Godfrey Sanpan 2700 ULW Twin

The pontoon boat market has exploded over the last decade, with more sales recorded in 2020 than in any of the 15 years before. With so many evolutionary leaps in design and performance, modern pontoon boats allow captain and crew to enjoy a great day of fishing, entertaining or fun while wakeboarding. Based in northern Indiana, Godfrey Pontoon Boats released the first all-aluminum pontoon boat, the Sanpan, in 1958. With more than 60 years in pontoon boat manufacturing, Godfrey is well- known for its quality builds and innovative designs.

With that kind of history and experience behind them, Godfrey’s models are perfect examples of the first-rate, great performing pontoon boats on the water today, so I was excited to run down to Indiana’s Lake Wawasee to see the new triple tube, twin engine 2022 Godfrey Sanpan 2700 ULW Twin.

As I pulled into the boat launch to meet Melissa and Chuck from Godfrey, the boat was waiting at the dock. Sharply dressed in black and gray and featuring white upholstery with red accents, the boat attracted envious looks from the other people launching their bowriders and bass boats.

Onboard, the boat feels extremely solid and well-built. Godfrey uses through-bolted construction in its boats instead of the screwed together components for extra strength. The driver and passenger helm seats each sit on fiberglass pads, which also double as the boat’s port and starboard consoles. Both console bases are finished with Marine Mat on top, which makes a nicely padded, non-skid surface.

Bow and stern seating is soft and extremely comfortable, with plenty of storage hidden below. All of the seats are constructed with captive cushions, allowing easy, hinged access to the space below without the possibility of lost seat cushions.

Gear up

Sometimes it’s the little things that set a boat apart. In Godfrey’s case, there are lots of little things on the Sanpan providing comfort and convenience for both captain and crew. Even better, many of these are standard features, such as the triple battery system, ski pylon and docking lights.

The boat has cupholders conveniently placed everywhere you look, and the boat also has USB adapters within easy reach of the seating areas, which include the new USB-C connectors. The captain gets an additional convenience with a non-skid inductive charging pad placed below the controls.

The Sanpan 2700 ULW Twin features a standard, sturdy and nicely designed swim ladder placed in the center of the transom between the two outboards. Unlike many pontoon swim ladders, this is not a little telescoping metal frame just big enough to claw your way back to the deck. The Sanpan 2700 ULW’s ladder provides skiers and swimmers with a truly easy way to climb back onboard.

Hit the key

At the helm, the Sanpan 2700 ULW Twin features a standard 12-inch Garmin touchscreen control center, which operates the RGB lighting found throughout the boat (including in the cupholders and underwater) and music pumped through the Fusion audio system. The Garmin also gives the captain important information while underway, such as engine RPMs, speed and, of course, navigation. Twin RPM gauges contain digital readouts, which can be customized if you want to show something other than the fuel level in the impressive 121-gallon tank.

Hang on tight

Getting ready for our test run, I was perched comfortably in the passenger helm seat when I realized both of the big Merc engines were running and I hadn’t noticed. Also absent was any structural noise like rattles or squeaks from doors, seats or other components. Godfrey’s build quality is impressive. As we nosed out onto the lake, engine noise was surprisingly quiet — a welcome trait when a bunch of guests are chatting in the aft seats.

The new 27-foot pontoon boat sits on Godfrey’s innovative 29-inch iIMPACT+ hull design, which stands for Innovative, Improved, Integrated Marine Power & Control Technology. The triple tube design includes full-length lifting strakes and other features that provide higher strength and impressive performance. These design innovations are obvious when you mash the throttles. Pushed by twin Mercury Verado 300s, our test boat jumped right out of the water and up on plane. The boat took off like a rocket hitting a top end of just about 60 mph across Lake Wawasee’s light chop.

Planing time was impressive and there was little to no bow rise, but the Sanpan 2700 ULW Twin really stood out from the crowd when the wheel was cranked hard over while running hard. Even at higher speeds, the boat dug into the turn and hooked around like it was on rails. I’ve said before that running at 50 mph or more in a pontoon boat can feel like sitting on your front porch in a hurricane. However, the full, walk-through windshield on the Sanpan 2700 ULW Twin makes the ride as comfortable as it is fun.

As we pulled back in toward the ramp, the early fall wind was gusting just hard enough to make things interesting but the added maneuverability provided by the second engine made docking a breeze.

Seize the day!

Back on the dock, I couldn’t help thinking about the pontoon boat my grandfather purchased in 1985. With little more than some hard bench seats and a 15-hp engine, that boat looked more like a utility vessel than a pleasure craft. The sleek, black pontoon boat floating in front of me had very little in common with that old boat aside from the word “pontoon.”

With enough horsepower and a sturdy pylon to pull wakeboards and tubes, comfortable seating and a removable table for entertaining, and enough room to enjoy any floating activity desired, the 2022 Godfrey Sanpan 2700 ULW Twin is the perfect boat from which to cast off from the dock and seize the day!