The Good, The Bad, The Ugly of Pontoon Boats, Mercury Outboard

[@smartbiz888]

Definitely a huge difference in quality of build and even design is soooo much better! Thanks for the detailed walk-through! 👍😎👍

[@pualsmall5378]

I bought a 2017 Suntracker 22ft Party Barge with Mercury 150 4 stroke. Boat had about 45 hours that was July 2020 for 25k. We use the boat at least 3 times a month and just love it. Not the fanciest boat on lake but we have a ton of fun. Have not had 1 single issue with boat or moror we have Cabelas due maint as that where boat came from new. I have oil change every season and impeller every 2 years. When I get in the water always float under boat and inspect underside and still looks new. Don't need a 80/125k boat to have a great time.. Nice boats for sure but not an average family boat. Everyone just enjoy your boat no matter what kind it is .. Its yours and your families to enjoy together No competition just fun👍

[@kevinmccarthy8746]

See that is what I was talking about, you, pointing out the Vibration problems being greater than you realize is a great point you put out there. Me being a sailor do have vibrations Some times but it is more like the breathing of a animal. But at 67 it is a pontoon house boat for me. USED that is.

[@ZackBrummett]

You should do the comparison on a boat that is actually in the same category as Barletta not a much cheaper mid class boat like an Avalon. To show how it truly stacks up to the competition you should do a comparison against Bennington, Harris, and Godfrey. I was bought in on Barletta until I owned one. Faded seats, Faded fuel fill, and more problems after only 2 years and all they said was " that is normal wear and tear". Broken cheap corner caps. I grew to hate the electric Bimini because it would constantly go out leaving me unable to use my boat. Or if the battery was dead it was stuck in that position. I hated the finger braking latches to lock in the bimini on the front legs. I traded it in and ended up taking a chance on a Bennington. They sold me once I started actually learning about pontoon boats and not just being "sold" on their features. I was blown away at how it compared to my Barletta. My new Bennington has drain channels above the seats preventing the water from reaching my storage area in the first place. The hinges on the Bennington are easier for me to use and more user friendly. My Bennington's seat base is 1 piece so it has actual long storage not just a hole that doesn't actually function on the Barletta. My Bennington has storage in the helm. My Bennington's GPS is fully integrated and gives me a beautiful looking helm I was not stuck with the ugly tachometers and fuel gauges I got with the Barletta and every other pontoon. I also Love the front deck on my Bennington. It has twice the front deck of my old Barletta. It was hard to anchor out, dock, load and unload on such a tiny front deck with my Barletta. The chains on the back of my Barletta ultra lounge were so loud and annoying I heard them over the motor and on every wave I hit. My new Bennington has a tension spring on the chain and I rarely hear it unless the waves are crazy rough. My favorite thing about my Bennington is the 10 year transferable warranty. My Barletta had only a 5 years transfer so I am glad I sold it before I lost that. On Barletta's KZbin videos their comments are turned off because of all of the problems and negativity from owners stating many problems. On their facebook groups you have to have a vin number to join a Barletta owners page because of all of the upholstery problems so they can keep unsatisfied customers separated from future buyers. On internet forums comments are turned off so nothing bad can be spoken. My Barletta wasn't the best pontoon boat on the market like they put it out to be. Yes it is better than an Avalon but doesn't seem to be as well crafted as Harris, Godfrey, or Bennington. It sure seems like Barletta spends a fortune on advertising, you see their name everywhere on websites, paying people to speak great about the brand on youtube videos, and covering up comments and feedback. The entire brand didn't feel transparent to me and it did not live up to the hype.

[@itconsulting7828]

Well I have read every comment on this post and I did over 6 months of researching before I decided to purchase the 2022 Barletta 20UC model and I have to say this has been nothing but a DISASTER for my family. All of Barletta's big marketing crap and this boat I purchased had NO QC at all after it was built at the factory. I have been boating for over 35 years and have NEVER seen anything like this on a brand new boat for $75,000 spent from my bank account! The dealership I bought it from has been HORRIBLE to work with and between Barletta and the dealership all they say is I AM SORRY! I have now told both of them all these words fix NOTHING at all. I will NEVER buy another Barletta pontoon ever again.....and I feel I got a 100% lemon and now fear of how many more problems I am going to have????? Bolts loose all over boat, nuts just laying on floor, bimini down button has been a MAJOR issue for me and still does not work, front left docking light is 50% bright as the right one is and yellowish..... again I cannot believe what I was sold brand new and all these issues right on the 1st day of purchase.......... WOW!

[@itconsulting7828]

AND I am trying to sell it now and pray that I can get my loss back and buy another brand for sure!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I feel it will be a Bennington this time!

[@Sabrinagunter]

5 year Barletta warranty? It’s actually 10 years on everything from the deck up.. that’s upholstery, electronics, everything on the boat. The structure of the boat is lifetime warranty. I’ve sold a lot of pontoon boats and never have a had a company stand behind their product like Barletta does. A warranty is only as good as the company that backs it. the quality of it is on point. We’ve only had one actuator go out in five years. That’s impressive to me hands-down the best pontoon in the industry.

[@itconsulting7828]

@@Sabrinagunter I 100% disagree with you. As a Barletta owner of 2 of them, NO QC at all.... stand behind.... took me over 1 year to to finally get the correct seats that were BAD right from the start coming out of the factory.

