Potential Owner with Questions

[EricZ5]

Hi Everyone - I have been lurking in the background getting valuable insight from everyone here on Bennington Ownership. My wife and I are almost ready to purchase a 2012 2575 RCW or RCW LTD, but I have a few questions maybe you could help us with?

1 - We are looking at either the ESP Package or just going with 2 Eliptical Toons. Opinions/Thoughts?

2 - Is the Yamaha 150HP O/B Motor sufficient?

3 - If we add on the Garmin Color GPS from Bennington, does anyone know which Model Garmin it is? Does it have mapping and Depth Gauge?

We will be doing Fresh Water Lake boating in the north east mainly in PA or NJ. We do expect to do some serious tubing and maybe some water skiing.

Thanks

Eric

 

[spinzone]

1st off, welcome to the forum! You'll get some great info from owners who really know and love their Benningtons.

On the RCW, you'll love the boat, its build quality, and layout.

You final comment about skiing and tubing made me concerned enough to reply. Twin ellipticals with a 150 Yamaha should get you good top end speed, but turning (your ski comment) will be a burden and without power assist, you'll find it even harder. These water sports being a priority to you, I would unquestionably go with the ESP, lifting strakes, wave shield, and atleast 225hp to give you the overall performance that you probably expect. With this setup, you're looking at 40mph (maybe more) and from what other members say, amazing turning ability.

Good luck with your decision!

 

[Boomers dad]

I have 2275FSi ( 22 ft boat )with 150 Yamaha and ESP. Top speed 37 - 38 with 2 people. The twin elepticals gets 40+. With 6 adults 2 kids and a full tank of gas I get around 32 mph. The ESP while not as fast as a twin tube handles amazing well. My boat can actually out manuver may V hulls. In a full speed bank turn I can get one tube out of the water and the elipitical in full view. I've been told it's quite a sight. I can pull skiers and tubers no problem. It's like comparing a Ferrari to a dragster. Personnaly I'll take the Ferrari . Can the 150 do what you want?. Probably, but you are looking at a 25 ft boat. I would suggest getting as much hp as you could affored with a 225 - 250 being the minimum. With any motor larger than a 150 you will want power steering if you are going to be doing water sports. That's hydrolic steering with power assist. I would recommend this with any tritoon not just Bennington.

I believe the Garmin is 431s

 

[ericscher]

1 - We are looking at either the ESP Package or just going with 2 Eliptical Toons. Opinions/Thoughts?2 - Is the Yamaha 150HP O/B Motor sufficient?

We will be doing Fresh Water Lake boating in the north east mainly in PA or NJ. We do expect to do some serious tubing and maybe some water skiing.

I highlighted your last statement in red because it speaks to your first two questions.

On question one; EVERYONE has an opinion. For instance, in MY opinion, there is no meaningful difference between a twin-elliptical and a standard Tri-toon setup. Meaningful being the operative word of course.

The ESP package is a whole 'nother animal though. I'll come back to that.

Your SECOND question is in regards to the Yamaha 150 horse outboard being sufficient. This begs the question; sufficient for WHAT?

The most common engine for pontoon boats used to be, and maybe still is; 9.9hp.

That's because a great many lakes have a 10hp limit. Is 9.9hp sufficient? Well, if all you want to do is have the boat move under it's own power, sure. But lets be real... The only thing trying to get somewhere in a 9.9hp 'toon will do is allow you to feel the hardening of your own arteries.

Which brings me to this:

We will be doing Fresh Water Lake boating in the north east mainly in PA or NJ. We do expect to do some serious tubing and maybe some water skiing.

Honestly, that makes your decision quite easy.

First, the decision about the logs... (slang for the pontoons themselves)

The ESP package makes a pontoon boat handle like a traditional mono-hull, which means it leans INTO the turns, making it possible to have a much tighter turning radius and far more stability while you're IN the turn. It is literally what makes it possible for someone who at one time would have been better served with a traditional boat or at most a Deck Boat, to have the benefits of the big, wide-open deck of a pontoon boat.

So yeah... You want the ESP package.

As for the 150hp Yamaha...

Personally, I consider 150hp to be the ENTRY level power standard for a performance Pontoon boat. It's a big leap above the 115 because the extra 35 horsepower lets you reliably get up on plane and power through the chop.

BUT...

Rule #1 when buying a new pleasure boat of ANY type is to get the biggest engine you can afford right up front. Why? Because it will NEVER be as cheap to buy horsepower as it is when you buy the boat right now.

That leaves the question; how MUCH power?

Well, I can tell you this...

The owner of my local marina took me for a ride in his first 350hp Yamaha powered, ESP equipped Q.

We LITERALLY ran circles around a guy on a jet ski. Not metaphorically you understand, we went around him over and over again in a circular pattern.

From a performance standpoint, there is no real difference between an R and a Q, provided both are equipped with the same logs and the same power. Everything else is about the luxury level.

Do you NEED 350hp?

Well honestly, no. For tube pulling and skiing, you can use a smaller engine. PERSONALLY, I think a 250hp outboard is actually a good "value" point for the use you are considering, although I would prefer a 300.

