Tahoe 24 LT Quad Lounge

March 2016 Boat Test Monday PDB Staff

This article originally appeared in our 2015 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

If you do a double-take on the price after seeing this new for 2015 Tahoe, don’t feel bad because we did the same thing. A ton of value can be found onboard this quality pontoon that comes in at a budget-friendly price, yet still has the solid construction we’ve come to expect from this builder.

The Highlights

It’s called the Quad Lounger for a reason—two comfy bench seats in the bow and two more in the stern. Below all the seat bases are aluminum frames that provide a lot of room for storage. Worth noting, you’ll no longer see carpet on the sidewalls of the seat bases as Tahoe has eliminated this look across its full line of models. The non-carpeted look is much cleaner and adds value as well.

The exclusive Matrix 50 soft touch seat vinyl ties in perfectly with the fiberglass helm stand that includes a new dash console for 2015. Built in are multi-function gauges with a large steering wheel, but one of our favorite discoveries is what’s actually on the other side of the dash. To gain access to the back of your gauges and wiring, you can now easily remove the bow chaise cushion. It doesn’t get much simpler than that, which will put an end to you lying on your back and looking up at the wiring with a flashlight.

It’s always important for the captain to be comfortable so that’s why we love the tall Cadet Fixed helm chair that slides and swivels, and as an added bonus the first mate also has a comfy helm chair as well.

While most of the boat is carpeted, in the stern just outside the rear gates is a nice non-skid vinyl floor that will make cleanup extremely easy, plus it allows those entering from the water to drip dry a little before coming onboard. The four-step boarding ladder reaches 2 feet, 6 inches into the water and there are also two solid handholds for easy access.

There are plenty of options available for those who would like to add a few more bells and whistles, but as-tested this pontoon comes standard with a lot of great features.

Inspection Notes

The Deco 4 external multi-panel walls help give the exterior a distinctive feel and the sleek look includes a chrome accent piece with the rails standing a solid 26 inches tall throughout. Each corner is well-guarded with impact protection plus a 2-inch rubrail with a black rubber insert is around the perimeter, which will give you some forgiveness when you come into the docks a little too fast.

The 23-inch diameter pontoons are connected to the dock with .190 gauge hat-shaped cross members to add strength to the overall heavy-duty construction. One of the few options is the third pontoon with two lifting fins for a total of six.

Up top the three entry gates range from 22 inches wide in the stern to 26 inches on the port side. Overall the layout and design is safe and family-friendly.

Performance Evaluation

With the Suzuki 140 on the back, she jumps out of the hole quickly and at full throttle we reached speeds over 30 miles per hour. This Tahoe turns well in the corners and is a very responsive pontoon.

Our Take

What the Quad Lounge may lack in “extras” as far as features are concerned, it more than makes up for in both price and quality. For your hard-earned recreational dollar you get a lot with this Tahoe where the only thing entry-level about it may just be the price.

2015 Boat Specifications

Number of Occupants 11

Maximum Speed 32.1 mph

Wild Ponies 150 hp

No. of Gates 3

0-20 MPH 5.34 seconds

Ladder Measurement 2’ 6” deep

Why we love this boat…Simple, yet classy. There is a lot of value to this budget-friendly boat that doesn’t skimp on quality of looks.

Just being picky…Even though the seat storage area is vented, we’d like to see mesh flooring instead of carpet inside to help with potential moisture.

NOTABLE STANDARDS

Cadet fiberglass helm stand and dash panel, mechanical steering, black soft-grip steering wheel, windshield, Deco 4 external multi panel walls, flat graphic logos, gate w/ Lift-n-lay latch, courtesy helm stand light, USCG nav. lights, lifetime aluminum seat frames, flow-through ventilation, exclusive Matrix 50 soft touch seat vinyl, composite seat frame panels, integrated cup holders, diamond carpet, bimini top w/ sq. anodized aluminum frame, anodized quick release bimini mount, and transport position brackets.