Tritoon info / opinions

[Nord]

With my parents surpassing the age of 70, we've realized that the Eliminator 236 is probably not the best fit as a family boat anymore. I've bounced Tritoon off the both of them and other family members that usually participate in our family trips and they were a bit leary to say the least. When I told them that there are some out there that haul ass, they perked interest. So we decided we are between a 28 Magic Deck boat or a nice 25'4 or above Tritoon with at least a 250 on it.
I'm fairly educated on the Magics but can't speak to the Tritoon genre. Here are the questions:
What brand of Tritoon has a great ride and is quality / maintains value.
what are the pro's and con's of said brands.

Any info is much appriciated. Thanks ahead........

 

[PlanB]

My last two (and current) have been Bennington's. Had the first one for 10 years, and the current one for 5. Both great boats with very good quality. Lifetime warranty from the rubrail down, and 10 years on everything else (except power). We originally bought the first one as a second boat but we enjoyed it wat more than we thought we would. It quickly became the boat of choice most days. The big upside over a glass boat is being able to beach almost anywhere. I can park on beaches that I would never have put my other boats on. As far as power, I would go with at least a 400. We currently have a 300, but at the time we bought the current boat, it was the biggest option available. If I were to buy again today, it would most likely be a twin, or a 450 if it was a single. Go on some test rides and see what you think. you might be surprised at the ride quality.

 

[LowRiver2]

Check out @throttle ’s Berkshire for sale in the classifieds : single 400 merc, all the cool options

Both Berkshire and Trifecta’s are hard to beat for top notch Tritoons.

 

[185EZ]

We're on our 2nd Avalon tritoon.
Pros and cons are hard to say between brands. Even the Tracker Regency has some cool features
Trifecta has composite decking which is lighter and will last forever.
Once you go in and out and test rides you'll see a difference right away.
They literally turn on a dime with 9 cents change.
Make sure you get the center tube storage too. Not sure why some are even built without it
Super quiet and like what was said no worry about gel and beach anywhere.
Tritoon won't have the same top speed as a Magic unless you put some serious hp on it.
If you're looking at 25' I would go at minimum 300 hp.

 

[pkrrvr619]

Father in law has a regency 25 with a Verado 250. Tops out at 47. Its a nice ride and i think was only 62k optioned out.

Not sure about resale value as they come out with a new model every year.

 

[ONE-A-DAY]

We have had two Bennigtons and now an Avalon. All with 200's, they run low 40's, if we want to go fast we will take the Daytona. Fast pontoon seems like an oxymoron to me. When we take the toon we have a bunch of people and everyone wants to talk and party and bbq, nobody wants to go 80.

One thing I miss on the Avalon is the oval shaped center tube, I think its an option on the Avalon but I forgot when we ordered it. The benningtons had that and it made a huge difference at getting up on plane and riding high in the water kind of like being on plane.

 

[pkrrvr619]

We almost bought a 25' Regency with 250 about 2 years ago. Went to Vegas twice to look at it.
They powder their tubes too.
But no test rides.
I think it was the mid grade model and was about $75k.
Didn't care for their trailers but the warranty is void if you use anything else
How is it holding up?

Boat is holding up well. Father in law stuffed a wake and dented the metal that surrounds the gate up front but other than that no repair issues what so ever.

Funny you mention the trailer, they are weak and we give him shit about it all the time. Seems like the trailer was an after thought.

 

[ONE-A-DAY]

My wife's rear lounger Avalon was 53k last year with the 200.

 

[Wmc]

Had a Magic for 12 years then moved to a 30 Eliminator Daytona. I now have a Trifecta w/ twin 300's. Super happy with the Trifecta. I would never go back. Less stress = happy boating.

 

[Havasu Rehab]

My wife's rear lounger Avalon was 53k last year with the 200.
View attachment 963085

Wow! That seems very reasonable for that boat. I wonder if pricing has surged since then due to covid?


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[riverroyal]

I have a 2015 25' Avalon ambassador. With the 300 and it goes 45mph regardless of the water conditions, doesn't matter. Rear lounger.
My only complaint is there a few items that you can tell are mass produced and mass assembled. Its never been in for warranty work though. Its a diff way to boat for sure. Slower.
Everyone has opinions on toons. My personal opinion is I don't see where Bennington is worth the money. Maybe its customer service? But build quality is not overly impressive.
I've heard horror stories on Regency having bad log welds? But ive never seen this.

Our Avalon went through a monsoon nightmare at powell this summer. I thought we were toast, life jackets on and seriously think this was it.....I liked the Avalon more after this!

I would not get less than a 300 on a 25ft toon.

