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New to the forum,...considering Sweetwater as first pontoon

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Dewey1964
Dewey1964 Member Posts: 3
Hello,...name is Dewey,...and I go by Dewey1964. I'm new here,and I am considering a Sweetwater as my first pontoon. Being a newbie/rookie,...I'm looking at pontoons in the 16 to 18 ft. range. I'm going with the Sweetwater SR series as that will be the most affordable way to go. I'm no where near ready to buy as I am still working on getting myself financially ready to purchase at a later time when I feel I am ready to "pull the trigger". I've looked at Bennington,and they are FINE boats,but something in my heart says "Sweetwater,...go with Sweetwater!

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  • Gilmon
    Gilmon Member Posts: 18
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    After 50+ years of sailing and boat ownership, we transitioned to a pontoon boat last year. The Sweetwater SR 186C seemed like a great value and nice boat. Bought the boat new with a new 20HP Mercury ELPT (lake limit) and we are very pleased. Half way through our second season with "Not4Sail" and my wiife and I really like the boat as it suits our needs perfectly. I have used and/or checked out other brands of toons, but Godfrey seems to make a good boat for the money. My2cents, Gil
  • Dewey1964
    Dewey1964 Member Posts: 3
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    How does that 20 HP Merc do on a boat that size given you have a HP limit on your lake? 
  • Gilmon
    Gilmon Member Posts: 18
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    The 20HP Merc moves the boat with authority. At 3000 rpm it crusies about 6 mph. At WOT it does about 9.5 mph. Yes, if it were up to me I'd have a 50 or 60 hp motor on it. But, that said, we are very pleased with our current boat and motor. We get around just fine.
  • Skiman
    Skiman Member Posts: 11
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    I purchased a sweetwater and had to return it to the dealer after 6 months - too many issues. They offered me a 2086c which I have now. I have had the boat 2 seasons, about 80 hours and so far the steering wheel and 2 gauges had to be replaced. The dash is now cracked in 2 places, cup holders falling apart and they put the incorrect model/capacity decal on it. It seems like they lack attention to detail.  That’s just my experience. 
  • Gilmon
    Gilmon Member Posts: 18
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    After two seasons using my Sweetwater 186C I still find it to be a good value for my money. I do feel that Godfrey could be more responsive to issues but I am a happy customer. Every manufacturer has issues and the complaints surface faster then the good items. Having a good dealer is very important. My two cents.