A Mechanic’s Take on Pontoon Boat Upgrades

So, you love your pontoon, but you’re starting to feel it’s a little… lazy. I get it. I’ve been wrenching on boats in South Florida for 15 years, and I see it all the time. Guys load up the family, a cooler, and all the gear for a day out by Stiltsville, and their pontoon struggles to get on plane. It plows through the water, burns a ton of fuel, and just feels sluggish. You’re not alone in wanting more.

But here’s the thing: you don’t need a new boat. You just need to unlock the potential of the one you’ve got. This isn’t about just bolting on more horsepower; it’s about smart, strategic upgrades that work together. We’re talking about making your boat handle better, ride smoother, and yes, go faster—without lighting money on fire.

Forget the marketing fluff. This is my real-world guide to the upgrades that actually work. I’m going to walk you through what I’ve seen make the biggest difference on the pontoons that come through my shop, from simple tweaks to major power boosts.

Let’s dive in and figure out how to make your boat the one everyone else is trying to keep up with.

Why Bother with Performance Upgrades?

Look, everyone wants to go faster. I get it. But real performance is more than just the number on your GPS. It’s about how the boat feels. It’s the difference between plowing through the water and gliding on top of it. It’s about having enough power to pull a tuber without the engine screaming its guts out.

When we talk about performance upgrades, we’re talking about a few key things:

• A Better Ride: A boat that gets up on plane handles chop better. You get a smoother, drier ride for you and your passengers.
• Better Fuel Economy: An efficient boat isn’t just pushing a wall of water. Getting on plane and reducing drag means you burn less fuel. I’ve seen guys cut their fuel bill by 30-50% with the right setup.
• More Versatility: With more power and better handling, your pontoon becomes a real do-it-all machine. You can load it up with friends for a cruise to the sandbar or have an action-packed day of watersports.

This is about maximizing what you can do with your boat and enjoying your time on the water more. Plain and simple.

The Heart of the Matter: Engine & Prop Upgrades

Your engine is the heart of the operation. More power almost always means better performance, but how you get that power matters.

Boosting Horsepower: Swaps and Tunes

Swapping to a bigger engine is the most obvious move. Going from a 90hp to a 115hp can get you a few more miles per hour and help you plane out faster with a heavy load. But before you do, you HAVE to check if your boat’s transom can handle it. The capacity plate on your boat isn’t a suggestion—it’s the law and a critical safety limit.

A more cost-effective trick I’m seeing a lot of success with is an ECU performance tune. We can remap the engine’s computer to unlock power the manufacturer left on the table. Had a guy, Ray, with a Mercury 225hp on his Bennington. He was about to drop serious cash on a new motor. We did an ECU tune that pushed it over 300hp. He called me a week later, couldn’t believe it was the same boat. Just make sure your lower unit can handle the extra torque.

The Prop: Your Best Bang-for-the-Buck

I can’t say this enough: your propeller is the most important and most overlooked part of your performance setup. You can have all the horsepower in the world, but with the wrong prop, you’re just spinning your wheels. It’s where the power meets the water.

Changing the pitch, diameter, or even just switching from aluminum to stainless steel can make a night-and-day difference in:

• Hole shot (how fast you get moving)
• Top-end speed
• Fuel economy
• Handling

Don’t just stick with the factory prop. Talk to a pro and get one matched to your boat, your engine, and how you use it. It’s the cheapest, fastest way to feel a real improvement.

Getting Out of the Water: Hydrodynamic Upgrades

A pontoon’s biggest enemy is drag. Those big, round tubes are stable, but they weren’t designed to be fast. The goal of these next upgrades is to lift the hull out of the water, which reduces drag and unlocks speed.

The Pontoon Water Glide

When I first heard about these Water Glide things—a fiberglass V-hull you bolt on under the deck between the tubes—I thought, “Yeah, right.” Another gimmick. But I’ve installed a few now, and the difference is no joke. It literally gives your boat a V-hull to plane on. I saw it myself on a 24-footer with a 115hp engine; the owner went from a top speed of around 20 mph to over 30 mph. The boat handled better, too. It’s a fantastic option if you don’t want the cost and complexity of a full tritoon conversion.

