Not All Tri-Toons Are Created Equal

So you may now be sold on buying a tri-toon, but don’t sign that contract just yet. We want to be sure you have the best tri-toon package to fit your needs. After all, not all tri-toons are created equal. If you aren't yet sure what a tri-toon is, start here.

Sport Tri-Toon (¾ tube)

The most economical tri-toons are referred to many as a sport tube. This is essentially a ¾ length center tube rather than a full length tube. This tube is usually just a separate tube which is attached under the boat but is not tied into the structure the same way. This is not necessarily a bad thing and if you boat on small-mid size lakes it might fit your needs perfectly. If you do like to boat on very rough water sometimes, you might want to consider upgrading to a full center tube as it will be built much heavier and on a more solid foundation.

If you boat on calm to average water conditions, you probably won’t notice a big difference between the ¾ tube and full tri-toons as far as ride and performance goes. Sure, you will lose a little top speed and ride quality, but you will also save thousands of dollars in the process. But before you stop reading, lets talk about the motor.

Horsepower

Another thing to consider is horsepower. You won’t be able to rig the boat with as big of an engine on a sport tube as you would if you have a most full tri-toons. Most boats with a ¾ length center tube have a maximum horsepower limit of 150-200 at the very most. You will see many packages of the sport tube with a 150hp engine. This is a very economical way to get a tri-toon that performs very well.

Full Center Tube

Going to tri-toons with a full center tube will give you many advantages over a ¾ center tube. Some of these advantages include:

Ride & Performance: The full center tube extends the running surface, sometimes even longer than the outer 2 tubes. This basically gives you the effect of having a longer boat. And as we all know, the longer the boat, the better it will ride. The longer center tube will also make the boat more buoyant. which helps it to ride up higher out of the water, therefore having less drag and improving overall performance. The back of the boat will not drag or sit as low if the motor is mounted on a tube sitting in the water. Mounting it on the motor pod of a sport tube boat that does not sit in the water and hold up that extra weight of the motor. If you want the best performing tri-toon package, get a full center tube.
Engine Capacity: Upgrading to a full center tube is required if you want to put a large engine on your tri-toon. These boats typically have maximum horsepower capacities of 300-40hp, whereas a sport tube boat might be limited to 150hp. This is not only due to the buoyancy. The construction is completely different on most full center-tube boats.
Rough Water: Some full center tube boats have a rough water package. This basically means the nosecones on each tube are reinforced and the center tube is built into the deck completely differently. These boats can take a beating and never bat an eye. They might weigh a little more due to the extra construction, but this will only help break through the rough water condition you operate the boat in.
Lifting Strakes: Lifting Strakes are angled aluminum pieces. They are attached to the bottom corners of the tubes on a pontoon boat. They are angled so that they are flat on bottom and help lift the boat up on top of the water, therefore improving performance even more. Full center tube packages typically have 4 lifting strakes, whereas a sport tube boat might not have 0 or 2 lifting strakes. They are typically much smaller as well. Note: Look for boats with lifting strakes on the inside of the outer tubes and not on the outside. Lifting strakes attached on the outside of the outer tubes can make it more difficult to make a sharp turn as they tend to fight to keep the boat straight.
Fuel Tank: Boats with a full center tube typically also have a much larger fuel tank. This is because the tank can be built into the center tube which gives much more room than a motor pod. The boat can also handle the extra weight in the back because the tube extends the length of the boat.

Other Variables

Many manufacturers have tweaked the center tube packages even more to claim their boat has an advantage over their competitors. Most of these designs are not much more than marketing material for the company. They typically don’t have any real effect on performance. One design that is proven to improve the ride and performance is having a center tube that is lower than the outer tubes. There are only a select few manufacturers that offer this design. Check out Harris Boats. They build a top of the line boat and incorporate this feature into their tri-toons. Do your research and ask the sales representative how their design and construction differs from other boats.

If you are sold on a tri-toon, congratulations! You have chosen one of the most versatile packages in a boat. Tri-toons will do many things very well and give you many years of great boating experiences.