New pontoon owners here!

[Factory909]

Hello all! Brand new pontoon owners here. We have run duck boats for years, but since the kids are getting older we took the jump and bought a pontoon. We picked up a Sun Tracker 16 Bass Buggy w/ 30HP Mercury 4 stroke on Saturday and got to take it yesterday afternoon. Coming from a loaded down (2 adults and 2 kids) War Eagle 1542 flat bottom to this huge pontoon was eye opening. We have never drove boats with steering wheels, so we had about a 3 minute learning curve when it came to unload it. Plenty of storage, plenty of room and small enough for us to yank around river to river and to load and unload by myself. We are doing the break-in right now on the Merc 4, but during my WOT part I was able to GPS it at 18.4MPH, running at 6000-6100 RPMs with the factory black max prop.

I do have a few questions.
1. With the current prop, rpms, and speed reported. Should I leave well enough alone, or switch it out for a SS prop. We have always ran SS props, so aluminum props are new to me.
2. I am going to install a stereo in the next few weeks, whats the best way to cut through the seats? I will install one speaker in the side of the dash, but cutting through the material and then frame portion I am nervous about.
3. Any other things we need to watch out for?

[curtiscapk]

wow that is flying for a 30! Don't change a thing! Is it a new toon or used? WE need pics!

[Factory909]

Yes it is a new toon. Here ya go:

[Flattop]

Congratulations!

[cuda67bnl]

whats the best way to cut through the seats? I will install one speaker in the side of the dash, but cutting through the material and then frame portion I am nervous about.

Are you putting them in the seat bases? Are they made of plastic? I used a roto-zip to cut my speaker holes, but a jig saw would have been my second choice... Congrats on the new boat. I wish mine would run as fast as everyone else's on here.

[RcgTexas]

Congratulations on the new boat! Sounds like the pitch is about right with the rpms you mentioned. A stainless prop wont flex as much but high performance isn't where your at so unless you want a new prop my advice would be keep the one you have, my

[smltooner]

Welcome to the club.

[badmoonrising]

Welcome !

[Gonefishing]

Welcome

[ROLAND]

Welcome to the group... and yes, I agree with the others, if you're getting 18 mph with your current prop, I wouldn't touch it..... and thanks for sharing a pic of your boat on your first post....

[Factory909]

whats the best way to cut through the seats? I will install one speaker in the side of the dash, but cutting through the material and then frame portion I am nervous about.

Are you putting them in the seat bases? Are they made of plastic? I used a roto-zip to cut my speaker holes, but a jig saw would have been my second choice... Congrats on the new boat. I wish mine would run as fast as everyone else's on here.

I wanting to put them in the seats bases, but I think I will put them in the console. Where the red X's is where I will put them.

[drakus]

Welcome aboard!

[cuda67bnl]

jigsaw will do it if ya have one. Just be sure of what's behind the spot you're cutting.

[redbeard]

Welcome to the forum, and thanks for the pics. BTW nice toon.

[Coyote spirit]

I am thinking of getting a 16 ft Bass Buggy as well, how does it handle rough water/white caps? Thanks Coyote