 

[185EZ]

Had a Magic for 12 years then moved to a 30 Eliminator Daytona. I now have a Trifecta w/ twin 300's. Super happy with the Trifecta. I would never go back. Less stress = happy boating.
View attachment 963084

Wow! I want to go for a ride on your boat.
My friend has a Trifecta with twin 350s and jack plates.
He said he hit 71 mph. I drove it first time and hit 62 mph
The accelration will set you back in the seat.

 

[ONE-A-DAY]

Wow! That seems very reasonable for that boat. I wonder if pricing has surged since then due to covid?


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I dont think so, we got it from the dealer in Madera, CA.

 

[ONE-A-DAY]

I dont think so, we got it from the dealer in Madera, CA.

Pricing seems about the same, this the same boat I believe.

2021 Avalon Catalina Rear Lounger 25' w/ 200 HP Mercury 4 Stroke!

2021 Avalon Catalina Rear Lounger in Silver & Charcoal with Silver Interior Package. Powered with a Mercury 200HP 4 Stroke! Options include: Mooring Cover, Luna Pearl Flooring, Sport performance 25" pontoon, Deco Docklights, Outboard Ski Tow Bar, Stainless Cladding Inserts. * Add $6,000 for Trailer*

www.pacificmarinecenter.com

 

[PlanB]

Everyone has opinions on toons. My personal opinion is I don't see where Bennington is worth the money. Maybe its customer service? But build quality is not overly impressive.

I did not want to get into brand bashing, but the build quality on Bennington is as good as it gets IMO. Through bolted deck is the biggest difference between them and some of the other brands. I beat the shit out of our first boat for 10 years, and the only thing that ever had to be addressed was a small leak in a toon weld which they handled in year 10 with no questions asked. The current boat at 5 years has been rock solid with zero issues. Bennington is not always cutting edge with interior gadgets, but they are a VERY solid toon when it comes to build quality.

I looked at a well known brand that had twin 400's when we were recently shopping for a twin, and there was literally interior pieces loose and falling off of the boat. This was a new boat with less than 10 demo hours on it. I also looked at another well known brand that I really liked, and we even considered ordering one of their boats until I reached under the deck and and could feel the self tapping screws.

You are definitely going to pay top dollar for a Bennington, but their build quality IMO is very good and they back their product 100%.

ETA: I did like the Avalon when we were shopping. If we had decided to go ahead with the purchase of a twin, Avalon would have been the boat we would have ordered. I think going back to having a fast boat and a toon might be the direction for us though...

 

[185EZ]

I did not want to get into brand bashing, but the build quality on Bennington is as good as it gets IMO. Through bolted deck is the biggest difference between them and some of the other brands. I beat the shit out of our first boat for 10 years, and the only thing that ever had to be addressed was a small leak in a toon weld which they handled in year 10 with no questions asked. The current boat at 5 years has been rock solid with zero issues. Bennington is not always cutting edge with interior gadgets, but they are a VERY solid toon when it comes to build quality.

I looked at a well known brand that had twin 400's when we were recently shopping for a twin, and there was literally interior pieces loose and falling off of the boat. This was a new boat with less than 10 demo hours on it. I also looked at another well known brand that I really liked, and we even considered ordering one of their boats until I reached under the deck and and could feel the self tapping screws.

You are definitely going to pay top dollar for a Bennington, but their build quality IMO is very good and they back their product 100%.

ETA: I did like the Avalon when we were shopping. If we had decided to go ahead with the purchase of a twin, Avalon would have been the boat we would have ordered. I think going back to having a fast boat and a toon might be the direction for us though...

There is a series of videos where they took an Avalon from Florida to Cuba
It was actually interesting and got to see some of Cuba

 

[FreeBird236]

While I'm not that impressed with their looks, the ride of a Playcraft is the best I've experienced.

 

[PlanB]

There is a series of videos where they took an Avalon from Florida to Cuba
It was actually interesting and got to see some of Cuba

I always thought a Catalina run would be cool in a toon. Head out in the morning, stay overnight, than head back the next morning. I would not put mine in the salt, but it would be an interesting ride.

 

[ONE-A-DAY]

Bennington or Avalon, open the door on the side of the helm and look up at the wiring, its the stuff that makes DCB people lay awake at night.

 

[PlanB]

Bennington or Avalon, open the door on the side of the helm and look up at the wiring, its the stuff that makes DCB people lay awake at night.

You are correct that the wiring in toons is a mess aesthetically (like all mass produced boats), but I have never had an electrical issue. If we are using DCB as a standard, than every other boat out there looks like shit. Even the wiring in my Skater looked like a mess compared to my DCB's.

