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
| Price: | $148,538 (as tested) |
| LOA: | 25’1” |
| Beam: | 8’6” |
| Dry Weight: | 5,642 lb. (with engine) |
| Seat/Weight Capacity: | 15/2,250 lb. |
| Fuel Capacity: | 73 gal. |
