The G5 CLZ DC is a well-equipped, quality boat with style and dock appeal. Equipped with a big-boy Honda 250 for $142,021 as tested with an array of options, it doesn’t break the bank.

With the Honda and a 16-pitch propeller, it planed in 3.8 seconds and zipped to 30 mph in just under 8 seconds. Top speed is a hair over 40, while best mileage was achieved at a sedate 16 mph and 3,000 rpm, where the ­Honda sipped fuel at a 5 gph rate. Sylvan’s SPX third-tube performance package, which adds 25-inch-diameter tubes and ­extruded lifting strakes, gives sure-footed cornering, good handling and a solid wave-crushing ride.

Sylvan introduces new DF-ABS side panels for the G5’s perimeter enclosure, which give a smoother, more seamless appearance that’s lighter and more durable. The top rail is also new; made from extruded aluminum, it’s powder-coated for a clean appearance.

The bow seating section uses twin facing loungers that seat three per side; each seat comes with new hinges on the seat bases for easier access to storage underneath. The cockpit features twin high-back swiveling and reclining captain’s chairs perched atop raised helm platforms for better visibility. All electronic functions aboard are CZone-­controlled from the dash panel or via soft-touch switches. A Simrad digital screen gives all boat and engine information at the helm.

Aft, the CLZ DC features a portside-positioned wide lounge seat with a reversible multiposition backrest. With the backrest positioned aft, it blends in well with a side-mounted extended backrest to form an L-shaped conversation pit. A stainless-steel perimeter rail keeps riders safely aboard while underway. ­Access to the cockpit from the transom is via a passageway along the starboard side. Here, Sylvan fitted a small galley featuring a sink, small countertop and stainless-steel access doors. Optional features, like black painted tubes, a wake tower, a premium JL Audio sound system and RBG lighting, create a boat that will last and provide years of fun.

High Points

• Framed windshields do an excellent job protecting from wind and spray.
• Raised helm and co-pilot platforms aid in visibility when looking over seated guests.
• Optional wake tower is stylish and substantial, adding flair to the boat.

How We Tested

• Engine: Honda BF250 four-stroke 250 hp
• Drive/Prop: Outboard/Honda 14.75″ x 16″ 3-blade stainless steel
• Gear Ratio: 2.00:1 Fuel Load: 50 gal. Crew Weight: 250 lb.

Pricing and Specs

The post 2024 Sylvan G5 CLZ DC appeared first on Boating Mag.

The G5 CLZ DC is a well-equipped, quality boat with style and dock appeal. Equipped with a big-boy Honda 250 for $142,021 as tested with an array of options, it doesn’t break the bank.

With the Honda and a 16-pitch propeller, it planed in 3.8 seconds and zipped to 30 mph in just under 8 seconds. Top speed is a hair over 40, while best mileage was achieved at a sedate 16 mph and 3,000 rpm, where the ­Honda sipped fuel at a 5 gph rate. Sylvan’s SPX third-tube performance package, which adds 25-inch-diameter tubes and ­extruded lifting strakes, gives sure-footed cornering, good handling and a solid wave-crushing ride.

Sylvan introduces new DF-ABS side panels for the G5’s perimeter enclosure, which give a smoother, more seamless appearance that’s lighter and more durable. The top rail is also new; made from extruded aluminum, it’s powder-coated for a clean appearance.

The bow seating section uses twin facing loungers that seat three per side; each seat comes with new hinges on the seat bases for easier access to storage underneath. The cockpit features twin high-back swiveling and reclining captain’s chairs perched atop raised helm platforms for better visibility. All electronic functions aboard are CZone-­controlled from the dash panel or via soft-touch switches. A Simrad digital screen gives all boat and engine information at the helm.

Aft, the CLZ DC features a portside-positioned wide lounge seat with a reversible multiposition backrest. With the backrest positioned aft, it blends in well with a side-mounted extended backrest to form an L-shaped conversation pit. A stainless-steel perimeter rail keeps riders safely aboard while underway. ­Access to the cockpit from the transom is via a passageway along the starboard side. Here, Sylvan fitted a small galley featuring a sink, small countertop and stainless-steel access doors. Optional features, like black painted tubes, a wake tower, a premium JL Audio sound system and RBG lighting, create a boat that will last and provide years of fun.

