2016 Bennington 2572 Qxcwwa

The unusual feature on this 2016 Bennington 2572 QXCWWA, stock #5051, is the one you notice from twenty feet away: it has a walk-through windshield. On a pontoon that is a genuine functional advantage, not styling. Underway on a cool morning or a breezy fall afternoon, the windshield pushes the wind up and over the helm area instead of straight into everyone's faces, which adds real weeks to your boating season at either end of the year.

It is a QX Series boat, Bennington's flagship line, so the exterior is fiberglass-clad rather than bare aluminium and the interior is finished with handcrafted QX upholstery, luxury captain and co-captain chairs, premium woven flooring, and generous storage throughout. At 27 feet 1 inch on an 8-foot 6-inch beam it slots neatly between the practical 25s and the big 30-footers, so it still fits a standard slip and tows without a special trailer while giving you noticeably more deck than a 25.

Power is a Mercury 350 Verado, the supercharged four-stroke, on a 4,243 lb performance tritoon hull. That is a strong power-to-weight combination, so the boat jumps onto plane and has plenty in reserve for pulling skiers and tubes. Hydraulic steering keeps it easy to handle, and the 50-gallon tank gives you a comfortable full day.

An integrated sport arch with a bimini top provides shade and carries the tow point, and there is an extended aft swim platform with a boarding ladder plus a stainless ski tow bar. The helm has digital gauges with a multifunction display, GPS, sonar and depthsounder capability, and a Bluetooth marine audio system. Fifteen-person capacity.

Why this is the right boat: a windshield-equipped QX is the pontoon for someone who actually cruises rather than just parks. Long runs up the Lake stay comfortable, spring and autumn outings stay pleasant, and the QX finish means it still looks and feels premium a decade on. If you want the flagship trim and a boat that handles distance, at a used-boat number, this is a well-chosen combination.

It is at Kelly's Port in Osage Beach. Family owned on the Lake of the Ozarks since 1977, with our own service department and same-day service guarantee, gas dock, ship store, and wet and dry storage all on site. Call 573.348.3888 to confirm stock #5051 is still available.