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Pick tritoon options with 90hp

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X-SFmed

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Hello,
I did a search on the forum to see if this has been answered and didnt come across an answer. We have a lakehouse on a 400 acre lake in S Indiana (Sweetwater) that limits the pontoon horsepower to 100, so basically a 90hp. I am in process of building a Benny and everything Ive read on here says to order the SPS package but does that apply to such a low hp motor? These boats are pricey and while I want to maximized my performance from the get go I am just wondering if I am wasting money on the SPS when I can save some money and maybe opt for the Express. Part of me thinks that I need the SPS because I am so hp limited. My kids tube currently and would like to ski in the future but were not at the point nor am I sure a 90hp pontoon can handle that to begin with. Thank you for your thoughts!
 
I am sure many members with experience will respond to you and give you their thoughts. As I have been reading through the forum for the last few years I can tell you a lot of people who purchase the express option don’t feel they’re getting all they wanted to out of the boat. The SPS is the way to go. If you’re going with a smaller motor I think it would be even more important because you will get up on plane easier. Make sure it comes with lifting strakes or add them to your build. There have been some discussions on this topic just recently. Good luck! Keep us posted on what you decide.
 
Lay Lake said:
I bought a 2018 21ssrx with the express package and a 115 yamaha in March of 2018. This boat was a mistake that I shouldn't have made based of the advice from members here. So, I traded it in February of 2019 for a 2019 23ssbxp with sps and a 150 yamaha. I just traded again for a 2022 (to be delivered some time late this year or early next) 23Lsb with sps+ and a yamaha 250xb. I originally wanted the yamaha vf200, but availability is sketchy on it and the 250xb was not but around $2200 more.
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I found a couple recent references to the express toons.
Pallen995 said:
I noticed the toons on the Benny are smaller in diameter to a friend of mines sea tracker which seems to be a comparable model. It has a shorter middle tube. The sea trackers tube actually sits back about a foot or so from the front of the boat. I think plus the extra diameter of the toons allows that boat to sit higher especially in the back. I had 4 people on there the other day and was trying to go for a slow cruise and the back sat so low 2 people had to sit in the front to push the front down some. This made them have to sit in the sun. Always nice getting dogged by sea trackers
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Pallen995 said:
Just purchase a new Benny 22 LSR with express package and 150hp motor. Overall it performs good but I've noticed in waves created by much bigger boats it feels like it might tip. Sometimes in moderate waves if i turn too sharp at higher speeds it feels like it might tip. Only do those shape turns when pulling a tube. Is this normal?
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Personally with a 90 , I would stay with 2 toons and add the lifting strakes and wave shield . I had a 2013 22 SLX with a 90 . No strakes ,but I did have the wave shield ,I hit 28 or 29
 
Jack M said:
Personally with a 90 , I would stay with 2 toons and add the lifting strakes and wave shield . I had a 2013 22 SLX with a 90 . No strakes ,but I did have the wave shield ,I hit 28 or 29
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Let me add to that thought....twin ellipticals will yield the most performance from a "small" engine.

My other thought is to go with a Yamaha Vmax 115 SHO and then order "90" decals for it.
 
ave you visited with other lake residents? Is there support to change this HP limitation?
It makes no sense as a smaller boat with a 90 is a speed demon while a pontoon with a 90 is underpowered.
 
Thank you for your replies, some good answers here. I dont know the reasoning behind such a low hp for pontoons. They limit bowrider length to 20 feet but have fishing boats and bowriders with much bigger motors to include wake surfing boats (as long as ballast is turned off) so its hard to understand the reasoning. Most residents are content with the status quo.

Do I need hydraulic steering with a 90hp?
 
I lived on a 260 acre lake with no hp restrictions. One clown raced around on a big baja.I’d get on the board or however has authority over that body of water and end those restrictions.
 
What good is your $230,000 surf boat if you can not use the ballast?
 
X-SFmed said:
Thank you for your replies, some good answers here. I dont know the reasoning behind such a low hp for pontoons. They limit bowrider length to 20 feet but have fishing boats and bowriders with much bigger motors to include wake surfing boats (as long as ballast is turned off) so its hard to understand the reasoning. Most residents are content with the status quo.

