Pontoon Invasion - Whats up with these Tritoons?

[282Captain]

Haha!!!! Any toon in my future will have to be in addition to my Cobalt.

[NautiGirl]

Pontoons are like mini vans....Not in my yard!

They do introduce people to the water, and many move on to "Real Boats"

Real Boats? How dare you "pontoon shame" boaters who do not think the deep V hull fits their boating needs? I'm offended.

[Table Rockin]

Toons are everywhere around us. I get it, they have their place. Some people just like what they consider a more stable platform. Its more gentle rolling than the feel you get from a V hull slicing through water. Its a people mover utility boat that interests lots of folks apparently.

Some of the new Harris Crownes ive seen look nice enough with the arch. Saw a marker one at LOTO few weekends ago that looked nice. Can't really see me ever owning one though. It would have to be an I/O version. Dont like handling on single prop outboards.

[Driller]

Now you see it, now you don't.


www.facebook.com/DesjardinsSport/videos ... 399404433/

[Big Block Power]

Now you see it, now you don't.


www.facebook.com/DesjardinsSport/videos ... 399404433/

That's funny 450r. Bow rise was terrible.

[tgrace98]

There is a playcraft tritoon roaming table rock with twin 400r’s. It’s cool but not my cup of tea. We looked at toons before we bought our 262. I couldn’t get on board with the handling and how they handled chop. So we ended up with the 262 and now the R7.

[Ytmsn]

I've had the opportunity to drive a couple of high dollar toons and still cant get over the feeling of driving a king size mattress! That's what they handle like to me. And they catch a ton of wind, especially with the biminis deployed, which makes it hard to maneuver up to tie off, or dock, or slip.

But I LOCE the room! It is sooo nice to be aboard with lots of folks to visit, eat drink and be merry. Bum really has the best of both worlds by owning an R5 Surf and Marker One.

Bum, you ever think about adopting a son, brother, cousin, or boat tender, you let me know where to send the application!

[TruckerTim]

In Destin, pontoons rule and most of them are rentals. Any given weekend in the Destin Harbor and Crab Island, (vid of Crab Island on a slow day. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShkEN8k9NOE ) you can't swing a dead cat and not hit a pontoon. They out number other boats 3 to 1. The real issue there is they will rent to anyone. No experience necessary. Watching these folks navigate VERY crowded areas with current and wind... Get the popcorn and hope you're not in their path! My personal fav is watching them try to set anchor. I try to help when I can but most think they don't need help... Until the run over the line, hit a $1.5 mil center console and have to be towed back to the harbor. I just smile and wave...

[tgrace98]

In Destin, pontoons rule and most of them are rentals. Any given weekend in the Destin Harbor and Crab Island, (vid of Crab Island on a slow day. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShkEN8k9NOE ) you can't swing a dead cat and not hit a pontoon. They out number other boats 3 to 1. The real issue there is they will rent to anyone. No experience necessary. Watching these folks navigate VERY crowded areas with current and wind... Get the popcorn and hope you're not in their path! My personal fav is watching them try to set anchor. I try to help when I can but most think they don't need help... Until the run over the line, hit a $1.5 mil center console and have to be towed back to the harbor. I just smile and wave...

If I boated salt water I would for sure have a center console with outboards or a toon. It just is much easier to maintain and not have to flush an I/O every time. I can see why they are so popular there.

here at Table Rock I would say it is about 50/50 between toons and V bottom boats. Most toons I see now have at least a 250hp motor on them. I am assuming that is why they are gaining so much popularity. Long gone are the days of pontoons only going 10-15mph. They can easily cruise around the lake at the same speeds as a single motor V bottom.

[akorcovelos]

Seems the boat shows now are 80% toons. Most new boat sales by me are either toons or surf boats. There are some bad toons on the chain, including a Playcraft with twin Merc 300s, and a Bennington with a supercharged LS I/O that is ridiculous, owner claims 90mph. I've run tri-toons with 150 Yamahas and wasn't impressed with handling, like driving a school bus, certainly no fun for the captain, but the guests love it for the room. To each their own, I have a buddy with a toon I can jump on when we get the urge, that's enough for me.

[ajcampen]

Like driving lumber

[cmattj]

This Just in ...

[Ytmsn]

This Just in ...

Haaahahaha!

[Bfun220]

They can easily cruise around the lake at the same speeds as a single motor V bottom.

Throw some good sized waves on the lake and they're not running the same speed that I am.

[Stagdad]

I'm seeing a lot of former Baja, Fountain, go fast guys that have traded in the bikini girl and big tow vehicle for a wife and grandchildren. They still want some speed when the wife and kids aren't on board thus the twin or supercharged outboards. All the boat dealers that are left that I talk to have picked up a pontoon line or two to stay afloat (pun intended), say they out sell the traditional bow riders 4 to 1.