Do NOT Buy These Used Pontoon! (and a shocking type Captain Matt gives a THUMBS UP)
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I bought a used G3 from a rental dealer. It's in good shape and a great price.
One thing to be aware of. If the boat has been used in salt water. Check the pontoons, frame, and engine for signs of corrosion.
A a general rule, buy as much HP as you can afford. You will never regret more, but will regret less. I have a 25' with a 115 2-stroke on it and it goes just fine. I can handle up to 150 but seldom do I go flat out for long periods so it works well for my needs.
Additionally, a good quality scissor trailer is just fine. What he says is true about the potential of being tippy, but the scissor also has some great advantages. 1) Less depth needed to get it on and off the trailer. Some of the bunk ones require you to go much farther into the water and getting back on is more difficult especially if you don't powerload. The scissor allows float on and off and makes it very easy. 2) you can put the boat down on the ground anywhere. I don't even own a trailer. I rent one for the 2 times a year I need it. When I pull out I can just drop on some blocks and store it. One last benefit is that towing pontoons is like towing a sail. The bunk style puts it up farther into the air increasing that effect. I am not down on bunk style but I also don't think scissor trailers are a no-go. With some attention to driving, which you should do anyway, they are safe to use.
I just purchased a 2000 crest 22ft pontoon with a 70 hp Suzuki and it run fast enough to pull an adult skier and tube. It works great.
A lot of this comes down to budget, I've lived on a beautiful lake, not a huge lake but I've never been able to afford a pontoon boat and now they're through the roof, I'm about to buy an 18 footer with a 25 HP on it, for $3000, everything is in good shape but I wish it had a bigger motor, but beggers can't be choosers, I'm gonna search for a bigger motor, but of course those are through the roof too, btw, it comes with a decent trailer.
I purchased my 1st pontoon last spring of 2022 from a marina turnover of rentals it is a Sun tracker 20ft DLX party barge with a 90 hp Mercury with bimini top and tow bar, we def had a great summer. Had the motor serviced at the end of summer they told us it had 800 hrs on it. I got scared and wanted to sell it. Tech told us the motor is strong can last a very long time if we continue to do the service as recommended we also had the techs look over every knook and cranny for anything on the boat that may need to be fixed. I hope it lasts us a long time.
I agree with your take on the scissor trailer. They are a headache to go any distance with ideal conditions.
I absolutely wasn’t going to click on your channel. I’m so glad I did. Eye opening information. So many ways to fail when working on a toon. Thank you!
If it’s a nice pontoon boat that’s in good shape for a really good price, but it’s under powered, consider investing the money on a bigger engine for it. Just don’t exceed the boat’s maximum H.P. rating, and make sure the max rating is big enough for what you want before buying. New engines are a bit pricey, but if you go used on an engine just be very picky with what you buy. Good video.
I totally concur counselor. Lol. We use a montego bay '24 with a 90hp. Does us perfectly. Its a 2017 model. Thank you for your knowledge.
I guess im part of the lower percentile with my 3hp electric motor for cruising around at 7mph with 6 hours of thrust and a yamaha 9.9 outboard to get from A to B only using a tiny bit of fuel. I like the slow cruise with my little tv/antenna to get the sports games, radio blasting, some snacks and a cooler. Im on a freshwater lake though.
What kind of motor do you have? I'm thinking about a larger outboard that burns dinosaur bones for getting across big water and an electric motor for more typical lazy river cruising.
@@vitamaltz torqeedo 1103c with same brand throttle controller and extra battery.
@@cheezedoodle8356 cool! I don't love that the Torqueedo requires a proprietary battery though.
@@vitamaltz Luckily I was given the motor and battery as a hand me down on my lake. Just had to buy a 2nd battery. I agree they are quite an expensive investment but dealing with them on a day to day basis is way easier than a big heavy battery and they hold quite a charge. I also noticed they just came down in price a ton. This motor was just $3000. Now im seeing it for $300 in multiple places.
@@cheezedoodle8356 Wow $300? For that price I’d jump
I remember well the days of 5-18hp motors on pontoons made from 30 gallon barrels and it was great fun.
