Pontoon & Tritoon boats

[CamoDup]

I'm thinking I might be in the market soon for a pontoon or more preferably a tritoon boat. Probably won't purchase one until I sell my Polaris Rzr (which isn't even listed) Those of you that have experience with them, school me a little.

I'm looking for something I can take the family out in to have fun or go fishing. There are alot of different fishing models that have live wells and rod storage, ect.

What should I be looking for features wise? Most come with a 115hp motor. Is that enough juice? I'd like a boat in the 20'-24' range. 

I'm looking to spend $20-40k. Anything in that price range worth looking at? Thanks in advance

[Alchase]

You might be hard pressed to find a new tritoon under $50k. A couple years old might be doable.

[High Climber]

I was wanting to get a tritoon as well, even rented a few different ones for day trips with the family on local lakes, they were awesome, especially the one with a 200. Ended up having a 22’ pontoon with a 115 kinda fall in my lap and so far it’s been great. I had read all the things you probably have about stability and such in rough water but the pontoon does good even on bigger water like CDA and pend Oreille even when it’s choppy. Granted we haven’t been out when things are really bad but I’m not interested in being on the lake on days like that anyways… but I have no worries that I could get back to the launch safely if it did get bad. The center ‘toon storage would be nice to have for my anchor and some float toys but we have spots underneath seats for them
The 115 is bare minimum for 22’ pontoon that I would consider, and 150 if it was a tritoon. The kids have fun tubing behind my boat but it could use a few more mph’s for older kids. Pontoon style boats aren’t real nimble and don’t throw big wake but it’s still fun.
My pontoon wasn’t set up for fishing but I added three rod holders and rod storage (pretty cheap and looks good). Would have to use a portable live well if I wanted one but there is plenty of room.
$30-40 K should get you a nice boat.  Good luck

[CamoDup]

I was wanting to get a tritoon as well, even rented a few different ones for day trips with the family on local lakes, they were awesome, especially the one with a 200. Ended up having a 22’ pontoon with a 115 kinda fall in my lap and so far it’s been great. I had read all the things you probably have about stability and such in rough water but the pontoon does good even on bigger water like CDA and pend Oreille even when it’s choppy. Granted we haven’t been out when things are really bad but I’m not interested in being on the lake on days like that anyways… but I have no worries that I could get back to the launch safely if it did get bad. The center ‘toon storage would be nice to have for my anchor and some float toys but we have spots underneath seats for them
The 115 is bare minimum for 22’ pontoon that I would consider, and 150 if it was a tritoon. The kids have fun tubing behind my boat but it could use a few more mph’s for older kids. Pontoon style boats aren’t real nimble and don’t throw big wake but it’s still fun.
My pontoon wasn’t set up for fishing but I added three rod holders and rod storage (pretty cheap and looks good). Would have to use a portable live well if I wanted one but there is plenty of room.
$30-40 K should get you a nice boat.  Good luck

Thanks for the info. I've got my eye on a 2019 Lowe SS210 Tritoon with the 150 Mercury. It's very well maintained and in excellent condition. I think I'm going to pull the trigger on it. We have some friends that live up in Athol and we're planning on taking it to Pend Oreille. I can't wait. 

[Alchase]

Nice!

I did not know the Lowe SS210 came in a Tritoon model.

[luvmystang67]

I've rented several and now own an ex rental on CdA.

The tritoon gives you more stability and more load capacity.  It also gives you the ability to throw a larger outboard on there.  My mental model has basically become that the old pontoons of yesteryear were more floating docks with 70hp motors on them, that everyone just saw as a drinking/swimming platform.  The newer tritoons in some cases can support a 300HP motor and they're very capable boats.

My tritoon is 23' Harris Cruiser, has the gates all around so my toddler doesn't jump out, poor wake for any kind of watersports, but great for just tubing.  With the 150 merc on it, I think we top out around 29 or 30 mph.  Its got some pretty good go to it.  I don't think I'd want a smaller outboard.  Incredibly stable in choppy water, its almost surprising.  When you turn it doesn't lean like a standard hull boat, you just stay perfectly planar.

