NEW BOAT! Weeres 2011 Cadet 200 Cruise

[trout74]

Just bought my first pontoon boat, im new to pontoons, but have had a Lund Predator in the past as a kid, wiht dad of course.

I bought a 2011 Weeres Cadet 200 Cruise, with the front rails extended all the way to the front and the 55 inch benchs in front and extended L couch in back. Upgraded carpet, etc etc. I got a 75 HP Mercury Fourstroke, and a tandem axel trailer. TO say the least, im pretty pumped! Excited to chat with you all, and pick your brains, as i have lots to learn I suppose,

Couple of questions,
1. How fast to do think it will go......roughly, Me, 190pds, wife 115pds, three kids under the age of 8. average gear.

I hopeing I will be able to at least give the kids a fun tube ride, remember they are young, so I know were not setting any speed records here.

I have 2 six gallon tanks, will that likely last for a day on the water?

Any advice you have to a new guy, let me have it, I look forward to learning, like loading, unloading tips and tricks for the trailer, storing it etc.

Thank you
Trout

 

[steelespike]

Re: NEW BOAT! Weeres 2011 Cadet 200 Cruise

Pontoon speed is really hard to estimate But with luck you might see 22-25 mph.
At wot your motor will use about 7.5 gph(gallons per hour.Of course reduced speed
would be less.Usually the best cruising speed is at about displacement speed around 6-7 mph.
I used to run my 18footer at about 4,000 if I wanted to get somewhere in a reasonable length of time.But I never really checked to see if 500 rpm more or less would improve mileage any.

 

[EGlideRider]

Re: NEW BOAT! Weeres 2011 Cadet 200 Cruise

1. About 25 mph. But most people find pontooning to more pleasurable at less than 10 knots.
2. You should do good with tubing, but not skiing.
3. 12 gallons should last all day unless you are WOT all day which is not likely.

Lots of talent here on the forum and the guys are willing to share it..

Welcome to the forum so fire your questions away....

 

[rrhodes]

Re: NEW BOAT! Weeres 2011 Cadet 200 Cruise

I will estimate 22mph, you won't be throwing anyone off of the tube but the kids will have a blast. As far as fuel it all depends on how you drive it. We tend to cruise at about 18mph, even less if we are cruising the banks looking at houses.

What I have found with young kids is they are all about jumping off the Toon and swimming which burns no fuel at all.

 

[trout74]

Re: NEW BOAT! Weeres 2011 Cadet 200 Cruise

thanks for the reply's. Yes I have no delusions of speedy trips around the lake. We mainly hope to get in the water, head to a cove, and break out the water noodles and life jackets and play in the water and throw a bobber in with a worm and catch some bass and blue gill. Then do a few tube rides for the 5 and 7 year old and grill some burgers etc. laid back, and just having fun. Dealer paired it with a 40hp, but said if I wanted to future proof it for when the kids get a little bigger, then a 75 was the next logical step up, I countered with a 50 or a 60 hp motor, but he said realistically a 50 or a 60 would not really produce much more performance, and said if your going to upgrade engine, I should really go with the 75 or not upgrade at all. I took him for his word, as he was and is still very nice and helpful, even after the sale. He even said, if you do upgrade, ill give you an extra gas tank as you will likely need it. So the wife and i decided to get the 75. Hope it was worth it! I think it will be. Any tips on what I might not know, example,,,getting on the trailer....is it tricky? do I need to break in the motor? some say break it in easy, some say break it in like you stole it. Im not a speed freak kid, but I do want to do it right so it can go as fast as it can when im with the guys ;-) trim tips? thanks!

Graham

 

[lmuss53]

Re: NEW BOAT! Weeres 2011 Cadet 200 Cruise

Hello Trout, the dealer was right on telling you the only worthwhile upgrade was to the 75, the 40 and the 60 would not have been a lot different. Your dealer might be a keeper, which is a rare bird in the boating world (IMHO). If you are going to do a lot of tubing you might need to get a 12 gallon tank for on one tube and keep a 6 for the spare. Time and experience will tell you that.

