Pontoon Boat & Deck Boat Forum

It's time to buy a pontoon boat. I have a line on a 2008 Harris sunliner 20 with a fourstroke 115 merc. The boat is in mint shape, with trailer, and they are asking 22, 900 CDN. Other than a live well and the upgraded stereo I don't believe the boat has any other extras. Any input would be greatly appreciated. Is there something else I should be looking at? Also what kind of water would be considered too big for a pontoon boat of this size, wave height speaking?

Thanks in advance,

Stax

i think this is the 2009




and this the 2007




it depends what you want to do with it and where. for me, a 20 footer is too small to put enough friends on. also, i often wish i had three logs instead of two.

a shorter toon with two logs... i would guess you'll be uncomfortable in 2 foot waves and it'll be dangerous in 3' waves. but it depends on the lake--long swells are different than choppy waves. the 115 will push a 20 footer enough for tubing, skiing and wakeboarding, but for a 24 footer you might want more motor.

my 2c

I have a 24 foot 2007 Sunliner with a 115 Mercury Optimax. I do about 22mph@5600rpm with 2 adults and 3 kids. The boat is heavy but boy does it ride like a dream. It's also built well and it's the easiest manufacturer cover to put on with snap clips going over the rail as opposed to the snap buttons. Yes, I think a 3rd pontoon would be nice but the boat is still great and the 3rd pontoon is expensive. I have no problem pulling tubers or wakeboarders but would like a little more speed to fling them around. The 3 cylinder 115 is much cheaper than the 135 6 cylinder though.

Thanks for the info, I'm looking to use primarily for my family, just the four of us. I have a 3 and 5 year old so tubing will be in a couple of years. Any comments about the price and quality of the boat. I'm a pontoon green horn.

Thanks,

Stax

stax748 wrote:Thanks for the info, I'm looking to use primarily for my family, just the four of us. I have a 3 and 5 year old so tubing will be in a couple of years. Any comments about the price and quality of the boat. I'm a pontoon green horn.

Thanks,

Stax

Quality is top notch!

We have the 2005 Super Sunliner 20' with a 90 have not had a single problem with the boat at all. We go out with winds up to 20mph no problem. With more than six people gets a little crowded. On price cant help you out.

I have a 2009 22 Sunliner and we love it.

Great pontoon boat!

the kids will be tubing now or soon. the older kid will be skiing/wakeboarding in 2 years.
they will want to invite their friends along. the favorite birthday party for a young kid
is for mom or dad to take them all tubing/skiing/wakeboarding and have cake and soda
on the boat.

i'd get a 24 footer. the 115 would be fine, but more is always better.

btw, take a look at an inflated tube. they are bulky. you have to put them somewhere
in between tubing runs. if you're anchored to relax/eat, you can float it tied to the boat.
but when underway it's in the way. my kids are bored with one tube--they always want
2 or 3. so now we deal with a bunch of inflated tubes. you can add racks, etc, but these
tubes are just a pain. i have no idea where i'd put them on a 20' toon.

a lot of the folks who are very happy with 20 footers are older, retired guys who use the
boat mostly for fishing and maybe for crusing with the wife. or families that keep to themselves
and won't bring friends along. a short boat would never work for bmr--too many nakid wimmin..........

Thank-you all for the info, starting to think 24 feet might be the way to go. There isn't a lot of selection up here. the only other boat I've found is a 24 bentley with a 90 merc on the back. It's a 2009 and they are asking 26k. Any comments?

Thanks

Stax

FloterBoter wrote:a lot of the folks who are very happy with 20 footers are older, retired guys who use the
boat mostly for fishing and maybe for crusing with the wife. or families that keep to themselves
and won't bring friends along. a short boat would never work for bmr--too many nakid wimmin..........

floterboter: sounds like you're profiling... but I'll be damned if you're not right! We have a 20 footer.. not retired but in our mid to late 50's, no children at home anymore, and normally just me and momma going out to fish or cruise the lake. When others go along, it's usually just another couple, maybe 2 couples plus us, and thats' about it. You should get a job on that "criminal minds" show.

maybe i could become an arizona cop!

ROLAND wrote:

FloterBoter wrote:a lot of the folks who are very happy with 20 footers are older, retired guys who use the
boat mostly for fishing and maybe for crusing with the wife. or families that keep to themselves
and won't bring friends along. a short boat would never work for bmr--too many nakid wimmin..........

floterboter: sounds like you're profiling... but I'll be damned if you're not right! We have a 20 footer.. not retired but in our mid to late 50's, no children at home anymore, and normally just me and momma going out to fish or cruise the lake. When others go along, it's usually just another couple, maybe 2 couples plus us, and thats' about it. You should get a job on that "criminal minds" show.

You guys are talking about ME!!!!