Pontoon Boat & Deck Boat Forum

Here's an unbiased opinion from an actual marine surveyor:

Outboard Engines, Inboard Engines or Inboard/Outboard engines.

An outboard engine in bolted onto the transom of a vessel. Of the three types of engines listed above it is the lightest. Outboard engines are somewhat less expensive than inboard or I/O engines. They are easier to replaced and can be lifted out of the water when not in use. The older outboards are two stroke, some of the new ones are four stroke engines. Four stroke is better. Outboard engines are only designed for boats while most inboard engines were designed for cars and adapted to boats.

On the average I have found that outboards do not last as long as inboard engines. While I know someone reading this has an outboard that is 40 years old used regularly and runs like new, most outboard last about 750 hours before needing a major overhaul like a new power head. Inboard gasoline engines last about 1500 hours. Inboard diesels 3000+ hours.

http://www.limarinesurveyor.com/inboard ... or_i_o.htm

ronb wrote:I was curious to know what was a good price also (not that I am in the market...)
So I went to
http://www.nadaguides.com/Boats/
I could not find a 'Party Barge' I think that is a Sun Tracker specific name, so I chose the SunSation Series 210 (I assume 21ft)

Not knowing which options are on the boat, I picked some rather generic ones, they came up with this.

2002_Premier.jpg

Suggested Retail: $10,466 (does anybody know what this number means? being that it is 3-4k higher than low and average, is this where most dealers start their pricing?)
Low Retail: $6,670
Average Retail: $7,605

gotta start somewhere...
-ron

1 thing about using the NADA guide, they have a separate section for Outboard motors, what you have there is just for the Toon itself, that does NOT include the motor.

I totally missed that part.. so I went back and selected a 2002 Honda 50hp with trim/tilt/electric start Their Trailer selection page was sort of generic.. Now I am going to have to go back and check the prices for my used toon.. I always thought I bought toward the upper NADA pricing, but that does not include the motor or trailer...

-ron

Thanks for the replies. I have pretty much decided to get a toon now. Idk if I will get the premier or not though. The guy is asking 9,500 for it, no trailer, but on slip. Only thing is the slip rental is up in October, so that would be another 1500+ for a year rental. I have found a nice 2007 triton pontoon that seems to be in excellent shape, with a 90 hp 2stroke mercury motor for a couple grand more. I'm thinking I would be getting a better deal if I go that route so we will see.

Jake, I'm not going to weigh in on deckboat vs. pontoon, but I will put my 2 centavos in regarding the motor size. If you are planning to pull a tube (I thought I saw one of your posts that referenced that), then you want to get the bigger motor. Even 90 won't provide much of a ride, especially if you have the toon full of people and gas and all the other gear. The 50 you mentioned earlier would put most people in a tube to sleep unless you were planning to run through rapids or over a waterfall.

I wouldn't be tubing every time I was at the lake but probably 3/4 of the time. Imo, I though a 90 did pretty good, but that was with only 3 ppl on deck. I do want at least a 90, but 115+ would be even better.

Have you checked boattrader? A 22 to 24 tritoon with at least 115 would be a good start. Personally sold on the tritoon going forward.
doc

Haha funny u should say that because I have another post on here with a tri toon with a 115 4stroke. Just wondering if it would be worth the 14,500 the guy is asking

I have had 2 Japan technology outboards in a row that went over 3000 hours with no power head problems so I will question the surveyor. Both were still running OK when I sold them.
The commercial operators here expect more like 4000-5000 hours.
Maybe he is thinking about old technology American 2 strokes.