lifting strakes??
- Thread starter jennifer
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TomS
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Welcome to CB Jennifer!
I'm not sure what you mean by "cruising", but at low speeds the main advantage of the ellipticals would probably be buoyancy for a high and dry ride, and knocking down some of the chop. The strakes and ellipticals really help you to get up and moving from low speed to cruise since they have more planing surface area. For watersports, pulling tubes, skiing, wakeboard, etc this is great. I rode on a demo "S" model at the Bennington Open House last fall that had a Yamaha 150 and it easily topped 40 mph with that setup. They gave a very nice smooth ride in the chop and wake crossings as well.
If you plan on a smaller motor, under 75hp they might not be worth it, but talk to your dealer as they know best depending on your particular boat.
Tom
I'm not sure what you mean by "cruising", but at low speeds the main advantage of the ellipticals would probably be buoyancy for a high and dry ride, and knocking down some of the chop. The strakes and ellipticals really help you to get up and moving from low speed to cruise since they have more planing surface area. For watersports, pulling tubes, skiing, wakeboard, etc this is great. I rode on a demo "S" model at the Bennington Open House last fall that had a Yamaha 150 and it easily topped 40 mph with that setup. They gave a very nice smooth ride in the chop and wake crossings as well.
If you plan on a smaller motor, under 75hp they might not be worth it, but talk to your dealer as they know best depending on your particular boat.
Tom
Welcome Jennifer. I have the twin elliptical, strakes, and 150hp merc Pro XS on a 2275 RCW. You won't turn or handle like a esp equipped boat, but it does offer a offer a great soft and dry ride with lots of top end speed.
Hope this helps
Todd
Hope this helps
Todd
kaydano
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If your motor is 115 or more, get the strakes. They won't have as much impact on top speed with the smaller motors. I think others have 90s with the strakes and are happy. If you're putting a 50 on it though, put the money towards something else or save it.
They add a lot of top end speed (if the motor is big enough), and they cause the boat to plane up at a slower speed (which is more fuel efficient, in my mind).
It mostly depends on whether you want the extra speed .
They add a lot of top end speed (if the motor is big enough), and they cause the boat to plane up at a slower speed (which is more fuel efficient, in my mind).
It mostly depends on whether you want the extra speed .
TomS
Well-Known Member
With the 115 I'd definitely go for the strakes since it affects your planing time. The ellipticals will make it better yet.
I will give you a bit of advice here. Get a 150 go or bigger motor with ESP if you want to use your boat for water sports and tubing. It's a little extra money up front, but will save you a ton in the end. The price difference gets you a pontoon boat that does everything well
like a Swiss Army knife.
like a Swiss Army knife.
tcpip95
Well-Known Member
Take this advice: GET THE 150. You will be kicking yourself over and over if you don't. There have been so many people that didn't want to pay that extra money for the jump from 115 to 150, only to regret it later. I was fortunate and went right to the 150 for my 24SSL and am so happy that I did.
Cry once and get what you want, rather than cry forever and not get what you need.
Cry once and get what you want, rather than cry forever and not get what you need.
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cwag911
Moderator
Ditto on the 150. No one ever said they wished they had less power.
kaydano
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Keep in mind the 150 will be hard to turn without power steering, and that costs extra. Quite a bit extra. Then there's the sub debate on hydraulic vs power...
Also consider you will want to turn the boat a lot when tubing to swing the tube around. Skiing is the opposite (boat goes straight and the skier does the turning). So, if you think you will do more of one or the other, something to consider.
Also consider you will want to turn the boat a lot when tubing to swing the tube around. Skiing is the opposite (boat goes straight and the skier does the turning). So, if you think you will do more of one or the other, something to consider.
Bamaman
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I have a new 24' SSLX with a Yamaha F150 and the Express Performance Package. With the Yamaha Reliance 15 pitch prop, it's running 40 mph GPS @ 6000 rpm's. The strakes easily lift the nose out of the water, and you can really feel the deck lift from 30 mph and above--almost like a tunnel hull boat. We mostly run about 22 to 25 mph when cruising.
This hybrid tri hull is about $800 less than the twin elliptical package with strakes, and is a good compromise for price and performance. It appears to be far outselling the twin ellipticals due to the popularity of tri hulls and good resale. I would think it also handles better. The twin ellipticals might run 2 mph better, but I'm okay with what i've got.
And 150 hp is the preferred power plant.
