The young man attending the gas dock in Frankfort, Michigan, seemed befuddled.

“So you just crossed Lake Michigan on a pontoon boat,” he said. “Why would you do that?”

I thought about this for a ­moment and just shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess because it’s a nice day.”

The kid slipped the nozzle into our fuel fill and switched on the pump. He stood back and looked us over some more: three guys on the far side of middle age and a 22-foot pontoon.

“So now what are you going to do?” he asked.

“I don’t know,” I replied. “I guess gas up and go back to ­Wisconsin. It’s still a nice day.”

This little adventure was a goofy idea. Quite literally. The instigator was our friend Malcolm “Goofy” Sohm, a pontoonist of the highest order, who invited us to join him on this over-and-back. The voyage was a reprise of the same crossing Goofy made in 1999. Twenty-five years ago, Sohm crossed the pond as a ­publicity stunt to promote his recently patented invention, the T.A.P. Fin System, the first lifting device devised to improve pontoon performance. That trip made for a great story but not much publicity. This time, Sohm made sure to invite a couple of magazine writers to share the tale.

The Accidental Pontoonist

The story of Goofy Sohm and the T.A.P. Fin has appeared on these pages in the past, in abbreviated fashion. This time I’ll include all the details and tell a tale of one man’s inquisitive mind and unrelenting determination in pursuit of a goal that has, so far, been elusive.

Sohm, who is about to turn 70 years old, grew up in ­Oshkosh, Wisconsin, where his father owned a filling station and was an avid boater.

“My early childhood was like a chapter out of Huck Finn,” Sohm says. “We had a paddle-wheel houseboat. It was 42 feet long and 16 feet wide, with a wood hull we had to caulk up each spring. We used that boat to roam all over the Winnebago basin. It would take us two days to run 20 miles from Oshkosh up the Fox River to Eureka. But what a grand time! Fishing and swimming and ­sleeping on the roof with the stars overhead.”

Sohm earned his nickname in high school. On a dare, he rode his minibike one lap around the main hallway of Oshkosh West High School but crashed on the slick terrazzo right in front of the principal’s office. “What a goofy thing to do!” Mr. Rahn said as Sohm lay on the floor. There you go. Sohm embraced his moniker, which ­perfectly fits his personality.

Fast-forward a few decades. Sohm lost his fiberglass speedboat in a divorce. After he later married Terry Reiter, in 1989, the couple lived south of Oshkosh, across the road from Lake Winnebago, where Goofy had a one-man auto-body repair business. “After the divorce, all I could afford was a 21-foot Crest pontoon with a 25-horse Evinrude,” Sohm said. “I could not keep up with my buddies. I kept putting a bigger outboard on that pontoon, but my best friend had a 34 Scarab. When Lake Winnebago got rough, I was miserable.”

Sohm started wondering if there was a better way to improve the performance of his pontoon. One day, he had Terry drive while he lay on the forward deck, his head hanging over so that he could look ­below the boat.

“All this water was just flying up off the tubes and hitting the underside of the deck,” Sohm said, “and I thought, What a waste of energy. What if I could redirect that force? This was also after a pontoon with a 15 hp motor got caught in a thunderstorm on Lake Winnebago, and six people drowned. They couldn’t get off the lake fast enough when the storm popped up.”

Tapping Into Performance

In a move that now seems prescient, Sohm in 1996 commissioned the construction of a custom pontoon. Twenty-six feet long and supported by a pair of 26-inch-diameter tubes, the boat was bigger than any production pontoon on the market at the time. The tubes were formed in two pieces by a local sheet-metal shop and welded together lengthwise. That seam also incorporated wide inner and outer flanges.

“It seemed obvious that I could use fins to capture the force of the water coming off the tubes,” Sohm said. “The tubes came with the strip of aluminum sticking straight out on both sides, and I welded two Vise-Grips together so that I could bend 6 inches at a time and just work my way down the tube. I started with a 45-degree lip, and then tried 90 degrees, and then more than 90 degrees. The 90-degree bend worked the best. I had no education and no money, but I had an invention.”

Sohm finished the deck ­himself using off-the-shelf pontoon furniture bolted onto a 200 hp Mercury outboard, and in 1998, he took his ­prototype to the Pontoon and Deck Boat magazine shootout on Lake Dora, Florida.