[@Sabrinagunter]

So the 2nd year Barletta was in business they had the weird seat issue. The glue backing and the vinyl reacted weird. It happened to a whole run of Barletta boats.. Barletta didn’t just do seat skins because their customers would’ve been without their boat all summer long because it would’ve taken the dealerships forever to complete this task with as many boats that were affected. Neither did they replace just one or two pieces of furniture on the boat that was affected because nothing would have matched, seeing as they were four years in. Barletta replaced the entire furniture package. No question asked no hassle. Yes it might’ve taken a little bit longer than people wanted because there were so many boats affected. However, you could still use your boat until it was your turn in line on the service schedule. There was no major mechanical issue, keeping anyone from using their boats. It was all cosmetic. We were picking up boats on Sundays after the families were done using them and then dropping them back off a few days later. Another company I worked for had a problem with the flooring. The front and back of the boats not covered with the cover was turning a rusty brown color, almost like it was burning. My guess was not enough UV and their vinyl flooring. That boat company declined the warranty claim due to error of cleaning products which is a complete lie. A warranty is only as good as the company that backs it.

[@kevinmccarthy8746]

wow EVERY BODY LOVES YOUR SHOW, INCLUDING ME. YOU HAVE A GREAT VOICE TO. BUT NOT LIKE A SUNDAY MORNING FISHING SHOW. I SAID THIS EARLIER BUT I WILL DEFINATELY GET MY BOAT FROM YOU. THANK YOU.

[@rickrick4866]

excellent educational video. thank you

[@jlgrizzly7972]

10:42 it is called embossed in the vinyl seat cover.

[@delawaresrealtornick5670]

Love love love your videos. Have for years. One thing you mentioned about this Avalon was incorrect though. The pieces on the cones are not for strength, that’s an added option that is a bump guard to protect against hitting docks and denting the nose cones. Also the seat bases are 100% metal frames, the plastic is absolutely not part of the support system of the seat whatsoever, it is strictly aesthetics. The seat frames also have a spacer so the seats get airflow throughout them allowing thing s to dry,unlike rotoform that inhibits humidity and mold since it doesn’t breathe. That’s a lower model Avalon, the nicer ones have fiberglass helms.

[@anon0054]

Now Cabrio’s have a standard dual battery as well.

[@nathanurick8320]

Very nice boat sir.

[@coyotesnper]

That's a avalon. Catalina. These boats are amazing.

[@mikeperkins6809]

Seems like a very nice pontoon boat. Do they offer it in a fishing configuration?

[@FamilymarineboatsMN]

Barletta has "Cast N Cruise" models with benches in the front and fishing station in the rear. Look up the Aria or Cabrio ## CC models.

[@contact406]

Is anyone shocked that a $25k cheaper boat has less features?

[@nealblue6413]

How do you tell by looking the difference between anodized and powder coating?

[@Sabrinagunter]

Anodized will be excellent on wear, scratch, and corrosion resistance. Powder coated is good for preventing corrosion but Can wear and scratch easier. Anodized railing is going to be a very thin layer while powder coated is going to be much thicker. Anodized is definitely more pricier than powder coated. You should be able to see the metal through the anodized whereas you probably won’t see the metal through on the powder coated .

[@tomrunning357]

A boats warranty and what is covered will also help determine it's quality. Boat builders try to make a vessel to fit everyone's budget.

[@georgesaraamonette1782]

Do you find depth finders are reliable at moving speeds?

[@Sabrinagunter]

If it’s a Simrad there is a setting you can go into that helps.

[@workinprogress4870]

If you don’t measure the cone at the back of the boat because it’s t doesn’t add buoyancy then neither does the cone at the front. You should have stopped measuring where it begins to taper at the front.

[@FamilymarineboatsMN]

Your right, however that's not how manufaturers measure tubes

[@delawaresrealtornick5670]

@@FamilymarineboatsMNnot at ALL trying to be rude when I say this , but you own a business and I’m sure you want people to respect you and take you seriously,and trust you, so the proper way to spell “your” in this instance the way you used it would be “you’re”, not “your” I know it might sound dumb to mention this, but I do advertising for businesses and we have found time and time again that things and minute as your, you’re, too,to,two, etc etc do make a difference in what a consumer thinks

[@richardowens9061]

I don't know what "sea legs" are. You really should explain specialized terms when addressing potential customers who are looking to buy something.

[@BlahBlah-em2ed]

Yes. People who are subject matter experts in their industry forget that when the speak in terms of their industry, outsiders have Yes idea what the heck they are saying.

[@mustangracer5124]

100% of everything is based on price.. the lower the price, the lower the quality.. no need to explore details a vw is less than a cadillac for a reason.

[@jamesrichard9722]

You are a nitpicker. I could pick apart any boat that you give me.

[@peterkariukikamau]

The biggest problem with a pontoon boat is, no matter how hard you try, you look like a dork riding in one. Seriously, they are ugly, slow and incapable of helping a guy pick up chicks out of his league

[@DanVanDamme]

Says the dork watching an in-depth pontoon boat comparison video.

[@dennis72355]

You sound like a used car salesman .

[@luisaraujo4708]

My take on this video; Barletta good, everything else crap. Umm, yeah, ok…

[@carlwestfall2006]

You forgot to show the wood under the deck that is a really bad ideal , over time will go bad , would never buy one that has that !

[@tomcook6700]

you notice, blah blah blah, and our stuff is better