The New Boater’s Guide to Tritoon Boats
If you’re looking for a big, stable boat that’s great for lots of different purposes, you should take a look at tritoons. These boats are stable, sturdy, comfortable and ideal for families and large groups.
Dewitt Marine, located in Bellaire, is your northern Michigan tritoon boat dealer. Here are the answers to some of the most common questions new boaters have about tritoons so you can decide if they’re the right boat for you.
What Is a Tritoon?
A tritoon is a type of pontoon boat. Pontoon boats have a wide, flat deck mounted onto two hollow aluminum tubes, also called “pontoons.” This hull design is very different from a flat-bottomed boat or a V-hulled boat. A tritoon simply places a third hollow tube between the two on the sides, creating even more stability and a wider platform on top, so they can be much bigger and more stable than an average pontoon. These boats are anywhere from 22 to 30 feet in length and can offer a great many different features.
How Much Do Tritoons Cost?
Tritoon costs vary widely depending on the size of the boat, the features with which it’s equipped and whether you choose to buy new or used. Typically, you can look forward to spending about $35,000 on a new tritoon boat, with used models coming in at a significantly lower price point. Obviously, the bigger the tritoon you want, the more it will cost.
How Do You Use Tritoons?
Tritoons are extremely versatile, which is what makes them such great all-purpose boats. Families love this versatility especially, since you can use a tritoon for lots of different activities.
Due to their size, a tritoon often requires two or three outboard motors to power it so you get more horsepower. This makes tritoons excellent for towing watersports enthusiasts like wakeboarders, water skiers and inner tubers. The high speeds that tritoons can get up to will help you to create wakes for these participants to jump.
You can also outfit a tritoon boat for fishing, with rod holders, swivel seats, livewells and a cooler. The large size of the boat makes it easy for many people to fish off the side.
Long cruises can also be enjoyed on a tritoon boat because they can hold a lot of fuel and have plenty of storage space and seating room for all your passengers and supplies.
Are Tritoons Easy to Handle?
Yes! Tritoons sit up higher in the water and are more buoyant, which helps to make them much easier to handle than a typical V-hulled boat. Compared to pontoons, tritoons can more easily conquer rougher waters, so you can take them into deeper waters that have more waves. The multiple hulls and wide platform make your ride smoother and more stable, even if the waters aren’t calm. A tritoon is a great boat for the Great Lakes!
The only caveat is that the size of a pontoon can make it more challenging to dock it, so you may need to put in some extra practice on that skill. You also won’t be able to take it on a narrow river or into a smaller channel, so bear this in mind if you prefer boating in small waterways.
How Do You Transport Your Tritoon to the Water?
Well, you’re going to need a boat trailer, but be warned that it will have to be a large boat trailer because of the massive size of tritoons. This will, in turn, require you to have a towing vehicle of sufficient size and weight to haul around such a big trailer. You may also need to invest in a trailer braking system to help cope with the additional weight of the boat when towing on the highway for safety reasons. Be prepared to upgrade your towing vehicle if you don’t already have a large truck when buying a tritoon.
Ready to take a look at some tritoon boats? Peruse our website before you visit our dealership in Bellaire, MI, to see our full stock of new and used tritoons for sale. Talk to our staff about our financing options if you’d like to make use of them. If you’re looking for a place to keep your new tritoon, we offer boat storage and slip rentals, too! Dewitt Marine proudly serves all of northern Michigan, including Traverse City and Grand Rapids.