Qwest LS 822 Lanai DS Bar

July 2016 Boat Test Monday PDB Staff

This article originally appeared in our 2016 Shootout issue. If you are interested in seeing more stories like this, click HERE to subscribe.

Three Things

Smart design, high-quality construction and great added touches are the focus on this latest pontoon from Qwest.

Breakdown

It’s easy to see why it belongs in Qwest’s Luxury Series of boats. There is a high-end feel from bow to stern and for this review we will start with the fiberglass helm stand. Located in the center of the dash is a Helix 5 GPS map from Humminbird with rocker switches located on each side. Also at the helm is a Bluetooth Infinity stereo plus a 12-volt outlet and USB/Auxiliary port so you can bring your music with you. We especially like the Ram Mount media holder that can adjust to the size of your cell phone for a tight grip. Speaking of tunes, there are a total of six speakers onboard—two in the bow, two in the stern and two in the rear swim platform area—so wherever you’re at you’ll be sure to hear the sound system.

For the captain on the elevated raised platform is a tall seatback helm chair that slides, swivels and reclines and directly across is an identical one for the first mate. There is even a third helm chair located in the stern that is near the smaller-sized bar table behind the captain. The DS Bar stand is all fiberglass with bottle separators in one compartment below and a slide out cooler in the other. Just before the stern gate is a high-pressure wash down in the corner that doesn’t take up a lot of space, yet comes in very handy for easy cleanup. Outside the gate feels more like your back porch on the Lanai and Qwest refers to this as its multi-function platform. The rear-facing bench seat would be a great place to sit while your kids swim, a hangout spot at the sandbar or you could even fish back here since the area is wide open. Below the bench is basically a large dock box that is perfect for all those loose items as well as wet life jackets. Also in the stern is a three-step boarding ladder and a massive wakeboard tower that will see a lot of action with the Suzuki on the back.

In the bow are two bench seats with chaise lounges and because the seat bases are built in-house they maximize your storage space while also offering ventilation below.

Also worth noting, the entire boat has Infinity Seagrass flooring, which is not only soft on your feet but is a lot easier to clean and maintain than traditional carpet. Qwest has eliminated carpet from its entire lineup, which we expect other manufacturers to follow soon.

Inspection

The three 23-inch diameter high-polished pontoons are protected by Sharkhide and really look great on the water. The hull is part of the Generation II triple-tube package and there are lifting strakes on all three. Up top the perimeter railing is a family-friendly height of 27 inches tall throughout and from the inside the bow and stern gates there is over 15 feet of deck space.

Handling

Yes, this Qwest was able to reach the 40-mile-per-hour mark with the Suzuki 150hp four-stroke, but it was the zero-to-20 mph time of just under five seconds that surprised us the most. Qwest is known for building zippy pontoons that are fun to drive.

Final Thoughts

Maybe it was just the upgraded sound system or LED Blue Ice lighting, but there seemed to be a little hidden sporty attitude to this pontoon that we really like.

2016 Boat Specifications

Number of Occupants 13

Maximum Speed 40.7 mph

Wild Ponies 150 hp

No. of Gates 3

0-20 MPH 4.94 seconds

Ladder Measurement 2’ 7” deep

Why we love this boat… This is another one of those great all-around multi-purpose pontoon boats from Qwest that seem to gain in popularity each year.

Just being picky…While still easily accessible, the room behind the helm chair is a little tight when heading towards the stern gate.

PDB Days Reader Choice Feedback

They call it compact, but this pontoon not only offers everything we found on other boats but in some cases it has more.

NOTABLE STANDARDS

Humminbird Helix 5, Infinity PRV350, tilt steering, stainless steel cup holders, universal cell phone mount, LED courtesy light, Comfort Touch linen textured vinyl, 3 deluxe capt. Seats, DS bar w/ fiberglass top, cooler and storage, Ultra Flow seat ventilation, 67” front lounges w/ laybacks, 51” rear lounge w/ layback, rear lounge w/ pillows, rear swim platform, wood grain table, 8’ x 9’ Bimini top w/ boot, LED nav. lights.

OPTIONS ON TEST BOAT

Gen. II Triple Tube Pkg. (includes center tube, lifting strakes on all 3 tubes, hydraulic steering, aluminum underskin, ski tow bar, 25 gal. built-in fuel tank, 25” transom), Diamond Sea Grass flooring upgrade, 6 speaker stereo w/ amp upgrade, Blue Ice Pkg. (includes blue LED lighted speakers, lighted cup holders, riser trim lights, and underwater lights), LED docking lights, fiberglass helm platform, 3 high back reclining capt. seats, high-pressure raw water wash-down, throw pillows, swim-up bar, upholstered foot stool, 12 V receptacle on DS bar, bright .090” tubes w/ Sharkhide.