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Pontoon Newbie needs some guidance re: purchase

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Mark649

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Good morning everyone. I am a newbie to pontoon boats but need some guidance. I currently own a high performance Powerquest 28 ft boat with a 502 that will run approx. 65. I would very much like to have the ability to run the same top end speed so I am looking for some suggestions regarding pontoon boats. Who is the main player and the Ferrari or Porsche of the pontoon boat business

Many thanks

Mark
 
The drag from the toons makes that speed from a production boat out of reach.  The big Benningtons with the 8.2L are over 50 MPH.  There are some boats with 2-300 O/B's on the market.  I did see a blown 502 at a boat show 3 years ago and he claimed high 50 MPH.  
 
There are several examples on youtube.  Here's a couple.

 
Other than twin 300's with a Harris or Premier, Playcraft is about the only one doing big block pontoons hitting those kind of speeds. Styling and finish, on the other hand, is certainly a matter of taste, but I just don't like the 80's Baja sort of look on a modern pontoon. Bennington is all over that and there really aren't any better that I'm aware of.

Try the Bennington Stancraft if you want beauty

http://club.benningtonmarine.com/index.php?/gallery/image/2529-bennington-q-stancraft/
 
I read that it's powered by a single stock Evinrude Etec 250HO.

I don't believe everything on the net but the YouTube video shows full interior, minus Bimini.
 
spinzone said:
I read that it's powered by a single stock Evinrude Etec 250HO.

I don't believe everything on the net but the YouTube video shows full interior, minus Bimini.
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Back when I saw that I really had to wonder how they did it, but the radar gun doesn't lie, it must be legit.

I drove a similar one with a Yamaha 250SHO before I bought my Benny. The owner of the dealership had it tweaked to the max for speed, and we saw right around 50. Seriously, how could they pick up 16mph, even with a bare deck I don't know???

Anyway, if you go to your dealer and they rig it, stock the M's will do lower 50's at best. A jack plate and higher motor that doesn't have to work in turns might be another 2 or 3 but then you just have a boat that goes really fast in a straight line.

Just a word to the original poster - You might want to ride in a toon that's going 50+ some time first. If you and your guests all like bikes, then I suppose it's ok, but it gets VERY windy and even the slightest thing not tied down goes over the back right away.
 
To get to the 65 mph or faster, an owner will have a big block version of a NASCAR engine. 

I saw a tritoon on EBay or Boattrader.com last week with a custom I/O engine, but I forget the details.

Unfortunately, reliability has to be thrown out the window when you go to those levels.  And the best Mercruiser outdrive units aren't available for mounting in a pontoon engine pod.
 
Here is what I would do... buy a Bennington with the biggest motor you can afford. Then, if you don't think it's fast enough, buy a jetski or a bass boat for your speed fix. You'll be money ahead. I drive my boat 45 MPH all over the lake by myself. With others on board, they tend to want me to slow down so they can converse.
 
Rockie69 said:
Here is what I would do... buy a Bennington with the biggest motor you can afford. Then, if you don't think it's fast enough, buy a jetski or a bass boat for your speed fix. You'll be money ahead. I drive my boat 45 MPH all over the lake by myself. With others on board, they tend to want me to slow down so they can converse.
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Exactly!
 
I would say the pontoons with the twin 300's but you probably looking around $100,000 is the speed that important or comfort.
 
Rockie69 said:
Here is what I would do... buy a Bennington with the biggest motor you can afford. Then, if you don't think it's fast enough, buy a jetski or a bass boat for your speed fix. You'll be money ahead. I drive my boat 45 MPH all over the lake by myself. With others on board, they tend to want me to slow down so they can converse.
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My wife indulges my need for 40+ mph spurts but then yells for me to slow down -- too hard to talk, hair getting tangled, etc.  I know I'm also burning fuel by the bucketload.
 
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I also agree with having a pontoon and a seadoo. My seadoo Wake does a little over 70mph.  I will occasionally go all out my favorite sped is about 35
 
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Thanks much for all the help. Great forum and thanks for making me feel welcome
 
My Waverunner VX has a top speed of 54 mph, and it's knock dead reliable.  I seldom cruise at anything over 35 mph.

I just hate to think what I would have been like at 16 years old with a 68 mph 9' boat.  It's more like "when you get hurt" vs. "if you get hurt."
 
Hi Mark,

Sounds like you and I have a similar background. I came over from a 28 conquest deck/cat with a 525 that would run 72-74. My initial research took me to playcraft or a twin 300 southbay package. The wife saw what I was up to and put an end to the speed and I ordered a 2550 GSR with a 300 verado. In test runs on a 25 RSR with the 300 we hit 47. As soon as my boat is here and ready, I am looking forard to how it performs. I will tell you that the wife is in love with how it rides and I was very surprised. It rides smoother than our cat and handles quite good with the esp package. Strange, but many of my friends are switching over from speed boats to pontoons. They are comfortable and great for kids and grandkids. As an aside, one of my buddy's has a DCB that goes 130 for when I have the need for speed---and he is thinking of getting a toon. He is waiting to go out on mine.

Cheers, Steve
 
Hey Mark, I think Ecoman is leading the speed race on here so far with his 54+ speed, so I guess that's the one you should go with. It's a beauty!  Welcome to the forum!
 
  1. i'm going from a Baja that ran 70 to a 22ssx with sps that will hopefully run 40 (excpected deliverey july 26)

My buddy went from a 40ft Motion with triple 300 pro x Mercs to a 26 Southbay with a I/O that ran 45mph then back to a 28ft Skater with twin 300 Mercs that runs 114mph and is thinking about selling and buying a Bennington.
 
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