anyone happy without a 115 plus engine?

[lkin]

So i am getting a 2012 20 sli with 25 inch tubes and a yamaha 70. All i read on the forum are folks who seem regretful they don't have 115 or more horses pushing them around. So, I ask: Is anyone happy with a 70?

Lkin

 

[Big E]

Yes.

We have a 2012 20SLi with the Yamaha T50. We know it will only do about 20mph at WOT, but since we have no place we have to go and all day to get there, it is all good.

Being able to hear the tunes and not spilling a drink is a good thing.

Having owned a number of fast boats, this one is all about relaxing.

Life IS a race- first one to the finish line LOSES.

 

[ericscher]

I have a T50 on mine and I'm not happy with the performance. I get just about 18mph by GPS under absolutely perfect conditions, and that doesn't satisfy me.

My boat hasn't yet worked it's way up the priority list to the top, which is why I haven't done anything about it yet.

I have no problem RESPECTING folks like Big-E... Everyone has different ideas about what they like... Endless variety. People should do what makes them happy and I believe him when he says he is.

But I've been a horsepower junkie for too many decades to change now, and there's no 12-step program for Velocity Addicts.

The most important thing you can do is to be honest with yourself about what your preferences are BEFORE you make a decision.

One last thing...

I find myself wondering something. If you were the laid-back, slow cruise, "don't slosh my Mohito" kind of guy that Big-E is, would you even be ASKING this question? B)

 

[Clark]

I think what you need to consider is what you will use the boat for. I love my 2050 SL with a Yamaha 50 for slow cruising and at the sand bar, but when I want to ski or wakeboard I use my Mastercraft prostar. If you want to do watersports and can only have one boat a tritoon with a big engine makes sense. A 70 hp on a 20' pontoon will work for tubing, but that is about it for water sports.

 

[Toonafish]

Answer to your question is yes.

I have a 2012 24'SF with a 75hp Merc. 4 stroke, purchased in August of 2011, filled the tank up before I put it on the water, I now have 15 hours on the Pontoon and my fuel guage is now a 3/4 full.

The lake we go to is within 30 minutes from our house and this lake is not very big, I can get from one end to the other in about 10 minutes, with that said why would you need a big engine only to get there in 3 minutes.

I can run about 23 miles an hour WOT but choose to run around 15 to 18 mph if I lived at the lake of the Ozarks or Table Rock no I probably would not be happy with this engine, just for comparison the boat previous to this was a 2005 28'Crownline with a 496HO 65mph not a problem good Table Rock boat but way too big for this lake, I would purchase based on the size of lake and what you want to do with the boat, Im through with the go fast, and want to take things a little slower, getting old I guess, hope this helps .

 

[dmctruby]

I think the key is water toys. If I had no interest at all in towing even a tube then 16 to 18mph is great. Before I purchased my 22 bennie I spent many hours on a friends boat, a 22 pontoon setup for fishing. He has a trolling motor and an older 70 hp outboard. He has no kids and doesn't own any tow behind water toys. I never gave the engine size a thought, we rarely went faster then 18mph looking for spot to fish, then dropped the trolling motor when we found a spot. My 2250 has a 115hp, I have kids, kids like to tube. 115 is not enough hp when your on a big lake towing kids around all day, engine is near WOT all the time trying to keep a fun tubing pace. I'll bet those that don't need the speed are plenty happy with a smaller motor. My buddy goes multiple weeks without filling his boat, me I burn a full tank in day easy.

 

[Bradrgrantham]

You know the saying. Better to have and not need than to need and not have.

Go with the larger engine. It will pay off in the long run. The larger engine will run longer and more efficent.

 

[Bamaman]

We've just heard too many people go with marginal engines and be surprised at how much it costs to upgrade to a larger engine. It's discussed virtually every day on pontoon/boat internet forums. You see 6 month old outboard motors at every dealership--traded in on larger engines.

People's needs change, as their children or grandchildren grow up. And, I've never heard one person say they were sad they had too much horsepower.

I've ridden on pontoon boats with relatively low horsepower, but the operators had to run the boats 5500 rpms to keep a normal cruise speed. My Yamaha 115 hp 2 stroke is at 2500 rpms at the same cruise--running

quietly and efficiently.

Equipping a pontoon boat with the largest rated horsepower (or down one size) just makes them perform so much better.

I'm retired, but I'm not ready to putt around at 10 mph. I want to get up and go from time to time. We also have a 4 year old and his 6 month old sister to pull on tubes--when they're ready.