“My goal was to demonstrate the concept and sell it to Smoker or Bennington,” Sohms said. “But the performance was disappointing. The boat ran only 31 mph. So I called my buddy John Litjens, who ran the Mercury Lake X test facility at the time, and he told me to bring the boat over.”

Litjens set up Sohm with a new four-blade prop that brought the boat to life. It now accelerated briskly and ran 37 mph—Goofy got ­dialed in at Lake X.

Sohm returned to the pontoon shootout in 1999 with a new boat fitted with a clear plastic window in the deck so that passengers could see his invention, now called T.A.P. Fin System by Conrad Marine Inc., at work with the boat underway. Sohm also invested $150,000 to get the invention patented. A boat equipped with T.A.P. fins rode higher in the water and offered a smoother ride, improved economy, and higher top speed. The fins also helped the boat carve through turns rather than skidding in typical pontoon fashion. According to Sohm, boatbuilder Godfrey thought his was a brilliant solution. So they copied it. Sohm sued, and in a ­settlement reached in 2003, Godfrey agreed to pay a ­royalty for each set of T.A.P.-like fins it ­installed. ­After Godfrey became part of ­Nautic Global Group in 2005, that deal ended. Pontoon manufacturers began placing lifting strakes on the bottom of pontoon tubes, and then on the sides. Sohm says that these devices improve performance, but the patented feature of the T.A.P. system is the 90-degree bend, which he says simply ­performs better than any other solution.

Anxious to turn his invention into a profitable business, Sohm began selling T.A.P. fins in kit form, to be welded to a customer’s boat. He continued to pitch his invention to pontoon builders, hoping to either license or sell the patent outright. Time after time, Sohm says he ran into a “not invented here” attitude.

“The engineers at these ­companies don’t want to admit that a device created by a guy from ­Oshkosh named Goofy, with no ­degree, works better than what they’ve got,” Sohm said. “Or they just don’t see the value. What they have is good enough.”

Sohm decided that he needed some publicity to help promote his business, and one evening came up with the beer-fueled notion of crossing Lake Michigan, the biggest handy body of water.

“Sturgeon Bay to Frankfort is 87 miles, the shortest distance across the lake,” Sohm said. “My big boat had a 200 Mercury and a 24-gallon fuel tank. We added another 32-gallon tank on the deck, but I still had to carry 36 more gallons in plastic jugs. That motor was a guzzler.”

His boat had no GPS and not even a compass, so he enlisted his speedboat buddy Terry Kaiser to lead the way in a 34 Formula.

“Those guys were out all night and sick over the rail, and got us off course,” Sohm said. “We missed Frankfort by 20 miles, and I almost ran out of gas, but we made it over and back. I took a few waves over the bow, so it was just a little sketchy.”

Sohm says that at the time, the media wouldn’t write about his ­accomplishment because it seemed so risky, they feared being held ­liable if readers attempted to repeat the feat and died trying. So much for publicity.

Crossing the Lake

Flash-forward 25 years, and Sohm is still pitching his patent and still selling his kits at boat shows—thousands of pontoons are running with owner-installed T.A.P. fins. He and Terry moved to North Carolina in 2003 to be closer to her family, and he works as a gofer at Long Island Marina in ­Catawba, North Carolina. Summer 2024 saw the confluence of the Oshkosh ToonFest poker run, the 50th anniversary reunion of the Oshkosh West class of 1974, and the 25th anniversary of the original pontoon crossing. What a weekend. Sohm insisted that Pontoon and Deck Boat editor Brady Kay and I join him on the anniversary crossing. Sohm towed up from North Carolina his personal 22-foot Bentley triple-tube pontoon, powered by a fuel-sipping Mercury FourStroke 250 and equipped with a compass and a GPS. For a chase/photo boat, I enlisted ace technician Dan ­Jansen to join us in Cheap and Easy, his 1983 Cruisers 220 Baron. We equipped ourselves with water, some snacks, handheld VHF radios, a spare prop, fuel filters and some tools.

