Tritoon vs. Pontoon vs. Advantage Party Cat
08-06-2014, 01:58 PM
#21
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I saw the video/press release --- It does look very nice - and I'm sure that it is built with the Cobalt Quality ethic- I understand they are competing with Bennington. However, I'm sorry it doesn't do a thing for me. I just don't like them. Kinda like an elephant - I like to look at them but don't want to own one!
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08-06-2014, 02:02 PM
#22
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I've spent a ton of hours on pontoon boats over the last 10 years or so. My dad has had a 24' tri-toon Bently with a 115 hp mercury (28 mph) and now has a 26' Southbay with a 250 Yamaha SHO (48 mph). A good friend just bought a 25' Excursion with a 300 Verado. (52 mph)
I can remember being shocked when dad told me he was selling his 35 Fountain and buying a party barge. Fast forward 10 years and we spend way more time on the 'toons than the performance boats. Carry 10+ people easily, can walk around, fix drinks, hang out, talk, sit in the shade, etc. Good triple toons ride amazingly well in big chop as long as the waves aren't tall enough to break over the front deck. We've done club runs across Lake Maurepas and Pensacola Bay on choppy days and beat single engine performance boats across.
A few thoughts:
*The 3rd pontoon is worth every penny. I wouldn't even consider a 2 pontoon boat. Extra lift, speed, rough water ride, fuel efficiency, etc aren't even close.
*The more horsepower, the better. Dad's 250 SHO boat burns the same amount of gas as his old 115 while cruising faster
*Top speed is fun to talk about but with the wind and everything else these boats are way more fun at 25 - 35 than at 40+. We usually cruise 25 - 30 unless we have a reason to get somewhere quicker. Open a Corona and enjoy the trip.
*Take test drives, some boats handle better than others. Have heard horror strories about the boats that have outer lifting strakes and how bad they turn. Bennington used to be like this
*To kind of disagree with Knot4Me, they handle fine around the dock EXCEPT when you really have to spin it around and spin the wheel lock to lock back and forth. You learn quick how to ease in without doing this. Turning around in a tight area with high winds can suck, usually easier to back straight into the wind and get away from the docks before you turn around.
I highly recomend them and don't plan on being without one. In our area they're perfect for bar hopping and hanging out at the sandbar.
I can remember being shocked when dad told me he was selling his 35 Fountain and buying a party barge. Fast forward 10 years and we spend way more time on the 'toons than the performance boats. Carry 10+ people easily, can walk around, fix drinks, hang out, talk, sit in the shade, etc. Good triple toons ride amazingly well in big chop as long as the waves aren't tall enough to break over the front deck. We've done club runs across Lake Maurepas and Pensacola Bay on choppy days and beat single engine performance boats across.
A few thoughts:
*The 3rd pontoon is worth every penny. I wouldn't even consider a 2 pontoon boat. Extra lift, speed, rough water ride, fuel efficiency, etc aren't even close.
*The more horsepower, the better. Dad's 250 SHO boat burns the same amount of gas as his old 115 while cruising faster
*Top speed is fun to talk about but with the wind and everything else these boats are way more fun at 25 - 35 than at 40+. We usually cruise 25 - 30 unless we have a reason to get somewhere quicker. Open a Corona and enjoy the trip.
*Take test drives, some boats handle better than others. Have heard horror strories about the boats that have outer lifting strakes and how bad they turn. Bennington used to be like this
*To kind of disagree with Knot4Me, they handle fine around the dock EXCEPT when you really have to spin it around and spin the wheel lock to lock back and forth. You learn quick how to ease in without doing this. Turning around in a tight area with high winds can suck, usually easier to back straight into the wind and get away from the docks before you turn around.
I highly recomend them and don't plan on being without one. In our area they're perfect for bar hopping and hanging out at the sandbar.
