Pontoon V. Deckboat

[Ron Burgundy]

If you had to choose between a Deck boat and a Pontoon boat what would you pick, and why.

[HandymanHerb]

Pontoon, better ride, more room, you can beach a toon.

[lakerunner]

Pontoon because takes less HP to get around. More deck space, wider floor plans and just pretty damn comfortable in any weather conditions

[ROLAND]

Thats an easy one.... comfort... wider platform allows you to move around with ease. It's like what I read on another post a week or so ago... it's like having your living room out on the lake.

[rsmith]

yup. it's the toon due to comfort, space, etc. I would only consider a deck boat if I was more into water sports and that was a priority. but then again, if boarding and skiing were so important I probably wouldn't look too much at a deckboat either.

and with the performance toons out there you can ski and board behind them anyway, its just not an ideal platform.

[Ron Burgundy]

So it looks like the Pontoon's definatly win in the comfot category. Would everyone still say the same for a boat that is going to be used exclusively in the Gulf, and not a lake or river?

[texaspontoon]

Let me just say this. I run a 26'Z Zodiac patrol boat in the gulf. I know the gulf like the back of my hand. I would NEVER take a 20' single engine center console boat 30 miles off shore. Yet I have done it plenty of times in my toon.

My best friend has a 24' hurricane deck boat with that he paid $56,000 for with a Yamaha 200HP. He can do almost 50mph, I can only do 30 with my Honda 150. But I can fish 6-8 people once, he can barely fish 4. I can hold 16 people, he can only take 12, but really 8 comfortably.I have been in the gulf PLENTY of times in my 25' tritoon. I paid $34,000k for mine brand new. His boat is a bathtub, if he takes waves over the bow, his bathtub fills up. If I take waves over the bow (which i have plenty of times) the water washes right off the deck. I have three foam filled pontoon logs, he has neutral boyancy (it will fill but not sink) Who's boat would you rather be on? For me there is no question.

Check out my pictures of fishing in the gulf in some of my other posts. Trust me, you will not be dissapointed. THe only thing that is a downer with pontoons is the soft aluminum fence. You have to be VERY carefull around docks and other boats not dent your beer can sides. Other than that they are solid as a rock.

[dockholiday]

Toon for sure. Too many advantages to list. How long you been in port richey? Nice area, my brother in law flipped a couple of houses there in the real estate boom.
doc

[margaritaman]

If you are in Florida, Fiesta boats is Florida based and makes pontoons rated for salt water use. They do not have the tin can sides so it can take hard wave splashes without falling apart. Flooring is also non carpet for easy clean up.
http://fiestaboats.com/

[Ron Burgundy]

Thanks for all the insight guy's. I have only been in Florida for a little over a year. We recently bought a house, but now I want a boat to truly get the most out of Florida and its coastal waters.