Young families who fish together will gravitate to the Lowe SF212 W. It’s the ideal pontoon boat for spending quality time and filling the stringer with bluegill, catfish, crappie, perch, trout and walleye. When everyone tires of fishing, you can kick back, have a snack, pop open a refreshing beverage, and soak up the warmth of a summer day afloat.
Our test boat included a Lowrance Hook 5 fish finder/chart plotter at the fiberglass-reinforced acrylic helm, plus a full complement of gauges to monitor your engine and speed. A foot-operated MotorGuide electric trolling motor on the bow positions the SF212 W on the edges of productive weed beds, lily pads or rock piles. A special compartment in the port bow secures the trolling-motor batteries. A 13-gallon aerated livewell forward of the helm console keeps live bait frisky, just what you need to tempt a wary walleye.
A pair of comfy swiveling pedestal seats, each with fold-down armrests, let the kids or gramps take a load off while waiting for a bite in the bow. A locker in the starboard bow secures rods and tackle. Vinyl mat flooring makes cleanup easy should the young’uns spill a box of night crawlers on the deck.
Amidships, we found a pair of richly upholstered captain’s chairs that recline, swivel, and offer fold-down armrests. Aft quarters feature a pair of loungers that wrap you in luxury. Within the bases resides a tremendous amount of stowage. You can also set up a snack table between the loungers.
Want to take a dip? Check out the aft swim platform spanning the beam with a fold-up aluminum boarding ladder in the starboard quarter that makes it a cinch to climb back aboard. On those hot, sultry days, put up the standard Bimini top for some shade relief.
Powered by a Mercury 115 FourStroke outboard, our twin-tube test boat planed in just 2.5 seconds and reached 20 mph in 5.5 seconds. Our top speed was a sedate 30 mph at 5,800 rpm. We loved the fuel efficiency. At 3,500 rpm and 15.3 mph, the SF212 W achieved nearly 5 mpg during our day of testing.
High Points
* Two fishing chairs, a trolling motor, livewell and tackle center make this an ideal fish ‘toon.
* Aft wraparound lounges appeal to the non-anglers in the family.
* Outstanding fuel efficiency means this boat won’t tax your credit card at the fuel dock.
Price: $37,025 (as tested)
How We Tested
Engine: Mercury 115 FourStroke
Drive/Prop: Outboard/13.8″ x 13″ 4-blade aluminum
Gear Ratio: 2.07:1
Fuel Load: 20 gal.
Crew Weight: 400 lb.
More Information
Lowe Boats – Lebanon, Missouri; 800-641-4372; loweboats.com