Oh and, don't overlook two-strokes. These ain't your Daddy's "Mosquito Foggers" anymore. Many people swear by these modern low emissions two-strokes because of their excellent torque:weight ratio.

But beyond that, there's something else for you to consider...

Take a look at the rear deck areas for an OUTBOARD equipped boat and an I/O.

Ask yourself...

Which one looks like it's better suited to frequent use by swimmers, tuber and skiers?

The decision is yours of course, but I would strongly encourage you to give an I/O serious consideration, based on your stated plans.

Plus...

heh, heh, heh...

They sell superchargers for those I/O engines, and you can often sneak one on without your accountant, er... wife, being any the wiser. B)

 

[Wild and Free]

You Definately need more than a 150 on a 25 foot boat. I have a 150 on my rig and its as small as one would want on a 22 foot ESP boat the 150 has its hands full with this rig. Definately go with a triple tube ESP boat with your plans of use. Speaking from experience of having had a standard triple tube and now having an ESP boat don't even consider the duble tube esp go triple tube esp. The turning capability of the twin elipticle will be as stated about the same as standard triple tube and I can say they do not turn or manuver worth a hoot.

 

[amr7333]

My .02 is the same as everyone else. If money is an object, stretch that budget as far as it will go. If money is not an object, get the boat of your dreams.

Don't scrimp on the engine because it is cheaper new than to trade in and go bigger. Plus, I have never heard someone say, "I wish I had got a smaller motor."

The ESP package is all that and more. Handling is superb. You can take the ESP and actually turn circles around a twin tube.

The RCW is a nice setup for tubing and skiing. It also works great for just cruising the lake.

As far as the motor, it is buyers choice. However, I personally think you can't go wrong with the 250 Verado. It comes with its own hydraulic steering unit. This makes for fingertip steering control. My parents have the Yamaha 225 with Seastar and supposedly power steering assist. Theirs is definately harder to steer. To me, theirs handles a little stiff.

I don't know what else to say that hasn't already been said. Most of what I said is just a reinforcement of what the others have already said.

Good luck and happy boating.

andy

 

[EricZ5]

Thanks everyone for your input. It has been very valuable.

One more question for now.

I was told by a Bennington Boat Owner that if you have the 2 Ellipticals instead of the standard toons that you cannot beach the boat. Is it true that you cannot beach the boat if you have Ellipticals?

Thanks

Eric

 

[Friar]

Thanks everyone for your input. It has been very valuable.

One more question for now.

I was told by a Bennington Boat Owner that if you have the 2 Ellipticals instead of the standard toons that you cannot beach the boat. Is it true that you cannot beach the boat if you have Ellipticals?

Thanks

Eric

Hmmm! I have ellipticals and beaching it is pretty much something I do all the time. Not sure how it would differ from standard round pontoons.

 

[ericscher]

I was told by a Bennington Boat Owner that if you have the 2 Ellipticals instead of the standard toons that you cannot beach the boat.

I'd love to hear his reasoning on that theory...

I could use a laugh.

 

[ChuckP]

HAve you been for a test drive on any of the boats you're interested in? We've had an 1850GL with 2-23" tubes for 5 years, but we werent prepared for the experience of the ESP package! We were both blown away and just ordered our RCW with ESP yesterday. The ride and handling are simply amazing.

 

[Gastonguy]

The RCW 2575 is a great pontoon. That is the boat that made me decide right then and there that I would buy a Bennington. Unfortunately it wouldn't fit in my boathouse so I went with the RCW 2275. The other responses have been dead on IMHO. If you are going to be tubing, skiing, and other water sports, go with the ESP. I test drove a RCW 2275 with a Yamaha 150hp outboard on it and knew that would not work for me as we do all the water sports. The 2575 is an additional 400 pounds+ and weight is the enemy where performance is concerned. I would recommend at least a 225hp if you can swing it and maybe higher if you can afford it.

 

[mtudb24]

I have the 2275 rcw with twin elips and a HO 150 merc. Low 40s top end with light load. We only tube, so its plenty of power for our needs. The garmin is a 400 series which is a mapping gps / deptth fimder combo. It also accepts garmin bluecharts if u want more mappjng detail.

Good luck with your decision

Todd

 

[EricZ5]

HAve you been for a test drive on any of the boats you're interested in? We've had an 1850GL with 2-23" tubes for 5 years, but we werent prepared for the experience of the ESP package! We were both blown away and just ordered our RCW with ESP yesterday. The ride and handling are simply amazing.

What size motor did you get with the RCW and what length is it?

 

[EricZ5]

I have the 2275 rcw with twin elips and a HO 150 merc. Low 40s top end with light load. We only tube, so its plenty of power for our needs. The garmin is a 400 series which is a mapping gps / deptth fimder combo. It also accepts garmin bluecharts if u want more mappjng detail.

Good luck with your decision

Todd

Great information, Thanks. We are leaning towards the 2575 RCW LTD with the twin elipticals and the Yamaha 150HP. I hope we can get 35 + MPH on it. Glad to hear that the GPS is a 400 Series with the Depth Finder Combo and blue chart capable.

Eric