This article originally appeared in our 2014 Shootout issue. If you are interested in seeing this in print along with 25 other boat reviews, click HERE to purchase the back issue.
What You Need To Know
The new S-Series from Sylvan is all about creating sporty pontoons and when you combine its unique RPT tubes with a Mercury Verado Pro 250 engine, you have a winning combination with this S5 version that is sure to equal an exhilarating thrill ride.
The Highlights
Although designed with performance in mind, you could make a strong case for the high-end amenities and creature comforts being the main focus for this S-Series. In the bow there are two extremely comfortable lounges that include fold-down arm rests and we love the two-tone vinyl colors used throughout. For the captain there is a high back helm chair with an identical one for the first mate directly across. However, the place you’ll want to be is in the stern where the two rear-facing lounges are built into the fiberglass bases. The multi-purpose lounges that can also be used as bench seats include LED rope lighting as well as lighted LED cup holders. Below the portside rear lounger is an easily accessible storage compartment and below the other is a well-hidden pop-up changing room. When opened it stands at 6 feet tall, but the overall depth is limited. You will need to step over the fiberglass base to access this enclosure, which isn’t a big deal and having a space-saving feature like this is well worth it.
From inside the gates there is nearly 21 feet of usable space, which means you have plenty of extra room outside the gates on this nearly 27 foot long pontoon for easy boarding. In fact, the area in the stern with the Sea-Weave flooring, 4-step telescopic boarding ladder and optional stainless ski/tow bar give you plenty of room to enter from the water and towel off before coming into the mostly carpeted boat.
As for the helm console, the dash with chrome-accented gauges and toggle switches really adds to the sporty feel Sylvan is going for. One of the few options onboard is the Polk Audio sound system (which we feel is worth the upgrade) as well as the controls for the power bimini top that are easily in reach for the captain.
Inspection Notes
With the Revolutionary Planing Technology tubes you have 27-inch diameter pontoons with a V-cut in the base that allow the ‘toon to get up on plane quickly. On this particular model, a third optional 25-inch diameter pontoon was added.
After a closer inspection, this Sylvan earned high marks for its overall construction as well as fit and finish work. It’s all about the details and we love the extra mile effort that went into this one. Plus we love that it comes standard with Sylvan's Lifetime plus 6 warranty.
Performance Evaluation
Unbelievable is the best way to describe the performance of this new S-Series Sylvan. Powered with a Mercury Verado Pro 250 FourStroke, we were pleasantly surprised by how sharp this ‘toon was able to dive into the corners. The zero to 20 mph time of just 4.2 seconds gives you a small glimpse to what the RPT tubes are all about. At full throttle we reached speeds in the mid 40s, but it’s the way this Sylvan handles that we liked the most.
Our Take
This is where style, performance and amenity-packed features—including a comfortable layout—come together to form a great all-around pontoon. It’s a high-end model that includes a well-executed design that was clearly engineered by those who spend time on the water and know what a great boat should look like.
Number of Occupants 14
Maximum Speed 45.2 mph
Wild Ponies 250hp
No. of Gates 3
0-20 MPH 4.2 seconds
Ladder Measurement 3’ 9” deep
Why we love this boat…It not only looks sporty, but it handles like a sport pontoon should. This new Sylvan is fun to drive and packed with a lot of great features.
Just being picky…There is a lot of grey and black used throughout the boat, but with a sporty pontoon like this we wouldn’t mind seeing an accent color to match the performance feel.
NOTABLE STANDARDS
RPT tubes w/ aluminum under deck liner, 2 rear-facing loungers, rear Sea-Weave flooring, pop-up enclosure under rear lounger, 4-step telescopic boarding ladder, 2 high back helm chairs and full fiberglass console w/ fog-free and lighted gauges.
OPTIONS ON TEST BOAT
Third pontoon, ski/tow bar, Polk Audio upgrade stereo, power bimini and under deck lighting.
VITAL STATS
LOA 26’ 10 ”
Beam 8’ 6”
Hull Design Two RPT w/ Center Tube
Dry Weight 2,575 lbs.
Fuel Capacity 30 gallons
TEST DRIVE
Engine Mercury Verado Pro 250
Cylinder Type 6
Cubic-inch Displacement/Horsepower 158.6ci/250hp
Lower Unit Gear Ratio 1.85:1
Propeller 15 X 15 Enertia
RPM vs. SPEED vs. DB-A
550 2.6 70.5
1000 3.8 75.5
1500 6.5 81.5
2000 7.8 83
2500 12.0 87.5
3000 15.9 90
3500 19.8 96.5
4000 24.1 100
4500 28.0 104.5
5000 31.9 105
5500 34.4 108
6000 39.0 108.5
6400 45.2 110.5
New Paris, Ind.
866-766-9698
sylvanmarine.com