08-06-2014, 05:16 PM
#23
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Location: medellin colombia, pablo escobar's lil town
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build your own pontoon boat, using a pair of 41 apaches for the pontoon... trailering it will however suck... so buy a waterfront home on a wide canal
08-06-2014, 05:36 PM
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I'll be honest with ya....we have a 22 foot pontoon with a 90 outboard. Its cheap to operate, it stays covered and on the trailer unless its being used and it has been one of the best boat purchases I have made. Its not the fastest thing out there, but thats not its purpose. I can put 10 people on it, a big cooler, my lab, and ride all day for $50 of fuel and everyone is comfortable. I have even towed the kids on the tubes...not much cutting up with it, but it will tow. You can purchase this same boat brand new for $23-25, depending upon equipment and engine. it handles our rough lake here well, never had any issues with handling period. The tritoons in my opinion are not bad boats, but keep in mind, especially if you already have a go fast, do you need to spend the extra cash for that 3rd toon and a 200HP outboard on something you just want to cruise around on with the family??? Its all in what you want...but a 22 with a 90 or even a little bigger will be cost effective on every end...purchase and operation. I think weigh capacity on mine is 2240 with people and gear. It fits exactly what we use it for and does it well.
08-06-2014, 06:23 PM
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Well maybe it is but the whole point of the question was to get the opinions of other go fast boat guys. I have gotten a lot of great responces and thougts now. It's not that I don't like or am planning on selling my go fast it's just the need for a family type boat also. So what better web site than this one to see what other go fast boat guys have or would want as ther second boat. For all of you that have given ideas, thoughts and suggestions, thank you. Exactly the input I was looking for. Another thumbs up to all the OSO guys that have given there thoughts on this topic.
08-06-2014, 06:56 PM
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I would not touch the boat the OP is asking about with a 100 foot pole
I know nothing of the brand, but I do know the old adage that trying to do two things well means you suck at both
a pontoon is for one thing and one thing only and that is cramming it full of all your friends and family that you do not want to take on your other boat so they can be on the water (and hopefully away from you) while you are on the boat you want to be on.....then at the very end of the day you can load them all up a few at a time and take them in small groups in a really fast run in your regular boat, scare the crap out of them and drop them back off at the barge and have ZERO complaints that they had to sit on the shore all day or did not get to cram onto your regular boat
they are for wives, daughters, girl friends or any combination of the above or for drunken foolish friends that are OK on land, but unbearable on water
there is ZERO need to try and have one that goes "fast" and there is even less need to have one that is made of fiberglass and resin.....they are pontoon boats for a reason and party barges for a reason......you can easily replace 100% of the furniture on it, the pontoons and under supports do not rot and if marine plywood for the floor you are good to go
I am of the opinion that more than 4 or maybe 5 people (all EXPERIENCED) on a boat is just a great way to ruin a day at the lake and the only way to get past that is get a slow boat to nowhere that you can pile fools on and not worry too much about the interior of it and then tell then hasta la vista as you ride off to somewhere else FAST......and if you have to captain them occasionally you are going slow to nowhere anyway so who cares that is just one of your duties as a husband, boyfriend, dad, friend with boats or combination of the above
start mixing in trying to ski, pull a tube, fish or go fast and start mixing in stupidity, tickets, buzz kills, drama and a terrible day at the lake
I know nothing of the brand, but I do know the old adage that trying to do two things well means you suck at both
a pontoon is for one thing and one thing only and that is cramming it full of all your friends and family that you do not want to take on your other boat so they can be on the water (and hopefully away from you) while you are on the boat you want to be on.....then at the very end of the day you can load them all up a few at a time and take them in small groups in a really fast run in your regular boat, scare the crap out of them and drop them back off at the barge and have ZERO complaints that they had to sit on the shore all day or did not get to cram onto your regular boat
they are for wives, daughters, girl friends or any combination of the above or for drunken foolish friends that are OK on land, but unbearable on water
