Sun Tracker: Fishin Barge 24 Xp3 Or The Party Barge 24 Xp3
Depending on your boating intentions, Sun Tracker has you covered with the 24XP3 series, where youll find a dedicated Fishin Barge and Party Barge model. The Fishin Barge features a four-stroke engine and plenty of premium fishing features included, along with an MSRP around $39,000. It also includes 26 performance pontoons for comfort and easy handling on the water.
The Party Barge offers a similar four-stroke, but one that includes Command Thrust for added power. It also includes fewer added options, since the fishing features arent required for this model. As such it has a cheaper price of around $35,000. Both models include the XP3 performance package for ultimate fun on the water.
Visit Sun Tracker Boats for more information.
Compact Mini And Small Pontoon Boats The Top Benefits
There are various types of different pontoon boats, they all come in different shapes and sizes. Theres a type for everyone. As of recently, small pontoon boats have become increasingly popular. But why is it that these mini pontoon boats are so great?
These more compact pontoons are nothing new theyve been about for many years. Though, people are only now realizing that there are many benefits and advantages of driving these smaller pontoons.
The saying Bigger is better has never been more wrong. When it comes to boats, everything comes down to preference and needs. Not everyone will need or want a full-sized boat, some will rather reap the benefits of a compact boat. In this article, Ill be explaining a few of the biggest advantages of owning a compact, mini, or small pontoon boat.
Avalon Excalibur Quad Lounge Windshield
The Avalon Excalibur Quad Lounge Windshield is easily one of the most attractive pontoon boats weve come across. Its sleek design oozes elegance, class, and sophistication nothing like the old ugly pontoons of the late 90s/early 2000s.
It is made from fiberglass components, which are largely responsible for its smooth appearance. It comes equipped with a bimini top, which remains intact even at high speeds.
The pedestal table in the lounge area comes in handy when serving up lunch or snacks and can be moved out of the way when you need to make room for other activities. It is perfect for families looking to spend quality time together away from all the land-based distractions.
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Price Of Pontoon Boat
The largest expense youâll have will most likely be the price of the pontoon itself. The price of the pontoon will vary based on:
- Type
- Condition
- Age
Usually you can pick up a pontoon between $5,000 on the low end for a pre owned one to $50,000+ for a top of the range new one. If youâre in the market for a pontoon, you can read our guide on places to buy a boat. This should give you some great ideas on where you might find a bargain or a cheaper option.
You can also read our boat buying guide for tips when purchasing a new boat.
How Deep Does The Water Have To Be For A Pontoon Boat
Many pontoon boat manufacturers will tell you that you dont need to know how deep the water is to get your boat in and out of it. They will say that the pool level of the inflatable is what determines how deep the water is. While that may be true in some regards, it is not in all cases. If you want to know how deep does the water has to be for a pontoon boat, there are a few things that you need to consider
First, it is important to realize that weather is one of the major factors that play into how deep the water is. If it is sunny and warm, or if it is rainy, then the water level can become much higher than what it would be for a pontoon boat. Even in cases where it is cold and snowing, the water can still rise a fair amount. So it is important to know the weather conditions where you will be fishing. If it is going to be hot and sunny, then you will probably want a bigger pontoon boat, while if it is going to be cold and windy, then you might be able to use a smaller inflatable.
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Why Bennington S & Sv Series
Just as the Harris Cruiser pontoon gives you the high level of quality with a reduce price, so does the Bennington S, SC and SV series. You get the prestige and resale value of the most popular pontoon brand on the market today along with a scaled down price without all the higher end appointments in the Q and R Series.
This reduced price is achieved by scaling back the build stoutness and limiting the hardware offered. As with the others in this category, the max HP is 150HP on the tri-toon models where the higher end models are built to handle the torque and abuse of 400+HP ratings.
Top Pontoon Boats With Bathrooms
Price: $210,327
Harris V270 is another luxurious pontoon boat that offers a secluded bathroom with full privacy.
A toilet compartment is present below the central part of the deck. To make it better, the bathroom is equipped with a full pump-out toilet, sink, and showerhead.
The Harris V270 is a little smaller, measuring around 29, but the equipment that the boat offers makes up for its size.
- High-end-push-button lighted switches
- 12 and 7-inch Raymarine screens
Plus, this beast of a boat comes with a lot more features.
The deck is furnished with cozy sofas that wrap around the front and the rear. Also, the table that comes with the boat is adjustable.
Moreover, it contains a 400-horsepower Mercury Verado four-stroke engine to ride the boat up to a speed of 45mph. So it goes from 0mph to an impressive 20mph in mere 6.88 seconds. Certainly, this says a lot about the power that the boat holds.
The fuel capacity is 60 gallons, and the water capacity is 24 gallons.
Harris V270 can host up to 12-14 occupants. In addition, its weight, with all features included, is approximately 7000lbs.