High Points

• Framed windshields do an excellent job protecting from wind and spray.
• Raised helm and co-pilot platforms aid in visibility when looking over seated guests.
• Optional wake tower is stylish and substantial, adding flair to the boat.

How We Tested

• Engine: Honda BF250 four-stroke 250 hp
• Drive/Prop: Outboard/Honda 14.75″ x 16″ 3-blade stainless steel
• Gear Ratio: 2.00:1 Fuel Load: 50 gal. Crew Weight: 250 lb.

Pricing and Specs

The post 2024 Sylvan G5 CLZ DC appeared first on Boating Mag.

Sylvan’s L5 DLZ Bar brings the party to this pontoon with a stern bar, complete with four pedestal stools to seat a thirsty crew. It’s a cool feature, though not always a practical one. Floor space is valuable when boat drinks aren’t on the menu. Sylvan creatively solves this conundrum by pivoting each half of the split-lengthwise bar to the floor when not in use. Cushioned backsides, hidden in bar configuration, reveal to form a sun pad that gets even bigger if you flip over the backrest on the adjoining L-shaped lounge. Drink up, then wind down on a rear-facing, doublewide chaise. Removable bar stools stow away along the starboard rail, so you really can have it both ways.

Not that the L5 needs a bar to be a party barge. That L-shaped lounge can likewise be complemented with a pedestal table. Across, a small galley includes a hard-surface countertop with more cup holders up top and storage below. Smaller forward couches fit up to four more passengers. Like the seating aft, all are wrapped in comfy soft-touch vinyl. There’s also plenty of storage in the roto-molded seat bases. Extra points for the speaker covers within. They provide better sound while protecting the more delicate parts and wiring from the gear you might store inside. At floor level, recessed toe kicks add to the cockpit space and make it easier to load gear. 

The sculpted fiberglass helm featured an optional Simrad display flanked by a chrome-bezeled tach and speedometer, with rocker switches below. All are set into two-tone panels with no visible fasteners, completing the upscale look. The JL Audio head unit is located to the left of the wheel. To the right is a phone nook, with USB and 12-volt ports directly below.

Belowdecks, the SPX PR25 Performance Package is now standard for 2023. It mates a trio of 25-inch pontoons with performance strakes to deliver faster planing and agile handling, with a hint of inside lean when cornering. Paired with a 300 hp Mercury Verado outboard, our test boat powered directly onto plane and reached 30 mph in 6.9 seconds. Top speed peaked at 44.8 mph. Underway or at rest, it’s a seriously fun ride.

High Points

• Stylish black railing maintains an open feel aft, and incorporates a boarding gate and raised ski-tow connection. 
• Power Bimini top takes the hassle out of ups and downs. 
• Standards include high-back chairs, pop-up changing room and black exterior rails.

How We Tested

• Engine: Mercury 300 XL Verado
• Drive/Prop: Outboard/Mercury Enertia 14 ¹/₂” x 17″ 3-blade stainless steel
• Gear Ratio: 1.85:1 Fuel Load: 30 gal. Crew Weight: 160 lb.

Pricing and Specs

Sylvan Marine – New Paris, Indiana; 574-831-2950; sylvanmarine.com

The post 2023 Sylvan L5 DLZ Bar appeared first on Boating Mag.

Sometime between the era of your grandparents’ nightly putt-putt around the lake and the more recent trend of 20-somethings partying at the sandbar, pontoon boats became cool. Cool because whether you’re young or old, hip or square, a novice boater or an old salt, you’re likely to dig what’s new on pontoons. Cool as in while they can still cruise and fish with the best, modern pontoons can also run with a go-fast, handle like a sportboat, haul you and your friends on your favorite towable and, yes, when the situation calls for it, party like a rock star.

One big reason for this is that pontoon-boat manufacturers have introduced more than their fair share of cool innovations. Some are big-ticket items, dramatic enhancements to handling or ultra-plush interior amenities. Others are of the “Why didn’t I think of that?” variety, smaller touches that make life aboard more enjoyable or fun. We’ve seen more than we can count in recent years. Here are nine of the coolest.

