course, they are available locally and on line. Secondly - buy your last boat first. In the long run it’s much less expensive that way.
 
Again, you will be fine with your described use. Thousands of boat owners use tritoons as described. Despite the fear articles.
 
Wow....thanks all for the great replies! Let me digest all this info and read through the posted articles and I'll report back.

I have already taken the Boating Safety Course through BoatUS, and I have to say that was super beneficial. I honestly didn't even know about the different colors of lights for port and starboard..lol. I'm the analytical type (sometimes over-analytical), so I take all this in to try to be a very responsible boat operator. I want to have fun, not boating emergencies.

Thanks again!
 
Still researching several things, but what are your guys thoughts on docking a pontoon without a boat lift, leaving it in the water? I would definitely get the Sharkhide treatment, but it's my understanding that has to be reapplied every year. Ok to just scrub/wipe it down when docked at a sandbar every once in a while? Are there other considerations when it comes to docking in back yard where a lift would be beneficial besides just the cleanliness aspect? Thanks again!
 
Still researching several things, but what are your guys thoughts on docking a pontoon without a boat lift, leaving it in the water? I would definitely get the Sharkhide treatment, but it's my understanding that has to be reapplied every year. Ok to just scrub/wipe it down when docked at a sandbar every once in a while? Are there other considerations when it comes to docking in back yard where a lift would be beneficial besides just the cleanliness aspect? Thanks again!
My experience with boats in saltwater is that barnacles start forming in about a week. Anti fouling paint on the tunes can help retard the growth but doesn’t stop it completely. You would still need to have them cleaned often by something more than a wipe down at the sandbar. You would definitely want to keep your prop lifted out of the water when docked. After bottom pain and continued cleaning/maintenance and replacing your sacrificial anodes more often it may be cheaper to get a lift if you’re able to. A new 7000lb lift with install will probably run you between 7-9k.

I have the SPS hull on a 22 SSRXP with a 150. Being on the Atlantic side there are very few days I’d feel comfortable taking the Tritoon into open waters, but having boated gulf side I’ve taken 17ft bow riders into the gulf with no problems and I’d take my Tritoon in the gulf close to shore as well.

Regarding washing down, I flush the motor after each use at the end of the day at a minimum. I generally cover and rinse the tubes after each day as well. If I’m going to be using the next day I sometimes don’t cover or rinse the toons but I will flush the motor.

I can uncover the boat and be on the water in 15 min. And I can flush the motor, cover and rinse down the toons in about 30 min now.

I also thoroughly wash the inside with soap and water about 4 times a year.

Hope this helps.
 
Again, you will be fine with your described use. Thousands of boat owners use tritoons as described. Despite the fear articles.
Alice,
What part of Bennington’s article would be considered a “fear article”? OP has stated the intent to be in the open ocean running 60 miles and asked if a pontoon would be the preferred boat type and if it would be safe if caught in a storm or rough waves. Bennington clearly addresses this question. Do you not consider the recommendations of the very manufacturer who designed the boat you own, but rather view it as fear mongering? And your advice for a brand new boater is to head out into the open ocean without learning the basics first (navigation lights, tides, channel markersreading charts, hazards etc.) in more protected waters?

I suppose life is full of risks - water and weather are two things many of us have a healthy respect for having learned the hard way. To each their own.
 
Hello again,
So....after much research, I believe I've decided to actually go with a dual console. The primary reasons are it seems to me the hull type on a dual console is more suited for longer trips where I need the speed as well as the ability to handle rougher water safer. With a dual console, I still can get the seating I need as well.

Being such a new boater, who knows....I may decide I want to venture out further, so I think this will be more flexible for possible future wants/expectations.

Thanks again, all, for your valuable input.
 
Alice,
What part of Bennington’s article would be considered a “fear article”? OP has stated the intent to be in the open ocean running 60 miles and asked if a pontoon would be the preferred boat type and if it would be safe if caught in a storm or rough waves. Bennington clearly addresses this question. Do you not consider the recommendations of the very manufacturer who designed the boat you own, but rather view it as fear mongering? And your advice for a brand new boater is to head out into the open ocean without learning the basics first (navigation lights, tides, channel markersreading charts, hazards etc.) in more protected waters?

I suppose life is full of risks - water and weather are two things many of us have a healthy respect for having learned the hard way. To each their own.
I don’t think i replied to you. Thousands of people use their tritoons in gulf and ocean. He asked a basic question can he use the boat the way he described. He described a safe and cautious way of using it which again thousands of people do. Did i say he should not understand boater safety? No, never even commented on it. Lawsuits are why boat manufactures cover themselves so no i don’t really care about the articles. So the thousands of people who boat this way are just wrong. I don’t think so as i have boated on a tritoon in this way. It can be done and tnst was the question.
 
Still researching several things, but what are your guys thoughts on docking a pontoon without a boat lift, leaving it in the water? I would definitely get the Sharkhide treatment, but it's my understanding that has to be reapplied every year. Ok to just scrub/wipe it down when docked at a sandbar every once in a while? Are there other considerations when it comes to docking in back yard where a lift would be beneficial besides just the cleanliness aspect? Thanks again!

Sharkhide helps prevent oxidation, it will NOT stop growth and under the waterline it will probably be gone in one year in saltwater. You need saltwater anodes, and if in water continuous, probably coated bottoms of toons.
 
If it was me, getting a lift installed would be a top priority. Also have fresh water at the dock. Some quick washing when done for the day and your boat will look awesome.
it’s just something that needs to be done. Salt water is brutal.
If the water depth is really deep you should investigate a floating lift. They are used at many reservoirs.
 
OP,

WELCOME!

As much as I love our Bennington, I would get a boat lift and buy a Glacier Bay power cat, given the desires you've described with respect to your boating.

Best of luck, and BE ALWAYS SAFE.
 
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