How to Increase the Speed of a Pontoon Boat
Pontoon boats offer slow, comfortable rides. Like any boat, pontoons are affected by the power or thrust from the engine and by the lifting capabilities of the boat. These boats are slowed by the drag of the pontoons on water and the weight of the boat. To make your pontoon boat run faster, increase the lift, decrease the pontoons' drag on water and decrease the gravity of the boat.
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Instructions
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Lighten the boat by detaching all unnecessary fixtures and equipment from the boat. Decreasing the weight will allow the boat to travel higher on the water.
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Clean off all debris attached to the surface of the pontoons to increase the water flow around the pontoons.
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Choose paint that will get rid of marine life on your hulls. This will decrease the drag of the pontoons in water. Instead of anti-fouling paint, which weighs approximately 14.6 pounds per gallon, choose paints such as conventional marine paint which weigh around 11 pounds per gallon.
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Increase the force of the boat. Upgrade or tune your boat's motor for more horsepower, or invest in a larger engine.
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Reduce the drag on the pontoons by increasing the lift of the boat. Replace the displacement pontoon hulls with planing pontoon hulls. Displacement hulls force their way through the water and have no lift.
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Tips & Warnings
Be cautious when making changes to your boat, as these can affect the safety of boat operation.
