How Much Does A Pontoon Boat Weigh?

Standard Weights For Pontoon Boats

The average pontoon boat weighs between 2,000 and 2,500 pounds, including the motor but excluding any other cargo. The typical capacity is around 2,000 pounds, including both the passengers and equipment. Finally, the average pontoon boat trailer weighs approximately 1,200 pounds, for a total towing weight of around 3,700 pounds, assuming you carry 500 pounds of gear.

Of course, this can vary based on size. A good rule of thumb is that a pontoon boat should weigh between 100 and 120 pounds per foot. For example, we would expect a 24-foot boat to weigh between 2,400 and 2,880 pounds, depending on amenities.

There are additional factors that come into play when towing. A full fuel tank can add a lot of weight, for example. For this reason, many boaters tow their boats dry and fill up their tanks as close as possible to wherever they are launching.

Pontoon Boat Weight Examples by Size

Rather than just say “it depends” and leave you with a general rule of thumb, we thought we would go a little deeper. Here are some popular pontoon boat models, along with their weights.

14’ — Avalon Venture Fish

The Avalon Venture Fish is a perfect example of a small fishing pontoon boat. It comes with rod holders, a primarily open deck, and a live well. This boat comes with a 40 HP outboard motor, and a full tank of fuel weighs 36 pounds.

The dry weight of the Venture Fish is 1,382 pounds, which is on the light side for even such a short boat. With 450 pounds of gear and fuel and a lightweight, 400-pound trailer, your gross trailer weight is around 2,232 pounds.

16’ — SunTracker Bass Buggy 16 XL

The SunTracker Bass Buggy 16 XL is a slightly larger, 16-foot pontoon boat designed for fishing. It comes with a pair of swivel chairs on the bow, rod holders, and a live well like the Avalon’s. It also sports a more powerful 50 HP motor, suitable for its longer design.

The dry weight of the Bass Buggy 16 XL is 1,565 pounds, and it can carry about 340 pounds of gear and passengers. If using a 450-pound galvanized trailer, you can expect a gross trailer weight of about 2,355 pounds.

20’ — Lowe Boats Ultra 200 Cruise

The Lowe Boats Ultra 200 Cruise is a more passenger-oriented pontoon boat with both bow and stern lounges. There’s also a swim ladder and bow platform for diving or changing in and out of snorkeling gear.

This boat stays light by utilizing a 40 HP outboard motor, which is enough for tooling around a lake. With the stock motor, the Ultra 200 Cruise has a dry weight of 2,020 pounds. However, the maximum power is 115 HP, which would push the weight up considerably.

Fully loaded with 340 pounds of gear, this boat can be carried on a single-axle trailer. However, it would require a larger one, weighing around 800 pounds. That adds up to a gross trailer weight of approximately 3,160 pounds.

24’ — Godfrey AquaPatio 235 SDB

The Godfrey AquaPatio 234 SDB has dual lounges, just like the Ultra 200 Cruise. However, it also comes with an upper deck equipped with a wet bar, stools, and a water slide.

This upper deck, along with a powerful 425 HP outboard motor, results in a hefty dry weight of 4,502 pounds. With a large, 270-pound fuel tank, you can carry a total of 670 pounds of gear and fuel. With a heavy-duty 900-pound single-axle trailer, your gross trailer weight would be approximately 6,072 pounds.

26’ — JC Manufacturing Sporttoon

The JC Manufacturing Sporttoon is designed for speed and maneuverability. As its name implies, it is built first and foremost with watersports in mind. With a 300 HP outboard motor, it weighs 3,742 pounds dry.

The fuel weight is 294 pounds, with an additional 500 pounds of cargo capacity. Even fully loaded, it can carry sixteen people, but that is not a factor in trailer weight. You will need a tandem trailer to tow a boat this long, with a weight of around 1,200 pounds. In total, you can expect a gross trailer weight of 5,736 pounds.

30’ — Bennington Marine 30 QX SB

The Bennington Marine 30 QX SB is one of the longer pontoon boats out there. It’s a slick, luxury boat with fiberglass instead of aluminum construction all around, including features like deck rails.

The downside of this all-fiberglass design is being considered heavyweight. The 30 QX SB weighs 6,801 pounds dry, including the twin 450 HP outboard motors. You can cut some weight by dropping one of these motors, but you sacrifice some speed and performance.

Fuel is a significant contributor to weight, with a maximum capacity of 500 pounds in the tank. Assuming a heavy 1,300-pound trailer and 500 pounds of additional gear, you would have a gross trailer weight of 9,101 pounds.