2014 Princecraft Vectra 23 Pontoon Boat Test Notes
Read Lenny's review notes from this large, comfortable, and relatively simple pontoon boat design from Princecraft.
November 24, 2013
Watch the boats.com 2014 Princecraft Vectra 23 Video Boat Review
The Princecraft Vectra 23 is a simple but comfortable pontoon boat.
Concept: Design and build a relatively inexpensive pontoon boat that offers solid performance and a comfortable environment but doesn’t break the bank by adding tons of gizmos and gadgets.
Construction:
-25” diameter pontoons constructed of 0.08” thick 5052 H-36 aluminum
-Classic edition includes jazzed-up graphics, LED lights under the console, an upgraded steering wheel, chromed fittings, and an uber-comfy captain’s chair (loved it).
-Roto-molded furniture structure is beefy and will never rot.
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Length | 23'6" |
| Beam | 8'5" |
| Max Draft | NA |
| Deadrise | NA |
| Displacement | 1868 |
| Fuel capacity | 32 gal |
-Boarding ladder on the stern is very large, strong, and easy to use.
-Cross-channels are 2.5” extruded aluminum.
-Deck is constructed from pressure-treated ply, and is carpeted.
Performance:
-Third “half-log” in the center helps boost speeds. 115 horses isn’t a lot of power for a pontoon of this size, and we still hit a top-end well over 30-mph.
-Fuel efficiency at a moderate (17 mph) cruise is excellent, delivering over eight mpg.
| Performance Data | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Test conditions: Five knot breeze, calm water, one person onboard. Fuel consumption figures are approximate. | |||
| RPM | MPH | GPH | MPG |
| 1000 | 4.7 | 0.4 | 11.8 |
| 2000 | 8.7 | 1.1 | 7.9 |
| 3000 | 17.0 | 2.1 | 5.7 |
| 4000 | 21.6 | 3.8 | 7.3 |
| 5000 | 28.5 | 6.4 | 4.5 |
| 6000 | 32.9 | 10.2 | 3.2 |
| 6200 | 33.5 | 10.7 | 3.1 |
| Power | 115-hp Mercury four-stroke outboard with a 13” x 14” 4-bladed aluminum Spitfire prop. | ||
Handling:
-Remains mostly flat in the turns, with slight banking.
-Seas were calm during our test, but when we encountered boat wakes the Vectra sailed right through them.
Unique features:
-As tested with the 115 horse four-stroke, in the Classic edition, with options including hydraulic steering, a tilt wheel, the chaise lounge, a table, swim ladder, console door, and a mooring cover, this boat lists for under $30,000. That’s great bang for your buck, especially being this well equipped and with a powerplant this large.
-The center half-log is an unusual design feature, and it helps the boat attain several extra mph.