The weather on July 15, our planned day of crossing, looked grim—thunderstorms and big seas—but a massive high-pressure dome was cruising in from Canada and would give us promising conditions the next day. We motored out of the Sturgeon Bay ship canal on July 16 under clear skies. Once we were a few miles out, we settled in, cruising at 20 mph. Seas were 3 to 4 feet and confused, with a chop on the top and wind from the northeast. The farther east we went, the rougher it got; we were catching the back side of the previous day’s weather. As high pressure approached, the wind shifted to the north, so we were rolling in a beam sea, with the tops of waves appearing higher than the pontoon rails. With triple-tube buoyancy and the T.A.P. fins, we stayed on top of the water, and while we smacked down hard a few times, we stayed dry and in control. For the last 20 miles, we reduced our speed to about 15 mph, but we were still outpacing the Cruisers. When I looked back, I could see mostly the bottom of the runabout as it bucked through the waves. Dan brought two curious buddies along; they and photographer Tom King took a beating.

The shoreline bluffs and Frankfort light appeared on the ­horizon about four hours after our ­departure, and we motored past the breakwater and into Betsie Lake. At the gas dock, we pumped 25 gallons into the pontoon and 31 into the Cruisers. The pontoon got about 3.5 mpg. Consider that in 1999 it took almost 90 gallons to make the same distance plus 20 off-course miles. Our fuel economy was about three times better in 2024. And the ride was much less dramatic, thanks mostly to that third tube under the boat. For an adventure ride like this one, that third tube is a game-changer and, along with the advent of force-­capturing devices like T.A.P. fins, might be the most significant ­advance in pontoon evolution over the past 25 years.

Our original plan was to grab some brunch after we arrived on the west coast of Michigan, then head back. There was no brunch at Jacobson Marina, however, and we didn’t want to walk into town, so we settled for a few bags of chips. And then we shoved off on a due-west course back to ­America’s Dairyland. By now the lake had ­really laid down, and we were cruising along at 25 mph.

Read Next: Top Gear for Boating Adventures

Lake Michigan is a big expanse of water, but I was still surprised that during the entire trip, we spotted just two other boats—a very high-masted sailboat and a lake freighter—both far off in the distance. At one point on the return, in the middle of the lake, we stopped and shut off the outboard. The sky was perfectly clear, and the lake was a deep cobalt blue. For 360 degrees around us, there was ­nothing to see but blue sky and blue water. It was beautiful and also just a little unsettling for someone who is rarely out of sight of land. I realized for the first time that if something went wrong, we were truly alone—no radio contact with our little handhelds, no other boats around, no cell service. The piece of gear we didn’t have was a tracker, satellite messenger or a satellite phone. We did have our float plan logged with Terry waiting back in Sturgeon Bay, and we had checked in from Michigan. We were well-stocked with food, and if we ran out of water, well, you could drink Lake Michigan.

The return run took just three hours. I wish I had more drama to share, but in the end, this was just a long ride on a pontoon. Funny that since then, when I tell people that I crossed the lake on a pontoon, the response is universal: What a goofy thing to do! Exactly.

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Helios is a newcomer to the pontoon market, but the boatbuilder has done its homework well, providing a new option in performance pontoon boating with its GT-R 23, a 23-foot pontoon. Ours was powered with a 300 hp Mercury outboard.

The ride was noteworthy, and a careful examination of the tubes explains why. Lifting strakes are positioned at both sides on the bottom of the inside tubes and only the inside of the outside tubes. A final tweak to the performance package is having outside strakes that sweep down from the top of the tube nose cones and lie along the outside of the tubes, 3 or 4 inches above the bottom. The arrangement results in exciting performance characteristics. The inside strakes produce the lift that pontoons need to plane, but the outside strakes are positioned to deflect spray and add lift on the hole shot. After the pontoon is on plane, the strakes are still deflecting spray but are high enough to allow the inside tube to heel in a turn. It’s a unique design, and the handling it provides is a noticeable improvement in pontoons.

Topside, the pontoon delivers a stylish look with rounded aluminum corner modules finished in high-gloss metallic paint. They join black powder-coated gates and rails with side panels. The design is sturdy and the rails are solid, preventing the oil-can-style drumming that some pontoons experience.

