PDB Shootout Berkshire

First Impression

As a Berkshire Hathaway company, Forest River Marine has continued to push the limits on what sporty and comfort should look like, and the latest Berkshire pontoon is evidence of that.

Highlights

We’re seeing different color combinations with the exterior panels in the industry right now and this black onyx with a Lagoon (blue) stripe is one of our favorites. The blue color is not only used as an accent color on the silver interior seats, but we love that the arch and ski/tow bar all tie in as well.

Inside, the furniture does more than just look and feel comfortable, it’s also functional with USB ports recessed into the benches along with cupholders.

Identical high back captain’s chairs directly across from each other ensure the captain and first mate are equally comfortable, but it’s the sporty helm dash that really catches your eye. The 7-inch Simrad touchscreen provides the driver with key information, plus there are NMEA 2k driven gauges on each side including a GPS speedometer on the right. Below you’ll find lighted toggle switches including a master power switch, which is something we always like to see. Left of the steering wheel is access to the Kicker stereo with a cell phone holder on the right. Worth noting, forward of the helm is a sink and hand pump faucet that is nicely hidden but easily accessible when you need it.

Two of the six speakers can be found on the optional arch and with the amp and subwoofer included, this Kicker system sounds amazing. The sport arch can easily be lowered too and is rated for two persons/700 pounds.

There are four chaise lounges with this layout, two in the bow and two in the stern, and with the filler bench seat either end of the boat can be converted into a U-shaped seating area. Other key features include a solid sport ski/tow bar, in-floor storage locker and a solid 4-step stainless steel boarding ladder.

Inspection

The three-pontoon setup is part of the 3.0 Performance package that includes lifting strakes and a full aluminum under skin. Forest River’s composite one-piece V-Lite performance deck is up to 50 percent lighter than marine plywood and is built to last. The rail height varies from 28 inches tall for the majority of the boat to 22 inches tall in the bow.

Performance

We had to do a double take when the zero-to-20 mph time of just over 3 seconds was first reported by our tech crew, but with the new Mercury 250 on the back we shouldn’t have been too surprised. She’s a fun boat to drive that is easy to handle and capable of making some very tight turns. And at full throttle we just missed reaching the 50 mph mark, which only added to the high fun factor rating.

Parting Thought

Coming in as tested around $100K, the price tag is not for every budget, but there is a lot of added value found on this Berkshire that we really love. If you’re able to make the investment this well-built pontoon with solid craftsmanship is a great model to consider as you’re shopping the boat shows this season.

Middlebury, Ind.
574-825-8696
www.berkshirepontoon.com

SPECIFICATIONS
Number of Occupants: 13                   
Price As Tested With Power: $101.9 K
Maximum Speed: 47.5 mph                   
Wild Ponies: 250 hp
No. of Gates: 3
0-20 MPH: 3.24 seconds 
Ladder Measurement: 3’ 8” deep

Why we love this boat…The sporty look is backed by the performance and the high-end amenities and thoughtful features help make it a great all-around pontoon.

Just being picky…The only thing missing on the beautiful helm console is a lockable glove box for the driver to keep smaller items like keys or a wallet. 

NOTABLE STANDARDS

One piece V-Lite performance deck/bow reinforcement bumper, Radius deck, rub rail and aluminum corner pads, exterior “D” rail design, aluminum-framed low back helm chair, black soft grip steering wheel w/tilt cable steering, Simrad color GPS, USB charging port, Kicker KMC 10 stereo w/4 speakers, LED docking lights, oval-shaped table, extended stern platform w/ telescoping ladder, ss ski/tow bar, Surlast 10-foot Bimini, Surlast playpen cover, 27-gal. fuel tank and lighted cupholders.

OPTIONS ON TEST BOAT

Super Sport trim pkg., 3.0 Performance Pkg., Silver RFX, stern fiberglass corners, high back captain’s chair w/bolster, Sport ski/tow bar, silver helm, rail stripe package, black rub rail, power assist steering pump, LED under-deck lights, exterior rail lights, reinforced splash fins, in-floor storage, removable bow bench, SS trim pkg. w/grey bases, 2 can speakers w/amp and sub woofer, USB ports and Mercury pre-rigged.

VITAL STATS
LOA: 24’ 5”             
Beam: 8’ 6”
Hull Design: Three Pontoons
Dry Weight: 2,450 lbs
Fuel Capacity: 37 gallons

TEST DRIVE
Engine: Mercury 250L DTS
Cylinder Type: V8
Cubic-inch Displacement/Horsepower: 279ci/250hp
Lower Unit Gear Ratio: 1.75:1
Propeller: 14.8 X 16 Enertia

RPM     vs.      SPEED     vs.    DB-A
800                  2.3                     67
1000                2.5                     78.5
1500                5.8                     83
2000                8.5                     83
2500                12.5                   85.5
3000                16.3                   86.5
3500                19.7                   91
4000                23.0                   91
4500                28                      100.5
5000                31.2                  104
5500                41.7                  106
6000                44.6                   109
6200                47.5                  112

PRICE
Price As Tested (Boat and Motor): $101,953

This article originally appeared in our 2019 Shootout issue. If you are interested in seeing more boat tests like this, click HERE to subscribe.