Do I need hydraulic steering with a 90hp?
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I have a 2021 21ft SLX with the express package and a 115 SHO. I can tell you as you probably already know, going to the SPS hull is thousands more. With about 1300 lbs in people on board my top speed was only about 26. Do you need power steering with a 90? No. Would it be nice, sure! I don't have it with mine and I can turn the boat perfectly fine. Power steering adds weight and it obviously costs more too. There is a guy on my lake with a 21ft SPS and the same engine I have. We came out of the no wake together and stabbed it at the same time. I actually pulled away from him. However, he had 3 people on his and I only had 2. All I know is at the next no wake, I got there a few seconds before he did, big deal lol.. Plus, who knows how he was prop'd, I asked and he didn't know.. Are you going to see a huge difference with a 90HP SPS vs. Express, crap shoot IMO.

What makes a boat faster: Less weight and more horsepower.;)
 
Something else to consider, especially with the express tube v SPS coming up a few times above. As people have pointed out, a 90HP is your limiting factor…not news I know. So if one concedes speed, then…

Another way to approach this issue: How rough does the lake get that you will boat on?

If it can get choppy, then the SPS with under-skirting is going to sit more flat, and be a smooth than the Express.

If it does NOT get choppy in part due to being such a small body of water, then maybe just go with the normal dual pontoons and lifting strakes. Speed probably wont be much different due to there only being so much a 90HP motor can do in pushing a pontoon boat.

If you want to maximize speed with that boat as well as have as good of a ride as possible, then the twin elliptical package that Bill mentioned above is going to be the route to go. That too will provide the most buoyancy (higher capacity of people and gear allowed), as well as a very smooth ride. The twin elliptical package will also sit flat/level.

Anyhow, perhaps some different things to consider: how it sits and how it rides, not just top end speed. If you are limited to the 90HP, then trying to maximize speed just may not be worth it.

Not sure if you’ll be able to ski behind it or not. Really, I’d imagine any sort of water sports is going to be more limited. I think that is true whenever under 150HP, but especially at 90HP and below.
 
Custom paint on engine with a 90 on it will solve it. Paint to match boat and it will look as good as it performs.
 
I would seriously consider the elliptical toons as I think it would meet your needs And would give you the most top end speed
 
Link said:
I would seriously consider the elliptical toons as I think it would meet your needs And would give you the most top end speed
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Yup, with only 90 HP weight is a killer. Lifting strakes with 90 HP will be of some use, but not a lot. If you choose to not run a re-badged 115(+), be sure to have toons of at least 25" and a pontoon of no more than 21'. Some can run what appears to be good top end with larger pontoons and speed oriented props, but speed disappears quickly with weight (or water toys).
 
Personally I wouldn't bother with SPS or the express. I had a 2075 GLi with a 90hp and at the time (2009) it was actually bigger than a lot of motors on my lake! Can you tube, sure, but once the riders get a little older, you will have to work the wake pretty hard to dump them! Still lots of fun times. You will also get an arm workout with regular cable steering trying to work the wheel fast enough to get a good whip going. If you want to try to get a bit more speed, and a lot more buoyancy, definitely the twin elliptical are the way to go. A twin tube will turn flat regardless. I think the added surface drag and weight of SPS will definitely negate any benefits, with a 90hp. It's a great package when into the 150hp range, but as I said, you will get almost the same buoyancy from twin elliptical as triple toons.
 
X-SFmed said:
Hello,
I did a search on the forum to see if this has been answered and didnt come across an answer. We have a lakehouse on a 400 acre lake in S Indiana (Sweetwater) that limits the pontoon horsepower to 100, so basically a 90hp. I am in process of building a Benny and everything Ive read on here says to order the SPS package but does that apply to such a low hp motor? These boats are pricey and while I want to maximized my performance from the get go I am just wondering if I am wasting money on the SPS when I can save some money and maybe opt for the Express. Part of me thinks that I need the SPS because I am so hp limited. My kids tube currently and would like to ski in the future but were not at the point nor am I sure a 90hp pontoon can handle that to begin with. Thank you for your thoughts!
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We have a 2021 20LLG Pontoon, with a 90HP Yamaha, primarily because the 90 HP is the biggest motor I can put on the Pontoon. It's located on the St Johns River in Central Florida. I considered the SPS package and going with the a 115 HP or larger motor, but being that I don't plan to water ski (lol), the type of cruising we do the 90 is more than adequate. Yes, I'd like more buoyancy with the thrird toon, and maybe a little more speed and handling, but the pontoon arrangement works for me. Just for reference, at WOT (which I never run), I can get up to around 22-24 MPH (gulping gas), and at fast cruise at 4,200 RPM, I get around 18 MPH, with a fuel burn of 4-5 Gal/Hr. A lot has to do with the rivers flow rate, which is usually about 2 MPH. This is just my experience.
 
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