The helm station adds to the performance look and feel with a well-placed steering wheel, throttle, and a comfortable reclining helm seat. Our test boat was equipped with a tow pylon rugged enough to be certified for pulling tubes—something wakeboard towers and pylons can’t safely do. In addition, there is special aft seating that converts from fore- and aft-facing back-to-back couches to forward-facing or aft-facing sun lounges. To escape the sun, the Bimini top can be raised electrically and conveniently.

The GT-R 23 provides a unique style, top-of-the-line handling and comfort that pontoon owners demand.

High Points

• Fusion audio controller with Boston Acoustics audio makes a rocking sound system.
• Touchscreen panel displays engine data and switching and color for LED lighting.
• Unique styling comes from contoured aluminum corner pods joined to black powder-coated fences and side panels.

How We Tested

• Engine: Mercury Verado 300 hp
• Drive/Prop: Outboard/Mercury Enertia 18” pitch x 14.3” 3-blade stainless steel
• Gear Ratio: 1.85:1
• Fuel Load: 50 gal.
• Water on Board: 0 gal.
• Crew Weight: 450 lb.

Pricing and Specs

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It seems that the innovative Manitou MAX Deck design, which places an expansive rear deck over a low-profile Rotax S outboard engine, is a success—Manitou says 2024 MAX Deck models out-sold boats without it. For 2025, ­Manitou makes the MAX Deck, previously only offered with triple-tube V-Toon models, more attainable with the introduction of twin-tube Cruise models, like the twin-tube Cruise MAX 22 Switchback we tested. It has a base price of $60,772, or $7,000 less than the V-Toon version.

Twin-tube Cruise models will ­appeal to customers more focused on relaxed cruising on smaller lakes than on peak performance in big water. The twin-tube models are equipped with forward splash guards but do not have lifting strakes, and of course, there’s no provision for center stowage. In all other regards, the twin-tube Cruise MAX offers the same features as a V-Toon model. That aft deck offers 38 square feet of flat space for lounging, toting bulky gear like a tube or small kayak, or securing an accessory cooler or cargo box to LinQ integrated ­attachment points. 

The interior design is crisp and ­modern. Our Switchback version offers pivoting backrests port and starboard aft, which permit lounging while facing that MAX Deck, plus a pivoting backrest to port amidships, facing a console. All instrumentation is presented on a 7-inch Garmin multifunction display at the helm. Lightweight sheet aluminum siding can be removed easily for rigging service or to replace a damaged panel. Our test boat featured the optional Signature Package ($2,105), which includes a second house battery, a privacy station in the console, a low-back helm seat with a flip-up bolster, and LED docking and ­courtesy lighting.

The 150 hp Rotax S outboard has a 1.9-liter two-stroke powerhead with E-Tec direct injection, oriented horizontally and enclosed in a watertight case so that it fits below deck level. When tilted clear of the water, it raises a hinged center section of the MAX Deck. 

We noted a top speed of 28.8 mph, or about 7 mph slower than a V-Toon model. The twin-tube Cruise ­corners flat with predictable handling.

High Points

• MAX Deck offers a patiolike space and great water access.
• Transcore composite deck doesn’t absorb moisture and is made from recycled materials.
• Aluminum side panels with integrated lighting look sleek.

How We Tested

• Engine: Rotax S150 outboard
• Drive/Prop: Outboard/BRP Rogue 13.5″ x 17″ 4-blade stainless steel
• Gear Ratio: 2.08:1 Fuel Load: 24 gal. Crew Weight: 380 lb.

Pricing and Specs

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The 25QFBA is a top-line Bennington model with the designer-style Bennington exterior and interior flash. With Yamaha’s 350 hp outboard, the loaded price is a shade over $227,000, making this a statement, but also an investment in family fun.

With the 350, the big 28-foot hull zips to 30 mph in 7.6 seconds and hits 48 mph. Using 90 percent of the optional ­116-gallon fuel tank, range is a whopping 371-plus miles at 15.3 mph and 2,500 rpm­­—that’s 3.6 mpg and 4.3 gph. The 25-inch-diameter pontoons and Wave Tame undershield provide plenty of lift, especially over big-lake chop and crossing boat wakes, which it does with ease.

