Need advice on first pontoon

PorscheJeff

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Hi all first post and new to the site. I currently own a deck boat and looking to upgrade to a Bennington. I looked at some 2021 models and also came across a 2018 25RSD. Not sure I need the dinette and bar and have not seen the boat in person. The 2018 has a Yamaha 115 (150 hours on engine). We have younger grandkids that will want to tube but probably not much skiing. My lake is fairly small about 225 acres. Any advice or thoughts on buying used vs new ( SSRX OR LX) and will this be enough power with 6-10 people on it? Is NADA a good source for used boat prices?
 
Is it a pontoon? Or a tri toon. If it is a two tube boat does it have lifting strakes? I had a similar Boat that was a standard pontoon with a 115 and it would pull a tube, but it was very limited. I wouldn’t exactly call it a thrilling ride.
 
Welcome PorscheJeff. I just ordered my first Bennington (23SSRCX with SPS and 175VMAX), arriving in April, so my comment is really based on my (far too many hours) reading on this forum. I think that with a 25ft boat with 6-10 people loaded while towing a tuber, you will feel that a 115 isn't enough power. There seems to be a big difference when you get up to the 150. I'm sure others will chime in. Good luck!
 
Welcome. And “it all depends”. We’ve got a 115 on a large lake, 22’ , 2 toon. And love it. We mostly do slow cruising, and it will pull tubes. And with a load of people, it’s cruising, and slow tubing, which works for some and which we enjoy. But the grandkids (which we do not have at this point) will probably want to ski in a few years. So depending on your future plans, the 115 on the 25 might be great, or you might want more power. NADA is a good reference for pricing. A lot of local value variations, but it gives a good general idea.
 
The primary question is budget. If you can afford the larger engine and a TriToon setup, it will provide better performance. Power steering makes driving easier with larger engines. A larger fuel tank means less fill ups. The LX and R series have wider seats. The Simrad allows you to monitor engine diagnostics. A core Benny will be amazing, each upgrade is a marginal improvement you balance against budget. Good luck, took me months to figure out.
 
Welcome! As mentioned above, it all comes down to how you anticipate using the boat and of course, what your budget is. A quick search came up with this 2018 RSD w/115 HP going for $52K: https://www.boattrader.com/boat/2018-bennington-25-rsd-7539362/ The ad mentions that the top speed is 24kn or about 28 mph, so this particular Benny will be a slow cruiser, especially when you include your extended family.

IMO, the RSD floor plan is quite unique and probably not for everyone, given the seating arrangement. We have a mid-ship bar which we really like but it does have stern loungers. Good luck with your decision and feel free to keep asking questions!
 
Hello, I have a 22' GSR with Ultra Legs, two tubes, no lifting strakes, and the 115. We are on a 5,000 acre lake. We have pulled two adults while having 4 adults in the boat and the extra 400 lbs of the ultra legs. Top speed is about 23mph. No problem pulling the two adults from a speed standpoint. Making quick turns to get the tube outside of the wake is a workout. We have the ski / tube pole which helps pop the tube out of the water and keeps the rope up. Keeping the rope out of the water is important for the enjoyment of the kids on the tube. On a smaller lake, you will be turning more which might be a concern. The 150 will obviously provide more power, but at a price. Others might have some thoughts, but the smaller lake and more turning might be a factor in how you spend your funds. I wish we had 3 tubes and the 150 with lifting strakes, but then I am guessing it would have cost another $10k (just a guess).
 
Some things to consider are does that floor plan work for you? A very specific floor plan like that may be harder to sell down the line as it takes a specific buyer. Do you want a different layout? If you buy new you get a 10 year warranty on everything. And that should provide some peace of mind. If I were pulling kids on a tube I would certainly want a tritoon with 150 or more on it. When you’re carrying 6 to 10 people you’re going to want the extra buoyancy and power. You will have to let us know more of what you want so we can point you in the right direction.
 
A 25ft 2 toon with a 115 is not an ideal watersports setup, unless you are just looking at going straight and fairly slow with little kids. With multiple people on board it will make that all worse, and any kind of turning at speed will be a chore. IMO, on a 25 foot pontoon, for any kind of normal watersports you need either elliptical pontoons or tri toons, and a 150 or higher motor.
 
The elliptical toons are not good for watersports. I have one. It is great for fishing and lots of people on board.
 
Hi all first post and new to the site. I currently own a deck boat and looking to upgrade to a Bennington. I looked at some 2021 models and also came across a 2018 25RSD. Not sure I need the dinette and bar and have not seen the boat in person. The 2018 has a Yamaha 115 (150 hours on engine). We have younger grandkids that will want to tube but probably not much skiing. My lake is fairly small about 225 acres. Any advice or thoughts on buying used vs new ( SSRX OR LX) and will this be enough power with 6-10 people on it? Is NADA a good source for used boat prices?
You need 150 at least with that many people
 
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