SPEED EFFICIENCY OPERATIONnaut. stat. n. mi. s. mi. sound
rpm knots mph gph mpg mpg range range angle level
1000 3.6 4.2 0.5 7.3 8.4 191 219 0 60
1500 4.8 5.5 1.1 4.3 5.0 113 131 1 65
2000 6.8 7.8 1.8 3.7 4.3 97 111 2 67
2500 9.1 10.5 2.9 3.2 3.7 83 96 2 69
3000 11.2 12.9 4.5 2.5 2.9 65 75 1 70
3500 14.7 16.9 6.2 2.4 2.7 62 71 1 77
4000 16.9 19.5 7.6 2.2 2.6 58 67 1 78
4500 24.3 28.0 9.0 2.7 3.1 70 81 1 79
5000 27.8 32.0 11.2 2.5 2.9 65 75 1 83
5500 29.6 34.1 13.8 2.1 2.5 56 64 1 85
MOST ECONOMICAL CRUISING SPEEDHigh Points
XPlenty of seating to recline and
relax yet with enough interior room
to move about easily.
XDouble-bolted hat-channel
aluminum crossbeam results in a
super-strong and durable frame.
XWood-free construction means this
boat is rot-free for life.Specs
· LOA: 23'3" · BEAM: 8'5"
· DRY WEIGHT: 2,450 lb. · SEATING/
WEIGHT CAPACITY: 10/1,310 lb.
· FUEL CAPACITY: 29 gal.How We Tested
ENGINE: Evinrude E-Tec 135 H.O.
DRIVE/PROP: Outboard/Mercury
Tempest Plus 15^5 / 8 " x 13" 3-blade
stainless steel
GEAR RATIO: 1.85:1
FUEL LOAD: 29 gal.
CREW WEIGHT: 450 lb.
Price
$59,689 (as tested)AVALON
2385 Catalina RL
lets you unwind or get wound up, depend-
ing on the choice of music.
At the helm, we found a GPS speedo-
meter, tach, voltmeter and fuel gauges. The
black soft-grip steering wheel connected us
via the SeaStar Solutions hydraulic steer-
ing system to an Evinrude E-Tec 135 H.O.
outboard. Splash fi ns on the nose cones of
the two 25-inch pontoon logs knock down
spray for a dry ride. The 135 hp Evinrude
E-Tec outboard powered our boat to
slightly over 34 mph, which seemed plenty
spry given a full tank of fuel and 450
pounds of crew on board. Also, remember
that this boat is all about relaxing, and
that’s what family and friends will remem-
ber most after spending an enjoyable and
entertaining day on the lake aboard the
Avalon 2385 Catalina RL.For most boaters, pontoons are all about
relaxing on the water. Well, no other model
exemplifi es this philosophy better than
the Avalon 2385 Catalina RL. The interior
invites you to step aboard, recline, unwind
and soak up the sun in a quiet cove or raft
up with fellow ’tooners for an afternoon.
Our test boat featured a layout that
was symmetrical, stylish and comfy, with
twin loungers forward, twin reclining sus-
pension bucket seats amidships and twin
rear-facing loungers in the rear. There’s
plenty of open space down the center to
traverse bow to stern, whether it’s to ac-
cess the swim platforms aft or pluck an
icy beverage from the cooler under the
fi berglass helm console.
The seats and lounges are crafted
from Matrix 50-ounce soft-touch vinyl
for a buttery-smooth feel. Loungers fea-
ture sturdy aluminum frames, while the
swiveling, adjustable bucket seats off er
fold-down armrests. A pop-up privacycurtain unfurls from the port lounger.
Flow-through ventilation is integrated
into the seating systems to help keep
moisture from accumulating and creating
mildew. A pedestal table sets up between
the forward loungers.
Underneath it all, double-bolted hat-
channel aluminum-crossbeam construction
results in a rock-solid frame between the
two outside logs and three-quarter-length
center tube. Heavy-duty polished alumi-
num corners and a 3-inch rub rail with
black rubber insert protect against the
occasional “whoops” at the dock. Rakish
exterior lines give the appearance of veloc-
ity, even when sitting still. A four-speaker,
Bluetooth-enabled Infi nity stereo systemPHOTOS: BILL DOSTERAVALON PONTOONS
Alma, Michigan; 800-334-2913; avalonpontoons.comC
PONTOON
CERTIFIED
TEST
RESULTS
BOAT BUYERS GUIDE 2018 | 120 | BOATINGMAG.COMBOAT BUYERS GUIDE