This article originally appeared in our 2014 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
With the plush rear-facing lounges in the stern, you might not ever want to drive again. Let someone else take the controls for a change; this is where you’ll want to be on this “take a nap” boat. However, despite how much we love these loungers, there is a lot more to this pontoon that helps make it attractive to buyers.
The Highlights
Rated for up to 15 passengers, there really isn’t a bad seat onboard. In the bow there are two long bench seats with an angled chaise back, but this is only the beginning. Across from the helm is an impressive reclining forward-facing lounge and in the back there are two other identical ones that face out. Each lounge includes great unique storage areas, plus multiple cup holders which make these seats by far the most popular onboard. With the tall armrests and the overall design, we can’t say enough good things about these lounges that beg to be used.
For this year the one-piece fiberglass helm console has been redesigned so the driver has complete access to all of the controls. The two multi-function gauges are easy to see and there is even a 12-volt above the optional Bluetooth Sony stereo. Plus there is even more leg and knee room compared to previous models with this new console that includes the optional raised platform.
Other key options worth noting include the graphics package that gives the exterior a two-tone look with an aggressive flow as well as the large in-floor ski locker. With this additional space in the locker, there are plenty of great places to store all of your gear on this 25-footer.
Inspection Notes
The three 25-inch diameter pontoons are the base of this pontoon that include lifting strakes for better handling, plus a full-length underdeck aluminum skin. There is nearly 21 feet of usable space inside the gates, but if we had to be picky we’d like to see a little more room outside the stern gate. As is there’s just enough room when using the boarding ladder to towel off on the vinyl deck before coming in, but a couple more feet might make boarding a little better.
After a closer inspection, with the tall railing and overall design, this boat earned high marks for being family-friendly and safe, especially for smaller children. There is great craftsmanship throughout the boat and we have no fit and finish issues to report. We consider this to be a well-built pontoon that includes everything you’ll need as-tested.
Performance Evaluation
It’s an option, but the ski/tow bar will see plenty of good use with the Yamaha 115hp outboard on the back. We nearly hit the 30 mile per hour mark at full throttle, but it was the way this three-logged pontoon handled with the Sea Star hydraulic steering that impressed us the most. Built to be a great cruising pontoon, we feel this Yamaha is a great match for this Sweetwater.
Our Take
There are plenty of comfortable seats onboard and because of all the comfort this Sweetwater has to offer, no one will want to be left behind on the dock. All pontoons are spacious, but there just seems to be a lot of extra room inside the gates that you can only truly appreciate when you’re out with a full crew for the day.
From the newly designed helm to the posh seating, there’s a lot to love on this Premium Edition from Sweetwater.
Number of Occupants 15
Maximum Speed 28.8 mph
Wild Ponies 115hp
No. of Gates 3
0-20 MPH 6.8 seconds
Ladder Measurement 3’ 9” deep
Why we love this boat…The three loungers onboard, especially the two rear-facing ones in the stern, are over-the-top ridiculous with comfort.
Just being picky…We love all of the space inside the gates, but we’d like to see a couple more feet outside the stern gate to make boarding from the water a little easier.
NOTABLE STANDARDS
Canopy, playpen cover, 25” pontoons, Beige carpet, vinyl decking in stern, Sony CDXM-20 stereo w/ MP3 input, 4 speakers w/ SS covers, Easy Climb ladder, LED docking lights, full instrumentation, tilt wheel and courtesy lighting.
OPTIONS ON TEST BOAT
Graphics, movable cup holders, Triple Tube pkg, hour meter, elevated helm platform, underseat lighting, ski locker, underwater LED lighting, ski/tow bar and Sea Star hydraulic steering.
VITAL STATS
LOA 25’ 8”
Beam 8’ 6”
Hull Design Three Pontoons
Dry Weight 2220 lbs.
Fuel Capacity 21 gallons
TEST DRIVE
Engine Yamaha F115 LA
Cylinder Type In-line 4
Cubic-inch Displacement/Horsepower 106.2ci/115hp
Lower Unit Gear Ratio 2.15:1
Propeller 13 1/2 X 15
RPM vs. SPEED vs. DB-A
850 2.5 75
1000 2.8 72.5
1500 3.8 77
2000 5.7 86.5
2500 7.5 86.5
3000 9.5 84.5
3500 12.8 88.5
4000 17.6 97
4500 20.4 95
5000 22.6 97
5500 25.3 99.5
6000 28.8 100.5
Elkhart, Ind.
574-522-8381
sweetwaterboats.com
