Boating — December 2018

(Brent) #1

SEE THE
VIDEO


High Points
XFour loungers and a reclining
captain’s chair provide plenty of
opportunities to kick back
and relax.
XOur test boat’s tri-toon offered
V-hull-like handling and pleasing
turn of speed with a 200 hp
Honda outboard.
XAbundant stowage resides under
all of the lounge seats and the
helm console.

Specs
· LOA: 22'0" · BEAM: 8'6"
· DRY WEIGHT: 1,690 lb. · SEATING/
WEIGHT CAPACITY: 13/2,500 lb.
· FUEL CAPACITY: 30 gal.
How We Tested
ENGINE: Honda BF200
DRIVE/PROP: Outboard/Mercury
Vengeance 14" x 19" 3-blade
stainless steel
GEAR RATIO: 1.86:1
FUEL LOAD: 15 gal.
CREW WEIGHT: 450 lb.
Price
$64,900 ( as tested)

HAMPTON


2285 SE
loungers to ensure you always have a
beverage handy.
At the helm is a captain’s chair with
fold-down armrests. When you’re not un-
derway, you can swivel the chair to join
the festivities or recline it to take a re-
laxing catnap. In the bow, a pair of facing
loungers (4 feet long on the port side and
5 feet long on the starboard-side) invite
crew members to kick back and soak up
the sun, or enjoy a snack using the pedestal
table that secures into a fl ush base in the
forward deck. You’ll fi nd storage under all
of the lounges.
The sleek fi berglass console on our
test boat sported hydraulic steering, an
in-dash compass, and a full complement
of gauges. A Simrad GO5 chart plotter/
fi sh fi nder helps guide the way and warn of
shallow water. A four-speaker, Bluetooth-
enabled Infi nity stereo helps keep every-
one entertained.
A special touch aboard our test boat
was an RGB LED controller that lets you
adjust the courtesy lights in a rainbow of
colors to suit your mood. The system will
even automatically rotate the colors.

The Hampton line of pontoon boats has an
advantage over other brands. It hails from
storied builder PlayCraft, of which owner
Jim Dorris and his sons continue to per-
fect the performance side of pontooning.
While a Hampton might not achieve the
same eye-watering speeds of its PlayCraft
sister ships, we could feel the pedigree
from behind the tilt-and-lock wheel of the
Hampton 2285 SE tri-toon.
The tri-toon hull design
took full advantage of the
200 hp Honda outboard on
our test boat. The Hampton
2285 SE vaulted out of the
hole and achieved a pleasing
turn of speed. Our test boat
also proved nimble, carving
turns in V-hull-like fashion,
banking nicely during lateral
acceleration.
We could also see the
heritage in features like the
patented staircase boarding
system built into the aft end

of the starboard tube. Combined with a
three-step fold-down boarding ladder, it is
the easiest reboarding system in the pon-
toon market. The aft swim platform on our
test boat included a beefy stainless-steel
ski-tow arch over the Honda outboard for
enjoying watersports such as water skiing
and tubing.
Attractive woven-vinyl fl ooring pro-
vides traction when wet. It’s easy to clean
and adds a stylish touch that complements
the 2285 SE’s plush two-tone upholstery
and classy lines. In the aft interior, we
found an inviting 7-foot-long lounge on
the port side and a 4-foot-long lounge
to starboard. A gate leads to the swim
platform that spans the transom. Mov-
able drink holders slide into the crease
between the backrest and seat on the

PHOTOS: BILL DOSTER

HAMPTON BY PLAYCRAFT
Richland, Missouri; 572-765-3265; hamptonpontoons.com

To see our video
review of the
2285 SE, scan
this tag or visit
boatingmag
.com/bbg18/
hampton2285.


C


PONTOON


CERTIFIED
TEST
RESULTS

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