The Grand Tahoe series is Tahoe’s flagship offering, emphasizing luxury above deck and performance below. The former becomes apparent the minute you see it. Rather than exposed fencing, the exterior is cutting-edge sleek, with smooth, painted aluminum panels teeming with sculpted fiberglass merging the looks of traditional pontoons and fiberglass cruisers. A stainless-capped, wraparound, TaylorMade walk-through windshield sits atop the consoles. Aft, twin stowage trunks reside in the stylish fiberglass modules that define the stern. Aboard our test boat, a sweeping overhead powered arch completed the flagship looks.
Open the beefy, fiberglass bow door: facing couches await. Pillow tops and thigh bolsters add comfort and security. Rather than roto-molded plastic, seat bases are framed in aluminum tubing and covered in vented enclosures to keep contents aired out and dry. Take a seat at the upscale fiberglass helm and take control using the two primary touchscreens displaying general engine information, with lighting and stereo controls. To the left, a Hummingbird Helix 5 GPS is at the ready. A trio of flat tray-like areas accommodate phones or other small items; multiple USB ports and 12-volt outlet await below.
Opposite the helm, the port console features a flat, faux-granite workspace with a glovebox. Aft, two more couches await, with forward-facing backrests. As in the bow, plentiful storage awaits below. At the stern, a deep swim platform and four-step stainless ladder make for easy water access.
Powered by a Mercury Verado 300 outboard, our test boat jumped out of the hole and was almost instantly on plane. Below deck, Tahoe’s Waveglider High Performance system produced a smooth ride with a noticeable performance feel. Triple, 27-inch pontoons feature unique extruded lifting fins with a cupped design that Tahoe promises will reduce drag, produce a higher plane off the water and deliver a fast, smooth ride in a variety of water conditions. That higher running angle can be seen in our test numbers. The 30-mph threshold was reached in 8.6 seconds. Top speed averaged 46.4 mph.
⋅JL Mediamaster MM100 Stereo with six JL Premium speakers, with chrome grills, LED speaker lights and a JL Audio four-channel amplifier for volume and clarity.
⋅Admiral high-back reclining helm seat boasts quality features such as easy-to-reach remote levers for swivel and tilt plus an adjustable height pedestal.
⋅RGB interior mood lighting mates with RGB under-rub-rail lighting and the RGB-lighted cup holders. Together, these provide great ambiance.
LOA: 26′6″
Beam: 8′6″
Draft: 1′3″
Dry Weight: 4,600 lb.
Seat/Weight Capacity: 14/1,950 lb.
Fuel Capacity: 58 gal.
Price: $146,434
Engine: Mercury 300 Verado
Drive/Prop: Outboard/Mercury Enertia 14″ x 19″ 3-blade stainless steel
Gear Ratio: 1.75:1
Fuel Load: 29 gal.
Crew Weight: 350 lb.
Tahoe Pontoon Boats - Alma, Michigan; 800-334-2913; tahoepontoons.com