I am considering buying a tracker pontoon boat. I would like to get some info from anyone who has experience with them. Is 25hp enough to push an 18' pontoon boat? how do they handle? what kind of fuel consumption? anyone have one?
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In my limited experiance with 18 foot pontoon boats, 25 hp is to small. 25 hp for Rockport, DC, East, Pineview, Echo, Lost, cutler, hyrum, Mantau, smaller lakes. For bigger bodies, Willard, Utah, Bear, FG, Powell and other big lakes you want 40 hp or more. I just rented a 18 ft pontoon boat in Fl 2 weeks ago . It had a 40 hp, did 15-17 mph with 2 adults and 5yr old. About as slow as I'd want to go to get in before a storm.
I wish I had had more hp. A 50 4 stroke would be nice but probably double the cost. A 50 2 stroke would be my choice.
1. This is your new boat, you'll have it for a long time, you don't want regrets.
2. I boat with my family, there safety is my biggest concern when we are on the water. If we have to get up and go for any reason, (injured, sick, weather gone bad) I want to be able to do it.
3. With a 60 hp I will have the hp to drag my kids around on tubes and teach them to waterski.
As for handleing it was fine. It's a pontoon boat. Not a Deep V, Handeled like a loaded moter home. You don't make quick manuvers. At slow speed it was fine, brought it in, swung it around and backed it into It's slip. At low speed it snaked in and out of the mangroves as well as anything.
The 40 hp 2 stroke with an about ground down prop that I rented used 8 Gal on a day of 1/2 wide open crusing and 1/2 fast idle cruising for about 6 hrs of engine time, would have probably only used 6 gal if the prop was new.
All that aside trackers are not top quality, Kind of like Bayliners. Thats what I have everybody, so i have nothing against Bayliners. Thay allow lots of people to boat at a very reasonable price, both Trackers and Bayliners.
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