Pontoon Boat Dimensions

As the season is making way for Sun to shine brighter, it would be great to set out on a pontoon boat. Pontoon boats offer a means for carrying out various activities. Be it fishing, party of cruising or other related water sports like snorkeling, swimming, etc. pontoon boats make way for your recreation and relaxation. If you are someone planning to own a pontoon boat, you need to know several related aspects so that you can make the best decision as to own which one. The pontoon boats come with several dimensions. There are the small sized ones, medium sized ones and large sized ones; each serves the needs of different people. It is a big investment you are planning to make. So why not make the correct choice rather than a bad one to repent later on. Different manufacturers will come up with different pontoon boat sizes. What we are dealing with is a general approach. In this article we will deal with pontoon boat dimensions and how we can arrive at the best choice meeting your needs.

Pontoon Boat types

Pontoon Boat sizes range in general from about 15 feet to over 30 feet in length. As bigger the model gets, the passenger capacity and the storage options increase. Based on the length or width of the pontoon boats, they are generally classified into: small sized pontoon boats, medium sized pontoon boats and large sized pontoon boats.

Small sized Pontoon Boats

Small sized pontoon boats are less than 20 feet in length. They can have width around 8 feet. There can also be mini pontoon boats with width less than 7 feet. They can hold about 8 people on an average. These values vary based on manufacturer.

Dimensions:

Here we present a few small sized pontoon boat dimensions so that you could have a better understanding of what size they come in general. This can help you in understanding what you can expect in terms of dimensions (or size) in terms of small sized pontoon boat if you are somebody planning to buy one.

Model	Overall Boat Length	Width	Pontoon Diameter	Dry Weight	Maximum people	Maximum HP
Avalon GS Cruise II	19′ 5″	8.5′	25″	1650	8	75
Bennington 188 SVL	18’ 9”	8′	23″	1663	7	60
Harris LX 160 Cruise	17’ 10”	8′	25″	1,578	8	50
Manitou Aurora LE	18’ 11”	8′	25″	1670	8	60
Godfrey SR 180 Cruise	19’ 5”	8′	23″	1500	9	75

Medium Sized Pontoon Boats

This is the most popular range of pontoon boats. They have a length of 20 t0 24 feet and width of 8 to 10 feet depending on the manufacturer. They can have average holding capacity of about 10 people.

Large Sized Pontoon Boats

Now are you thinking about how large a pontoon boat can be? The biggest ones will be more than 24 feet in length with width up to 12 feet. They can have about an average of 15 people capacity. The larger models having above 30 feet can have about 23 people.

Dimensions:

Some of the dimensions of large sized pontoon boats is given below.

Model	Overall Boat Length	Width	Pontoon Diameter	Dry Weight	Maximum people	Maximum HP
Avalon Catalina Platinum Entertainer	25′ 3″	8.5′	25″	2450	13	135
Sylvan L5 LZ	25′ 10″	8.5′	25″	2471	14	175 (350 HP with third tube)
Godfrey Sanpan 2700 SBW	28′ 2″	8.5′	27″	4185	18	425
Manitou LX Stern Lounger 27 SL SHP	28′ 4″	8.5′	27″	4050	16	450
Bennington Q30 Quad Bench	31′ 3″	10′	32″	5423	23	850 HP(Twin 425 HP)

Now you need to note that some manufacturers stress on tube length rather than the deck length. As the name suggests, both of these are different. The deck extends over the tubes. Hence deck length will be more than tube length. Some models can also have a transom that sticks further longer than the tubes and the deck. Thus overall deck length can be different from deck length. We have mentioned the overall deck lengths of the pontoon boat models in the table above. This gives a clear picture of the actual dimensions of the boat. Now tube lengths can be significant when looking for boat lifts or pontoon boat trailers suitable for your pontoon boat.

How to select the right size of pontoon boat?

Before shopping a pontoon boat, you need to look into several factors. Based on them you can select the model that fits your need. Being a huge investment careful planning is necessary. Knowing the boat dimensions of the model you intend to buy can help in making proper arrangements. Here we present some of the factors you need to consider to arrive at the best option of pontoon boat for you.

Storage and Transport

Before buying a pontoon boat, you need to have a clear idea about where you are going to store it and how you are going to transport it. The pontoon boat should fit your dock and trailer. In case of storage, take the dock space measurements before looking for pontoon boats. Based on the dock measurement, check for the overall lengths of various pontoon boat models (Remember to include the length of outboard motor which can be two or three feet). If you plan to tow and store the pontoon boat in your storage space, then remember to include the length of the trailer too. This will prevent future complications.

