Pontoon Boat?

[loonguy]

With the help of the comments above, I am focused on a 26 foot pontoon boat that I will use for fishing, partying and water sports. With respect to fishing, I would appreciate any perspectives on whether a trolling motor would be useful or effective with a pontoon boat that size on Lake Winnipesaukee. Thanks in advance for your perspectives.

[ishoot308]

Originally Posted by loonguy

With the help of the comments above, I am focused on a 26 foot pontoon boat that I will use for fishing, partying and water sports. With respect to fishing, I would appreciate any perspectives on whether a trolling motor would be useful or effective with a pontoon boat that size on Lake Winnipesaukee. Thanks in advance for your perspectives.

I assume your talking about an electric trolling motor? It would depend on what you plan on doing with it. Fishing in sheltered coves and bays for pan fish would be just fine. Trolling for salmon rainbows and lakers would be quite different!

On one of my previous pontoon boats, I used a trolling motor for salmon fishing. It was a 36 volt, 101 lb thrust Minn Kota. It moved the boat around quite well and with plenty of power but the batteries would only last about 3 1/2 hours of trolling. I had to have two battery packs (six batteries) to have a decent day of fishing. It got to be way to cumbersome so I had a gas 9.9 Mercury kicker installed which was way better!

Pontoon boats make a great fishing platform. If you set it up right you can easily change it over quickly to your party / water sports boat and never know it!

I still have that Minn Kota motor if your interested.

Good luck with your new boat!

Dan

[loonguy]

Thanks for the information, Dan. Your advice with respect to the electric trolling motor is consistent with my expectations. The pontoon boat that I am looking at has an option for an electric trolling motor with 55 lb. thrust, which seemed inadequate to me. The alternative of a gas 9.9 Mercury kicker is interesting, but I am wondering what that would do that running the main engine at low rpm would not. Is it just an inexpensive way to limit the hours and wear and tear on the main engine?

[ishoot308]

Originally Posted by loonguy

Thanks for the information, Dan. Your advice with respect to the electric trolling motor is consistent with my expectations. The pontoon boat that I am looking at has an option for an electric trolling motor with 55 lb. thrust, which seemed inadequate to me. The alternative of a gas 9.9 Mercury kicker is interesting, but I am wondering what that would do that running the main engine at low rpm would not. Is it just an inexpensive way to limit the hours and wear and tear on the main engine?

Yes , the main reason for the kicker is to keep the hours off your bigger main engine. Trolling for 6 or 7 hours a day can really add up quick and you really do not want to put those kind of hours on your larger main motor. A trolling motor is made for specifically that...trolling.

My previous Premier pontoon had a factory optional kicker motor bracket which is what I used. It worked out well. I would think most pontoon manufacturers have this option, if not, the brackets are simple to make.

Dan

[WINNI BOB]

Originally Posted by loonguy

With the help of the comments above, I am focused on a 26 foot pontoon boat that I will use for fishing, partying and water sports. With respect to fishing, I would appreciate any perspectives on whether a trolling motor would be useful or effective with a pontoon boat that size on Lake Winnipesaukee. Thanks in advance for your perspectives.

Hi;
I bought a used 25.6' "Premier Tri-toon" a couple of years ago, and I love it. ..Actually, flew to S. Carolina to see and buy it on "Craigslist" PAID $ 35,000....I have fished, snorkeled, and scuba dove the area around The Weirs for over 55 years. I have 25" tubes with 2 stabilizing ribs on each tube which holds the boat steady even on a high-speed turns. the center tube is actually an "OVAL" shape for more floatability. I have a 300 hp evinrude e-tec and I can do over 40 mph in 2' waves.

There are 4 swivel and reclining seats, bait-wells in front and in back.
Hard top bimini, tow bar for skiers, electric anchor ... all the bells and
whistles.

As for the "Kicker Motor"... If you go for a "BIG" motor you will need a small kicker to troll with... A big 300 hp will only troll down to about 2.5 mph... too fast for live bait.... Plus, slow trolling is not good for a big engine (gums up the plugs)

I keep it on a power-lift, and it's the nuts to pull in, press a button on my remote, and I'm up and out of the water in 10 seconds...no need to tie off with ropes. Same thing going out... 10 seconds and i'm out and fishing.

