Pontoon boats are one kind of flattish & recreational boat that mainly relies on airtight hollow structures or tubes(welded together on both ends) known as “pontoons” or “floats” to remain floating. These tubes are very airtight and water-resistant which makes them unsinkable in the water.
Usually, a pontoon boat uses two or more tubes for floating on the water effortlessly. Pontoon boats that are used today, are mainly made from aluminum welded sheets with utmost rigidity for making the boat durable. Also, these modern pontoon boats are easily customizable & feature large and flat upper decks.
Which ultimately makes them great for luxury excursions, water sports, fishing etc. Over the years pontoon boats have become one of the most popular types of boats for carrying passengers water. These boats are usually used for traveling on rivers, lakes & other water sources.
Most pontoon boats are designed for easy to use & easy to maintain. Also, these boats are safe & comfortable and have a large storage area where large crowds, families with pets, kids, and travel accessories can be easily be accommodated.
The pontoon boats were invented by Ambrose Weeres from Minnesota in 1951. Early days pontoon boates were constructed from durable steel barrels, PVC, wood, plastic etc. Since the first invention, the popularity of pontoon boats has increased vastly and now a wide range of pontoon boats are available around the world.
How Much Does A Pontoon Boat Weigh?
For several reasons, knowing what pontoon boats weigh is crucial. Knowing the exact weight can help you to tow any pontoon easily and safely, in case of emergency.
On average a pontoon boat weighs around 2000 pounds to 2500 pounds or 907 kg to 1134 kg including the motor and excluding any other type of cargo.
However, fishing pontoon boats and party pontoon boats weigh more as these boats add accessories with them. Usually, a pontoon boat should weigh 100 pounds or 45 kg or 120 pounds or 54 kg per foot. So, a 24-foot pontoon boat should weigh around 2400 pounds to 2880 pounds depending on various amenities.
Overall, including trailer weight and gear weight, the total towing weight of a pontoon boat should be 3700 pounds or 1678 kg. Among these consider you can carry 500 pounds or 227 kg gear.
Additional factors also impact a pontoon boat’s overall weight when towing. For example, the fuel tank adds much weight and because of this most boaters tow their pontoon boats dry and fill up fuel tank close to the place where they are launching the pontoon boats.
Weight Example Of Different Pontoon Boat Models
| Model | Dry Weight | Average Package Weight |
| Sun Tracker Bass Buggy 16 DLX ET | 1235 pounds or 560 kg | 1925 pounds or 873 kg |
| Sun Tracker Fishin’ Barge 24 DLX | 2180 pounds or 989 kg | 4255 pounds or 1930 kg |
| Lowe SS210 | 1680 pounds or 762 kg | N/A |
| Sun Tracker SportFish 22 XP3 | 3250 pounds 1474 kg | 5250 pounds or 2381 kg |
| Lowe SS210 | 1680 pounds or 762 kg | N/A |
| Aqua Patio AP 235 Sport-25 | 2800 pounds or 1270 kg | 3623 pounds or 1643 kg |
| Suntracker Regency 254XP3 27′ | 3300 pounds 1497 kg | 5695 pounds or 2583 kg |
How Much Does A Pontoon Boat Trailer Weigh?
On average a pontoon boat trailer weighs around 1200 pounds or 544 kg.
How Much Weight Can A Pontoon Boat Hold?
On average a typical capacity pontoon boat can hold around 2000 pounds or 907 kg including passengers & accessories.
How Much Does A Pontoon Boat Cost?
A pontoon boat cost depends on many factors like size, accessories etc. On average the cost of a pontoon boat can be anywhere between $15000 to way up to $300000. This includes warranty, repairs, cleaning, maintenance etc from the manufacturers. Also as part of the package, your dealer may provide you with some additional equipment & safety gear.
However, if you want to buy a used pontoon boat then the cost can be around $5000 to way up to $30000. So if you want to save your money then go for an old pontoon boat. Also if you have enough financial sustainability then buying a new pontoon boat can be a wise decision in long run.
How Much Does A Pontoon Boat Trailer Cost?
On average you can buy a pontoon boat trailer for $3000 to $7000. However, this price range can vary depending on geographical position and if you want to buy an upgraded model.
How Wide Is A Pontoon Boat?
On average a 24-foot long pontoon boat’s widths are around 8.5 feet. However, a 16-foot long pontoon boat’s width can be as narrow as 6 feet.
How Fast Can A Pontoon Boat Go?
Usually, an average type pontoon boat with fully loaded can go 15 mph to 24 mph. However, some high-performance tritoons models can go much faster than these speeds which are over 50 mph.
Overall, how fast a pontoon boat can go depends on many factors which include, the size of the boat, size of the engine, size of the motor, number of pontoons used, how heavy load you are carrying etc.
How To Make A Pontoon Boat Faster?
Your pontoon boat must be faster. You can make your pontoon boat faster by following some tricks. The most popular trick to make any pontoon boat faster is to add a third tube under the deck. The third tube makes the pontoon boat to a tritoon & makes the boat more stable and run it faster.
However, adding an additional tube to the existing pontoon boat is quite expensive and due to this most buyers choose to buy production make tritoon rather than upgrading the pontoon boat. However, except the adding tube method, you can make a pontoon boat faster by following the steps:
- Add secondary engine
- Underskinning the pontoon
- Reduce inside load
- Remove some heavy materials for adding lighter materials
- Cleaning the underside & tubes from debris
- By reducing drag and resistance
Fun Facts:
>>You can customize your pontoon boat with any features as per your wish!
>>The fastest pontoon boat in the world owned by Brad Rowland. His South Bay 925CR sets Guinness world record top speed of 114 mph in 2013.
>>In a pontoon boat deck you can deck up many accessories.
