Learn about Triple Tube/Tri Tube Pontoons and Trailers
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J.C. Pontoon was the first to add a third tube to a pontoon boat for extra
buoyancy about 1981. Thirty years later, the entire pontoon industry has
discovered triple tubes and the past couple years have seen the popularity of
Tri Tubes explode. The only reason triple tubes were slow to catch on was the
marine dealers hesitance to sell them. Triple tube pontoons presented dealers
with a handling problem, they needed a large fork lift to move them and a bunk
trailer to deliver them. A high percentage of pontoon boats are sold without
trailers and dealers can be reluctant to ask their customers to buy a pontoon
trailer with a triple tube pontoon boat.
If you’re considering buying a triple tube pontoon you may face a handling
problem. On well populated lakes; dealers and storage businesses have usually
invested in equipment to handle triple tube pontoons. If you pay for winter
storage, you may not need a trailer. On less populated lakes you may have
difficulties. Many lakes have individuals who pull pontoon boat economically,
but they might not have a trailer that can handle a triple tube pontoon. Every
fall we sell dozens of trailers to customers that didn’t realize they had a
handling problem until storage season.
How long is your triple tube pontoon boat? This seems like a simple question but like so many things about triple tube pontoons it isn’t always easily answered. The illustration to the right shows a 25’ pontoon. The two outside pontoons are 25’ but the center tube extends about 2’ beyond the back of the two outside pontoons. |
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This above photo is of a 25’
Flote-Bote on our PT-26T. The 25’ boat should fit perfectly on our
26’ trailer. But, the boat has 2’ of transom beyond the back of the
25’ tubes and the engine extends another 3’. This 25’ pontoon boat
is almost 29’ long. The manufacturers weigh is #3654, but when we
scaled it with the engine, the weight was #4480, without fuel. You
must pay attention to the specifications and be sure to include the
weight of the engine and fuel. Don’t take the first
recommendation of the part time salesman working the boat show, if
you will be the one towing. Do you need to support the center tube? Triple tube bunk support kits are an option on all brands of pontoon trailers. Center tubes that are one single tube, that have the engine mount built in the center tube, should be supported. Triple tube pontoons that have an “ordinary” transom and a center tube added in front of the transom may not need to be supported. It’s a matter of weight; a 12’-18’ pontoon tube bolted down the center of the boat weights only about #250. A 22’ or 25’ center tube with a #300 engine hanging on the back can weight #600+ and needs to be supported. |
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