Pontoon Boat & Deck Boat Forum

Been looking at pontoon boats and deck boats and we are struggling with which one to purchase. We do an awfully lot of waterskiing and other various water sports, but would like to be able to spend the night on it. I know you can get a big fat motor on a pontoon and go skiing, but just wondering if the deck boat may be the way to go. We will also need to trailer the boat wherever we go.

Thanks

Sold on the toon myself. If you don't want to have to slow down in the turns get the shp ptx and whatever Bennington calls theirs. Manitou is shp and ptx is Premier. Get a tripple with at least 150hp or more to max hp rating. Handles like a deckboat with a lot more room. Get about 40 mph with a 150 on my tripple. If you don't go the handling package get the lifting strakes. No contest. Oh far as trailering a comparable deckboat vs toon, the toon should be lighter. Good Luck in your search.

I have spent quite a bit of time on my buddies deck boat... Here are my preceptions:

The deckboat will throw a wake, the pontoon will not
the deckboat will roll back and forth even in small waves, the pontoon will not
the pontoon has more usable room, the deckboat you have to step down into
the deckboat will out handle and out run an equally powered pontoon

I feel way more comfortable with young children or old people on the pontoon vs the deckboat!

Thank you for the help.

That was a great question and great answers.We looked at a deck boat last year and we sort of liked it but backed off after renting a pontoon for a week.I knew there were differences but now I know what they are.Thanks for the great replies.

I have a Glastron fish n ski. It tows well, goes fast, and works pretty well fishing it's easy to tow. We don't do water sports often, but it works very well for that.

But, I would rather have a pontoon boat. I like the room, comfort, ability to socialize, and especially the stable, smooth ride.
Most of the time, when we're not fishing, we spend rafted up to our friends anyway. Hell, on the average three day weekend at Kentucky Lake, we'll only put a couple of hours on the boat.

So, my next one will be a pontoon boat I think.

My biggest worry is launching and landing the boat. It also has to preform well when it comes to water sports, but i am not against sitting and relaxing either

You can run a pontoon up on the sand and beach it , they don't recommend that with fiberglass

True, but which is easier to get back on the trailer and pull down the road?

Ours is 32 ft. and aerodynamic as a brick, but I can launch and load it by myself. I only tow twice a year, into the slip at spring launch and out in the fall...

A similar sized v-hull (or deckboat) and pontoon, the pontoon is easier to load and usually lighter than a deckboat.

I'd rather tow a pontoon and I also owna 21 ft. v-hull.

Far as trailering and launching. Using the rear view mirror all you will see is boat, although that was true with my 19 ft bowridder. If you trailer a lot might get some of those clamp on RV type mirrors. Launch and retrieval is about the same as my 19' bowridder, actually find it easier than backing up my 10ft utility trailer.
About the only problem I have heard about the launch is if you have strong cross winds that have more of a tendency to push the boat sideways. Never had that problem because most of the ramps I use are in coves and the wind isn't that strong. The guide on's and a little adjustment in speed remedy these problems. Guess I am spoiled about being able to get up and walk around on the toon, but that is all I will ever have from now on. Had a 2 log for about 10 years before I got the tri toon just to increase my travel range and it has worked out great. Speed of a deckboat and all the room a toon affords. The only dowside is I have to slow down in the turns a little cause the lifting strakes have a tendency to dig in.

As Dock mentioned you could get a performance toon for the water sports and add a camper enclosure if you want to sleep on it. Rail-mounted grill, changing station with a porta-potty, and a prep station with a sink with a pump faucet, and you should be good to go.

Any thoughts on the FunDeck line of boats from Godfrey/Hurricane? They are basically a pontoon deck slapped on top of a v-hull. seemed very interesting.

There still a V-hull, going to rock an roll and beat you to death in rough water, but you need to go ride both at a dealer and spend some time sitting still in both with other boats running near you to see if you like it or not.

We not going to push you either way it's up to you decide which is best for your use and comfort.

Yeah best way to decide is to take it out on a rough day. If the saleman looks scared, don't buy that model