Sunchaser kept a premium on value when designing the 8522, but that does not imply the boat is cheap. On the contrary, the fiberglass helm, JBL marine sound system and supple three-tone upholstery are features buyers will appreciate long after signing on the dotted line. Forgoing vinyl on the low-maintenance, rotocast seat bases might be a nod to shaving cost, but Sunchaser has done such an excellent job of matching the color of the vinyl seats to the plastic below that we missed it on first inspection. What caught our eye was the fact that seat bases were all guttered to drain water away rather than allow it to enter the compartments below.
Behind the helm sits a supportive, high-back captain’s chair with flip-up armrests. Four separate loungers ring nearly the entire perimeter. A pop-up changing room raises from the couch end in the port-gate entry. An unexpected, clever touch is the simple elastic mesh pocket that holds the billowing curtain enclosure, rather than allowing it to become trapped below the door. Another nod to function is the standard vinyl covering outside the fence aft.
Away from the dock, the 8522 handled ably atop twin 25-inch pontoons, burning a mere 12.3 gph at a 29.8 mph top speed.
Key Features
-Comes with a JBL marine sound system and an MP3-player port.
-The full fiberglass helm console has a smoked windscreen and lighted toggle switches.
-There are two rear-facing lounges with one convenient pop-up changing room integrated into the portside lounge arm.
I have a 2012 Sunchaser 8522 lounger model with a 2012 Yamaha 15o 4 cycle engine with lifting strakes that tops out, with 2 people on board and all storage containers filled with junk and a full 36 gallon tank, at a GPS measured 42.6 MPH. The bottom is sealed flush with aluminum skin for no drag. This is a stock boat and motor. At 4000 RPM it cruises at 25 MPH, 4500RPM it runs 30 MPH, 5000 RPM it is at 35 MPH and at 5800 it tops out at 42.6 MPH. At cruise it get 4 miles per gallon, at 5000 RPM it gets just over 3 miles per gallon. Boat motor and trailer were purchased from Outcast Marine in Tampa for $33,000 including tax and title. The best part of this boat is passing other boats that can’t believe that a pontoon boat just passed them. Another benefit of the lifting strakes over regular pontoon boats, besides the extra speed, is that you get a dryer ride in a chop as the water is pushed out and down. Get the vinyl floor it just last longer and looks great.