Welcome to the pontoon world, I think you and your family will love it.

 

[rrhodes]

Re: NEW BOAT! Weeres 2011 Cadet 200 Cruise

Your dealer was right about the motor and I have never heard anyone say the wished they had a smaller motor. DO NOT drive it like you stole it. Every manufacturer has breakin procedures. Follow them to protect your investment.

 

[EGlideRider]

Re: NEW BOAT! Weeres 2011 Cadet 200 Cruise

You received very good advice about the motor upgrade. Many dealers would have wanted you to upgrade to a 60 just to get an extra grand or so.

Follow the manufacturers directions on how to break in the engine. The manual will probably tell you to vary the RPM's every few minutes for the first 10 hours. It will probably state that after a couple of hours to run it WOT for maybe a minute at the time.

Make sure to perform the first and important maintenance at the recommended 10 or 20 hours.

Have fun...

 

[trout74]

Re: NEW BOAT! Weeres 2011 Cadet 200 Cruise

Thanks for the reply's. I will definately follow the break in recomendations. Just need it to get above 40 degrees here in Iowa so we can hit the river or the Res.

Trout

 

[lncoop]

Re: NEW BOAT! Weeres 2011 Cadet 200 Cruise

Your intended use of your barge is spot on. That's precisely what they're made for. If you're already competent at trailering you'll have no trouble launching and loading. It will help if you dunk the trailer pretty deep initially in order to get the bunks wet, then pull forward to the appropriate depth. The appropriate depth will vary with water levels, ramp steepness, gravitational pull of the moon, etc. The only challenge might be gettting the toons centered between the bunks. There are guides to help with that if you're so inclined, and for all I know your trailer might already have them. The two things I find to be the most important when loading are to not back in too far (a common mistake), and to pull up slowly once the boat is trailered. Good luck trout. Great family times ahead.

 

[EGlideRider]

Re: NEW BOAT! Weeres 2011 Cadet 200 Cruise

Incoop gave some great advice about trailering, especially the guides. A pontoon can be a handfull with a steep ramp and strong crosswind. The guides will make it a snap to retrieve.

 

[Navigator_Victory]

Re: NEW BOAT! Weeres 2011 Cadet 200 Cruise

+1 for guides but, I had a 28 foot party hut and I could get it on the trailer in 15+ mph winds which can be tricky...I had no guides but, wish I did.....keep in mind when you launch if you have more than one ramp you can use IE one is on West side of the lake and the other is on the East.....try to keep to the one which will be getting the least wind if possible.

Second and this was stated above for loading the toon do not put the trailer too far in the water. In my case I woud have the wife back the trailer until the first two runners were under water about a foot....then I would ease up into those and as I pulled onto the trailer she would back up so we were both moving very slowly but, at the same time.....made loading that beast a breeze...even with stout winds although anything over 10mph was some work at times.

 

[lakegeorge]

Re: NEW BOAT! Weeres 2011 Cadet 200 Cruise

We have a 22ft with 60hp 4 stroke and get 21.2 on GPS, you will get at least 25mph. play with the trim a little, usually you won't want it all the way down. You should be able to run all day on 12 gal.

 

[trout74]

Re: NEW BOAT! Weeres 2011 Cadet 200 Cruise

So I have been reading around on this forum while I wait to get my boat, and I noticed most toons have 24 inch or 25 inch tubes. I believe mine are 23 inch. im feeling a little inadaquite.... ;-( Yours is bigger than mine.

 

[lncoop]

Re: NEW BOAT! Weeres 2011 Cadet 200 Cruise

Ha! Don't worry little fella. You're already married so it don't matter. Don't sweat it. Your toons are plenty big.

 

[trout74]

Re: NEW BOAT! Weeres 2011 Cadet 200 Cruise

Ha! Don't worry little fella. You're already married so it don't matter. Don't sweat it. Your toons are plenty big.

Ha!, I just laughed outloud at work. That was funny.

 

[EGlideRider]

Re: NEW BOAT! Weeres 2011 Cadet 200 Cruise

Lol