I just finished building my 1985 Sylvan 24ft Pontoon stripped it down went back with vinyl floor and just used 3 seats in the rear and console. It had an 40hp Johnson on it and would only do 7.5 MPH I just purchased another boat for the motor to swap onto it, it has a 1998 115hp Mercury
Thanks for the tidbit at the end. Went looking at marinas selling their rental boats and i was a little nervous about putting out 40-50k on a 2018 or 2019 tahoe tritoon with anywhere between 400-600 hours
Excellent video. Some pontoon boats have aluminum flooring, nice to have if you can find one.
i skipped the pontoon and went straight to a deck boat.if you can't make it over the waves,you probably should start checking the weather/marine reports a little more often.
You've talked me out of it.
Sincerely, ty.
Thank you for the video you are so correct about flooring I could not believe the manufacturer used salt treated wood on the pontoon instead of marine grade plywood the worst part about Refurbishing the pontoon is the flooring taking the old rusted nut and bolts and screws off needless to say we will be going going back with marine grade plywood and new nuts and bolts other than that my husband is a Electrician and my son inlaw is a mechanic so we got this !
just so you know, marine grade is not treated. it specifies the construction of it with wood type and plys and adhesives. it is not inherently rot resistant. another point, treated wood should not be used in contact with aluminum as the chemicals with corrode the aluminum
Great information for those of us who are looking for a pontoon. Thank you
Lol I'm sorry but a pontoon boat is probably the easiest boat you'll ever work on. It's the upholstery that will cost a pretty penny. As far as working on it goes everything is easy to access and removing the seats consoles and deck are time consuming but easy compared to a regular boat. Aluminum can be tig welded and will be fine if it's done right. You don't need a huge engine for a pontoon boat so the cost of replacing the engine is generally cheaper and easier to do than a regular boat. Just use synthetic decking and you will never be tearing up the floor again. Or fiberglass wrap Marine board and get decades out of it.
Great video and super helpful for first time pontoon buyers
My 1990 Riviera Cruiser tritoon 30ft has been a beast! 40mph had up to 10 people no problem with roof deck.
@@BoatBuyersSecretWeapon 120 Johnson
These Riviera Cruisers the rear pontoon is long and better balanced
Considering buying a pontoon after having more traditional skiffs, fishing boats. Great info, thanks!
Excellent tips, thanks.
one point, you do not use treated wood on aluminum boats. new pontoons also do not use treated plywood
Love the Video, I will kinda disagree with ONE point tho, is used big pontoons with small engines. There ARE places those are useful. I have family on the Portage Lake System in Ohio. Even people buying new toons that are bigger opt for smaller engines. The entire lake system is a no wake zone. So the fastest you'll go is like 8 miles an hour. And the Ohio DNR WILL pull you over for a wake outside of the speed lane. I rented a older 24 foot Pontoon for a day up there last year ( family was using the uncles boat ), it had a 25HP Nissian on it, I never even had to ever bring it above half throttle, and that was just for manuvering. So those boats do have their places. If the entire lake system is a no wake deal, then a small engine is more than enough. You just go slow, and on Portage it gives you time to admire all the beautiful homes
@@BoatBuyersSecretWeapon Exactly, And the modern small motors are CRAZY silent. I'll never understand why some people on that lake system put a 300 on their boat just to be able to go in the " Speed Lane " on the biggest lake and just go in a circle. When there are two other lakes with no power limits less than half an hour away
@@BoatBuyersSecretWeapon Oh yeah, its a big double decker to with a slide, I guess the sales guy was like what, and as soon as he said no wake zone he got it. I did eventually get my Key West CC to. Been out on the Gulf 4 times now, great boat
Excellent video as always Capt. Matt, thanks.
i got a 24 crest liner i find my self only going 22 with a Yamaha 150 2 stroke i also cavitate ALOT only reach 38-4200 RPM
It has the wrong size (and probably type) prop. Motor may also be mounted too low on the transom. You should be getting over 30mph at 5,500 - 6,000 rpm. Try a smaller prop and mount motor so that anti-cavitation plate is level with the bottom of the transom.
