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Dual Personality - Aqua Patio 260 RET
by Go Boating Test Team
The Aqua Patio 260 RET has both barrels loaded for fun
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The Aqua Patio 260 Rear Entry Twin (RET) offers a curious take on the performance pontoon concept.
It has triple 25-inch diameter tubes, which is standard fare for a performance pontoon. It also has lifting strakes on each tube, which is another common sight on performance pontoons. In this case, Aqua Patio talks about its strakes as part of its Technically Advanced Performance Fin (TAP Fin) system, which the company recommends on any of its pontoons with engines of 90 or more horsepower.
When looking at the rear of the craft, however, we saw something we’re not accustomed to seeing on a pontoon: a pair of twin outboards and a huge rear entryway. We found two 115 hp Yamaha F115 TLRDs clamped to the stern for a total of 230 hp, which meant our test boat was very close to this craft’s published maximum horsepower of 240. Twin outboards means another thing as well: wicked maneuverability in tight spaces. There was even a big ski pylon plugged into its base in the center of the rear deck, hinting that this craft isn’t shy about watersports potential.
The rest of the topside space had a fairly typical pontoon boat layout in terms of furniture, but we did find a few interesting surprises while taking a closer look.
Inside
In the bow there’s a good amount of exposed deck before the playpen starts, which will serve as a forward swim platform. The entry gate in the middle of the bow is wide and, with an 8-foot, 6-inch beam, there’s as much room to move between the seats as we’ve seen on any other ‘toon of this size. To each side is a chaise lounge with a good amount of angle in the forward facing backrest -- and you can even get the optional gate filler seat to convert the bow into a true U-shaped wrap-around seating area. We were even a little surprised at how the filler seat fit around other parts of the boat, making it useful beyond just being a filler seat for the front gate.
Aqua Patio likes to mention that the furniture on its boats is covered with its exclusive GX48 vinyl, which has an interlocking backing that resists tears, stains and the harmful effects of UV rays while providing comfort, durability and scuff resistance.
Another surprise we found folded out of the rear end of the portside chaise lounge. A door swung open next to the port entry gate to reveal an optional pop-up entertainment center, which included a sink and faucet with a 2.5 gallon freshwater supply, a trash receptacle, a work surface and a 12v outlet, which would be perfect for a blender. We give Aqua Patio full marks for allowing buyers to have this kind of added convenience without taking up any additional space.
Aft of the port entry gate begins the L-shaped cockpit lounge, which has a chaise recliner port forward, wraps around the stern and ends at the walk-through transom rear entry. There’s storage under the seats and a large removable table with cupholders for the cockpit area.
At the helm our test boat was equipped with twin-engine controls, SeaStar hydraulic tilt steering and the optional M68C Lowrance color GPS system. A Jensen stereo comes standard, but our craft was equipped with the optional Clarion AM/FM CD stereo system. The helm seat was covered in the same GX48 vinyl and was adjustable in just about every way possible. The back tilts, the armrests swing up and down, the base slides and the entire unit swivels.
At the stern we found the standard dock box changing room with curtain -- a changing room is always high on the list of most pontoon buyers’ priorities. A Porta Potti can be added as an option. Just forward to starboard was an optional rear cooler module that stores a 25-quart cooler, a CD holder, a speaker and two cupholders.
All the way at the stern on the starboard side is the walk-through transom and rear entry gate, which is set at an angle. The wide aft deck has plenty of room to prepare for watersports activities, and there’s a pair of low stainless steel safety rails that will discourage anyone from getting too close to the outboards. There’s also access to the fuel tank here, which is located in the center tube. Just aft of that hatch is a receptacle for the heavy-duty ski-tow pylon. The dual engine setup has a dual battery system, and the batteries are located in a storage area that has ample room to access for service.
A four-step stainless steel removable folding ladder comes standard and attaches in between the two outboards -- and because the engines are mounted so wide, there’s plenty of room for boarding.
Performance
Aqua Patio’s performance package is standard on this boat and includes the triple 25-inch diameter tubes, an aluminum under-deck skin, lifting strakes and hydraulic steering.
We had two people aboard, a full tank of fuel (about 50 gallons) and the twin 115 Yamaha outboards spinning 19-inch three-blade stainless steel props. Our holeshot was good with 9 seconds to 30 mph -- not bad at all for a ‘toon. We clocked in at 40.5 mph with the twin throttles all the way forward and the engines revving at 5,500 rpm -- another good number for a ‘toon.
The boat ran fast and surprisingly quiet, even for a couple of four-strokes with midrange horsepower. In the turns the 260 remained smooth, stable and solid. Just don’t plan on doing any tight high-speed cornering -- fast turns on this craft are big and wide. No matter how hard we pulled the wheel at full speed, however, the props did not cavitate at all. Even though both engines had right-hand drives, the boat didn’t pull at all, even while trimmed way up at high speeds
The wide stance of the twin engines gave us the ability to turn on a dime at low speeds for precise docking and maneuvering.
Overall
The Aqua Patio 260 RET obviously has some noteworthy things going for it. Its potential for robust power and the big aft deck make it especially suited for watersports, which is something many other pontoons don’t do as well.
Its sporty running performance also sets it apart from a typical docile ‘toon, giving it a thrill factor that many people think they have to buy a fiberglass boat to get. The twin-engine setup also gives the 260 an edge in close-space maneuvering.
While the 260 comes with a ample list of standards, we think you’ll need to outfit this craft with a few of Aqua Patio’s nifty standards. Since you’re already going to be paying in the mid $40K range, you might as well build in all the comforts you really want up front instead of later.
It’s also worth knowing that Aqua Patio is a Godfrey Marine product, and Godfrey has earned a reputation for paying attention to what boaters say they want and then giving it to them.
Contact Information: Aqua Patio; (888) 463-3739; www.aquapatioboats.com.
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This article first appeared in the July 2005 issue of GoBoating Magazine. All or parts of the information contained in this article might be outdated. |
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