Our First Impression
These South Bay pontoons from Forest River
marine are quickly becoming known as the boats with the most high-end features
per square inch. From the high quality materials used to the well-thought out
floorplans, the bar keeps being set higher and higher as to what you can expect
to find on a luxury pontoon.
Consumer Test
The styling all begins with the exterior of the boat that
includes black panels and the artistic D-rail system to help give the boat a
distinctive look. But it's when you come inside that you begin to appreciate
all that this `toon has to offer.
In the stern, realistically it's the rear-facing lounge
chairs that are going to draw the most attention. With the soft-touch vinyl,
these lounges just beg you to come try them out. Complete with pop-up arm rests
and unique storage below, these will be the most sought-after seats onboard. There
are also two chaise lounges in the bow, including the portside one that has a
built-in pop-up changing room inside. At under five feet tall it's not huge,
but we like that it doesn't take up a lot of space.
Just outside the stern gate is a large vinyl swimdeck that
includes glow strips on the four-step stainless ladder, plus a large ski/tow
bar. The best part about these swimdeck features is that they're all part of
the standard package.
High quality amenities can be found throughout the boat, and
this includes the very posh 30-ounce Sand Dollar Berber carpet as well as Sand
Dollar soft-touch interior. These are options, but they really make a
difference if you're looking for that top-of-the-line look and feel.
At the fiberglass helm station is where the long list of
standard features begin, including the Humminbird 363i GPS/Fish Finder, Clarion
stereo with MP3 and iPod auxiliary ports and full instrumentation. This is a
very attractive-looking console and the only thing that appears to be missing
is a glove box for the captain.
We love the fully adjustable helm seat that is as
comfortable and posh as the rest of the boat, and just behind the seat is a
trash receptacle that is built into the back of the rear lounger.
Inspection Test
With the Trifecta Performance package you get three 25-inch
diameter pontoons with lifting strakes on the insides of the two outside
pontoons and on both sides of the center tube. The pressurized pontoons are
chambered with a keel, and the weld quality is excellent. The C-channel
cross-members are bolted to the plywood deck and are on 16-inch centers, and
there is a full-length splash skin to help improve the performance.
Inside the boat we found no dangerous or sharp edges, plus
all the hidden areas are well-finished. This is a nicely constructed boat with
excellent hardware and exceptional fit and finish work.
Performance Test
With the new Yamaha 200 SHO engine we were able to reach
speeds over the 45-mile-per-hour mark at full throttle, but it's the handling
and the way this Trifecta hull corners that impressed us the most. She jumps
out of the hole quickly, is very responsive and banks beautifully in the sharp
turns. With the power-assist steering you can easily control the boat with one
hand, creating a very fun boat to drive.
Who Should Buy It
Rated for up to 12 people, there are a lot of potential
buyers who need to take a closer look at this South Bay.
And it's not just about being a great performing boat either; the high-end
amenities, layout and just the luxury feel of this 22-footer is truly inviting.
This manufacturer makes building attractive boats look easy.
Number of Occupants 12
Price As Tested With Power $49.1K
Maximum Speed: 46.2
mph
Wild Ponies: 200hp
No. of Gates 3
0-20 MPH 4.6
seconds
Ladder Measurement: 3'
deep
Why we love this boat.From the
color scheme to the layout that includes two rear lounges that are begging to
be sat in, there are plenty of great features onboard this attractive South Bay.
Just being picky.Even though we love the look of the layout
for the helm console we feel it could use a glove box for the driver as well as
an in-floor ski locker to really complete this package. (A ski locker is
available as an option)
NOTABLE STANDARDS
Deluxe fiberglass helm w/raised circuit board dash and
switch panel, Clarion waterproof AM/FM/MP3/iPod stereo w/4 speakers, Humminbird
GPS, speedometer and fish/depth sounder, tachometer, voltmeter, hour meter,
changing room, extended stern platform and a fiberglass table w/stainless steel
base.
OPTIONS ON TEST BOAT
Sand Dollar soft-touch interior, stainless-steel rail
braces, stainless-steel corners, Regal burl dash and steering wheel, stainless
steel cup holders (two portable), stainless steel gas fill, LED floor courtesy
lights, 30-ounce Sand Dollar Berber carpet and tilt-out trash receptacle.
VITAL STATS
LOA 22' 10"
Beam 8'
6"
Hull Design Trifecta Hull
Dry Weight 2,540 lbs.
Fuel Capacity 54
Gallons
TEST DRIVE
Engine Yamaha
VF200LA
Cylinder Type V6
Cubic-inch Displacement/Horsepower 204.6ci/200hp
Lower Unit Gear Ratio 1.75:1
Propeller 14 1/4 X 17 Reliance
RPM vs. SPEED
vs. D-A
600 2.8 mph 73
1000 4.5
mph 76
1500 6.6
mph 82
2000 7.5
mph 84.5
2500 9.6
mph 85.5
3000 14.1
mph 87
3500 19.3
mph 93
4000 24.4
mph 94.5
4500 30.6
mph 101.5
5000 36.5
mph 105
5500 43.3
mph 106.5
6000 46.2
mph 107.5
Middlebury, Ind.
Phone: 574-825-8696
Website: www.southbaypontoon.com