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Sylvan Mirage 8520 Lz
Can you find a pontoon boat that comes with the high-end details found on more expensive models, without breaking the bank? The Sylvan Mirage 8520 LZ proves its possible, coming in at a starting MSRP of $33,147 with a 60 HP Mercury FourStroke.
The package includes some unexpectedly high-end standard features like docking lights, a four-speaker Jensen Bluetooth stereo system, Sea Weave flooring, and a high-end Torcello steering wheel. Add some bling to make this star shine even brighter, by opting for the Babitto under-deck lighting, lighted cup holders, and underwater lights.
Visit Sylvan to learn more.
Look For Features That Complement The Activities You Enjoy The Most
- Lounging and sunbathing: Consider a boat with lots of chaise lounges and ample bench seating and a great sound system to boot. There are some even pretty cool configurations that can even turn into large beds.
- Cruising with lots of people: Select a boat with plenty of seating and a seat configuration that is good for conversation and socializing. A table or two is often appreciated, especially if youll be eating meals or having refreshments on your pontoon boat often. Some pontoon boats even have built-in coolers and secure food storage compartments.
- Swimming: If youre using your pontoon for swimming, it should offer easy access into and out of the water with ladders and slip-resistant decks. There are a variety of deck styles that offer larger than average swim decks and ladders to accommodate more passengers as well as for those that may need a bit more assistance getting back on deck like small children or older folks.
- Water Sports: Looking to pull the kids behind the pontoon boat on a tube? Not so long ago, we may not have advised this with a pontoon boat. But these days many pontoon boats are equipped with all you need to do many light watersports behind them. Ensure your engine is a beast for propulsion and torque and you have a tow package installed.
- ALL OF THE ABOVE?: Dont worry, plenty of pontoons model are all-around fun machines with something to offer everyone!
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Common Problems With Pontoon Boats
Pontoon boats are boats that have a large flat deck that relies on pontoons to float. The pontoons are large tubes that allow a lot of buoyancy.
Pontoon boats can be ideal for casual recreation that includes lounge areas, stand up bars, sun pads, and even tables.
Pontoon boats, like all other boats and even all other vehicles, can indeed come with their share of problems.
In this article, we will go over the most common problems people experience with pontoon boats.
Most Expensive Pontoon Boats
Getting a pontoon boat is one of the best ways to be able to host larger gatherings on the water with friends, family, pets, and plenty of fun. If you dont have a limited budget, you should definitely check out the most expensive pontoon boats.
These models are on the opposite end of the spectrum from the worst pontoon boats to avoid and some of them even have the ability to tow select watersports equipment behind them.
Most of these pontoon boats, however, are more about luxury and lounging than they are about power and towing ability. So were going to focus on highlighting their luxury features in our pontoon boat reviews.
Lets get started!
- Maximum Horsepower: 250 HP
- Seating Capacity: 17
The Avalon Catalina Funship is a double-decker pontoon boat thats perfect for family fun. Youll love tanning on the second-level sundeck while your kids see how many times they can go down the slide in one day.
The slide critically comes with a water pump so that nobody hurts themselves on a dry, sticky slide. This boat is also equipped with a ski tow bar and enough horsepower for you to teach the kids how to water ski behind it.
The stereo system is great for filling the summer airwaves with your favorite tunes and the upper deck features a queen-sized lounge. If you need to retreat out of the sun, however, the lower deck offers plenty of shade on hot days with no cloud coverage.
- Maximum Horsepower: 400 HP
- Seating Capacity: 11-13
- Maximum Horsepower: 150 HP
- Seating Capacity: 13
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Avalon Excalibur Elite Windshield
Last but not least is the Avalon Excalibur Elite Windshield. This is a boat that has crossed oceans, set speed records, and set the bar for high-performance offshore races and more. This model is fitted with a twin-engine model with a HP capacity that towers above all other boats on the water.
The Avalon Excalibur Elite Windshield interior emulates the tournament ski boats of old with a starboard bow bench meanwhile, the aft portion of the boat has a corner seating area on the starboard, a refreshment center, plus a sink on the port side. In addition to this, the port side has a fiberglass console and mid-bench.
And there we have it. The complete guide to luxury pontoon boats. But remember, before you make your purchase, consider mooring costs and maintenance fees. Seldom seen but capable of stinging you where it hurts, these hidden costs are a huge concern for boat owners out there.
Free Boat Buyers Toolkit
In addition to the videos, youll want to grab a free copy of the Boat Buyers Toolkit. Its packed with checklists, questions to ask and a sea trial checklist to ensure you dont make a major mistake.
Something every pontoon buyer looking to ger the most for their money needs to consider is who is going to help support me in my pontoon boating lifestyle.
For the easiest and best time on your pontoon, the dealer or service provider you work with will have a major impact on how positive or negative your experience will be.