 

[riverroyal]

I did not want to get into brand bashing, but the build quality on Bennington is as good as it gets IMO. Through bolted deck is the biggest difference between them and some of the other brands. I beat the shit out of our first boat for 10 years, and the only thing that ever had to be addressed was a small leak in a toon weld which they handled in year 10 with no questions asked. The current boat at 5 years has been rock solid with zero issues. Bennington is not always cutting edge with interior gadgets, but they are a VERY solid toon when it comes to build quality.

I looked at a well known brand that had twin 400's when we were recently shopping for a twin, and there was literally interior pieces loose and falling off of the boat. This was a new boat with less than 10 demo hours on it. I also looked at another well known brand that I really liked, and we even considered ordering one of their boats until I reached under the deck and and could feel the self tapping screws.

You are definitely going to pay top dollar for a Bennington, but their build quality IMO is very good and they back their product 100%.

ETA: I did like the Avalon when we were shopping. If we had decided to go ahead with the purchase of a twin, Avalon would have been the boat we would have ordered. I think going back to having a fast boat and a toon might be the direction for us though...

not a bash at all. I climbed all over numerous benningtons in 2015 and last year. I dont get the added cost compared to others. Pretty simple. They are all over priced and all build like a RV. Theres nothing great about any of them when you look deep. My Avalon has things i dont like also when it comes to the 'build'. You just need to have that mind set when buying and owning.
My point was maybe the Bennington has better customer service? warranty? they have a great reputation for sure.

 

[riverroyal]

Nord I know of a 1 year old playcraft with a Verado of good size for sale. Great price, they are selling and getting out of the lake for now Im told. PM me.

 

[PlanB]

not a bash at all. I climbed all over numerous benningtons in 2015 and last year. I dont get the added cost compared to others. Pretty simple. They are all over priced and all build like a RV. Theres nothing great about any of them when you look deep. My Avalon has things i dont like also when it comes to the 'build'. You just need to have that mind set when buying and owning.
My point was maybe the Bennington has better customer service? warranty? they have a great reputation for sure.

Just saying, some are put together better than others. Some of the ones that look really cool with all the latest interior gadgets are built the worst. I look at how the actual structure of the boat is put together. Bennington is good, Avalon is good, some of the others? Not so much IMO.

 

[riverroyal]

there are some you wont cross to Cuba on!

 

[ONE-A-DAY]

We bought our first Bennigton used, it was almost 10 years old, one of the tubes started leaking. Lifetime warranty on the tubes, local Havasu dealer took it in no problem and repaired it. The hole was a weld on top of the toon so they basically had to take the entire deck off to get to it. For that reason we bought a new Bennington when it was time. After that the price difference on the Benningtons was far beyond the Avalons, I could not justify the extra cost so we went Avalon for our third toon. Also I like the smooth sides of Avalons, the frame on the exterior style of Benningtons is a huge PITA when cleaning them up, basically one square at a time.

 

[PlanB]

We bought our first Bennigton used, it was almost 10 years old, one of the tubes started leaking. Lifetime warranty on the tubes, local Havasu dealer took it in no problem and repaired it. The hole was a weld on top of the toon so they basically had to take the entire deck off to get to it. For that reason we bought a new Bennington when it was time. After that the price difference on the Benningtons was far beyond the Avalons, I could not justify the extra cost so we went Avalon for our third toon. Also I like the smooth sides of Avalons, the frame on the exterior style of Benningtons is a huge PITA when cleaning them up, basically one square at a time.

That is definitely true. I have looked into skinning the outside of our current toon because of this. If I were to buy another Bennington, it would be the new fiberglass Q or the R Sport that is smooth. The prices right now are crazy though.

 

[throttle]

There are lots of things to consider in shopping for a toon. And just remember, these are not like grandpa's pontoon. The newest models come with lots of creature comforts.

I will leave this here for you Dave... its your new vocabulary list and it should bring more questions to the table as you begin to do more homework.

Lifting strakes, splash fins, bulkheads, underdeck waves shield, performance foils, sport performance, wave tamer, elliptical tubes, keels, splash guards, wave glider, pressurized tubes...

Thru bolted, less flex, stronger, more stable, composite decking, fully welded cross members...

luxury, durability, quality and value...

warranty, customer service...

gonna be used for cruising? Luxury? Performance?

 

[throttle]

Don’t forget dual consoles, windshields, storage, led lights, rgb lights, underwater lights, transom prop light indicators. There is so much more.


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[Nord]

Don’t forget dual consoles, windshields, storage, led lights, rgb lights, underwater lights, transom prop light indicators. There is so much more.


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Thanks! Sounds like you and I should set up a phone call!

 

[Outdrive1]

Thanks! Sounds like you and I should set up a phone call!