there is ZERO need to try and have one that goes "fast" and there is even less need to have one that is made of fiberglass and resin.....they are pontoon boats for a reason and party barges for a reason......you can easily replace 100% of the furniture on it, the pontoons and under supports do not rot and if marine plywood for the floor you are good to go
I am of the opinion that more than 4 or maybe 5 people (all EXPERIENCED) on a boat is just a great way to ruin a day at the lake and the only way to get past that is get a slow boat to nowhere that you can pile fools on and not worry too much about the interior of it and then tell then hasta la vista as you ride off to somewhere else FAST......and if you have to captain them occasionally you are going slow to nowhere anyway so who cares that is just one of your duties as a husband, boyfriend, dad, friend with boats or combination of the above
start mixing in trying to ski, pull a tube, fish or go fast and start mixing in stupidity, tickets, buzz kills, drama and a terrible day at the lake
08-06-2014, 08:24 PM
#28
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I would not touch the boat the OP is asking about with a 100 foot pole
I know nothing of the brand, but I do know the old adage that trying to do two things well means you suck at both
a pontoon is for one thing and one thing only and that is cramming it full of all your friends and family that you do not want to take on your other boat so they can be on the water (and hopefully away from you) while you are on the boat you want to be on.....then at the very end of the day you can load them all up a few at a time and take them in small groups in a really fast run in your regular boat, scare the crap out of them and drop them back off at the barge and have ZERO complaints that they had to sit on the shore all day or did not get to cram onto your regular boat
they are for wives, daughters, girl friends or any combination of the above or for drunken foolish friends that are OK on land, but unbearable on water
there is ZERO need to try and have one that goes "fast" and there is even less need to have one that is made of fiberglass and resin.....they are pontoon boats for a reason and party barges for a reason......you can easily replace 100% of the furniture on it, the pontoons and under supports do not rot and if marine plywood for the floor you are good to go
I am of the opinion that more than 4 or maybe 5 people (all EXPERIENCED) on a boat is just a great way to ruin a day at the lake and the only way to get past that is get a slow boat to nowhere that you can pile fools on and not worry too much about the interior of it and then tell then hasta la vista as you ride off to somewhere else FAST......and if you have to captain them occasionally you are going slow to nowhere anyway so who cares that is just one of your duties as a husband, boyfriend, dad, friend with boats or combination of the above
start mixing in trying to ski, pull a tube, fish or go fast and start mixing in stupidity, tickets, buzz kills, drama and a terrible day at the lake
I know nothing of the brand, but I do know the old adage that trying to do two things well means you suck at both
a pontoon is for one thing and one thing only and that is cramming it full of all your friends and family that you do not want to take on your other boat so they can be on the water (and hopefully away from you) while you are on the boat you want to be on.....then at the very end of the day you can load them all up a few at a time and take them in small groups in a really fast run in your regular boat, scare the crap out of them and drop them back off at the barge and have ZERO complaints that they had to sit on the shore all day or did not get to cram onto your regular boat
they are for wives, daughters, girl friends or any combination of the above or for drunken foolish friends that are OK on land, but unbearable on water
there is ZERO need to try and have one that goes "fast" and there is even less need to have one that is made of fiberglass and resin.....they are pontoon boats for a reason and party barges for a reason......you can easily replace 100% of the furniture on it, the pontoons and under supports do not rot and if marine plywood for the floor you are good to go
I am of the opinion that more than 4 or maybe 5 people (all EXPERIENCED) on a boat is just a great way to ruin a day at the lake and the only way to get past that is get a slow boat to nowhere that you can pile fools on and not worry too much about the interior of it and then tell then hasta la vista as you ride off to somewhere else FAST......and if you have to captain them occasionally you are going slow to nowhere anyway so who cares that is just one of your duties as a husband, boyfriend, dad, friend with boats or combination of the above
start mixing in trying to ski, pull a tube, fish or go fast and start mixing in stupidity, tickets, buzz kills, drama and a terrible day at the lake
