Considering there is 40 times the amount of saltwater to freshwater, owning a boat which can cruise around the ocean is a huge plus. Not only does it open up an entirely new market for manufacturers, but it allows you, the consumer, to plan new adventures previous pontoons owners could never have dreamed possible.
“I’m not sure most people realize pontoons can be used in saltwater,” says Amanda Welles, a representative of Bennington Pontoons. “But we make saltwater ready product and have seen an increase in these buyers.”
Saltwater Ready?
Bennington’s Saltwater package consist of anodes that are added to the tubes; making any Bennington saltwater ready. The company also recommends solid keels and sealed lifting strakes to ensure harsher saltwater conditions don’t affect any components of your boat for years to come.
Recently, our team had the opportunity to test the 2575 QCW with a 350hp Yamaha four-stroke in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Miami in Florida and we couldn’t have been more excited. Bennington pontoons have been around for 20 years and it’s amazing to see what the company has accomplished in this amount of time.
The thing about this Bennington that stood out the most is the sleek overall design of the boat that curves out in the front. The aerodynamic feel quickly captures the attention of everyone on the dock because it’s easy to picture yourself cruising through the wind, perched at the helm of this magnificent beast. Before we even jumped onboard, the beauty of this boat on the beautiful blue water created a masterpiece that you’ll never find on regular lake water.
Construction
To really understand a Bennington pontoon, you have to consider the construction that goes into each model. The M-Deck brackets on the very base of pontoon are thicker and stronger than thin sheet aluminum brackets and each stern deck bracket has four points of contact, which distributes weight evenly over the end cap. These deck brackets are wider and lower than what you would normally find on other pontoon models. This is done in order to greatly reduce the amount of flexing the deck can experience while in rougher ocean water. Another great feature Bennington offers is stainless steel cleats and stern corner castings. This provides three times the strength of aluminum and they won't pit, corrode or discolor.
QCW
This luxury model comes with a luxury price tag. Depending on the outboard and options you prefer, you can expect to spend right around a $100K on this exact model that includes the 350hp Yamaha outboard. However, if you are looking for a luxury boat with all the amenities, you’ve found it in this pontoon. The diamond pillow-top upholstery is incredibly soft and rich to the touch. The elevated helm station is beautifully crafted with all of the extras you would expect to find on a fully loaded pontoon, including a fish finder, depth finder, speedometer and tachometer. All of this paired with a Sony sound system makes for a great day on the water.
The flooring on our test boat was the popular Seagrass option, which makes the most sense for saltwater pontoons. Not only is it eye-catching, but this bamboo-fiber flooring is extremely durable against both UV rays and saltwater. It is highly stain resistant and if you do spill something, it’s very easy to wash. There’s no need for shoes because the rubberized padding underneath creates a very soft feel.
The first mate will love the QCW because of the reclining co-captain chair with head rest and optional foot rest, and his chair is made out of the same plush upholstery as the dual rear loungers. New on this model for 2014 is the self-draining bench seat cooler and interior light dimmer. Both features come standard and create just the right touch to your day on the boat. Another great feature on the boat we tested was the wash down in the stern of the boat, which is wonderful for those of you with little ones who seem to always be covered in sand.
The test boat featured the triple-tube Elliptical Sport Package. This hull offers stability, displacement, quick planing and handling characteristics that rival a fiberglass v-hull boat. Designed for high horsepower applications, the ESP includes a 32-inch elliptical center pontoon with lifting strakes, 25-inch diameter outer pontoons with performance foils, reinforced splash fins, .100-gauge aluminum pontoons, solid round keels on all three tubes, SeaStar hydraulic steering and an underdeck wave shield. It also had power-assist steering and fuel tank upgrades, which are both options Bennington recommends for engines greater than 150hp.
Yamaha Power
Talk about a quick burst of speed, this Yamaha 350hp outboard cut through the ocean waves with zero problems. At full throttle we reached speeds slightly over 50 mph and the turns were sharp and in control. At no time did we feel unsafe cruising around bigger waves than we normally experience on inland lakes.
Future
A wide-variety of customers are looking into Bennington pontoon boats and for a good reason. There are new boat buyers looking for their first boat, existing pontoon owners who know exactly what they want and the boaters who want to transition from a fiberglass runabout to one boat that does it all. Bennington is a company set on pleasing everyone, which is why the Indiana-based manufacturer offers 100 models and will gladly build a custom model if you can’t find what you are looking for.
“Our customer is always changing as our pontoons grow in style, functionality and price points,” says Welles. “We have something for everyone with our freshwater pontoons and saltwater-ready pontoons.”