I bought an inboard and hate it. Too hard to work on it.
Great video as are all of the others. How about a video on Boat Clubs as an alternative to buying especially considering the present low supply market we are in. I am a trainer and dock master for Freedom Boat Club here in Canada and the clients are loving the program...boats are new, maintained, come fully equipped for their intended use, cleaned daily, unlimited training provided ... what is your take?
I'm so glad I watched this video it made so much sense and now I have completely changed the Pontoon that I'm looking for
You think it will hit 20 mph? I have a 90 hp 20 foot pontoon and I'm lucky to hit 27 mph.
I've been looking for a used pontoon for a while. I'll see something that initially looks promising and then I see a 40hp or 60hp motor hanging off it and feel like asking the seller what they want for the boat without the engine. New boaters make this mistake all the time. They think they're getting good deal till they put the boat in the water and find out what a dog it is.
Kinda reminds me of some of these toy haulers that they use super thin steel on the tongue to keep under a certain weight rating then dudes put 5k lbs of stuff inside them. Ratings are there for a reason. Cheat them you're only cheating yourself
Good advice
what can i do to get a little more
Great video I think I know everything...that's not the case.. this is a great video learning experience thank you 😊
Hi am living in St.kitts thats in the Caribbean I want to buy a pontoon boat for a tiki bar for 10-12 people what do u recommend was looking at a used 24
Capt Matt...👌
Hi there! Question. Is a 1987 SunTracker Pontoon worth buying for $2k?
I’ve owned John boats, kayaks, canoes, bass boats, ski boats, runabouts, and even a 24’ cabin cruiser. But now that I am getting old and fat I want a stable boat with a lot of floor space that I can spend a comfortable night on catfishing. I’ve been looking at older pontoons in the 20-24’ range, leaning towards the 24’ since I want to make a soft enclosure that attaches to the Bimini or roof. I have the added bonus that I am a mechanic ( small engine, atv) and am very skilled in construction and by a twist of fate, upholstery, even own the industrial walking foot machine and tools). One thing I don’t possess is a bunch of money so I’m looking at an old one in need of floor, upholstery, and probably engine work, is there any brands that were just inherently crappy as far as frame and pontoons?
You'll be able to see it when you inspect under the boat and the engine pod. Look for cracked welds and big distance between supports
@@BoatBuyersSecretWeapon what is a good spacing for cross bracing? I’m thinking 2 feet ish? My son is a welder so depending on the crack I’m not too concerned
16" on center is good if you'll be in rough chop. Some builders are gong with tighter in the transom and wider spacing in the middle with some extra bracing right in the bow
@@BoatBuyersSecretWeapon wow, I’ve seen some as far spaced as 36”, really good to know. Well I’ll keep that in mind when looking at them, thanks for the info.
What do you think about the Sea Doo Switch?
Good info, thanks!
Can you take a pontoon boat out in the bay?
If the weather and water are very very calm but pay attention and know how to operate the boat safely and use the trim properly to keep your bow high
I wouldn’t buy another pontoon boat. There are so many better choices.
What is your opinion of the hurricane fundeck boats! Pontoon type type and fiberglass bottom.
Thank you for the reply. I do not understand the leaving it in a slip statement...won't it float?? My plan is a 22 foot with a 200hp, is that good?
I have a 98 tri-toon can I upgrade to a 200hp engine? What do you think?
Don't buy a Sylvan with anything on it , absolutely zero customer service.
great video. takeaways: 25 inch pontoon is ok. 23 inch is bad. how about 24 inch? what % of people who bought a 24-inch pontoon (suntracker) wish they got something bigger?
inch??
@@knighthawk7207 the diameter of the pontoon I am considering is 24 inches. He speaks of getting a 25 inch or greater so the pontoon rides higher. The length of sun tracker boats varies from 16 feet to 24 feet. All of which have 24 inch diameter pontoons
Yep, bolt on a $12,000 motor to a $4,000 pontoon.
I bought a Sun-chaser 18 vista it has a 23 inch toons with a 40 merc. My lake is only 200 acres and we’re not tubing I bought what was available and what I can afford.
