First Glance
Godfrey Pontoon Boats is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year by offering the first walkthrough windshield on an Aqua Patio model. If you’re curious about where the future of pontoon boats is heading, this pontoon will give you a great sneak peek.
Details
On a lot of full windshield models the layout is very symmetrical as one side seems to perfectly mirror the other. With the D Seating Exchange option you gain dual co-captain chairs in the bow, which are directly across from the more traditional bench seat. Often the captain’s chair is the most comfortable, so we really like that you can enjoy the comfort in the bow without the responsibility of actually having to drive.
And if two helm chairs weren’t enough, directly across from the actual captain’s chair is an identical first mate one that also includes a flip-up bolster. From this point moving back, the symmetrical stern floorplan includes comfortable rear-facing loungers with extra tall sides as an added safety measure. The majority of the interior uses an exclusive Lattice Slate flooring, but as you transition to the swim deck area it becomes a Graywood vinyl flooring that we really like. In the stern is a four-step S-shaped EZ Step stainless boarding ladder plus a large cage-style ski/tow bar, but it’s the sport arch that will probably get the most attention. Other than its sporty look, its best quality might be how easily it can be lowered with just one hand using the gas-assisted shocks.
With the increased popularity of touchscreens being incorporated into high-end helm consoles, we feel the flat screen centered into this specific new dash may be a look at the future. The upgraded Garmin Chartplotter/Fishfinder provides the captain with an unbelievable amount of information as well as control. It is placed between two Yamaha gauges with lighted push-button switches below that are on a dimmer switch, plus you can dial up different colors. It’s all tied in with the mood lighting, cupholders and speaker covers that offer a high-end touch.
The Polk Audio sound system with amplifiers is amazing and everywhere we looked we seemed to find more speakers. One other quick note on the helm console: we love the small lockable compartment below that perfectly hides a master power switch so you never have to worry about leaving your boat unattended.
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Closer Look
The three round 27-inch diameter UltraMax pontoons come standard with lifting strakes as well as a full aluminum underdeck skin. There are just two gates onboard and from the bow one to the stern one there is over 20 feet of usable deck space. The majority of the rails stand at a very family-friendly height of 30 inches tall with the lowest rail measuring at 24 inches.
Throttle Down
With the Sea Star hydraulic steering she easily turns sharp and slightly banks in the tight turns, and with the Yamaha 250 VMAX on the back we reached top speeds in the mid 40s. The power of the Yamaha was especially felt as we went from zero-to-20 mph in just over four seconds.
Why Buy
The year-long celebration of Godfrey Pontoon Boat’s 60 year milestone is off to a great start with this fully-loaded Aqua Patio. It’s just a great all-around pontoon with a lot of innovation and unique features that will ensure your day out on the water is a memorable one.
Elkhart, Ind.
574-522-8381
www.aquapatioboats.com
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Specifications
Number of Occupants 16
Price As Tested With Power $112.8 K
Maximum Speed 44.1 mph
Wild Ponies 250 hp
No. of Gates 2
0-20 MPH 4.27 seconds
Ladder Measurement 3’ 9” deep
Why we love this boat…It’s easy to catch the vision of what the engineers had in mind when they designed this pontoon as a great place to get comfortable and relax.
Just being picky… The dash does reflect a lot in direct sunlight at certain times during the day, but it’s nothing to be too concerned about and we still love the look of the helm.
NOTABLE STANDARDS
Woven acrylic canopy w/protective boot, playpen cover, Voltage Sensitive Relay dual battery system, drilled transom, walk-thru windshield, entire taupe vinyl deck, stainless steel ladder, LED docking lights, Simrad GO7 XSE Touchscreen, capt. chair (swivel, slide, reclining, self-leveling arms, fixed headrest) w/adjustable pedestal and base (up/down), integrated non-skid helm platform, helm station (windscreen, cooler storage, cupholders, switch panel, GPS speedometer, helm storage w/USB charging station, lockable stainless steel door), trim gauge w/engine pkg., two movable stainless steel cupholders, LED illuminated cupholder, courtesy interior lighting, Extreme Steering, power-assisted steering, GTP Triple Tube (OB, full underdeck skin, lifting strakes, inside skirting, 45-gal. fuel tank, GPS speedometer), and anodized canopy/rail frames.
OPTIONS ON TEST BOAT
Full Spectrum Color Lighting pkg. (underseat mood lights, courtesy lights, underdeck lights, underwater lights, cupholders), Sea Star hydraulic steering, Amp It Up stereo system, Lattice Slate bow/midship flooring, Stern Graywood flooring, chaise lounge insert (built-in small ice chest w/beverage, knife, and cupholder in seat back), two extra movable cupholders, D Seating Exchange (dual corner chairs), Garmin 942xs Chartplotter/Fishfinder, capt. chair upgrade, Command Link gauges, stainless steel corner castings w/LED lights and pull-up cleats, port stern stainless steel ladder, deluxe cage-style ski/tow bar, Quick Release fender locks, Lunar Gray interior, seat covers w/color-coordinated woven acrylic, sport arch w/canopy, and Ice Graphics.
VITAL STATS
LOA 26’ 8”
Beam 8’ 6”
Hull Design Three Pontoons
Dry Weight 2,667 lbs.
Fuel Capacity 23 gallons
TEST DRIVE
Engine Yamaha VF250 LA
Cylinder Type V6
Cubic-inch Displacement/Horsepower 254ci/250hp
Lower Unit Gear Ratio 1.75:1
Propeller N/A
RPM vs. SPEED vs. DB-A
650 2.8 77
1000 4.2 86
1500 6.0 88
2000 7.3 91
2500 9.4 86
3000 11.1 87
3500 16.2 90
4000 20.7 93
4500 29.3 97
5000 34.7 102
5500 39.7 104
6000 42.8 100
6100 44.1 110
PRICE
Price As Tested $112,790
(Boat and Motor)
Base Price $58,295
(Boat Only)
