images: 

View Full Gallery

It used to be that people who lived on the water had a variety of watercraft: a speed boat for family water sports, a jon boat for fishing, and a pontoon boat for leisure cruising and entertaining. But with the current economic conditions and increasing fuel costs, average boaters have had to streamline their fleets. In fact, many are now choosing to go with only one boat to meet all of their needs. Their vessel of choice? The pontoon boat. And today’s pontoons are better than ever with improved materials and engineering that have raised their overall comfort and speed capability.

For those looking for the perfect pontoon package, Sylvan pontoons, with a variety of different models, offer the ultimate in versatility. You can equip yours with almost every luxury imaginable, including satellite radio, custom sound systems, gas grills and comfort seating. So whether you’re serious about fishing, want to cruise the day away, live to ski and swim or want to do it all, there’s a Sylvan model for you. The stability of Sylvan’s wide deck offers a massive amount of room for storage and provides a great platform for diving and snorkeling. Sportsmen have also discovered the angler-friendly amenities of large livewells, rod holders, custom platforms and seating.

Couple your Sylvan pontoon with Evinrude E-TEC engines and your day on the water will be near perfect. When it’s all about quiet and serious power, the Evinrude E-TEC gives you the whole package. And with no dealer-scheduled maintenance for three years or 300 hours, their lineup is perfect for every aspect of pontoon use. Evinrude E-TEC engines provide high torque, consistent power and an instant throttle response with power to pull skiers, tubers or even daredevil barefooters behind the boat. And Evinrude provides a great benefit with its Hydrous® pontoon prop’s oversized blades that offer maximum grip and thrust, providing stability in some of the tightest turns. Pair this with Sylvan’s exclusive Revolutionary Planing Technology (RPT) that slices through the water with sports car handling and runabout exhilaration and you truly have a powerful pontoon package. With quiet idling and virtually no vibrations, the Evinrude E-TEC is an engine that is ideal for trolling with the ability to run on 87 octane fuel—not premium, like some two- and four-stroke engines require. Fishing has never been more economical and comfortable. With all of these advantages, the Evinrude E-TEC truly is the ultimate outboard behind the Sylvan pontoon revolution.

www.evinrude.com

A Closer Look at the Sylvan Signature Sport 8522

Sylvan has decided to rethink everything about pontoon boats, especially their performance and design. Their exclusive Revolutionary Planing Technology (RPT) utilizes V-shaped tubes to provide more top speed per horsepower and dramatically improve its fuel efficiency. The result is a pontoon that slices through the water with sports car handling and runabout exhilaration. The RPT planing hull lifts the tube on top of its own bow wave. This causes the tube to displace less water, which reduces resistance and drag and produces greater speed with less horsepower than a traditional tube shape. Above the water line, RPT tubes are shaped like traditional tubes to accommodate the weight of the deck structure.

With their versatility, stability and large passenger capacity, pontoon boats have become increasingly popular with boaters. Larger-sized pontoon boats like Sylvan are perfect matches for Evinrude E-TEC engines, which provide high torque, consistent power and instant throttle response with enough power to pull tubers, skiers and wakeboarders behind the boat.

Part of the Signature line of pontoons, the Sylvan Signature Sport 8522 incorporates solid construction, ease of handling and attractive lines. The 8522, capable of accommodating 14 people, has three entry gates with pinch-roof protectors and Posi-Lock® latches. Designers have carefully configured the deck to accommodate group seating arrangements along the perimeter and an L-shaped, contoured lounge opposite the helm that allows passengers to face and interact with each other. The stern lounging area is a good vantage point for watching water sports enthusiasts being pulled.