Transformer Bar

Manufacturers have introduced multiple variations on the aft lounge design in recent years, but most have centered around morphing the combination bench/sun pad into various stages of recline. Sibling brands Starcraft and Sylvan opted to follow the transformer theme and make the aft lounge transform into something else entirely—a bar. The one aboard the Sylvan L5 DLZ Bar really caught our eye. Pivot each half of the 5-foot-square sun pad upward, as if closing a giant book, to reveal adjoining halves of the bar complete with a faux-granite top, six recessed cup holders and LED accent lighting. A collection of bar stools awaits along the starboard rail. Remove and install them into floor mounts on both sides of the bar and you’re ready to belly on up. And should you party too hearty, that bar just as easily transforms back into a sun pad. Raise your drinks! This design deserves a toast. sylvanmarine.com

Pets Are Crew Too

Barletta has long manufactured some of the most pet-friendly pontoons on the market. Slide-out food and water bowls tuck into the base of every helm. But though the easiest way to a pet’s heart is likely through its stomach, the Indiana manufacturer also acknowledges that most pets’ other favorite pastime is watching the world go by—something a pontoon’s fenced-in perimeter often prevents. Enter the Doggie DockView, a finely perforated panel in both the bow and side gates we saw on the Barletta Lusso 25M that lets pets take in the view without jumping on the furniture. (Not that jumping on the furniture is discouraged; Barletta also advertises its vinyl as ready to stand up to paws and claws.) Bonus? The Doggie DockView likewise improves the captain’s visibility when docking or pulling alongside a downed skier or tube rider. barlettapontoonboats.com

One Small Step for Man…

Lillipad’s REVO boarding ladder aboard the Bennington Q25 Fastback immediately appealed to our keen eye for innovation. Or maybe it was just our aging physiques. Whatever the case, the REVO promised to get us aboard without requiring the muscle—and flexibility—of an American Ninja Warrior. The secret to the REVO’s design is that it’s less like a boarding ladder and more like your porch steps. Deploy the five-step REVO and it angles away from the boat at a gentle slope and extends nearly 4 feet in length. Broad, flat treads offer traction while proving more comfortable on bare feet than traditional rungs. Even pets can clamber in and out with ease. Does that sound overly bulky and hard to handle? The hinged, two-part design can be deployed and retrieved from a standing position and measures only 2 feet tall, 7 inches deep when closed. lillipadmarine.com

Bay-tona 500

V-hull designs have long dominated the boating market. They knife through wakes and chop to deliver a superior ride in rough water and bank into turns with the tenacious grip of a race car at Daytona. How to give a stable but relatively flat-turning pontoon that same sporty feel? Manitou does it with V-Toon Technology, a patented bottom design that pairs smaller outer pontoons with a larger center pontoon dropped over 5 inches deeper in the water. The effect gives a pontoon boat deadrise. Crank into a turn and a V-Toon-equipped Manitou banks much like a V-hulled sportboat while dramatically decreasing the boat’s turning radius—manners far removed from the party barges of old. Add positive-angle lifting strakes and the design also enhances stability, improves the boat’s hole shot and acceleration, and even increases top speed. We got to experience the full effect on board the Manitou Explore 26 Navigator. manitoupontoonboats.com

The Split-Level ’Toon

Any boat that puts crew forward of the captain—think not just pontoons but also bowriders and deck boats—creates a visibility issue. Forward passengers can obstruct the captain’s line of sight, a challenge in open water, but one that proves especially troublesome when docking. With abundant forward seating and fenced-in perimeters, pontoons only add to the clutter. Bennington’s bowrider design tucks the issue out of sight. The secret? Seat bottoms are essentially placed at floor level while a molded, recessed footwell drops into the interior of the V-shaped center pontoon. The result? The forward half of the boat sits a full foot below the norm. That V-shaped central ’toon, combined with the boat’s lower center of gravity, also sharpens handling, improves ride quality, and offers a close-to-the-water feel rarely experienced on a pontoon. Check it out on the Bennington 25R Swingback Bowrider pontoon boat. benningtonmarine.com 

Cowabunga!

