If it's too good to be true, then it probably is, right? You've no
doubt witnessed that theory in action when it comes to your boating wants. You frequently scan the
newspaper classifieds and websites, and even stroll the local dealership lot for a boat with just
the right combination of features at just the right price.
And it's usually a difficult campaign, because your desires are hard to match up with the
price tag. You want a boat you can ski, tube and wakeboard with, but also do a little fishing
without feeling out of place, which means the high-priced ski boat at the dealership won't work.
You're interested in the bargain runabout in the paper, but with the wimpy engine behind it and the
repairs it would take to bring it into shape, it's not worth it.
And then you see a blurb about Voyager's new Express 19-foot Ski-Toon. It's enough to perk
your interest, so you slate a trip down to Lake Lanier, Georgia, for a test run. And when you're
through inspecting the performance pontoon from top to bottom, specs to prices, engine options to
watersports packages, you think maybe, just maybe, you've found an exception to the rule.
If nothing else, the thought of a performance pontoon boat slicing through the waves with
the personality of a runabout is enough to get you out on the water. Just the thought of hitting
the 40-mph plateau in a pontoon boggles your mind, but with the latest innovations in technology,
pontoon boats have turned into regular speedsters, some going an insanely 60 mph and above!
But you'd settle for something in the 30- to 40-mph range. Speeds in this range are
generally only reached with a triple-tube boat. With two pontoons, the average party barge can do a
little dance in the 20-mph range. That'll get you a workable wake for 'boarding and tubing, but it
won't entertain the whims of skiers. It's a tad difficult to get the two pontoons out of the water
because of the hydrodynamic design, and the faster you go the more likely it'll tip from side to
side. But with a triple pontoon, you're able to increase stability and pack on a heavier engine for
faster speeds, thus turning your ordinary pontoon boat into a rig with serious skiing potential.
The Express Ski-Toon has the triple-tube design and the much-needed lifting strakes, which
cut down on the drag in the water for faster speeds. And because the triple-tubes and lifting
strakes can handle the increase in performance, the measure calls for an upgrade in engines. You
know this boat means business when you see the 115-hp Mercury 4-stroke strapped to the back, just
begging for a little throttle once you get it off the trailer and into the water.
Unfortunately, the dicey conditions on Lake Lanier won't allow for you to floor it, not with
the whitecaps and wind blowing from the shaky spring weather. It's not exactly ideal skiing weather
either, unless you like to jump into ice holes like the polar bear clubs up in Alaska in the dead
of winter. But even in the unfavorable chop, you're able to hit 36 mph with the 115-hp Mercury
4-stroke EFI. That's more than enough to meet your watersports needs, and a little faster than what
you can usually expect from a larger pontoon.
Voyager's tests churned 40.2 mph out of the same engine in better conditions with one person
on board at 5700 rpm. A 90-hp Mercury 2-stroke, the base engine for the Express Ski-Toon, notched
34.1 mph, according to Voyager. And the max 135-hp Mercury Optimax pushed the Ski-Toon to 44.6 mph
with a 17-pitch stainless-steel prop, lifting strakes and one passenger.
Even in the bumpy water, you're able to get a feel for the Express Ski-Toon's performance.
Compared to typical pontoons, it handles the nasty chop with brute force, punching through the
waves instead of taking the punishment. While casual pontoons may sway back and forth from windy
conditions and make it darn near impossible to get a good read when docking, the Express Ski-Toon
can handle things a little better, partly because its 19-foot-6-inch frame isn't much of a target
to the elements.
Skiing and watersports are accessible through the rear-entry door and standard swim ladder.
It's a nice touch because not all pontoons afford you the luxury of exiting the stern in proper
style. But with that in mind, it's somewhat puzzling to see one of the key components in the
checklist for watersports necessities on the options list for the Express Ski-Toon ' the
stainless-steel ski tow, a $297 investment.
Even so, it's not like you'd really want to strap on a pair of skis in these conditions.
Today is a day to test out the comforts of the Express Ski-Toon and not the throttle, so you get to
the hard work of lounging around.
When you think of a traditional pontoon, you think of plush seating, lazy days at the dock
and slow cruises on your favorite stretches of water. You can certainly have that with the Express
Ski-Toon. The seating options are designed to handle a max load of 11. The L-Shaped seating in the
cockpit is spacious for a handful of guests, yet far enough away from the helm that you won't be
tripping over someone's foot in cockpit traffic jams. The chaise lounge provides a convenient and
relaxing sunbathing option while still keeping a decent conversation going with the captain. The
hardcore tanners get an entire rear sunshelf. At the bow, dual forward bucket seats give potential
anglers some space to cast, while a removable refreshment table can accommodate them or the sun
loungers back in the cockpit.
Storage options are available underneath the lounge and starboard bench seat. All of the
compartments pull out easily with a strap. If you're serious about skiing on this rig, a $276
investment for the ski rack will go a long way.
The digs aren't luxurious, but that's not the point of the Express Ski-Toon. The hook on
this rig isn't just the standard features and engine options. What's missing from the Express
Ski-Toon is just as important ' at least when you look at the price tag. Voyager wants to get you
in a high-performance pontoon boat and out on the water for far less than $20,000. That's a good
deal less than some of the high-priced triple-toon whoppers out there, and a bona-fide bargain for
the family boater who doesn't want to break the bank on a little cutting edge in boating.
Is a high-performance pontoon that costs less than $20,000 too good to be true? Maybe. But
it's out there for the taking.