Bennington! They are one of if not the highest quality brand out there. They make a really nice boat. You will get what your pay for, but boy will it be expensive lol.

I won't recommend a brand. everyone has there Fav. what I will say is research. figure out if you want a cruiser or fishing pontoon. do you want to pull a skier. how many people do you plan to have on the boat. will it stay at the lake or be pulled there, these are the things you need to figure out before you start looking. then there is tri-toons if you want speed and performance. and even then your not going to be super fast. and most all pontoon are built pretty similar as far as frame work underneath. I recommend underskin with whatever you get. and most of the price is Fluff on them. fancy chairs lighted cup holders and stuff like that. stay away from foam filled pontoons. as good as the saleman will make that sound. you can't have them welded or fixed. and if you do get a leak and the foam becomes saturated with water it's a train wreck. and remember bigger Dia pontoons always help with everything. and find a local dealer close to you. you don't want to be dragging it 250 miles to have warranty work done, best of luck. and if you have any questions ask, there are no stupid questions when your spending this much money.  

@pontoon-moose thanks for the valuable knowledge. you focus on whats important and practical. your perspective will benefit myself and others greatly.

What is underskin? What is it made out of? Where does it get installed? What are the pros and cons?

@ian-miller Underskining your pontoon, most of the time it's aluminum. back in the 80s I did use R-panel on one pontoon LOL. but it worked and may still be on that old 24' tracker wherever it's at, but it attaches under your pontoon on the cross braces. and protects your wood from the bottom. but it also stops the water splashing up from hitting your cross braces. which in turn shaves off a little speed. not much but some. on a glass smooth lake you can feel your pontoon surging just a little and the longer the pontoon the more you can feel it. best way to understand is lay on your front deck while someone drives and look. and without underskin on a real rough lake you will notice your carpet getting wet because the wood is soaked from the underside. 

and just a Note for everyone. never and I mean never seal your wood from the bottom with anything. water must have a way to drain out of the wood. and if you seal it then it can't and will make a new floor rot out in about a year. Ask me how I know.