Not just one but two products from Lillipad? Yes, Lillipad’s diving board is just too cool to ignore, enticing kids young and old to cannonball or dive into the drink without rocking the boat. Rather than flexing like a traditional diving board, Lillipad’s board combines an aircraft-grade aluminum platform with urethane springs at its base that allow the entire board to drop and then rebound. The solution provides the necessary bounce without placing undue stress on the board’s mounting location. A connection pin between the spring and board can reposition to adjust tension and accommodate a wide variety of users, with a 250-pound weight limit. When not in use, the board folds vertically to free up space on the platform and allow for easy docking, or it removes from the boat entirely. We saw this aboard the Viaggio Diamante 23S. ​lillipadmarine.com

Stacking the Deck

Pontoons have an abundance of deck space within their perimeter enclosures, but aft platforms often suffer from sterndrive envy. Outboard motors bisect any attempt at an uninterrupted platform, making everything from fishing to gearing up for watersports more cumbersome. The props are exposed to swimmers and boarders. Manitou addressed the issue by redesigning the aft platform and the outboard motor itself. BRP’s stealthy Rotax outboard pairs a horizontal powerhead with a propeller drive, resulting in a low-profile motor that sits partially submerged and tops out at only gunwale height. The design, which we saw on the Manitou Cruise 22 MAX Switchback, allows up to 38 square feet of added space on an uninterrupted platform that extends over the engine. The result clears sightlines, offers room for recreation, and even provides space to mount coolers and water toys to declutter the interior deck. manitoupontoonboats.com

Switch It Up

If there’s one thing the pontoon market has in abundance, it’s floor plans. But once built, the placement of topside furniture is pretty much set in stone. Sea-Doo’s Switch breaks the mold with a floor plan boaters can reconfigure like a supersize Lego set. The key to the design is in a simple locking interface between the individual tiles that form the craft’s deck and the modular furniture pieces that mount above. Like to lounge? Assemble individual seats to form lengthy couches and stretch out. Want to create separate areas for more intimate socializing? Rearrange seats into cozy nooks. You can even go crazy and fashion school-bus-style rows. Accessory pieces like pedestal or corner tables, coolers and storage boxes can also factor into the mix. Or pop out much of the furniture and clear the deck for hardcore fishing or a floating dance floor. sea-doo.com

Party Cove

Looking for a pontoon that’s its own adventure island? Fill the Premier Escalante 350 with up to 19 of your closest friends and get the party started. The 350 features a massive 36-foot-4-inch-long platform filled with cushy couches forward, a club-worthy booth amidships, and a sizable aft galley with a sink and refrigerator. A pop-up changing enclosure? Puh-leez. The Escalante’s adult-size changing room trades clingy curtains for a hard-sided room complete with a sink, shower and portable head. And that’s just the downstairs. Ascend an LED-lit, curvy staircase to the second-story rooftop lounge and find more spots to kick back and chill. A waterslide awaits to plunge second-story occupants into the cool waters below. It’s not even an intimidating beast to drive. Joystick piloting will have you slip-sliding into the dock to pick up partygoers with ease. pontoons.com

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Sylvan’s L5 DLZ Bar brings the party to this pontoon with a stern bar, complete with four pedestal stools to seat a thirsty crew. It’s a cool feature, though not always a practical one. Floor space is valuable when boat drinks aren’t on the menu. Sylvan creatively solves this conundrum by pivoting each half of the split-lengthwise bar to the floor when not in use. Cushioned backsides, hidden in bar configuration, reveal to form a sun pad that gets even bigger if you flip over the backrest on the adjoining L-shaped lounge. Drink up, then wind down on a rear-facing, doublewide chaise. Removable bar stools stow away along the starboard rail, so you really can have it both ways.

Not that the L5 needs a bar to be a party barge. That L-shaped lounge can likewise be complemented with a pedestal table. Across, a small galley includes a hard-surface countertop with more cup holders up top and storage below. Smaller forward couches fit up to four more passengers. Like the seating aft, all are wrapped in comfy soft-touch vinyl. There’s also plenty of storage in the roto-molded seat bases. Extra points for the speaker covers within. They provide better sound while protecting the more delicate parts and wiring from the gear you might store inside. At floor level, recessed toe kicks add to the cockpit space and make it easier to load gear. 

The sculpted fiberglass helm featured an optional Simrad display flanked by a chrome-bezeled tach and speedometer, with rocker switches below. All are set into two-tone panels with no visible fasteners, completing the upscale look. The JL Audio head unit is located to the left of the wheel. To the right is a phone nook, with USB and 12-volt ports directly below.

