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Help on express tube

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gp4au

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I could use some advice Looking at a 2021 22SX with the big stern loungers with a Yahama 150 with 135 hours It's got alot things I like that it has extended aft deck,lights on the bimini top and under the deck,Kicker package with 6 speakers and sub and also has 2 captain chairs I w as loving it until I looked under and saw the 3/4 toon in the middle Never seen one before Also middle toon has lifting strakes and bottom of deck has under skirting I test drove it and it got up to around 38 The 2 things I didn't like was it sits low in the rear which I suspected cause of the shorter toon Also when I made a left turn it was very hard to turn I read tritoon turn really easy It's the only used boat at the dealership and I can't afford a new tritoon I found some used ones about 300i miles away but I don't want to pull one that far This will be my retirement boat as I am 62 I've had a bowrider the last 15 years and enjoyed it Need advice on the express tube Thanks
 
What type of steering is on it? 150 and above ,power steering is recommend.
 
I added the express toon on my 2012 RL and thought it vastly improved performance over the standard 2 toons. Never noticed it made it harder to turn but we were slow cruisers anyways
 
Almost sounds like it has cable steering. As Jack mentioned above, many recommend power assist steering at 150HP and above. Look into that and see what sort of steering it has: cable, hydraulic, power assisted.

Also, as Jack mentioned, lots of discussion on and off over the years on the Express tubes. You are correct. The express tubes cause the boat to sit lower in back at more of an angle upward towards the front, whereas a traditional full tritoon sits much more level (not totally level when you have a big motor on the back, but much more so). To me that’s the biggest drawback on the Express tube hull. Now, that said, they come in at a lower price point, and have nice performance in regards to MPH at WOT. So that’s the trade off. Cost for performance vs how it sits and rides in the water.
 
Viking nailed it (once again) - you get what you pay for. The express tube gives a little more performance for a little more dough, so for many it was the right solution given their budget. 38mph isn't bad, and no pontoon/tritoon is going to turn anywhere near as well as a v-hull so perhaps you're just not used to the handling of these floating family rooms! I have a tritoon with a 250 and turns are still wide and bog down in speed. It's like running a minivan on the Nurburgring, it's part of the nature of the beast.

But also possible something is wrong with the steering, it is used after all. Test ride a few if possible before settling on what may be your last boat?
 
I added the express tube on my 22' R-Series and saw zero performance increase. I traded that boat for a full tritoon. My advice, since you asked, is to bite the bullet and drop the extra cabbage for a tritoon. And ALWAYS test drive a boat before buying. Always.
 
Congratulations on your retirement gift!

I guess it depends on how you will use it, but based on your post, I doubt it’ll be primarily slow cruising.

Options are nice, but if a boat doesn’t perform to your expectations, you’ll be reminded every time you go out. I also came from a premium bowrider, so handling was important when we moved to a pontoon/tri-toon. Our ESP handles almost as well as our bowrider and steers easily.

Personally, I’d probably take a pass unless they’re practically giving it away. I think the express tube will leave a lot of the performance a 150 can provide on the table.
 
Jack M said:
You ( or a dealer) should be able to add power steering
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It will be spendy. As a factory option in 2016, it was, IIRC, $2800. Probably twice that as a retrofit.
 
ILLINOIS AVE said:
Solution: Sitting low in the rear? Add Sand Bags to the Bow. I think 400lbs. was used to fix this issue.
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I was waiting for someone to say that! Ha! Well done!
 
gp4au said:
Did you do that
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No. It’s a running joke for a few years now. Not recommended and wont help the situation.

It is how the Express tubes sit due to design. Hence, they are a compromise hull. Less $ for performance, but with the compromise of how they sit and ride in the water compared to a real tritoon.

No real solution for how they sit and ride in the water other than going with a different hull if you can. If one wants the tritoon experience (comfort, ride, handling, performance), then a full length center tube is needed.
 
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