Most limousines tend to look alike from a distance, but it isn't until you get a closer look that you can tell a good one from a bad one. A bad limousine? Ask anyone who has ever gotten a ride from the airport in Las Vegas in one, and they will tell you that some of them have terrible carpet, cracked seats, and contain the barest of amenities. These black 'transit buses' are for hauling mass quantities of people around and get the job done ' but with a lack of style.

Pontoon boats also look similar from a distance; they all have two or three aluminum logs, a bunch of seats, and an engine on the back. Not much difference between one and another, right? Well Bennington would beg to differ. When it began production in 1997 its lofty goal was to build the best pontoon on the market, and to accomplish this it dissected each component and looked to improve every aspect of the package. A good example of what it is trying to accomplish can be found on the 2275 RL.

Boarding the 22-foot, triple-log pontoon from the stern entry, you don't have to go far before being impressed. The first thing to catch your eye is the industrial-strength boarding ladder that features swimming-pool-grade pull-up rails. But under the helicopter-landing, pad-sized stern sunning platform, which features raised edges to prevent accidental roll-offs, is maybe the coolest feature of the boat: the privacy area. Flipping the front section of the sunpad forward and pivoting two hoops upward into place takes less than 20 seconds and creates a roomy changing area with unlimited headroom that can also accommodate an optional portable head. Underfoot on the deck is the rugged and good-looking 28-ounce Boca Raton carpeting, and overhead is the 9-foot Bimini top that has a 1.25-inch frame and quick-release fittings for convenience.

The next area your eye is drawn to is the helm station. The ultra-plush, adjustable captain's throne features a high-back design and side bolsters that embrace the pilot in comfort and have a pair of cupholders set into the arms. The silver and black racing car steering wheel is color-coordinated with the silver dash insert, and creates a sporty custom look. With the fat, three-spoke wheel tilted in the normal position, however, it obscures the gauges somewhat, but this is the only ergonomic nitpick on the entire boat. The tall smoked windshield does a good job of keeping the captain's hat in place and is easily removable for those that don't want it. The 38-inch-tall, sculpted one-piece console has plenty of dry storage and a large access door. The stereo is in the helm console and is under the captain's control, as it should be, to insure the kids don't slip in a rap CD when the skipper isn't looking. The standard unit is an AM/FM stereo, and there are sev-eral Sony CD options available, including the party-starting premium unit that is installed on the test boat.

Turning the key starts the Yamaha F150, which is Yamaha's most recent addition to its growing 4-stroke lineup. From the helm station, the Yamaha is practically inaudible and, in fact, fails to register a reading on the decibel meter, thanks to the quietude of Yamaha design and the noise-dampening effect of the sunpad that shrouds it. Shoving off from the dock on Lake Lanier near Atlanta, the Bennington 2275 RL glides out of the no-wake zone, with only the sound of parting water announcing its departure.

Once in open water, the throttle is opened up and the Yamaha uses its strong low-end torque to briskly push the 2,335-pound Bennington to 30 mph in less than six seconds, which is very impressive.' The tested 2275 is equipped with the Performance Plus Package, which uses lifting strakes to help launch it out of the hole and also includes an aluminum wave shield, which covers the cross channels under the deck that can abruptly slow the boat down like brakes if water hits the undercarriage. The package also gives you a 35-gallon fuel tank instead of the standard 26-gallon one, and includes Teleflex hydraulic steering. At a 30-mph cruise speed, it's still quiet enough, at 81 decibels, to hold a conversation without raising your voice. And according to Yamaha test results, you get nearly four miles per gallon at 4500 rpm.

For those who like to putter around and sightsee or cocktail cruise, they will be pleasantly surprised to find that at 1000 rpm, they are burning only .6 gallons per hour, which translates to about a buck an hour in fuel costs. Top speed approaches the 40-mph barrier, and even at top end, the 2275 handles well, which can be attributed to its full-length keels, preventing sliding in hard turns. And for a dry ride ' especially in a cross wind ' large deflectors direct the spray from the logs down and out. The Yamaha 150 gives pontooners the best of both worlds by delivering the reliable, quiet, economical power that 4-strokes are known for with enough punch to make the 2275 into a competent ski boat. And Bennington allows you to customize your rig with an optional ski tow that sits high above the water and even has an available wakeboard rack.

One of the nicest features on Bennington pontoons is the quality seating. The seat frames are one-piece, roto-cast molded for durability. They have high-density foam in the lumbar area and seat bottom, where you need more support, and softer foam for the upper back and thigh area, for comfort. Combined with the 30-ounce upholstery that is soft to the touch, yet resists tears and punctures, the result is a comfortable seat that is backed with a five-year warranty. The standard configuration is an L-lounge in the stern that has a large table for snacks or game playing that stows away when not needed. In the bow are two opposing chaise lounges that have angled seat backs for forward-facing reclining guests. These seat backs flip up to reveal a trashcan on the starboard side and dry storage on the other. There is an available front boarding gate filler seat that transforms the bow seats into a U-configuration. And another clever option is a giant air mattress that has an electric pump powered by the a/c outlet in the helm and deploys between the forward lounges to turn the entire bow area into a massive sunning/sleeping area. There is also an option for two captain-style bucket seats and a removable table that replaces the port lounge seat configuration.

While the stuff you can see is impressive, what you can't see is equally so. For example, the seven-ply, three-quarter-inch pressure-treated plywood deck is stainless steel bolted to 3-inch, aluminum cross channels instead of being screwed on like some others. For those who worry about wood, Bennington backs it with a lifetime warranty that includes parts and labor. No worries. Bennington uses round tubes that are, structurally speaking, nature's strongest shape, and the tubes are baffled with airtight compartments so they don't need flotation foam, which adds weight and can absorb water. H-36 aluminum is used in the construction, which is up to 25 percent harder than H-32 and use wider deck brackets that are connected to the tubes in four places rather than two for extra strength.

Pricing for the 2275 RL with the Yamaha F150 4-stroke Performance Plus Package is $31,599, which places it more toward the top of the price range than the bottom. But according to J.D. Power and Associates, Bennington buyers have had the highest customer satisfaction the last two years running. So while their owners may have paid more, they felt it was worth it. Although a lot of people may not know the Bennington name, this relatively new company is one of the fastest growing boatbuilders out there. And if the 2275 RL is a typical example of the boats it's building, you will probably hear more about Bennington in the future.