If you want to see, or, even go for a ride...e-mail me @ bobbycoff1940@gmail.com or call 617-678-1018

[Hillcountry]

Originally Posted by WINNI BOB

Hi;
I bought a used 25.6' "Premier Tri-toon" a couple of years ago, and I love it. ..Actually, flew to S. Carolina to see and buy it on "Craigslist" PAID $ 35,000....I have fished, snorkeled, and scuba dove the area around The Weirs for over 55 years. I have 25" tubes with 2 stabilizing ribs on each tube which holds the boat steady even on a high-speed turns. the center tube is actually an "OVAL" shape for more floatability. I have a 300 hp evinrude e-tec and I can do over 40 mph in 2' waves.

There are 4 swivel and reclining seats, bait-wells in front and in back.
Hard top bimini, tow bar for skiers, electric anchor ... all the bells and
whistles.

As for the "Kicker Motor"... If you go for a "BIG" motor you will need a small kicker to troll with... A big 300 hp will only troll down to about 2.5 mph... too fast for live bait.... Plus, slow trolling is not good for a big engine (gums up the plugs)

I keep it on a power-lift, and it's the nuts to pull in, press a button on my remote, and I'm up and out of the water in 10 seconds...no need to tie off with ropes. Same thing going out... 10 seconds and i'm out and fishing.

If you want to see, or, even go for a ride...e-mail me @ bobbycoff1940@gmail.com or call 617-678-1018

So WinniBob, what do you use for a kicker motor? I have a tri-toon that we troll with and I would like to add a 9.9 horse kicker. There’s a company that makes a product called “the toon kicker” which is a pontoon mounted kicker bracket but they are redesigning it and have not released the improved version yet.
Do you use a kicker or just the big Evinrude? We use our 150 Yamaha now and it trolls about 2 mph with a sea anchor.

[Biggd]

Selling my 19' bowrider this weekend and looking to buy a pontoon boat. Anyone have opinions on Avalon pontoons, good or bad?

[WINNI BOB]

Originally Posted by Hillcountry

So WinniBob, what do you use for a kicker motor? I have a tri-toon that we troll with and I would like to add a 9.9 horse kicker. There’s a company that makes a product called “the toon kicker” which is a pontoon mounted kicker bracket but they are redesigning it and have not released the improved version yet.
Do you use a kicker or just the big Evinrude? We use our 150 Yamaha now and it trolls about 2 mph with a sea anchor.

Hi;

I am waiting for the same bracket that you mention. I have a, bow-mounted, 70 lb thrust electric motor, but I usually, just use a sea anchor, or, sometimes, I troll in reverse where I can get the speed down to about 1 to 1.5. It works out pretty good, tho, it does cause some weird looks from other boats.

[WINNI BOB]

Originally Posted by loonguy

With the help of the comments above, I am focused on a 26 foot pontoon boat that I will use for fishing, partying and water sports. With respect to fishing, I would appreciate any perspectives on whether a trolling motor would be useful or effective with a pontoon boat that size on Lake Winnipesaukee. Thanks in advance for your perspectives.

Hi;
I bought a used 25.6' "Premier Tri-toon" a couple of years ago, and I love it. I have fished, snorkeled, and scuba dove the area around The Weirs for over 55 years. I have 25" tubes with 2 stabilizing ribs on each tube which holds the boat steady even on a high-speed turns. the center tube is actually an "OVAL" shape for more floatability. I have a 300 hp evinrude e-tec and I can do over 40 mph in 2' waves.

There are 4 swivel and reclining seats, bait-wells in front and in back.
Hard top bimini, tow bar for skiers, electric anchor ... all the bells and
whistles.

I keep it on a power-lift, and it's the nuts to pull in, press a button on my remote, and I'm up and out of the water in 10 seconds...no need to tie off with ropes. Same thing going out... 10 seconds and i'm out and fishing.

If you want to see, or, even go for a ride...e-mail me @ bobbycoff1940@gmail.com or call 617-678-1018

[Barney Bear]

It' such a great boat, it's worth repeating! 🐻

[WINNI BOB]

Originally Posted by Barney Bear

It' such a great boat, it's worth repeating! 🐻

I tried to edit, to add some stuff, and it repeated instead....sorry