First Time Boat Buying Family Decided Between Tri-Toon, Deck Boat and Bow Rider for Freshwater...

[@toddtassell3598]

I appreciate Captain Matt helping me out. I hope he continues to do these podcasts and boat reviews. They are one of the few unbiased resources I’ve found.

[@gareyc8426]

What do you consider as low rates with boat loans ?

[@gareyc8426]

Get convo

[@vic1sch]

I could never own a pontoon or tritoon. Every other choice would be a better choice for me. Center consoles, rib boats, wake boats, ski boats, cabin cruisers, anything but a pontoon. I also love my stern drive with a built 525 SC and captain's call on a 21' Carrera elite. I'm sorry but I could never buy a pontoon.

[@vic1sch]

@@BoatBuyersSecretWeapon I've owned my boat for 23 years now. I've repowered twice. Rebuilt the floor and reconfigured the seating to a full bench and two swivel seats, tore out the floor and had the stringers rebuilt and replaced the transom to switch from a Volvo 290 to a bravo one. To buy a brand new boat that is comparable to my boat would cost me 3 times what I have invested in my boat. On the other hand there would never be a buyer that would pay me what I have invested in my boat. I still would be able to sell it for almost double of what I paid for it. Like you said you really have to think about how you are going to use it, the money and time you are willing to invest.

[@secretlady8942]

Victor Schmidt You didn’t say WHY you wouldn’t own one!

[@vic1sch]

@@secretlady8942 first off its its their appearance. I am impressed at the luxury that they can offer as far as seating and options. Once you leave the deck again it is a pontoon. That is my personal prejudice. As far as the boat itself here are my observations. They can be powered to facilitate skiing, wakeboards, tubes etc. That's great, you can fish off of them another plus. You can even cook on some of them and keep your beverages cold and at hand. All these things are great and I will admit to that. Now the negative. Pontoon boats are the swiss army knife of boats. They do work but they just aren't great at any one thing except for moving the food and beverage from the beach to a floating platform. Wakeboarding, knee boarding, tubes will have virtually no wake. This can be good for a slalom skier but an aggressive skier will be pulling the rear of the pontoon. Now for water conditions. Although pontoons handle chop and even white caps fairly well, windy days and rough water are not their forte. Retrieving a pontoon on windy day is a nightmare. All of the advantages of the pontoons interior and spaciousness are present in todays deck boats. That would be my pick far before a pontoon. They have style and are far more versatile. One last thing about a pontoon. Replacing carpet would be super easy and a straight forward type job and would be fairly inexpensive but the cost of reupholstering or replacement of the interior would be astronomical. My boat cost $4000.00 to reupholster 10 years ago. I pull the seats and engine cover every year at the end of the season and store them inside. Protecting a pontoon during the winter months here in Utah would be extremely difficult. Those are my observations. There are every bit as many negatives and maybe more that others could list about my boat. I knew the type of boat I wanted from the time I was a kid. If you are new to boating, rent different types of boats to find your preferences. That is not cheap but it far cheaper than buying the wrong boat. Remember if the perfect boat existed that would be the only type of boat on the lake, river or ocean. Your boat should be your boat. Hope this helps.

[@vic1sch]

@@BoatBuyersSecretWeapon no problem borrow away. Truth is I've had just as much fun on my dad's old aluminum Gregor with a 9.9 Johnson outboard as I have on my boat. I always tell people that there will always be someone that has a nicer boat than you. Once you leave the ramp it doesn't matter. Once you're on the water it only matters who is on the boat with you that really matters. I am one of the first to the lake and one of the last to leave. Most of my family loves to have a mixture of beach and boating. So my situation works out great for me. I get to spend most of my time on the lake, and at the end of the day everyone has had a good day at the lake. I appreciate people that take the time to really talk about the differences in boats and the true pros and cons of boat ownership.

[@secretlady8942]

BJesus Christ does this caller EVER shut up? I can’t listen anymore!!