Now in case of towing, the combined weight of the pontoon and the trailer should also be within the towing capacity of the vehicle you intend to use for towing. The dry weight of the pontoon can give an idea regarding the same.

Maximum Passengers

The number of people you expect to have in your pontoon boat adventures is also equally important. There are a wide variety of models to suit your needs. Small pontoon boats can carry about 8 persons on an average. As size increases, the carrying capacity increases. Medium sized pontoons can have about 10-12 people. There are larger pontoon boats which can carry 26 or more people.

You must never overload your pontoon boat. It can be very dangerous when you are out in the water and the pontoon boat is overloaded. The pontoon boat is designed to traverse safely within its carrying capacity. Otherwise, there will be stability issues. So you need to make the decision with care. If you intend to take many people with you, it is better to look for larger sized options than buying a smaller one and getting into trouble later on.

Location/ Water Body

This is also an important consideration for you to arrive at the right pontoon boat size for you. Now, smaller pontoon boats with smaller motor are well suited for smaller water bodies. Larger pontoon boats can be difficult to navigate in such water bodies. Small pontoon boats can be well suited for calm water bodies can cruise smoothly through lakes and rivers, even the shallow ones. So if you are looking to go more often into smaller water bodies, then look for small sized pontoon boats. As wave action gets high, you need to look for much larger sized pontoon boats. As the pontoon boat size increases, they become less agile; however, they get more stable. With stability, they can perform well in rough waters. If you are more frequent into large waters, it is better to go for those 23 to 28 feet long ones.

The motor (Horse Power) you need to use in your pontoon boat also depends on the length of the pontoon boat. The smaller ones may not be able to facilitate high powered engines. So there will be a safe limit on the engine that can be used in a small pontoon boat. If you look for longer pontoon boats, then you can have high HP engines.

Note: There can be limitations on the sizes of boats in certain locations. This can vary from state to state. Do have a check on that before going for any large models.

Pontoon Boat Recreational Activities

Pontoon Boats can be used for many different activities. They can be used for fishing, partying, or other recreational activities. The pontoon boat dimension you need to look for also depends on the purpose for which you use the pontoon boat. For right experience you need the right dimensions. Thankfully, there are many floorplans so that you will not feel less in terms of options. Let us look into some of the important pontoon boat activities and the pontoon boat sizes which can be apt for carrying out them.

Fishing

For many, owning a pontoon boat is about fishing. Those interested in fishing should look for options which can make your fishing experience worthy. While taking your pontoon boat on a fishing adventure, you will have to have good storage requirements for your fishing gears. This can include fishing rods, fishing nets, etc. You need to have sufficient storage space for these. There can also be livewells. Such models will have these included in the floorplans. In general, about 22 feet long pontoon boats will be a good choice for those passionate fishing anglers. With larger size, you get more in terms of storage and convenience. For those involved in occasional fishing and more of cruising, 19-20 feet long pontoon boat will be a good choice.

However as already said, the size of the boat can also depend on the location where you intend to take your boat. For freshwater fishing in lakes and rivers, small to medium sized boat will be good. However, if you look for fishing in the ocean, then you need larger pontoon boat.

Water Sports

Pontoon boats are used for water sports too. There are several water sports and the requirements of the pontoon boats can vary based on the type of water sport. There is a floorplan for every option that you want to have. Hence you can look for suitable options. For swimming and snorkeling, you do not have to worry much about storage or any other requirements. You just need to have a check on the carrying capacity of your pontoon boat. You can take as many passengers as it can hold. Sports like scuba diving and water skiing may require some equipment. So you need to look for pontoon boat options with sufficient storage. Water sports like water skiing require the pontoon boat will have to pull the ones involved and in such cases speed and the motor of the pontoon boat matters. You should look for pontoon boats with at least 90 HP maximum engine HP in such cases.

Sunbathing and Lounging

If you are just interested in cruising or partying with your friends, then you need to look for options having large decks. Comfy seating options can also be looked after for. You can relax and enjoy with your friends. If you are looking for pontoon boats with best sunbathing spots, then double decker pontoon boats can also make a great choice. Such options can also offer you with a much greater field of view from the upper deck. The double deckers can also offer more shade to you. These models usually come about 25 foot and more in length. The 25 foot models can have about 14 people capacity.