Getting into corners or nooks? If you are looking for a boat to use primarily on very small bodies of water, you may not see the benefit of owning a tritoon pontoon boat. You can’t really skip maintenance either, at least not regularly. This is especially important during the colder months in the winter when you need to put your boat into winter storage. If you plan on water-sports and are now thinking that a tritoon is the go-to, you may be mistaken. This results in a lot less bouncing and rocking, allowing for a much more comfortable and smooth trip. Due to it’s increased size compared to a pontoon, the steering and handling suffer significantly. If you often tow watersports enthusiasts, then a pontoon boat simply won’t do. If your existing boat lift is already set up with bunks, you can add another set so that each of your boat’s pontoons is supported by a pair of bunks. Even the longest pontoon can’t measure up to a tritoon. In this article, we’ll talk about even more differences between pontoons and tritoons. How easily can you get in and out of your boat? A protected saltwater bay, inlet, or mangrove swamp is often a more suitable pontoon boating environment than the open ocean. If you’re fairly handy, it’s possible to do a pontoon boat lift conversion at home by building the required parts. That’s something only you can answer. If you want to know more about water-sport require then check out this article on waterskiing behind a pontoon boat. This is the ultimate Tritoon vs Pontoon Guide. For one, the trailer will be too small. Let’s begin with the construction of a pontoon boat then, shall we? You could park seaside, but you’d need a bigger dock to accommodate your bulkier tritoon. As you decide between a pontoon or tritoon boat, keep the following factors in mind. These boats often have a bigger frame than pontoons and can thus fit more people onboard. The key difference between a pontoon and a tritoon is the addition of a third pontoon tube on tritoon boats. … The short answer to that is YES, you can absolutely ski behind a pontoon boat. These pontoon tubes might have frames made of plastic, steel, or aluminum for more durability and support. That’s how tritoons earned their name, for their three tubes. Install Lifting Strakes. Which would be better for fishing, a pontoon or a tritoon? Buying a pontoon boat is exciting. Foam-filled pontoon tubes are your third option. The Southland Mistral is another excellent boat in this list, but it does not come … Due to their powerful motor, you’ll also be able to navigate from one spot to another in no time. We share the costs of renting or owning a dock as well as paying to keep your boat at a facility. A “bi-toon” (a pontoon with two aluminum tubes underneath the deck) or a tri-toon (three aluminum tubes underneath.) When I started looking for a pontoon boat, I found myself buried in information overload! Pontoon boats and tritoons for cruising, entertaining, skiing or fishing. Well, most modifications will void your warranty. There were so many plans and designs available. Booster balls also won’t put your manufacturer coverage at risk. The average pontoon boat will have no less than a 25 hp motor and will carry between 8 and 15 people. More than likely, it’ll end up at a facility or in a storage box. You can even take them out in the ocean, something you shouldn’t do if you have a pontoon boat. We mean that both literally and figuratively. Whenever using a large trailer you’ll want a sufficient braking system. There’ll just be a lot of empty deck space. Converting a pontoon trailer into a tritoon trailer. You can do it but it is alot of work and pretty expensive, I woudl expect to pay at least $800-$1200 for a center tube, there is alot to them. It can’t get the right speed to make these activities fun. It’s called a tritoon. That’s enough money to buy a whole second semi-cheap pontoon boat. If you intend on using your boat for water-sports then you’ll generally want a boat capable of speed around 25 mph, this tends to be the sweet-spot. You won’t really fit. Both types of boats are more efficient in different weather and water conditions. On average, they’re 22 feet to 30 feet in length and are able to carry 14 to 25 people. It’s true that tritoons and pontoons aren’t that different, but the former requires more maintenance. Different models and styles of pontoon boats are becoming available on the market every day. One of the biggest decisions you’ll have to make is whether to get a pontoon boat with two tubes, or a “tri-toon” that has a third center tube. Not only does this extra tube make a tritoon safer and less likely to capsize than even a pontoon, but it also increases speed. Tritoons due to their large size, find it difficult to navigate through tights spaces. With a pontoon boat, you have two tubes on either side of the boat. Then I decided to check out whether I could actually build my own. I’m particularly interested in Pontoon boats, though I have extensive knowledge on most boat types. This gives tritoons enviable speed. Pontoon Boat Pros. This makes them a lot tougher to navigate on smaller bodies of water with more cramped spaces. That means you have to shell out money for storage. The traditional pontoon boat can also do the job just fine if you purchase one with a powerful enough motor. Then there’s one tube on each side. If you like riding in deeper waters, such as big lakes, then get a tritoon. As cool as tritoons are, they’re not perfect. The added tube improves both the stability and the performance of the boat. Trolling motors which are small electric motors used when fishing to navigate quietly throughout to water to avoid scaring away fish, may not be appropriate on Tritoons. For the most part, pontoons either come with lifting strakes or not. It might seem like an easy choice in favor of the tritoon, then, but these vessels cost a lot more