Belowdecks, the SPX PR25 Performance Package is now standard for 2023. It mates a trio of 25-inch pontoons with performance strakes to deliver faster planing and agile handling, with a hint of inside lean when cornering. Paired with a 300 hp Mercury Verado outboard, our test boat powered directly onto plane and reached 30 mph in 6.9 seconds. Top speed peaked at 44.8 mph. Underway or at rest, it’s a seriously fun ride.

High Points

• Stylish black railing maintains an open feel aft, and incorporates a boarding gate and raised ski-tow connection. 
• Power Bimini top takes the hassle out of ups and downs. 
• Standards include high-back chairs, pop-up changing room and black exterior rails.

How We Tested

• Engine: Mercury 300 XL Verado
• Drive/Prop: Outboard/Mercury Enertia 14 ¹/₂” x 17″ 3-blade stainless steel
• Gear Ratio: 1.85:1 Fuel Load: 30 gal. Crew Weight: 160 lb.

Pricing and Specs

Sylvan Marine – New Paris, Indiana; 574-831-2950; sylvanmarine.com

The post 2023 Sylvan L5 DLZ Bar appeared first on Boating Mag.

Sylvan dubs the L-3 RLZ a midlevel choice that is perfect for just about everything, whether it’s family cruising, beaching at the sandbar, entertaining friends, or towing your crew on inflatables, skis or boards. It’s a do-it-all pontoon.

The boat’s looks go beyond that description. Two-tone fencing features stylish, structural arcs rather than typical boxy rectangles. A gleaming stainless-steel aft rail and swim ladder scream upscale. The helm shows off a modern flair and a dash delightfully devoid of almost all exposed fasteners. And then there’s the furniture. It’s covered in soft-touch vinyl, features multiple accent patterns, and includes thoughtful touches, like speaker and wiring covers in the roto-molded storage bases below. Add an extended rear deck and standard power Bimini top, and you’ve got a boat punching above its weight class.

Step through the bow gate and find the classic parallel lounge combo, with a pop-up changing room in the back of the portside couch. At the helm, a supportive high-back chair awaits the captain, and ditto for the passenger beside. Things get interesting aft. At first glance, the four separate, forward-facing couches resemble school-bus seating, allowing a forward view for up to eight passengers. Flip the forward row’s backrest forward and you’ve got facing lounges waiting for the included dinette table to start that waterside picnic. Or flip the aft seat backrest fully flat and you’ve got an extra-long, aft-facing recliner—or two.

While the boat comes standard with twin pontoons, our test model featured Sylvan’s upgraded PR25 Performance Package, which features a trio of 25-inch-diameter aluminum pontoons fitted with lifting strakes, hydraulic steering, and an aft ski tow for watersports duty. In addition to reducing drag, the lifting strakes help to produce a smoother, more responsive ride. Turn the wheel and the L-3 responds in smooth fashion, tracking through corners without hiccups or a pronounced outboard lean. Outfitted with a 250 hp Yamaha outboard, top speed peaked at 46.2 mph while burning an economical 6.7 gph at a comfortable 20 mph cruising speed.

High Points

• Powered Bimini top lowers at the touch of a switch. 
• SPX PR25 Performance Package adds a center tube with a 60-gallon fuel tank. 
• Standards include AM/FM stereo with Bluetooth, four speakers, interior mood lighting and more.

How We Tested

• Engine: Yamaha 250
• Drive/Prop: Outboard/Yamaha Saltwater Series II 15¹/₂” x 16″ 3-blade stainless steel
• Gear Ratio: 1.75:1 Fuel Load: 35 gal. Crew Weight: 250 lb.

Pricing and Specs

Sylvan Marine – New Paris, Indiana; 574-831-2950; sylvanmarine.com

The post 2022 Sylvan L-3 RLZ appeared first on Boating Mag.

Sylvan dubs the L-3 RLZ a midlevel choice that is perfect for just about everything, whether it’s family cruising, beaching at the sandbar, entertaining friends, or towing your crew on inflatables, skis or boards. It’s a do-it-all pontoon.

