There is a certain charm to Lake Wawasee in Syracuse, Ind., that feels like home whenever I visit. Adding to the aura of Kosciusko County is Wawasee Boat Co., a marine dealership and full-service marina located on the shores of the lake that has proudly been a staple in this tight-knit community since 1929. I found myself in the area this summer and as I headed to the marina I was immediately drawn to the new whiteout edition of the SportToon 26 TT from JC TriToon Marine tied up at the docks.

It was like a mini reunion as I was greeted by the management team from JC and had a chance to talk with President Kim Cripe and discuss some of the new changes they have planned for 2023 and also see first-hand some innovative creations Joe Sparks from JC has implemented for the upcoming model year.

Dual Helms

The first thing that jumped out to me – besides the all-white powder-coated rails – was the dual helm consoles on the SportToon 26TT. It’s an all-new look for JC this year and Cripe was excited to show it off.

“This is something my business partner Joe Sparks has wanted to do for a while,” said the JC president. “He liked the concept of dual helms but we wanted to do it differently, while not sacrificing any seating. We lose nothing in the overall floor plan but gain instead of just a companion seat, a raised helm, storage, phone charger, control of your stereo, your own misting system and a map light. We tried to include everything without including too much.”

The misting system from Mist-er Comfort has been a popular upgrade for JC TriToon owners for years, but it’s the MarineCool system located at the helm that probably gets the most attention. Instead of pressurizing water, MarineCool takes a low amount of water pressure, mixes it into a head with compressed air, then has a blower behind it to provide cool, refreshing mist that successfully cools the immediate area. With the dual helms, now both the captain and the first mate can enjoy the MarineCool system.

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Fingertip Steering

Another new feature on the 26TT is the hydraulic over electric Steer Lyte steering from QMI Multiflex. The partnership with JC TriToon proved to be a great pairing in 2022 and it appears this relationship with the QM Group has found a whole new level.

A computer chip is the brains of the Steer Lyte system that allows you to increase or decrease the tension of the steering. There are two different versions, one for outboards 250hp and lower and a new setup for 300hp outboards and higher. This particular pontoon was equipped with the Suzuki 350hp engine and after putting it through some sharp turns on Lake Wawasee the steering proved to be worth the hype as it is truly effortless at all speeds.

If you raise up the pivoting helm cap you gain access to the steering system that has just two hydraulic lines going back. The wiring is all done at the helm and it’s surprisingly quiet.

Beyond A High-End Look

There was a second boat tied up at the dock, a 2023 SportToon 24TT with a new set of pods on the bow from QMI Plastics. It’s part of the QM Group that includes Steer Lyte as well as the Aqua Thrust pontoon thruster, and President Bill Szekesy was also on hand that day to show off the front of the pontoon.

“For the pods we basically took fiberglass parts, turned them into plastic thermoform ABS high-strength with a coating film on top to give you the metallic look,” explained Szekesy.

Teak Isle, who has made a name for itself in the pontoon industry by making sure there is no wasted space on board with its unique storage options was also involved with the design of the new bow pods.

“We worked with the QM Group on the pod design,” added Sparks. “We had the original concept and they had the vacuum-forming expertise and equipment to make it happen and after the basic pod design was finalized we tapped into Teak Isle’s creativity to give us the insert with the door and storage pocket.”

Aqua Thrust

Another QMI Multiflex product is its new thruster system that we got to try out ourselves a year earlier as a prototype. Before heading to Wawasee Boat Co. to get out on the water, I first made a stop into JC headquarters in North Webster, Ind., to see the Aqua Thrust thruster on the production line. What’s unique is the thruster is built into the pontoons so it’s completely flush on the bottom with only one moving part and that’s the motor that is linked to one shaft. It includes an insert plate inside the pontoon that is 100 percent sealed so water can’t get in.

Going For A Spin

There are two toggle switches at the helm that control both in-tube thrusters. You simply press the left toggles to go left, right toggles to go right, or my favorite is to spin a 360-degree turn by pressing one of each toggle switch in opposite directions.

It was fun to dock like a pro in front of those who had gathered at Wawasee Boat Co. to get a closer look as we were able to effortlessly put the pontoon exactly where we wanted it.

Final Thoughts

The new features for 2023 didn’t disappoint and clearly worth a trip for me to Lake Wawasee to see in person as a sneak peek. Of course these are just the additions to the already loaded JC TriToon lineup. The manufacturer has the reputation in the pontoon industry for adding more and more auto industry-type features to make its boats user-friendly and as comfortable as possible. Kind of makes you wonder what they’ll do next, right?