than a pontoon. A tritoon will also be a lot more difficult to dock and make tight corners on. A bigger boat means expending more effort going around the whole thing, cleaning it up and checking on parts and components. So, what about Tritoons? Launching your tritoon into the water poses a bigger challenge than a pontoon. That applies triply to a tritoon boat. These tubes allow the boat to float on the surface of the water. #13. It does you no good to be dishonest in your assessment. If you only ever bring maybe three or five people on your boat max, then there’s really no need to size up a to a tritoon. As a general rule, you can pull a tube behind a pontoon as long as it has enough horsepower relative to the weight it is hauling. These tend to sit in the same price range as tritoons, though, so you’re not benefitting financially. These boats simply have more parts. On this blog, we’ve written almost exclusively about pontoon boats thus far. Then a large pontoon or tritoon works best for you. The boat that you use to fish or coast across the waterways with may not be the best pontoon … For boaters who mainly stick to the local lake a triton may be a waste of money as you’re not using it to it’s full potential. This is a huge difference compared to pontoon boats. Required fields are marked *. Tritoons tend to be significantly larger than pontoons. The key difference, as we mentioned in the intro, is that tritoons have three pontoon tubes instead of two. If you’ve practiced driving your tritoon and it just doesn’t want to go in a small corner or tight space, it’s not your imagination. Inside a pontoon tube, you’ll often find several chambers, all airtight. Can you afford to spend that much money on a boat? Doing so will cause damage to your boat, and you’ll only have to spend more money to get it fixed later. You will also want to make sure that you take down the top of the pontoon in high winds. Re: Change Pontoon to Tritoon? Then there’s the mighty tritoon. However, before you can take your boat on the lake, you need a pontoon boat lift to get you there. Handling, driving, and steering with a tritoon will definitely require an adjustment period. This is because the extra weight will make the boat heavier, and thus a stronger engine will be needed to push the boat along. This makes it great for all sorts of watersport activities. For those who will really make good use of a tritoon, then the difference is worth it, but it might deter you from flippantly buying the bigger model. That again means spending more money. Can you wakesurf or wakeboard behind a pontoon boat? Some pontoon boats do come outfitted with engines capable of greater horsepower. That’s a price difference of $17,000. If you purchase a tritoon boat, then you’ll probably need a larger trailer. This pontoon trailer is a scissor lift style that features … Pontoon tubes provide buoyancy to your boat, so they’re incredibly important. Tritoons are also slightly larger than pontoons, and therefore are less maneuverable and difficult to steer. For instance, if you wanted to pull water skiers, tubers, wakeboarders, and others, you can with ease. A special braking system may also be needed due to the size of the trailer otherwise you’re putting yourself, your property and other road users in danger. This is because a trolling motor most likely won’t have enough power to pull a tritoon along. They also boast more stability due to that additional pontoon tube. This boat is perfect for the activities which I take part in which includes towable tubing, water-skiing and more. Tritoon vs Pontoon: Ultimate Buyer’s Guide. But, you may be able to get up on a wakeboard with a pontoon boat, but it may not be a very fun ride since the wake will be small. This extra tube can be larger than the two outside tubes or mounted lower than them as well. Just know when you are operating a pontoon you need to leave yourself more room to turn than other vessels will need. This is something which you may get better at over-time as a tritoon owner. Make sure you give other boats a wide enough distance so that your vessel and theirs can both travel safely. This includes making sure it’s the correct size cover, you have enough straps to keep it secure, and also that you have a cover that’s specifically made … This is because due to having a more powerful motor, you’ll experience increased speeds compared to a pontoon. They can withstand rough, choppy waters with less risk of capsizing due to their third pontoon tube. I live on the lower Chesapeake Bay and I don't see many pontoons of any sort. Firstly, we’ll be identifying the difference between a Tritoon and a Pontoon. Ouch. Even if you go the storage cube route, you’d need a big storage space to squeeze your tritoon in. Keep in mind, that due to their bulky-ness and the size of a tritoon, they generally have a lot worse handling. This gives tritoons enviable speed. After all, pontoon boats have a history of not capsizing often. Re: pontoon to tritoon conversion. Obviously, this only applies for smaller boats. You’ll have to figure out where to store your tritoon. These boats often have a bigger frame than pontoons and can thus fit more people onboard. In short, the answer is no. This article will compare the two thoroughly, identifying their differences and highlighting situations in which they excel in. If you need to lift and support a tri-toon, you can add a third pair of bunks. One large attraction to boats is fishing. by mofn » Tue Feb 05, 2013 1:50 pm. Because of this, they’re not ideal for use on small bodies of water such as lakes. Though, saying this, it’s also important to remember that the size of a tritoon may negatively affect your watersport experience. After several conversations, emails and a trip down to the trailer manufacture. When you make it even bigger with a tritoon, you can’t really ride in most small lakes and ponds.