24" pontoon motor question

[Wvuloco]

Hello everyone! I'm new to the boat world and am looking into buying a pontoon. I have come across a very well maintained 1997 24' riviera toon with a 60hp Johnson. I'm no speed demon. but do plan on pulling tubes from time to time. Is this going to be enough power for the boat? Any advice will be appreciated!

 

[GA_Boater]

Welcome aboard.

I may be wrong, but a 60 horse motor is wat too much for a 24 inch pontoon. :smile:

For occasional tube pulling behind a 24 foot toon, a 60 is probably fine as long as the motor is in good shape. If you're looking for a carnival ride tube experience, you may be disappointed.

 

[HotTommy]

I've pulled several types of tubes with 90 and 115 HP engines on my old 24' two log pontoon boat. The 90 was ok for younger kids (under 12) but would slow to 13-15 MPH during hard turns, and was not exciting enough for the teens. The 115 worked much better. .... I suspect a 60 would be OK for a lightly loaded boat towing one or two kids under 80 pounds each. But if the load gets heavy, the tubers get heavier or they want more excitement, you'll quickly move up from a 60.

 

[ahicks]

The nice thing about the Johnson/Evinrude 60's and 70's is their weight, and a nice running 3 cylinder 2 stroke that fires every 120 degrees is about the smoothest running 2 stroke there is. I would try it as is before making any changes. Just make sure it's running right and turning up the rpms that will allow it to get into it's power band. Nobody cares about that much when just cruising, but for pulling, it can make a LOT of difference having a carefully selected prop installed.

Then, if not happy with the performance, as Tommy hints, you're going to need to be very careful with weight. The older toons don't have the big tubes the newer boats have, making them pretty weight sensitive with a tendency to sit way low in the back if over whelmed with a big motor

 

[Wvuloco]

Thanks everyone for the help. I've actually come across another pontoon with a 112 2 stroke motor I think might serve my purpose better.

 

[Starcraft5834]

if you want to pull tubes or skiers your smart getting more ponies.. Ive got a new 20ft Starcraft toon with a 115 merc... it does 30mph... which on a toon is flying...... bigger is best

 

[ahicks]

On a late model boat with larger tubes, no argument. But, not necessarily so with an older 'toon. Many times they'll have tubes that are kinda small in diameter, and if that's the case, something like a 115 could put the back of the boat dangerously low. That, and as many were designed for something closer to 40hp, the transoms are very often WAY to lightly built for the kind of power you're talking about.

 

[clemsonfor]

You look changed direction but I have a 24 foot toon from the late 90s 98 to be exact. It's a crest II and I have a 60hp Johnson. With three adults and a 60lb kid my max speed is like 15mph give or take. While I could pulls tube for a younger kid I don't think a 14 year old or older would have too much fun back there. Skiing for all but the youngest kid probably is not possible.

While underway with even 6 people or whatever we go out with we have fun. It's not fast but it is a pontoon. And I don't have the kind of money for buy a 30foot pontoon with a 250 on it.

If I wanted to go faster I would go out in my fish n ski with a 150 on it. While it's way faster it drinks fuel Bering a 1991 motor.