Does the Pontoon Water Glide work and does it live up to the hype and marketing?
It’s a question I’ve seen frequently asked on social media and online forums, so wanted to do a little digging to find some real and honest reviews of the Pontoon Water Glide.
As a full disclaimer, I don’t own this product and have never fitted it to a pontoon.
However, I do have a couple of buddies who have bought and fitted one, and have gathered feedback from them including pros, cons, and problems. I also looked into what other users have said leaving reviews online.
What is a Pontoon Water Glide?
But firstly, what is a Pontoon Water Glide?
It’s kind of like a hydro foil that mounts in between the two pontoon tubes. It can be less expensive than adding a third log and the manufacturer claims it increases handling and speed.
It’s claimed to increase speed, fuel efficiency, and overall handling, and is advertised as getting your pontoon on plane quicker. Below you can see what the manufacturer states on their website.
Screenshot of benefits taken from the manufacturer website where you can see the full spec and request latest prices.
Table of Contents
Pontoon Water Glide Price & Costs
There are no prices advertised on the manufacturer website, and instead you have to download a measurement form, plumb in your boat specs, and then call up to place an order.
People I have spoken to who have bought one have paid between $1,800 and $3,000 dollars.
Pontoon Water Glide Reviews
And now on to the honest feedback and reviews that I promised.
Below are all of the comments that I found in Facebook groups and online pontoon forums from people who have real-life experience of this product.
They have either bought it, installed it, or have a friend who has experience in buying one.
Most of them are real customers who have purchased the Pontoon Water Glide.
I have not altered the reviews and comments in any way, shape of form other than cleaning up spelling errors. I have copied them out as they were left online independently, mainly from Facebook groups.
Take your time to read them as I believe these will give you the most honest feedback you will find anywhere online that’s publicly available.
Real & Honest Reviews
And here’s a list of those reviews I have taken from various Facebook groups, pages, and web forums. I’ve mixed them all up into pros, cons, positives, and negatives to give a fair balance.
As I said, I’ve not used this product so can only aggregate this feedback on the benefits into this one resource.
“A friend installed one. They trimmed the motor up, slid it in, jacked up and bolted. If you have under skinning already then it probably will be more trouble than it’s worth, but he didn’t and put that on after. He has older 10 foot 6-inch-wide pontoon. He said is made a huge difference.”
“My pontoon already came with one, and I had never had a boat before, so I don’t know how to compare. When running it brings the whole boat on top of water, kind of like lifting strakes would do.”
“For me it’s definitely worth the money. I have one and love it. The pontoon boat rides higher, it handles rough water better, and planes like a regular boat.”
“We installed a Pontoon Water Glide on our Avalon four years ago and love the way it made our boat handle.”
“I gained about 3 miles per hour using a 115hp Mercury outboard. My problem after the Water Glide was fitted is that my prop cavitated because I couldn’t get it deep enough in water. I knew this could happen going in from talking to the company and my prop couldn’t be lowered any further. The biggest help to me was the increase in higher speed with added people on boat.”
“I don’t believe it can meet the advertised promises and think it’s somewhat of a joke in the pontoon world. Instead you should go for a real 3/4 length center toon and convert to a tritoon if you want better handling or to carry more people.”
“If you are looking for speed and have a 90-horsepower engine or more, then lifting strakes can be added to both toons to get the nosecones out of the water. I would do that instead to getter better performance.”
“I installed the Pontoon Water Glide on mine but think that the under skinning helped as much. I gained about 4 miles per hour and definitely now turn better. It’s not the gain that I had expected though. I have a 22-foot South Bay with a 115 Mercury and went from 24 miles to the gallon to 28. My pontoon now rides good, but if had to do it all over again I’d trade my pontoon in for a tritoon or add a full third log.”
“Our second hand 27-foot Suntracker came with a used Water Glide on it. We thought it helped with handling and possibly better fuel mileage but didn’t realize just how much until we removed it to prepare for the third toon we added.”
“We installed one this past summer and it’s definitely worth the investment. We gained 8 miles per hour, sit higher in the water and there is a huge difference in turning.”
“I’ve read a lot about them but the $2,000 dollars or so that they cost is a lot particularly since I have seen no concrete proof of gains and can’t find any solid online reviews just yet that look real and authentic.”