The Q makes a big impression on approach: The sloped, contoured fiberglass enclosure states clearly that this is a refined craft. The Fastback design goes well with the electrically operated fiberglass power arch, which houses a standard ­folding Bimini top.

Inside, the cool-touch Phantom Black pillow-top furniture is accented with ­Carbon diamond-stitched embroidery and piping, giving a rich but subdued look. Shoreline Grey vinyl flooring is new for 2025, as is an optional forward-located in-floor anchor locker with a cleat for easy tie-offs.

Seating is traditional facing loungers in the bow, with the same in the stern—just with slightly shorter benches. The furniture is contoured to create more room yet provide an ample area for seating and lounging. The seat bases feature recessed toe kicks, with drainage channels to wick ­water away from the storage ­compartments.

The molded windscreen keeps the ­pilot protected. The raised driver’s console provides all the information ever needed about the boat’s systems and the outboard, with flush-mounted 12-inch and 7-inch Vivid touchscreens and an optional 9-inch Garmin graph all in-dash, similar to a built-in head-up display. A Rockford Fosgate sound system is standard. Tilt hydraulic power steering controls the big Yamaha outboard. Aft, an extended deck with a standard LilliPad folding stainless-steel boarding ladder and an optional ski tow dominate the stern.

High Points

• New one-piece fiberglass console gives a sleek look.
• Sloped fiberglass surround looks just fine.
• Aft deck is now 5 inches longer. 
• Includes 12-inch and 7-inch Vivid touchscreens and an optional 9-inch Garmin graph at the helm.

How We Tested

• Engine: Yamaha 350 hp four-stroke outboard
• Drive/Prop: Outboard/Yamaha Saltwater Series II 15.5″ x 17″ 3-blade stainless steel
• Gear Ratio: 1.75:1 Fuel Load: 64 gal. Crew Weight: 400 lb.

Pricing and Specs

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Bennington’s 25 RX Sport cut a dashing figure at the dock, but it’s the boat’s performance that had tongues wagging from those who took their turn at the wheel. Yes, speed impressed. Slam the throttle down and the 25 RX reaches 30 mph in 6.6 seconds before topping out at 47 mph. It’s the boat’s top-shelf handling, however, that left a lasting impression. Crank the wheel at speed and the RX banks into turns with an intuitive lean and never loses its bite. Credit the latter to Bennington’s ESP Performance Package. It pairs 25-inch outer pontoons with a 32-inch elliptical center tube to rival the handling of a V-hull. 

This Bennington also looks as good as it rides. While the RX Sport retains a pontoon’s traditional aluminum exterior, the packaging is sexy-sleek. Smooth panels clad much of the perimeter’s lower half, producing a near-seamless finish. Above, interior cladding offers a swooping accent stripe, producing a three-dimensional recess that curves downward from the bow to the aft deck. Paired in a metallic gold and white on our test boat, the combination created a masculine yet elegant aesthetic on the exterior and a decidedly upscale vibe to interior accommodations. Bennington’s winged logo, inset LED nav and docking lights, and a stainless-mesh combo at the wall’s trailing edge complete the picture.

Bennington’s Fastback layout finishes off the back half of the boat with parallel lounges featuring angled, aft-facing seatbacks, bolstered thigh support, and hinged cushions to access roto-molded storage below. The optional gate filler cushion ­completes a large, U-shaped lounge. 

A near-identical approach is found at the bow. Amidships, twin captain’s chairs await both port side and atop the 4-inch raised driving platform. Here we found Bennington’s new Commander 2.0 helm with a tempered-glass windshield above, 40-quart cooler below, and a trio of touchscreens on the console, including a 7-inch Vessel Control, 9-inch Garmin nav unit, and a new 12-inch Vivid UX digital dash front and center. The latter automatically switches between Run and Float modes to tailor info on the display to how the boat is being used at the time.

High Points

• Standards include a Rockford Fosgate PMX-2 Bluetooth audio system, remote, RGB-lit speakers and LilliPad boarding ladder.
• Multiple wireless charging ports and USB chargers.
• Optional in-floor anchor storage is handy and includes cleat.