You'll save quite a bit of money by dropping down to a 115 or a 90 hp, and going from a 3 toon to a 2 toon, but I'd keep your eye out for the 3 toons and 150 hp+... they cost more, because they're more desirable.  They allow you to pull a tube or skiier, get some where, and stack 13 people on a 23' boat legally.  I expect you should be able to find a 5 year old one that someone didn't use as much as they'd hoped, for the low 40's.  If you find one for the mid to high 30's, I'd say that is about as good of a deal as you're going to find.  If you start talking in the 20's...its going to be an older 2-toon with a smaller engine, which is fine if you want a party barge.

Sidenote, to each their own, but I don't have a favorable impression of the suzuki outboards.  All others are probably fine.  Don't 2-stroke yourself either... nobody wants that.

[Alchase]

the old pontoons of yesteryear were more floating docks with 70hp motors on them, that everyone just saw as a drinking/swimming platform. 

My uncle had a late 60's early 70's pontoon boat, and it was exactly a drinking/swimming boat, named "The Booze Barge" 

[CastleRocker]

We bought a used 1984 Basstracker 24' Party Barge in '89.  LOTS of really fun stories from all the years!

Used to keep it at my folk's place on CD'A Lake all summer.  There aren't any roads to their place, so the Barge part was used as it's name implies.   It hauled everything from groceries, and booze, to bags of cement and concrete mixer, to 20' pieces of steel roofing when we put a new roof on it.  It hauled the old roofing back to the Higgins Point ramp to take to town for recycling.   Made a dozen or so trips to Neah Bay.  Took a good sized wave clear over the bow coming back from outside of Duncan, and landed mid couches.  Broke the frame of both of them.  That much water would've swamped a normal boat...we opened the side doors, and one wave cycle later, we were underway.   We've put a LOT of fish on the barge over the years

Still have it, and although nowadays it's "vintage",  and has only one seat, (captain's chair) it's still a Party Barge!  An added bonus is when we go camping on the Columbia, or on Roosevelt, we can bring the wall tent, and all our other camping gear.  We brought the kids' motorcycles once.

I'd like to upgrade, but then I'd be worried about scratches, and dings, and spilling stuff on the carpet etc.  So we'll just enjoy what we have.

[Rugsnfeathers]

Might be late on this reply, but have you looked into the Seadoo Switch pontoon boats?   They're the hottest selling pontoon boats selling like hotcakes right now in the US.

[CamoDup]

Pulled the trigger on a 2019 Lowe SS210 tritoon with a 150 Mercury 4 stroke. Motor only has 132 hours on it. Picking it up on Saturday. So excited. Thanks for the replies. It helped in my decision.

[Mudman]

  Thats a sweet boat.  We are looking at a Harris 2toon with 115hp.  Have to see if we do it?  150hp tritoon was the wish but $ is a factor.  Dont want any payments.  We do want pull kids on tube so if bought hopefully it can do good job.  Fishing and being on lake is the primary use.  Kids love it.

[luvmystang67]

Pulled the trigger on a 2019 Lowe SS210 tritoon with a 150 Mercury 4 stroke. Motor only has 132 hours on it. Picking it up on Saturday. So excited. Thanks for the replies. It helped in my decision.

Congrats, you're going to love it!

[Alchase]

Question for those of you who have or have owned a pontoon boat. Are they difficult to tow?
 Does wind catch them on the water much?
Are there any drawbacks of o a pontoon over a standard “V” hull boat?
What do I Lu like best about them?

[luvmystang67]

Question for those of you who have or have owned a pontoon boat. Are they difficult to tow?
 Does wind catch them on the water much?
Are there any drawbacks of o a pontoon over a standard “V” hull boat?
What do I Lu like best about them?

1. Mine is moored, cant answer that one, haven't pulled it much anywhere.
2. I would not say the wind catches them any differently than any other boat on the water that I've experienced.
3. They don't make a good wake if you want to wake board!  I wouldn't say they're FUN to drive, like they don't feel sporty.  They're really only nice in good weather, poor weather pontooning is a bad time.  The bathroom situation is at best less than desirable, easiest to get in the water.

[Machias]

Might be late on this reply, but have you looked into the Seadoo Switch pontoon boats?   They're the hottest selling pontoon boats selling like hotcakes right now in the US.

Here's one review that is not very flattering:

https://www.wavetowave.com/home/2021/9/16/why-is-brp-so-bad-and-making-boats-the-embarrassing-sea-doo-switch-1