Coming from Minnesota, “Land of 10,000 Lakes,” Weeres desired a watercraft that would be able to support his family out on the lake. He tied a wooden deck on top of two steel barrels and thus, the pontoon boat was born. Weeres’ pontoon boat, was a simple floating platform—no bells and whistles.

A pontoon boat is a flattish boat that relies on floats to remain buoyant. These pontoons (also called tubes) contain much reserve buoyancy and allow designers to create massive deck plans fitted with all sorts of accommodations such as expansive lounge areas, stand-up bars, and sun pads.

Should Pontoon Owners Name Their Boat? The name of your boat will clearly reflect your identity and could even be named after an event in your life.

The only real difference between a tritoon and a pontoon is the number of tubes that comprise the boat’s hull: a pontoon has two tubes, while a tritoon has three.

1. M3 CRS Sylvan (Best Pontoon Overall)
2. Crestliner 240 Rally DX (Best Versatile Pontoon Boat)
3. Harris Crowne SL 270 (Best Luxury Pontoon Boat)
4. Princecraft Brio E17 (Best Eco-Friendly Pontoon Boat)
5. Sun Tracker Bass Buggy 16 DLX (Best Pontoon Boat for Fishing)
6. Regency 250 LE3 (Best High-Speed Pontoon Boat)

Just take one look at the QX25 and you can see that this is one of the best luxury pontoon boats around.

• G3 SunCatcher Diamond Elite 326SS. G3 SunCatcher Diamond Elite 326SS.
• Manitou 25 X-Plode SRS. Manitou 25 X-Plode SRS.
• Premier Escalante. Premiere Escalante.
• Starcraft SX 25 C. Starcraft SX 25 C.
• Sylvan M5 LZ DC.

Sumptuous, roomy and filled with all the best amenities, Godfrey pontoon boats carry on the company legacy by consistently providing families with excellent recreational watercraft.

Best Pontoon Boats of 2021

• 2021 Bennington 30QX.
• 2021 Harris Crowne SL 270.
• 2021 Premier 310 Escalante.
• 2021 Princecraft Brio E17.
• 2021 Lowe Retreat 270 Extended WT.
• 2020 REGENCY 250 LE3 Sport Boat With 250 L Verado® Motor.

In its more than 30-year history, SUN TRACKER has delighted more families than any other pontoon boat brand on the water. As evidence of this built-in quality, each SUN TRACKER is backed by the best factory warranty in the pontoon industry—10 years bow-to-stern, plus a limited lifetime structural and deck warranty.

You could go as fast as 25 miles per hour on a standard pontoon boat with a 115 HP engine and a medium load. A 30-foot pontoon boat with a 115 HP engine can go up to 15 miles per hour.

It means that pontoons don’t have the risk of flipping or tipping over like traditional v-shaped hull and deck boats do – they can withstand being side to side rolled a lot better due to the unique design. It is very unlikely that you will tip or flip this boat over.

To buy, or not to buy A pontoon boat is a great purchase for a family, people who fish, or those looking for versatility. When fishing, there are comfortable seats to spend the day in, plus there is space to move around without rocking the boat. In general, these boats are perfect for the causal boater.

Pontoon boats are so expensive because they are luxury boats with high production costs. High demand, and a rising trend in pontoon boat sales, allows manufacturer’s and retailers to ask high prices.

Brand new pontoon boats cost between $18,000 and $60,000, depending on size, engine, features, and build quality. The most popular pontoon boats on the water cost about $35,000 new for a 22′ boat with a 90 or 115hp engine.

12 Most Affordable Pontoon Boats

• Suncatcher Select 18F.
• Lowe Ultra 200 Cruise.
• Manitou 20 Aurora LE.
• Misty Harbor Viaggio Del Mar U.
• Sylvan Mirage 8520 LZ.
• Pond King Champ.
• Princecraft BrioE 17.
• Sun Tracker Party Barge 20 DLX.

10 Great Small Pontoons

• Avalon GS Cruise.
• Bennington 188 SVL.
• Godfrey 180 SR Cruise.
• Harris LX 160 Cruise.
• Lowe Ultra 162 Fish & Cruise.
• Manitou Aurora LE.
• Starcraft LX 20 R.
• Sun Tracker Bass Buggy 16 XL.

How Much Do Used Pontoon Boats Cost?

10 Top Pontoon Boats: Our Favorites

• Premier 220 Cast-a-Way.
• Cypress Cay Seabreeze SL 230.
• Manitou 23 Legacy SHP.
• Harris Grand Mariner SL 250.
• Sylvan 8525 Mandalay Bar.
• Sweetwater SW 1880.
• Bennington Q25 I/O.
• Avalon WindJammer Quad Lounger.

ShoreMaster. This is without doubt one of the best pontoon boat lift manufacturers on the market today. They range cantilever, vertical, and hydraulic models and have a fantastic online reputation and excellent reviews.