How We Tested

• Engine: Yamaha F350
• Drive/Prop: Outboard/Yamaha Saltwater Series II 15 ½” x 17″ 3-blade stainless steel
• Gear Ratio: 1.75:1 Fuel Load: 86 gal. Crew Weight: 400 lb.

Pricing and Specs

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SunChaser’s Calais sports ­fencing made of welded, smooth-panel aluminum, lending the exterior a seamless appearance. Automotive paint and clear coat heighten the level of finish. ­Belowdecks, painted black tubes are standard, not an upgrade. Within, luxurious soft-touch vinyl exhibits rich shades, like mocha and platinum. Stainless-steel accents abound, from elegant boarding gates to our test boat’s curvaceous ski tow bar.  

Those premium looks foreshadow its premium performance. The Calais rides SunChaser’s X-Treme PR25 Performance Package, a combination of three 25-inch pontoons with a full complement of extruded lifting strakes, an aluminum under­skin to lessen drag, and a fuel tank integrated into the center tube. Paired with a Mercury Verado V-10 350, it rode solid in windblown chop, handled nimbly, and hit zero to 30 mph in 4.6 seconds en route to a top speed of 46 mph. 

Whether cruising at speed or coming into a crowded dock area, the captain will appreciate the added visibility provided by a 3-inch elevated helm platform. The dash itself is nicely contoured, with multiple billet accents, a standard Simrad GO7 multifunction display and digital C-Zone switching. Opposite, the port console enjoys similar elevation and adds a glove box under an acrylic lid. High-speed USB/USB-C chargers are close at hand. Both consoles also feature powder-coated, black-framed, smoked-glass windshields above, door-accessed storage below, and standard high-back helm seats. 

Forward, twin lounges stretch to 5 feet, 8 inches in length. Aft, an L-shaped ­swingback lounge backs up to a generous sun pad. Pivot the seatback forward to change the focus to the aft platform. Option rear-facing speakers, a subwoofer or a LilliPad ladder. Raise the sun pad to reveal storage, battery access and a pop-up changing room. A stainless-steel rail allows use of the lounge while underway. The generous size of the aft platform also makes it a great spot to hang out when coving or gearing up for watersports.

The package also includes SeaStar hydraulic steering, heavy-duty hat-channel construction and a deck-mount ski tow. 

High Points

• Standards include SeaStar hydraulic steering, Simrad GO7 MFD, pedestal table, and multiple USB charging ports.
• Wet Sounds MC 2 with Bluetooth audio system with six RGB speakers. 
• Standard Bimini, optional powered Sport Arch.

How We Tested

• Engine: Mercury Verado 350
• Drive/Prop: Outboard/Mercury Revolution X 17.25″ x 18″
• Gear Ratio: 1.75:1 Fuel Load: 52 gal. Crew Weight: 155 lb.

Pricing and Specs

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The 2585 Cascade ELW is a typical Tahoe top-of-the-line boat, loaded with luxury amenities and sporting excellent performance. Fitted with a Suzuki 250 outboard, it tops out at 46 mph and zips on plane in just 3.9 seconds, hitting 30 mph in 8.4 seconds. For a big boat with big power, it squeezes out the miles, netting 4 mpg at a most economical cruise speed of 15.5 mph and 2,500 rpm, for a range of over 207 miles from its 58-gallon tank (with 10 percent left in reserve). The big Suzuki is quiet too. Even at full pedal, it only hits 82 dB(A), and creates a whispering 67 dB(A) at cruise speeds, which allows for conversation without shouting.

Underneath, 25-inch-diameter triple pontoons (upgradable to 27 inches) are featured in the Waveglider Package, with lifting stakes on all three logs, and a full-aluminum undersheeting for less drag. We advise getting the Waveglider Package.

Twin-facing contoured lounge ­couches dominate the bow, creating a very large gathering place; there’s plenty of storage underneath the loungers for everyone’s gear. The contoured seats create more usable floor space without sacrificing comfort. The upholstery detail is dramatic; there are four colors and a detailed diamond-stitch inset panel, dressing the Cascade to impress. Amidships, dual consoles are topped with wraparound, tinted safety-glass windshields. Twin reclining, high-back captain’s chairs dominate the cockpit. In-floor storage is large enough to fit water toys, a boat cover and more. An optional power wakeboard tower is fitted with an extended Bimini top. An optional high-performance ­Fusion audio system is paired with ­canister speakers on the tower.