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The Best Luxury Pontoon Boats
May 31, 2019 by Curt
Who says pontoon boats always have to look boxy and boring? If you have the cash to upgrade to a luxury model, then youll enjoy plush accommodations and posh features that would make any other boater jealous. Which luxury pontoon boats are the best, though?
The best luxury pontoon boats include:
- Bennington Q Series
- Veranda Marine Vertex Series
- Premier Pontoons Grand Majestic RF
In this article, well cover each of these incredible luxury pontoon boats in more detail. By the time youre done reading, youll have hopefully found a chic new pontoon boat to buy. If not, at least you can set your sights for the future!
Pricing Budget And Maintenance
A new pontoon boat would cost anywhere from $15,000 to $175,000. Tritoons are within the same range, except that they typically start at the $35,000 price point.
Although the cost or pricing may be similar, you also have to consider the accompanying expenses such as fuel, storage fees, trailering, and maintenance.
So, if you are on a tight budget, opting for a two-tubed toon might be the more logical and beneficial choice.
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Luxury Pontoons Take Pleasure Boating To A New Level
In the upper echelons of the pontoon boat market, owners can be more demanding, but also a bit less price sensitive. That gives manufacturers of luxury pontoons ample budget to outfit their vessels with upgraded performance features and amenities.
What does that entail? We asked a group of pontoon boat industry experts to weigh in.
First, the experts agree that luxury pontoons dont look like typical pontoon boats. They tend to be sleeker, often sporting automotive-inspired styling. They are more curvaceous, especially aft a look that manufacturers achieve by utilizing fiberglass in addition to aluminum when shaping the boats exterior.
To me, it starts with the exterior appearance and how it needs to be a departure from the traditional wall-and-rail system that you see on almost every pontoon that exists, said Manitou® Global Product Manager Garrett Koschak. If it doesnt have that traditional squared-off, four-corner pontoon boat look, thats kind of the first step.
Luxury pontoons also deliver higher performance than lower-end models. Almost universally, they are built with triple pontoons rather than the usual dual pontoons a stable, rugged hull configuration capable of accommodating higher-horsepower outboards. Its not uncommon to see twin outboards on one of these top-of-the-line pontoon boats. Some even are offered with twin Mercury Racing 450R engines.
The need for more power matches with most customers desire for an even greater boating experience.
Most Affordable Pontoon Boats For 2022
Pontoon boats can be expensive or not! Check these affordable budget pontoon boats for 2022.
If youve been searching for the best pontoon boats, you may have a bit of sticker shock. Pontoons have become incredibly advanced in recent years, and many have uber-luxurious interiors, massive powerplants, and fancy arches or tops. This stuff is great, but its also expensive. What if you need to find an affordable pontoon boat? The most affordable new cars in America go for around the $20,000 mark, so well use that price-point as our measure. And you might be surprised at just how many cool, new, fun pontoon boats are actually this inexpensive.
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Why Barletta C Class:
As the most expensive pontoon or tritoon on the list, Barletta was selected because of the overall build quality. In my opinion, they have the best made foundation of any pontoon on the market today. With that construction stoutness comes a higher price tag as well.
And, with their C Class offering, theyve kept the best part of the quality construction and scaled down the extras to provide a sturdy platform at a much lower cost than their higher end L Class and Corsa Class.
What Every Price Conscious Pontoon Or Tritoon Shopper Needs To Know
Now, in addition to selecting the right brand and model, there are other ways to get the most for your money when shopping pontoons and tri-toons. Ill share a few tips below.
And, check out the last section where youll discover a key area every pontoon shopper needs to make the best decision for their boating needs.
Capt. Matt
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What Are Pontoon Boats
Pontoon boats are medium-sized, trailerable vessels usually used for endeavors such as day cruising, freshwater fishing and watersports. These vessels can span in size, with the smallest current boat listed at 16 feet in length, to the longest vessel measuring in at 29 feet, and an average length of 23 feet. They are built by a wide variety of boat builders with hull types including pontoon, modified vee, deep vee, planing and other designs. Boat Trader currently has 8,343 pontoon boats for sale, including 6,726 new vessels and 1,617 used boats, listed by both individuals and professional dealers across the country.
Smoke Emitting From The Exhaust
When smoke is emitting from the exhaust, or from anywhere, it is likely to cause panic for even the most experienced boater. But this does not necessarily mean engine failure.
Smoke from the exhaust could be caused by contaminated fuel, a failure with the fuel injector, or incorrect oil levels which can be either too high or too low.
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Sizes Of Small Pontoon Boats
There are three different types of compact pontoon boats. These are compact, narrow, and mini. Despite them all sharing the same similarly of being compact and not full-sized pontoons, they all have their own specifications and strengths. In this section Ill provide a brief description of each type of pontoon.