“I have a Water Glide so am in a great position to leave a review about whether they work or not. I was happy with the increased speed from my 115 horsepower Mercury and used it for a few years. About a month ago, I installed a third pontoon. The Water Glide gives 800 pounds of lift at rest, and I wanted more floatation for my boat. I am still working out the kinks, but I am at the same speed as with the Water Glide right now.”
“I had it on my 22-footer and that increased my speed from 22 to 28 miles per hour being tracked with a GPS app. When I moved the Water Glide to my new 24-footer I could only get 26 miles per hour. With the extra weight of the 24-foot pontoon I decided to try the third pontoon instead.”
“My boat is a Premier Sunsation 180 with a 70-horsepower engine. When slowing down the front would go under water and the carpet would get wet about four feet the turning was not good I would lose a lot of speed. Instead of a Power Glide, I got this kit took a couple hours to install and the boat does 24 miles per hour. The kit is called a Poly Pontoon Third Tube Kit.”
“Yes, our Pontoon Water Glide made a huge difference in speed, on the plane, and handling. The extra flotation has us setting and riding higher. Yes, it was worth the money in my opinion, so I would recommend you buy one.”
“In the pontoon world, they have a very poor reputation. I believe that the easiest way to improve performance is to fix set of lifting strakes if you’ve got 115 horsepower as that gets the nose cones out of the water. Some manufacturers can sell you a matching ¾ length pontoon that gives you most of the benefits of a full tritoon.”
“I have a 60 horsepower, so I only picked up a mile or two per miles per hour, but I don’t lose as much speed with additional guests. Also, we plane off and ride on top of the water now. We basically ride on the Water Glide at speed and the pontoons act like training wheels.”
“I read about the Pontoon Water Glide so also decided to go with the third tube instead. Just about ready to install it on our Bennington. The Water Glide seems to have some pros but many cons in my view.”
“I put a Water Glide on my fishing barge, a 22DLX 6 horsepower 4 stroke last year. It now planes like a conventional boat and handles rough water better. The ride is firmer but I’m happy with the results.”
“We have a Water Glide on our 22-foot Sweetwater 90 horsepower. Whilst we did not get speed gains as advertised we did get a big handling improvement. I’m not unhappy with it.”
“I have a Water Glide on a 22-foot Odyssey 115 Evinrude. It runs at 34 miles per hour, gets on the plane quick but did take a ton of work to make it right.”
“I’ve almost got my Pontoon Water Glide fully installed. I can’t imagine how folks install in their driveways. Luckily, I have a friend who works on planes and has an aircraft hangar and equipment who has helped me out. It’s been a full day endeavour to get it fitted.”
“Having had it fitted for 2 weeks now I can report back a 37.5% increase in speed. She is also over tacking, so I am going to step up the propeller pitch which should get me another couple of miles per hour.”
“With our it definitely improved speed from 16 to 22 miles per hour. The only issue is the prop is now too high and needs to be lowered as its cavitating from being too high. So, consider dropping the motor when done adding if you do decide to buy one yourself.”
“I have a friend who put one on his uncle’s boat. They love it. It helps to get the boat up and on plane way faster. He is running a 115 Suzuki on a 22-foot pontoon boat. I rode on it once and thought it handled almost as well as my tritoon. That being said you might also look into an express toon which is basically a ¾ toon and may be cheaper.”
“I have one fitted to my 13-foot Sweetwater with a 90 horsepower 4 stroke engine. I now get up on top a lot better and handle a load better. Admittedly I did not see a 30 percent speed gain as advertised but it definitely helps. We can now hit 30 miles per hour with two people and gear on board from what was about 25 miles per hour before.”
“I have a neighbor at the lake that added one to his 20-foot Odyssey with a 115 horsepower Suzuki motor. It sat low in the rear but after adding a Water Glide it sits higher and has added about 10 miles per hour. It also helped with stability.”
“I have a friend that put one on his 24-foot Bentley pontoon. I had the same boat and put a third pontoon under my own and there is a gig difference between the two boats. Mine sat a lot higher in the water which means less drag which means more miles per hour and gallons per mile. They cost about the same money if you look at the prices online. In my mind there’s no question that a third pontoon is the way to go vs the Water Glide.”
“There was five of us that bought them off the Internet from a guy in Illinois that sells scratch and dents from the factory, so I ended up paying just $900 dollars for mine. I put it on myself and it honestly wasn’t that hard, just lining it up marking all the holes and drilling them. After that it was just strapping it up and bolting it in. It was like a night and day difference in performance.”