The boat’s looks go beyond that description. Two-tone fencing features stylish, structural arcs rather than typical boxy rectangles. A gleaming stainless-steel aft rail and swim ladder scream upscale. The helm shows off a modern flair and a dash delightfully devoid of almost all exposed fasteners. And then there’s the furniture. It’s covered in soft-touch vinyl, features multiple accent patterns, and includes thoughtful touches, like speaker and wiring covers in the roto-molded storage bases below. Add an extended rear deck and standard power Bimini top, and you’ve got a boat punching above its weight class.

Step through the bow gate and find the classic parallel lounge combo, with a pop-up changing room in the back of the portside couch. At the helm, a supportive high-back chair awaits the captain, and ditto for the passenger beside. Things get interesting aft. At first glance, the four separate, forward-facing couches resemble school-bus seating, allowing a forward view for up to eight passengers. Flip the forward row’s backrest forward and you’ve got facing lounges waiting for the included dinette table to start that waterside picnic. Or flip the aft seat backrest fully flat and you’ve got an extra-long, aft-facing recliner—or two.

While the boat comes standard with twin pontoons, our test model featured Sylvan’s upgraded PR25 Performance Package, which features a trio of 25-inch-diameter aluminum pontoons fitted with lifting strakes, hydraulic steering, and an aft ski tow for watersports duty. In addition to reducing drag, the lifting strakes help to produce a smoother, more responsive ride. Turn the wheel and the L-3 responds in smooth fashion, tracking through corners without hiccups or a pronounced outboard lean. Outfitted with a 250 hp Yamaha outboard, top speed peaked at 46.2 mph while burning an economical 6.7 gph at a comfortable 20 mph cruising speed.

High Points

• Powered Bimini top lowers at the touch of a switch. 
• SPX PR25 Performance Package adds a center tube with a 60-gallon fuel tank. 
• Standards include AM/FM stereo with Bluetooth, four speakers, interior mood lighting and more.

How We Tested

• Engine: Yamaha 250
• Drive/Prop: Outboard/Yamaha Saltwater Series II 15¹/₂” x 16″ 3-blade stainless steel
• Gear Ratio: 1.75:1 Fuel Load: 35 gal. Crew Weight: 250 lb.

Pricing and Specs

Sylvan Marine – New Paris, Indiana; 574-831-2950; sylvanmarine.com

The post 2022 Sylvan L-3 RLZ appeared first on Boating Mag.

Sylvan’s Mirage X3 CLZ is a true value-package pontoon boat. Even with 250 hp Yamaha outboard power, it sells for under $60,000, and there’s a lot of performance features packed into its 24-foot length overall. The F250 Yamaha pushed the boat easily across the water to a near-46 mph top speed, more than enough to provide excitement for your crew or to outrun the rain back to home port. With that much oomph, it’s easy to see why the Mirage can rip from a dead stop to 30 mph in a cat-quick 5 seconds flat. It can be pretty quiet at lower speeds; at a sedate 16 mph, we recorded a sound level from the wind and the outboard at a whisper-quiet 74 decibels—low enough to hear the stereo and converse with friends aboard. It’s fuel-friendly too; at 16 mph, it sips 3 gph, calculating to 5.5 mpg. That translates to huge range from the 60-gallon tank—nearly 300 miles. Of course, even the more likely cruising speed of 25.4 mph produces better than 3 mpg. As long as the Mirage X3 CLZ is throttled reasonably, the fill-ups will be few and far between. With three 25-inch-diameter tubes, the Mirage X3 CLZ handles confidently, and turns are flat. It’s long enough to span lake chop and boat wakes without wallowing or falling between the crests.

With so much space in the stern of this pontoon boat, the interior is oriented toward the bow. Up front, there’s a pair of two-person facing loungers covered in soft-touch vinyl, mounted to roto-cast plastic seat bases with built-in drains. A Jensen Bluetooth streaming stereo provides the tunes. An 8-foot-long folding Bimini top is standard. The wide pilot’s console features full -instrumentation, along with SeaStar Solutions hydraulic steering. Docking lights are standard. The captain’s helm seat swivels and slides to accommodate the pilot and has retractable armrests. To the port side, a midship gathering pit features a removable snack table placed in the crook of an L-shaped lounge with flip-up backrest; when positioned forward, it makes for a cozy and soft watersports-watching platform. Aft, the extended watersports deck features a ski tow and stainless-steel, four-step boarding ladder.

