Tahoe Cascade Cruise 23

Tahoe has a well-cemented reputation for building pontoon boats with solid construction, great performance, smart looks and at a good value.

One of the builder’s most popular model lineups is its Cascade range, which includes the Cascade Cruise 23.

At first glance, I can tell the Cascade Cruise 23 caters to lounging and relaxation. The forward end of the deck has two L-shaped lounges — one long, one a bit shorter — that can be used as upright seating for seven to eight people or as two comfy chaise lounges for a pair of folks to stretch out and relax. Entry gates are located between the two lounges forward, and just aft of the portside lounge unit. The skipper gets his own heavily cushioned and upholstered swiveling captain’s chair, which is set behind a helm loaded with LED-lighted rocker switches, big analog engine gauges, a Polk stereo and a chartplotter unit. There’s an L-shaped lounge aft and a sunpad at the stern.

Despite its reasonable price of around $47,000 (as described here), the Cascade Cruise 23 looks as if it’s a much more expensive model. The upholstery and cushioning material used in the furniture is top-rate and every deck component feels as if it were installed with expert care — no creaks or irritating rattling noises from poorly installed components that prove problematic on other pontoons I’ve run. Under the deck are precisely welded tubes with lifting strakes that improve performance. The deck fencing has sweeping lines and coordinated colors that make this a great looking pontoon.

You can get all sorts of performance baked into the Cascade Cruise, depending on your budget. This particular model came equipped with a Yamaha F115-hp four-stroke outboard, though you can get powerplants from Evinrude, Suzuki and Mercury, ranging from 9.9 hp all the way up to the maximum 300-hp rating. Outfit the Cascade Cruise 23 with the Waveglider package and you’ll get handling much like traditional V-hull boats.

Matt Mrozinski, with Lake Michigan Yacht Sales, says, “Performance of the Cascade with the Waveglider Triple Tube Package is truly second to none. Amazing rough water capability, coupled with maximum speed and enhanced turning, makes the Cruise 23 a blast to drive.”

DEALERS

Lake Michigan Yacht Sales
Bay Harbor, MI
onekamamarine.com
231-439-2675

Onekama Marine
Onekama, MI
onekamamarine.com
231-889-5000