When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Manitou Pontoons 22 Encore Twin Tube 2012 and the Manitou Pontoons 23 25th Anniversary Edition SHP 2011 are pontoon designs with aluminum construction — the buying decision usually comes down to a handful of practical questions: how many people are you putting on the water, how far do you trailer, and what does your tow vehicle weigh?
On paper these two are close siblings in the size department — Manitou Pontoons 22 Encore Twin Tube 2012 at 22,9 ft versus Manitou Pontoons 23 25th Anniversary Edition SHP 2011 at 24,3 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Manitou Pontoons 22 Encore Twin Tube 2012 tips the scales at 2 015 lbs — 1 754 lbs more than the Manitou Pontoons 23 25th Anniversary Edition SHP 2011 at 261 lbs. That difference is meaningful if you're working within a half-ton or three-quarter-ton truck's tow rating, especially once you factor in a motor, gear, and fuel.
The power gap is worth calling out. Rated to 300 hp, the Manitou Pontoons 23 25th Anniversary Edition SHP 2011 has a 185-hp advantage over the Manitou Pontoons 22 Encore Twin Tube 2012's 115-hp ceiling — enough to notice on acceleration and at cruising speed, particularly with a full passenger load. Fuel capacity breaks the other way: the Manitou Pontoons 23 25th Anniversary Edition SHP 2011 carries 53 gallons versus 34 gallons in the Manitou Pontoons 22 Encore Twin Tube 2012. On a lake day that's negligible, but for coastal cruising or long reservoir runs the extra range matters.
For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Manitou Pontoons 22 Encore Twin Tube 2012 is rated for 12 passengers, while the Manitou Pontoons 23 25th Anniversary Edition SHP 2011 caps at 11. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Manitou Pontoons 22 Encore Twin Tube 2012 could be the deciding factor.
Both are 2-tube and 3-tube pontoon designs respectively. Tube diameter and gauge affect stability and load capacity — more so than most buyers realize when comparing on paper.
Bottom line: Choose the Manitou Pontoons 22 Encore Twin Tube 2012 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 12 passengers and at 22,9 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Manitou Pontoons 23 25th Anniversary Edition SHP 2011 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 11 that costs less to run day-to-day.