Pontoon boats are tough around here... They tend to stuff real bad when you run through the wake of a 58 Sundancer... A traditional boat will go up and over easier. The ICW is narrow and there isn't room to swing out wide for all the big bumps...
Keep the doors closed on the pontoon boat or your coolers will float away...

I got one ride in a Hurricane Deck boat........wettest, sh!ttiest ride I have ever experienced!

Boat was about a 2007, 150 Yamaha and about 22 ft long. Owner was trying to show me how fast it was on some choppy water going into the wind. Everytime the boat landed, a large amount of spray would come up the bow and soak the interior. I had just bought a 15 Whaler at the time and said my whaler had a dryer ride despite being 8 inches off the water!

To date, the 15 Whaler has been run in all sorts of conditions over the last 9 years and I can't remember ever getting as wet as I did in the Hurricane deck boat!

If seating for 5 will suffice , Allison Gransprort would be a great pic. Handles great, still run 80+ with a 200. Very solid hull. Worth checking out.
Jeff

Imma tell you-what...

We've had a crap-ton of fun on this Tri-toon this summer. It belongs to close friends (also OSO members) and we've all enjoyed it immensely. We put 125 miles on in it a few weeks ago including running in some 3 footers at the mouth of the York River as it dumps into the Chesapeake Bay. We also took as an extra boat to the Lake Norman fun run specifically for night time bar hopping and it could not have worked out more perfectly. We had 10 of us on it, and room for several more.

It's a 26' Aqua Patio with a 250 Yamaha on it.
I can see one of these in my future, especially since we saw a similar model with a bar built into the aft end of it.
I NEVER would have thought I'd enjoy a pontoon boat so much. Only thing I'd have different is no tower, and a taller windscreen.

I don't know about leaving an aluminum pontoon boat in salt lol

ANY small boat you leave in salt is going to deteriorate.

If you want a simple, reliable plan, go buy a well-used Triton or something with no wood in the construction, and put NEW(er) 4 stroke OB on it, and treat & clean that motor like it was gold. Then when the boat finally starts to deteriorate beyond comfortable use, buy another slightly-above-beater and strap the OB on it. I don't think it really matters.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKqjr660neU

I have seen bottom paint on a toon before.

Boston whaler makes boats btwn 17 and 20... grew up with my pop's 17 and the neighbors had a 15 and more importantly, and outrage 18.... twice the boat of the 17. would carry 7 easily, and in more comfort than the 17 (v hull)
I'd look at either outrage 18 or 20 classic.

Buy an 18 Donzi Classic and a jetdock. Seats 5 and can't find a better boat for cruising the ICW.

Never even really though about the jetdock idea but I do like it.