Carolina Skiff Pontoon
I hit the boat show circuit pretty hard this time each year, brought in by show producers to lead fishing demonstrations. Between seminars I enjoy trolling the aisles looking at all the new boat models and accessories. I have to admit that, despite owning one and writing about all things ‘toon-related, the amount of time I usually dedicate to exploring the new pontoon boat models pales relative to the attention some of the other boat designs receive from me. My magazine coverage includes all kinds of boats, and it always seems like there are more radical changes and innovations and designs springing up from manufacturers of traditional mono-hull boats compared to what pontoon boat makers have been able to offer.
That has changed in the past year, as pontoon manufacturers have pushed the design envelope like never before. And even some manufacturers of traditional boats have jumped into the pontoon boat market.
For example, Carolina Skiff is one of the few boat manufacturers targeting saltwater pontoon boaters. The nation’s top selling boat brand of outboard-powered fiberglass boats less than 24 feet long entered the pontoon boat market last year with model supported by “logs” made of fiberglass. I tested the 21 foot Fun Chaser FPG 2100 pontoon model which, like each model in the new ‘toon lineup, is floated atop high volume logs that offered the sensation of riding over the water rather than across it. The pontoons are constructed using all-composite fiberglass and finished with polished high-grade stainless steel trim, making the boats suitable for use in saltwater, which can corrode aluminum-logged pontoon boats. All the hardware –fasteners, trim, latches, gates and Bimini supports – aboard the Fun Chaser are built using saltwater-resistant stainless steel, and what’s not, like the deck fencing and the furniture bases, is constructed of fiberglass or composite materials, again with saltwater use in mind.
The glass “pontoons” that float the Fun Chaser serve double duty as extra-deep storage lockers. Topside, the cruising model‘s layout resembles that of a comfortable deck boat. Fun Chaser fishing layouts and options are also available for the boats, which come in models measuring 19-25 feet. Here’s the skinny on this intriguing new pontoon:
Carolina Skiff Fun Chaser FPG 2100
LOA: 21’ 4″
Beam: 102”
Dry Weight: 3375 lbs
Fuel Capacity: 27 gals
Water Capacity: 13 gals
Max Horsepower: 150 hp
Base Price $30,233 (boat only)
I’ll be talking about my favorite new pleasure cruising pontoon find in an upcoming blog, so stay ‘tooned…
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