“From what I can see reading reviews of the Pontoon Water Glide it’s not that popular. If you want an upgrade, many OEM companies will build a matching ¾ length pontoon tube. You use the existing engine pod and with lifting strikes they run just as fast with a simple bolt-on installation. That’s the right way to get more speed and weight carrying capability.”
“Someone asked about Pontoon Water Glide prices. You need to submit the measurements of you boat as there is a page on their website where they determine which one is best for your boat and price accordingly. I’ve heard an $1,800-dollar price figure but not sure if that’s accurate!”
“I’ve read a couple of reviews but don’t know directly from someone who has actually installed the product. From what I read in the reviews, if you can find a third tube you’d be way ahead performance, flotation and price. Third tubes can be found for $1,000 dollars give or take a little.”
“I installed one years ago and have since moved on. It’s tons of work and whilst not a bad item, you don’t really get as much gain as you are hoping for. I’d seriously consider a third tube instead. Better yet, bite the bullet and get a dedicated triple tritoon boat.”
“Yes, I installed one last year. It took some tinkering to make it work for my particular pontoon boat. You need to go to the website and print out the sheets for all the measurements it takes and then call in and talk to the owner of the product. He’s really helpful and will talk and guide you through it all.”
“I had one on my boat for a few years. It did increase speed and floatation and that was with a 115-horsepower engine on my 22-foot pontoon. I don’t think that you would see much speed increase with a 60 horsepower though.”
“I have a Water Glide on my pontoon and have only positive things to say for people look for an authentic review. My pontoon is 24 foot with a 115 Optimax. It was a pretty good upgrade. It has improved my speed and made the boat sit higher in the water. I can feel it lift the boat as the speed increases. You need to under skin the bottom of your deck for the best results.”
“I have one and it works as they claim. It offers more flotation and increased speed. I have a 115 Evinrude. Be prepared to test out the best location front and back and how high or low you mount it. The formula they give in the user instructions offers a good starting point. Depending how you load and use your boat, gains can be had by shifting your mounting position.”
FAQs
I’ve also looked into what the most common questions are that people have about this product, and then answer some of those based on the reviews and feedback I’ve seen written online.
My pontoon only has a 50-horsepower motor and doesn’t plane good at all. Do you think a Water Glide would help at all?
Based on the reviews and feedback I’ve collected; my view is yes it should help to get your pontoon boat up on top and handle rough water better.
How is the Pontoon Water Glide packaged and delivered?
The whole thing comes in a box which is around 11 feet long and about 4-foot-wide and 3-foot-high, weighing around 380 pounds.
Because of that the company has deliver to a marina or some place with a forklift.
Where is it made and manufactured?
It’s a privately-owned American company based in Springfield, Missouri.
How does the Pontoon Water Glide work?
On the manufacturer website they say that by reducing the amount of your hull that is in the water, drag is reduced and the result is increased speed and improved fuel efficiency.
The Water Glide provides a center pivot point which allows for tighter turning and improves your pontoon boat’s overall handling. While the Water Glide is similar to adding a third pontoon it is unique in that it adds floatation without any major modifications to your boat.
Will it pay for itself in terms of the amount of money saved on fuel?
I think it’s about a cost-benefit analysis. Does spending $1,800 dollars (assuming that’s the price you pay) save you $1,800 dollars in fuel?
You will need to do some calculations after speaking with the manufacturer about the type of performance you can expect to get with your boat spec and set-up.
Does it come with a warranty or money back guarantee?
On their website the company states that you can return the product within 45 days if you are not happy with your purchase.
They will then pay you back but will take off any costs for damages as well as a 15% re-stocking penalty fee.
Where can I find a Pontoon Water Glide for sale?
Most people will buy direct from the manufacturer, but there are also times when the product will come up on the used market.
The best place to find used would be in the popular pontoon boat forums or inside private Facebook groups, which is where I found out most of this information to present these real reviews.
From time to time they will be up for sale online.
Where can I see one in action being used on a pontoon boat?
Take the time to watch the video below.
My Thoughts
Based on all that I have read, the common consensus seems to be that people have had results with the Pontoon Water Glide, including increased gains in speed, handling, and performance on the plane.
However, a common thread has emerged during this research which seems to be that it might be better to instead have a third pontoon added to your boat, to convert it to a tritoon instead, or look to have lifting strakes installed.
For the full spec and latest prices, please visit the official website on www.pontoonwaterglide.com.