Just aft, a portside sink/refreshment center features a countertop, under-­cabinet storage and a trash receptacle. It sits across from a starboard-side L-shaped lounger; there’s a portside access way out to an extended aft deck fitted with a ­LilliPad boarding ladder and a stainless-steel ski tow. The aft storage locker houses the dual-battery setup and power-steering pump under a lift-up hatch supported by gas shocks.

High Points

• Tinted swept-back windshields.
• Commander II helm station with dual Simrad graphs provides full systems-monitoring capability. 
• Twin contoured bow lounges.
• Extended aft deck with a ­LilliPad ladder and stainless-steel tow point.

How We Tested

• Engine: Suzuki 250 four-stroke outboard
• Drive/Prop: Outboard/Suzuki 16″ x 18.5″ 3-blade stainless steel
• Gear Ratio: 2.29:1 Fuel Load: 49 gal. Crew Weight: 400 lb.

Pricing and Specs

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With twin Honda BF 350s perched astern, Avalon’s Catalina 2585 left no doubt about its high-performance intentions. Punch the throttles and the dynamic duo on the transom rocket the 2585 out of the hole, reaching 30 mph in a scant 4.3 seconds en route to an eye-watering top speed of 63 mph. Avalon’s Twin Waveglider Performance Package ensures the running surface below handles every bit of those horses. A trio of 27-inch pontoons equipped with lifting fins handled both calm and rough conditions with equal ease and delivered a precise, flat-cornering personality when pushed aggressively into corners. Want more? The 2585 is rated for up to 800 horsepower. Imagine the possibilities.

Though the boat delivers flagship performance, it’s actually midrange in category. Like the power, however, looks are top-notch. A new exterior wall design is ultra-sleek, with smooth-skin aluminum panels presenting a clean, uninterrupted wrap and not a hint of fence structure in sight. Both docking and nav lights are integrated into forward pods. Tapering walls aft complete the clean aesthetic. New stainless-steel rails with a chain-access closure elegantly seal off the stern. The deeply tinted, seemingly frameless windshield that spans the consoles proves the perfect finishing touch. 

The helm behind is also fitted perfectly. Dual Simrad touchscreens dominate the attractive, multilevel dash, keeping vital info and touchscreen controls within easy reach. A cubby to the right of the wheel includes a wireless phone charger. Opposite, the ­Fusion stereo head unit controlled our test boat’s premium sound system and canister speakers, the latter mounted to the ­optional electric EX tower. As to accommodations, they’re pleasantly plush for the price point. Full of contours and accented by a trio of colors and quilted accents, they include a pair of parallel lounges forward, twin high-back captain’s chairs amidships, and an L-shaped lounge aft. The latter is highlighted by a pivoting seatback with dual stainless-steel support arms that move independently to maintain the same attitude of the backrest in forward- or rear-facing positions.

High Points

• RGB lighting allows setting and changing the mood.
• In-floor ski locker swallows large items.
• Tubular seat frames provide flow-through ventilation to most storage areas.

How We Tested

• Engines: Twin Honda 350
• Drive/Props: Honda 16″ x 20″ 3-blade stainless steel
• Gear Ratio: 1.79:1 Fuel Load: 95 gal. Crew Weight: 400 lb.

Pricing and Specs

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Bennington expands its offerings for 2025 with the addition of the M line midpriced models that offer a sleek silhouette, an abundance of customization options, high-tech amenities and, as always with Bennington, upscale feel and style. The latter was immediately evident on our 24 MFB Sport test boat’s black-on-black color scheme. The new design pairs the two colors in premium gloss and satin finishes, set behind a perimeter highlighted by sweeping bow lines, sleek rails, angled louvers and the iconic Bennington swoosh. Bennington’s Blackout Luxe Package completed the sporty look, with a similarly colored rub rail, deck trim and skirting. Sport models also get a black steering wheel and badging, integrated docking lights, and a bold, contrasting racing stripe on the interior vinyl. The latter’s vibrant red gave our test boat a muscle-car vibe. The carbon-­fiber arch option overhead proved the ­perfect complement. 