I told you about Walts boat last year. It’s a good fit for you. His wife wasn’t really ready to let it go then.


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[Wmc]

I told you about Walts boat last year. It’s a good fit for you. His wife wasn’t really ready to let it go then.


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I think he was talking about Cam's boat

 

[2FORCEFULL]

With my parents surpassing the age of 70, we've realized that the Eliminator 236 is probably not the best fit as a family boat anymore. I've bounced Tritoon off the both of them and other family members that usually participate in our family trips and they were a bit leary to say the least. When I told them that there are some out there that haul ass, they perked interest. So we decided we are between a 28 Magic Deck boat or a nice 25'4 or above Tritoon with at least a 250 on it.
I'm fairly educated on the Magics but can't speak to the Tritoon genre. Here are the questions:
What brand of Tritoon has a great ride and is quality / maintains value.
what are the pro's and con's of said brands.

Any info is much appriciated. Thanks ahead........

I have 2 try toons.... and with that,... try toons before you buy 2 try toons... what I have found is being boatless sucks... so I bought 2 sea doos... still the same.... boatless sucks,.. people burried in try toons learn to love them most.... guess i'm to old to learn.... went from 2FF to 2FT... two fuc'n toons...

 

[guest hs]

With my parents surpassing the age of 70, we've realized that the Eliminator 236 is probably not the best fit as a family boat anymore. I've bounced Tritoon off the both of them and other family members that usually participate in our family trips and they were a bit leary to say the least. When I told them that there are some out there that haul ass, they perked interest. So we decided we are between a 28 Magic Deck boat or a nice 25'4 or above Tritoon with at least a 250 on it.
I'm fairly educated on the Magics but can't speak to the Tritoon genre. Here are the questions:
What brand of Tritoon has a great ride and is quality / maintains value.
what are the pro's and con's of said brands.

Any info is much appriciated. Thanks ahead........

Southbay / Berkshire / Trifecta all by Forest River with a composite deck.

 

[2FORCEFULL]

I have 2 try toons.... and with that,... try toons before you buy 2 try toons... what I have found is being boatless sucks... so I bought 2 sea doos... still the same.... boatless sucks,.. people burried in try toons learn to love them most.... guess i'm to old to learn.... went from 2FF to 2FT... two fuc'n toons...

OH..., and any body with money can call this a spam forsale reply, bring your money, all 4 title in hand so fast sell possible....LOL...

 

[SJP]

I bought this Playcraft toon from TCHB. I wanted to get a faster toon. I did not want to go all in on a new one. It is nice to be able to run 50 plus and run it all day on Powell. It was a big upgrade from my other toon 30 ft Sundance with a 140 2 Stroke. I figure that will make a good first boat for my boys so we kept it.

 

[2FORCEFULL]

Had a Magic for 12 years then moved to a 30 Eliminator Daytona. I now have a Trifecta w/ twin 300's. Super happy with the Trifecta. I would never go back. Less stress = happy boating.
View attachment 963084

that toon sure looks good with twins...

 

[TPC]

Outboards on 'toons are like diamonds on rings. They are never too big.

 

[RiverDave]

Bennington or Avalon, open the door on the side of the helm and look up at the wiring, its the stuff that makes DCB people lay awake at night.

lol seriously true.. look at all of them though, none of them are even remotely nice.

 

[Outdrive1]

I think he was talking about Cam's boat[emoji848]

Cams boat is sweet. Double Nords budget though.


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[Wmc]

that toon sure looks good with twins... View attachment 964426

I love the twins

 

[FreeBird236]

I love the twins
View attachment 964625

Couldn't decided on one emoji.

 

[Nord]

Cams boat is sweet. Double Nords budget though.


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Let's talk.

 

[LowRiver2]

I bought this Playcraft toon from TCHB. I wanted to get a faster toon. I did not want to go all in on a new one. It is nice to be able to run 50 plus and run it all day on Powell. It was a big upgrade from my other toon 30 ft Sundance with a 140 2 Stroke. I figure that will make a good first boat for my boys so we kept it.

View attachment 964400 View attachment 964411

Was that toon listed ? Sorry I missed that if so
As you said great way to go 50 without paying $100k
That set up was ahead of it’s time, good purchase

 

[78Southwind]

My wife's rear lounger Avalon was 53k last year with the 200.
View attachment 963085

Walt, who makes their trailers? Also what is the box for in between the engine and the gate? Is the box an upgrade? If I remember right when I was looking at the Avalon a while ago I noticed an electric assist for steering in the box so I assumed that the box came when upgrading to hide the electric assist.

 

[farmo83]

My family rolled around in JC for years. 0 complaints