This hybrid tri hull is about $800 less than the twin elliptical package with strakes, and is a good compromise for price and performance. It appears to be far outselling the twin ellipticals due to the popularity of tri hulls and good resale. I would think it also handles better. The twin ellipticals might run 2 mph better, but I'm okay with what i've got.
And 150 hp is the preferred power plant.
kaydano
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I have complained about not getting the 150. After a year, I am generally on the fence with that still. Sure, it would be nice, but I would have had to cut back somewhere else. The cost, with power steering,was substantial ($4k). It uses more fuel too. Before this starts a big debate, yes, power for power a bigger engine runs easier at a certain speed than a smaller engine, but you have to factor in that you simply will drive it harder/faster if you have the bigger engine (for lots of reasons), therefore it will use more fuel. It's a driver thing, not a motor thing, if you get what I'm saying. There's got to be a psychology term for that...
If money is no object, get the biggest motor you can afford (that was meant to be funny, since only you know where you are at with respect to cost vs features).
Keep reading this forum, and dig back through the old stuff. You will find answers to questions you didn't even know you had. This forum was worth its weight in gold when I was making purchase decisions. Not sure how much a web site weighs, but you know what I mean.
If money is no object, get the biggest motor you can afford (that was meant to be funny, since only you know where you are at with respect to cost vs features).
Keep reading this forum, and dig back through the old stuff. You will find answers to questions you didn't even know you had. This forum was worth its weight in gold when I was making purchase decisions. Not sure how much a web site weighs, but you know what I mean.
Bamaman
Well-Known Member
It all depends on what you're going to do with your boat, and how many people you're going to be carrying. Twin toons just don't handle like a tritoon, but many people seldom make high speed, tight turns. Twin ellipticals handle and ride better than a twin toon, but at a relatively high price and may require larger horsepower. The Express Tube Package performs very well at an affordable price with 115 or 150 hp. If money's no object, go top of the line on ESP tritoons and the big engine.
If you're just going to be cruising with 4-5 people and not pulling any skiers or tubers, go with the 25" twin toons with strakes (90 hp or 115 hp.) If you're going with less hp, you don't need the strakes.
If you often carry many people (heavy load) and don't often pull skiers or tubers, go the twin ellipticals with strakes--115 hp or preferably 150 hp.
Are you going to be pulling any skiers or tubers? If so, go the Express Package with 150 hp. We do have 2 small grandchildren that will be tubing, so we went Express Package and 150 hp.
If you're just going to be cruising with 4-5 people and not pulling any skiers or tubers, go with the 25" twin toons with strakes (90 hp or 115 hp.) If you're going with less hp, you don't need the strakes.
If you often carry many people (heavy load) and don't often pull skiers or tubers, go the twin ellipticals with strakes--115 hp or preferably 150 hp.
Are you going to be pulling any skiers or tubers? If so, go the Express Package with 150 hp. We do have 2 small grandchildren that will be tubing, so we went Express Package and 150 hp.
Kells
Well-Known Member
I had a unique situation where I bought a boat, had it for a few weeks, then they bought it back and I ended up with a different boat. Here is my experience.
Both boats had 150hp engine
Boat 1 was a GSB 25 with 2 regular pontoons and the underdeck wave shield
Boat 2 (current boat) is a QCL 25 with dual 32" elliptical toons without strakes and without a wave shield
Boat 1 was faster and had smoother ride (also weighed less) but the wave shave was an obvious benefit. It did NOT turn as good as the twin ellipticals I have now.
Boat 2 turns on a dime and is much better for tubing, but suffers some speed loss due to missing wave shield.
I suggest the dual toon 32" ellipticals WITHOUT the strakes and WITH an underdeck wave shield if you are tubing. Mainly because you will be riding into and beside waves to get the most fun for your tuber, and the underdeck shield is needed to minimize it slowing you down.
Both boats had 150hp engine
Boat 1 was a GSB 25 with 2 regular pontoons and the underdeck wave shield
Boat 2 (current boat) is a QCL 25 with dual 32" elliptical toons without strakes and without a wave shield
Boat 1 was faster and had smoother ride (also weighed less) but the wave shave was an obvious benefit. It did NOT turn as good as the twin ellipticals I have now.
Boat 2 turns on a dime and is much better for tubing, but suffers some speed loss due to missing wave shield.
I suggest the dual toon 32" ellipticals WITHOUT the strakes and WITH an underdeck wave shield if you are tubing. Mainly because you will be riding into and beside waves to get the most fun for your tuber, and the underdeck shield is needed to minimize it slowing you down.