As to that promised tech, the 24 MFB featured Bennington’s new 7-inch Vivid UX touchscreen. Designed to provide the everything-in-one-place feel of an automotive dash, it cleverly switches the interface between Running and Float modes to correspond with how you’re using the boat. For example, Running mode offers items like speed, rpm, fuel usage, and battery and engine vitals. Float mode brings up audio controls, water and air temps, and battery state. A complementing digital switching pad below can also be upgraded to a 7-inch Vessel Control for items like nav and accent lights, the bilge, the audio system and RGB lighting options.

Under the deck, the MFB Sport ­featured Bennington’s optional SPS ­Performance Package. Designed for four-cylinder engines of 200 hp or less, it includes a trio of 25-inch-diameter tubes featuring lifting strakes on the center tube, performance foils on the outer tubes, solid round keels and an underdeck wave shield, along with SeaStar hydraulic steering. Our test boat’s Yamaha 150 stopped short of that max horsepower but produced a fuel-friendly ride, sipping 3.8 gph at its 15 mph most economical cruise speed, and 15.6 gph at its top-end speed of 35.8 mph. 

High Points

• This toon sports an automotive dash thanks to a new Vivid UX touchscreen. 
• Seating lumbar recesses feature three cup holders, a loose-item tray, and USB/USB-C charging ports with a voltmeter.
• Extended deck increases the recreation space. 

How We Tested

• Engine: Yamaha 150
• Drive/Prop: Yamaha Reliance 14 ½” x 14″ x 16″ 3-blade stainless steel
• Gear Ratio: 2.00:1 Fuel Load: 15 gal. Crew Weight: 400 lb.

Pricing and Specs

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Bennington Marine says that luxury, performance and personalization guide the design of its pontoon models, and each is in evidence in the ­Bennington M Series, a midlevel line that debuts in 2025. The M Series will be offered in lengths of 21 to 26 feet with twin or triple tubes, each in a choice of Standard, Sport or Luxe interior trim.

Common features on the M Series models include a new molded fiberglass Horizon helm stylishly designed with cool accents and shaped to deliver improved comfort, control and visibility for the driver while maintaining a good sightline to the bow. A pod atop the helm holds a new 7-inch Bennington Vivid UX main display with GPS, and at the lower left is a new 12-button digital switch pad. The helm has room for an optional ­12-inch version of the Vivid UX display and an optional 9-inch Simrad MFD. Custom Rockford Fosgate audio is standard. ­Finally, the aft deck has been extended by 24 inches compared to previous models and supports a LilliPad comfort step boarding ladder.

Our test boat, a 24MSB model (23-foot-4-inch tubes and the Swingback aft seat interior) was equipped with a long list of options, including a 54-inch ski pylon ($1,573) and the Blackout Luxe Package interior ($2,500) executed in Veneto vinyl, which has the rich feel of worn leather. An interesting option is a new anchor locker ($2,867) that stows the anchor in a plastic tub below a hatch within the center tube and includes a pop-up fairlead on the ­forward deck.

Our tri-tube model featured 25-inch tubes of 0.100-inch aluminum and the SPS Plus Performance Package ($12,929), which includes lifting strakes on the ­center pontoon, performance foils on the inboard sides of the outboard pontoons, a composite transom, an underdeck cover to reduce drag, and a generous ­48-gallon fuel tank. Powered by a Yamaha 200 SHO outboard, we recorded a top speed of 38.2 mph and a zero to 30 mph time of 10.1 seconds. Handling was precise and predictable at all speeds. Luxury, performance and personalization—this new Bennington checks all three boxes. 

High Points

• Segment-leading attention to detail and fit-and-finish live up to the Bennington reputation.
• Digital switching eliminates trouble-prone mechanical switches.
• New helm and glass displays look fantastic and offer easy-to-use information.

How We Tested

• Engine: Yamaha 200 SHO outboard
• Drive/Prop: Outboard/Yamaha Saltwater Series II 14.5″ x 15″ 3-blade stainless steel
• Gear Ratio: 1.75:1 Fuel Load: 24 gal. Crew Weight: 380 lb.

Pricing and Specs

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