Nobody has a better handle on building high-performance pontoons complete with racecourse-ready style and durable construction than PlayCraft. Every model year, the company improves and refines its X-Treme series pontoons with outstanding luxury, speed and superior handling. The new PowerToon X-Treme 3010 emerges from that DNA.
Our recent test of the X-Treme 3010 on Lake of the Ozarks shattered old notions of pontoon boating before we even fired up the outboards. Designing a boat for speed mandates considering aerodynamics as well as hydrodynamics. A nod to aerodynamics appears in the wedge-shaped bow and the sleek Bimini top. Pontoon tubes are flat on top, foam-filled, sealed and pressurized, then bolted straight to the crossbeams of the 30-foot-by-8-foot-6-inch one-piece plywood deck for an unassailable, solid ride.
To further boost performance, the tubes widen aft, compressing air and spray, increasing lift, and giving more speed per horsepower. A wider, deeper center tube coupled with strategically placed lifting strakes give the boat comfortable turning and tons of passenger-carrying capacity. Dual Mercury Racing 450R outboards with tunable exhaust can give a chest-thumping, muscle-car rumble or a Lexus-like purr.
In the comfort department, furnishings on board from the deck to the shoulder cushions are upholstered in UV-protected vinyl. Color combinations are virtually unlimited, and owners can even match them to their favorite football team. Exterior colors are offered in a broad spectrum too. The 3010 has color-matched, powder-coated tubes and rails for durable good looks. The fiberglass-molded helm station is raised, giving a clear view above the crew. The captain’s chair swivels and reclines, and the armrests automatically adjust to the correct, comfortable angle.
Three boarding options include the wide bow deck, a wheel-chair-width port side gate and the stern platform. An extra-long boarding ladder integrated into the pontoon is patented and exclusive to PlayCraft. In its fourth generation of family boatbuilding, PlayCraft expertly blends the extremes of luxury and high-speed performance better than any other brand afloat.
High Points
- Patented boarding steps in the center tube reach deep for easy boarding.
- Pontoons are epoxy-painted for good-looking durability.
- Movable cushion-topped cooler and cup holders.
How We Tested
- Engines: Twin Mercury Racing 450 hp V-8 supercharged
- Drive/Props: Outboard/Bravo FS 24″ 4-blade stainless steel
- Gear Ratio: 1.60:1 Fuel Load: 25 gal. Crew Weight: 400 lb.
Pricing and Specs
| LOA: | 31’6″ |
| Beam: | 8’6″ |
| Draft (max): | 1’2″ |
| Dry Weight: | 3,500 lb. |
| Seat/Weight Capacity: | 15/3,000 lb. |
| Fuel Capacity: | 100 gal. |
PlayCraft Boats – Richland, Missouri; 573-765-3265; playcraftboats.com