Lifting Strakes and Underskinning

Lifting strakes are small, angled strips of metal welded along the sides of your pontoons. They act like little wings, creating lift as you move through the water. They get the boat up higher, reducing drag and giving you a few extra miles per hour. They also help the boat bank into turns instead of pushing flat.

Underskinning is just what it sounds like: adding aluminum sheeting under the deck between the pontoons. This cleans up the aerodynamics and hydrodynamics, so water and air flow smoothly underneath instead of getting caught on the cross-members. It makes for a quieter, smoother ride in chop and adds a bit of efficiency.

My Take: A Quick Comparison of Performance Upgrades

I put this table together to give you a straight-up look at what you can expect from these upgrades. Costs are just ballpark estimates from what I see in my shop.

Upgrade	Typical Cost	Performance Gain	My Take (The Mechanic’s Opinion)
Performance Propeller	$400 – $900	2-5 MPH, Better Hole Shot	Best bang-for-your-buck. This should be your first move. It makes everything else work better.
ECU Performance Tune	$800 – $1,500	20-40% HP Boost	Huge power gains for the money if your engine is compatible. Just be sure your warranty isn’t a concern.
Lifting Strakes	$1,000 – $2,500 (Pro Install)	3-6 MPH, Better Handling	A great mid-tier upgrade. Makes the boat feel more agile and lifts it for a drier ride.
Pontoon Water Glide	$2,000 – $4,000	8-12 MPH, Huge Fuel Savings	The closest you can get to tritoon performance without buying a new boat. The results are real.
Full Underskinning	$1,500 – $3,000	1-3 MPH, Smoother Ride	Less about raw speed and more about ride quality and quietness. A “quality of life” upgrade.

Beyond Speed: Upgrades for Control and Comfort

Once you’ve got the power, you need the control. And let’s be honest, you want the cool toys, too. Here are a few upgrades that make your boat more functional and fun.

• Get Hydraulic Steering: If you’re running anything over 115hp, just do it. Fighting a cable steering system with a powerful motor is exhausting. Hydraulic steering makes maneuvering feel effortless. It’s a must-have for safety and comfort.
• Install a Ski Tow Bar: A basic pontoon is not set up for serious towing. A dedicated ski tow bar or arch distributes the force correctly across the transom, making it safer and better for waterskiing, wakeboarding, and tubing.
• Add a Shallow Water Anchor: For fishing or just hanging out at the sandbar, these things are a game-changer. Power-Poles or Minn Kota Talons let you anchor in shallow water with the push of a button. No more throwing an anchor and hoping it catches.
• Upgrade Your Lighting: Good LED lighting inside the boat, under the deck, and even underwater isn’t just for looks. It makes your boat safer and more usable for those sunset and nighttime cruises.
• Don’t Forget the Sound System: A good marine stereo system can turn a quiet day into a party. Just be respectful of your neighbors on the water!

Before You Start: A Mechanic’s Final Warning

I’ve seen too many DIY jobs go wrong. Before you do anything, follow these rules:

1. Check Your Transom: I said it before, and I’ll say it again. Before you add power, have a professional inspect your transom to make sure it can handle the stress.
2. Know Your Limits: Swapping a prop or installing some lights? Go for it. But when it comes to engine tuning, welding, or major structural changes, leave it to a certified marine mechanic. We have the tools and experience to do it right.
3. Maintain It: More power means more stress on everything. Stay on top of your maintenance—oil changes, fuel filters, impeller checks. Protect your investment.
4. Think About Your Trailer: If you’re adding significant weight with a bigger engine or other upgrades, make sure your trailer can still handle it safely.

Conclusion

Upgrading your pontoon is a journey, not a race. You can transform your boat from a lazy cruiser into a versatile, high-performance machine that’s an absolute blast to drive. It’s about making smart choices that work together to give you the on-water experience you’ve been dreaming of.

So, where do you start? Pick one thing. If you’re on a budget, start with the propeller. It will make the biggest immediate difference. From there, think about what bothers you most. Is it speed? Look at strakes or a Water Glide. Is it handling? Upgrade that steering.

Your ultimate pontoon is waiting. Now go make it happen.

---

Dockside Q&A: Your Pontoon Questions Answered

Here are a few questions I get all the time from pontoon owners at the shop.