I’m not going out on the big like up here New Hampshire with it I think I should be fine.
Hi Joe, it sounds like you bought the right boat for your application.
IMHO a 25 foot tri-toon equipped with a Mercury Racing 450 HP outboard would be a tad overkill for your pond. LOL
I live in Maine, which has plenty of lakes/ponds with engine horsepower restrictions. Not uncommon to see larger pontoons with only 10-25 HP engines on those bodies of water. The owners generally use their pontoon boats as a swim platform, due to their shore frontage being inadequate for swimming.
@@deepsea5107
I’m over at Half Moon Lake in Alton Nh if I was gonna go on Whinny I would definitely look at at minimum 25 inch toon and a 90 Hp.
In fact was looking at a Bentley over at Parker and bought my Sun chaser Irwin across the street like the captain said I bought the dealership he had a good reputation and he already had my boat in storage which meant I didn’t have to lug it back-and-forth.
And most importantly he had boats in fact the only one around.
I wanted Bennington but there were almost 9 months out and $4000 more.
Smoker craft which makes Sunchaser has been family on for 100 years no corporate takeover’s and they seem to stand by the product is pretty decent Again website help me out to do the research
This website is spot on , I can’t wait to get out there.
We’re using the tune exactly for what you stated a Lake patio and just to relax no tubing.
Thanks for the words of encouragement.
Forget going in the gulf of Mexico
The bigger the boat, the more freeloaders that will become your friends
Poor peps stay off the water is what I'm hearing,
pls take your mouse off of boomer mode.
BS video...pontoons are made for relaxing on the water...not a speed boat. If you wanna pull tunes.skiers. etc get a different kind of boat...and any pontoon has a big motor , in time it will crack the motor tub.its a fact...theyre made to go slower speeds and the sooner you learn that the longer your boat will last....btw. scissor trailers do suck..but nice to have when redoing a floor..and another thing if you're redoing a floor put doen the rougj vinyl...it washes right off and when putting the railing back on put 1 inch spacers under the railings, so you can wash it off and all the sand etc will wash right off...and a raw water wash down will be the perfect addition to the boat..
Do your research, buy a boat built by an independent manufacturer! Conglomerate-Corporate high production products will let you down. They have no skin in the game and are only interested in keeping investors happy.
In reality, pontoon boats suck...
This is crazy pontoons are not speedboats
I agree with #1 and 2 , under powering and too small a pontoon. The rest, meh. It’s all about experience, budget and needs. Capt Matt is great about spending other peoples money. Stern drives are quiet, decent on fuel and can be quit reliable. Outboards are lighter, 4 stroke fuel efficient and easy to work in. However, not everyone can afford to repower or have a new engine. Remember, a boat is a want, not a need.
Good info. My favorite is the 27 foot pontoon, with 125hp mercruiser inboard/outboard. Tons of space, decent power to get you out on the lake/river. Drop anchor and party barge all day. Full 2 sub stereo as well. BBQ and all! Got damn!
You can always buy a bigger used motor at a decent price. At least there outboards and most have smaller engines easy to replace. I would use a two stroke on a older pontoon boat. A two stroke will give you the power at a much lighter weight.
Very true in a lot of ways. I have a 40hp on my party barge but that's ok for me. But ya most people want to go fast.
Great video. I repair pontoons for a living and always tell my customers if there buying a used pontoon have the toons inspected! Could save a lot of $$$ there isn’t any pontoon that won’t crack at some point
About how many years before you see cracks just by normal usage?
OK I am looking for a working pontoon barge. Is there a market to sell the railings off a boat if I find something cheap with a rotten floor and could I use 5/4 for the floor instead of plywood to add some strength.
Seadoo Switch is the new way to go! 21ft 230 supercharged engine! I absolutely love it!
Until you live with it a while. Lots for sale used in peoples yards around here already.
Do not buy a Pontoon period !
The sub 20-foot pontoon boat that you "installed" the 300 HP Merc onto would motor along rather smartly. :)
Thanks for another great video!
I wouldn’t buy a pontoon boat full stop,they’re an abomination and proven to be garbage
Thx. Captain Matt👍👍👍