For pontoon owners especially, there really hasn’t been a lot in recent memory to challenge the dominating presence of a well-performing four-stroke outboard. Sure, we’ve seen our share of I/O sterndrives over the years, but for the most part the pairing of outboard power with a pontoon hull has proved to be a winning combination.
Of course it doesn’t hurt that outboards are more efficient today than ever before, as manufacturers such as Honda, Mercury, Suzuki and Yamaha continue to raise the bar a little higher with each new engine release. So when I heard Indmar Marine Engines touting, “Experience the future of pontoon boats” at the Miami Boat Show, it caught my attention to say the least.
As a journalist, “new” is good word. When something comes out that is a little different it tends to attract a little attention and it gives us something to write about. However, new doesn’t always mean better. In fact, in some cases new just means, well, that it’s different. Whether Indmar truly holds the key to the future has yet to be determined, but the manufacturer does bring some excitement to the industry with its EcoBoost and EcoJet package designed specifically for pontoon boats. It truly is innovative; in fact its 2.3L EcoBoost engine received an NMMA Innovation Award in 2019, but the EcoJet for pontoons takes it to another level.
At the Miami Show Indmar Marine received a lot of attention, but they’re not the only ones fighting for outboard market share. It’s clear the latest propulsion developments in the pontoon industry indicate the outboard segment may be under attack. Ingenity Electric was another manufacturer with a pontoon in its booth, but not just any pontoon. Its 23E with a zero-emissions drivetrain debuted at the Miami Show as an electric luxury day-use boat. Similar to Indmar’s approach, Ingenity focused on the absence of above-deck drive components at the transom for an obstruction-free view with more stern space to enjoy. Plus earning a 2022 NMMA Innovation Award at the show only added to the popularity of Ingenity’s booth.
The 23E uses forward-facing sterndrive propulsion and can cruise up to 14 hours at low speed with its 126 kWh range package, while reaching a top speed of 30 mph. Ingenity isn’t the first electric pontoon, but with the auto industry being more aggressive in the electric market, it makes sense boating could be heading in this direction.
Another recent release that provides an alternative to outboards are the Sea-Doo Switch pontoons that are powered by Rotax 1630 ACE jet engines. These 1630cc, four-stroke, three-cylinder power sources deliver 100 to 230hp depending on the model. The naturally-aspirated engine options include a 100 or 170hp version, while the supercharged version produces 230hp.
Electric, jet, sterndrive–there is more than one good way to power a pontoon, but are those options tempting enough to make a dent in the outboard market share dominance? Only time will tell.