High Points

• Black trim and rails create a stealthy and sleek look.
• Extended aft deck makes the X3 CLZ a competent watersports hauler.
• Bimini top with anodized frame keeps the blistering sun off the crew.

Specs

LOA: 23′8″

Beam: 8′6″

Draft: NA

Dry Weight: 2,380 lb.

Seat/Weight Capacity: 12/2,550 lb.

Fuel Capacity: 60 gal.

Price: $59,769

How We Tested

Engine: Yamaha F250 four-stroke 250 hp

Drive/Prop: Outboard/153/4″ x 13″ Saltwater Series II 3-blade stainless steel

Gear Ratio: 1.75:1

Fuel Load: 60 gal.

Crew Weight: 250 lb.

More Information

Sylvan Marine – New Paris, Indiana; 574-831-2950; sylvanmarine.com

The post 2021 Sylvan Mirage X3 CLZ appeared first on Boating Mag.

Sylvan’s Mirage X3 CLZ is a true value-package pontoon boat. Even with 250 hp Yamaha outboard power, it sells for under $60,000, and there’s a lot of performance features packed into its 24-foot length overall. The F250 Yamaha pushed the boat easily across the water to a near-46 mph top speed, more than enough to provide excitement for your crew or to outrun the rain back to home port. With that much oomph, it’s easy to see why the Mirage can rip from a dead stop to 30 mph in a cat-quick 5 seconds flat. It can be pretty quiet at lower speeds; at a sedate 16 mph, we recorded a sound level from the wind and the outboard at a whisper-quiet 74 decibels—low enough to hear the stereo and converse with friends aboard. It’s fuel-friendly too; at 16 mph, it sips 3 gph, calculating to 5.5 mpg. That translates to huge range from the 60-gallon tank—nearly 300 miles. Of course, even the more likely cruising speed of 25.4 mph produces better than 3 mpg. As long as the Mirage X3 CLZ is throttled reasonably, the fill-ups will be few and far between. With three 25-inch-diameter tubes, the Mirage X3 CLZ handles confidently, and turns are flat. It’s long enough to span lake chop and boat wakes without wallowing or falling between the crests.

With so much space in the stern of this pontoon boat, the interior is oriented toward the bow. Up front, there’s a pair of two-person facing loungers covered in soft-touch vinyl, mounted to roto-cast plastic seat bases with built-in drains. A Jensen Bluetooth streaming stereo provides the tunes. An 8-foot-long folding Bimini top is standard. The wide pilot’s console features full -instrumentation, along with SeaStar Solutions hydraulic steering. Docking lights are standard. The captain’s helm seat swivels and slides to accommodate the pilot and has retractable armrests. To the port side, a midship gathering pit features a removable snack table placed in the crook of an L-shaped lounge with flip-up backrest; when positioned forward, it makes for a cozy and soft watersports-watching platform. Aft, the extended watersports deck features a ski tow and stainless-steel, four-step boarding ladder.

High Points

• Black trim and rails create a stealthy and sleek look.
• Extended aft deck makes the X3 CLZ a competent watersports hauler.
• Bimini top with anodized frame keeps the blistering sun off the crew.

Specs

LOA: 23′8″

Beam: 8′6″

Draft: NA

Dry Weight: 2,380 lb.

Seat/Weight Capacity: 12/2,550 lb.

Fuel Capacity: 60 gal.

Price: $59,769

How We Tested

Engine: Yamaha F250 four-stroke 250 hp

Drive/Prop: Outboard/153/4″ x 13″ Saltwater Series II 3-blade stainless steel

Gear Ratio: 1.75:1

Fuel Load: 60 gal.

Crew Weight: 250 lb.

More Information

Sylvan Marine – New Paris, Indiana; 574-831-2950; sylvanmarine.com

The post 2021 Sylvan Mirage X3 CLZ appeared first on Boating Mag.

The hyper versatile Sylvan L3 is perfect for a day on the water with your family and friends. With plenty of room for lounging and entertainment, the Sylvan L3 is bound to meet all of your boating needs. Equipped with ample storage, a makeshift changing area, and top of the line Kicker speakers, this pontoon keeps you comfortably entertained. Step aboard with Kevin Falvey to experience it for yourself.

The post Experience the Sylvan L3 appeared first on Boating Mag.