2015 Bennington 25 Qcwwaio

Look closely at the transom of this 2015 Bennington 25 QCW, stock #5045, and you will notice something missing: there is no outboard. This is a sterndrive pontoon, 320 horsepower driving through an I/O rather than hanging off the back, and it is a configuration Bennington built in relatively small numbers.

The reason it matters is the aft deck. With the engine below the sun pad instead of behind it, the entire back of the boat becomes usable space. You get a full-width swim platform and an uninterrupted transom, which is a meaningfully better arrangement for swimming, for loading gear, and for the way most people actually use a pontoon at a sandbar. Sterndrive boats are also noticeably quieter at the helm, since the engine noise stays low and behind you rather than at ear level.

This is a Q Series boat, so the finish is Bennington's premium grade: detailed-stitch upholstery, wraparound lounge seating through the cockpit, reclining captain and co-captain chairs, soft-touch flooring, premium cabinetry, and large storage lockers for watersports gear. It is 28 feet 5 inches overall on an 8-foot 6-inch beam, weighs 4,900 lbs, carries 62 gallons of fuel, and is rated for fifteen people. There are 225 hours on it, and the black exterior has held up well.

Equipment includes hydraulic steering, a premium helm with digital instrumentation and depthsounder and navigation capability, Bluetooth audio, a bimini top, an extended aft swim platform with boarding ladder, ski tow capability, and docking lights.

Why this is the right boat: if you want a quiet, comfortable, well-finished pontoon with a big open swim platform and you do not need the absolute latest technology, an I/O Q Series at this price is a lot of boat. It is particularly good for families who spend most of their time anchored and swimming rather than running hard, and 320 horsepower is still plenty to pull a tube.

It is at Kelly's Port in Osage Beach. We have been a family-owned marina on the Lake of the Ozarks since 1977, and our service department knows sterndrives inside out, which is worth having nearby on a boat like this. Slips, dry storage, gas dock, and ship store are all here too. Call 573.348.3888 to look over stock #5045.