New to Ultra Legs

[DiamondDave952]

Hello All. Just signed a purchase agreement on a 2021 SSBX with 115hp, two toons and Ultra legs. I am new to ultra legs and would like to know the following...
1. When you dock your pontoon for the night or weekend, do you extend the legs so they are vertical? Or can you leave the back legs fully extended (vertical position) and the front legs slightly extended so that the pontoon is leveled? Will this put a lot of stress on the legs and hydraulics? Any insight is greatly appreciated.

 

[DaveyJ]

I’ve got Sea Legs on mine and have always raised the boat to no more than 8” or so above the water slightly higher at the front (my front deck is covered by the mooring cover so this way I don’t get water draining into the boat). The guy who delivered our boat gave me this advice as someone who’d had Sea Legs for 20 years. You don’t want to be to far out of the water as it makes it easier for wind to get under the boat and tip it over. Our boat sits this way from May thru September and has the last 5 years with no issues. The pic is from when we had to leave the boat for 3 weeks a few years back.

 

[DiamondDave952]

Thanks for the feedback and sharing the advice about not extending the legs fully as wind can get underneath and flip the boat.

 

[Vikingstaff]

I too have the Sea Legs. I was given the above advise directly from Sea Legs when we added them on our 2017 Benny in 2019. I would assume it is the same for the Ultra Legs, but no harm in just giving them a call directly or emailing them. Congratulations on the boat and Ultra Legs. I am much happier with these than I was with our covered lift. Hopefully they will work out great for you too.

 

[Carlson80]

Solid advice above! You will love having legs. It’s the best invention for a pontoon since the pontoon was invented!!

 

[Pbakk]

Hello, I have Ultra Legs on 2019 22' GSR, two toons, with 115 Yamaha.

We leave the back legs extended higher than the front leg so that the pontoon is close to level but like to have some slope to drain water. Both legs are not vertical but more on an angle.

The Bennington stock cover is not water proof. We also try to minimize the height out of the water to avoid catching the wind. No problems at this point.

I do notice that the batteries seem to use more energy with the Ultra Legs and invested in an on-board charger to keep the batteries full just to prevent any issues. I have two batteries, thus just being cautious and trying to make them last as long as possible.

Side note - If you have not seen it, I would recommend reviewing the Ultra Legs Manual Override YouTube video. This backup procedure was not provided with my Ultra Legs documentation and nice to know that you have an option if needed.

 

[DiamondDave952]

Thanks for the video attachment. I will have to check it out. On another topic, what is your typical top end speed? I purchased the 22’ SSBX with 115 Yamaha and legs and was curious what I could expect. Thanks much for the comments!

 

[Pbakk]

My top speed has been about ~23 mph at the ~6,000 RPM's depending on # of people. I was a little disappointed. I don't have lifting strakes, plus extra battery and normally a full tank of fuel, and 4 adults.
Below are a few posts that might help.

22 GSR with Yam. 115 Top Speed Check

Hello, I have a 2019 22 GSR with Ultra Legs, two tubes, no lifting strakes, and a Yam. 115. I was wondering if a top speed of 23 mph is reasonable. Dealer refused to add a 150 given the weight of the motor and Ultra Legs, thus I went with the 115. Kind of wish I waited for a few more $'s...

club.benningtonmarine.com

Yamaha 115 Top Speed Experience

Hello, First time pontoon owner and still learning. I have a 2019 22GSR with Yamaha 115 4 stroke and I noticed that my top speed is about 21 mph at 6,000 rpm. I was surprised to see the attached Yamaha Performance Bulletin indicates that a F115 on a Bennington 2275 GCW ran at 34.5 mph at...

club.benningtonmarine.com

 

[Vikingstaff]

I want to echo the battery awareness advise above. It applies to the Sea Legs as well. They have a slight pull on the battery all the time unless you turn the batter switch totally off. Also, when you are putting the boat up and down, they have a decent draw. And since the boat motor is not running during those times, it is more impactful.

I have considered a jump pack or some sort of trickle charger as a result even though I have two batteries. For instance, this past summer I had left my battery switch on, and then left the boat for a week. The Sea Legs are hooked directly up to bat #1 on my system, and that battery was too low to start the boat. Fortunately, I was able to flip my switch to bat #2. Thus, being on top of battery management can be a little more important with these systems installed on the boats.