Detailed Evaluation & Buyer Recommendation
Palm Beach Fishing 185 2007 vs Palm Beach Pontoons Catalina 260 2012 — Same Brand, Different Boat
Matching a modified vee Palm Beach Fishing 185 2007 against a pontoon Palm Beach Pontoons Catalina 260 2012 means you're likely deciding between two genuinely different on-water experiences. Hull type shapes everything from ride quality and fuel burn to dock handling and resale trajectory.
Size is the most obvious dividing line here. The Palm Beach Pontoons Catalina 260 2012 measures 26,3 feet overall (2012), giving it roughly 8,3 additional feet of deck space compared to the Palm Beach Fishing 185 2007 at 18,0 feet (2007). Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Palm Beach Pontoons Catalina 260 2012 tips the scales at 2 619 lbs — 2 464 lbs less than the Palm Beach Fishing 185 2007 at 155 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.
Both boats share a closely matched power ceiling — 140 hp for the Palm Beach Fishing 185 2007 and 150 hp for the Palm Beach Pontoons Catalina 260 2012. Real-world performance will come down more to which motor is actually bolted on, its load at the time, and whether it's a 4-stroke or 2-stroke setup.
For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Palm Beach Pontoons Catalina 260 2012 is rated for 14 passengers, while the Palm Beach Fishing 185 2007 caps at 7. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Palm Beach Pontoons Catalina 260 2012 could be the deciding factor.
Bottom line: Choose the Palm Beach Pontoons Catalina 260 2012 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 14 passengers and at 26,3 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Palm Beach Fishing 185 2007 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 7 that costs less to run day-to-day.
General Boat Info
MakePalm Beach Fishing
MakePalm Beach Pontoons
Model Year2007
Model Year2012
Measurements / Dimensions
Beam - Meters2.31
Beam - Meters2.44
Beam - Inches91
Beam - Inches96
Draft [drive up] - Detail6 in
Draft [drive up] - Detailnot available
Draft [drive up] meters0.15
Draft [drive up] metersnot available
Draft [drive up] inches6
Draft [drive up] inchesnot available
Draft [max] - Detail8 in
Draft [max] - Detailnot available
Draft [max] - Meters0.2
Draft [max] - Metersnot available
Draft [max] - Inches8
Draft [max] - Inchesnot available
Weight - Detail1,550 lbs
Weight - Detail2,180 lbs. 2 Tubes - 25 in.: 2,320 lbs. 3 Tubes - 25 in.: 2,619 lbs. 3/4 Center Tube: 2,530 lbs
Weight - kg703.07
Weight - kg1187.96
Weight - lbs.155
Weight - lbs.2619
Height [transom]20 in
Height [transom]not available
Length - Feet18
Length - Feet26.25
Length - Inches6
Length - Inchesnot available
Length overall - Detail18 ft. 6 in
Length overall - Detail26 ft. 3 in
Length overall - Meters5.64
Length overall - Meters8
Length overall - Inches222
Length overall - Inches315
Length [deck]not available
Length [deck]26 ft
Body / Hull
Hull materialFiberglass
Hull materialAluminum
Hull typeModified Vee
Hull typePontoon
Engine and Drivetrain
Fuel tank capacity - Detail35 gal
Fuel tank capacity - Detailnot available
Fuel tank capacity - Liters132.49
Fuel tank capacity - Litersnot available
Fuel tank capacity - Gal35
Fuel tank capacity - Galnot available
Drive typeOutboard
Drive typeOutboard
Engine max140 hp
Engine max150 hp 2 Tubes - 25 in.: 175 hp 3 Tubes - 25 in.: 250 hp 3/4 Center Tube: 225 hp
Fuel typenot available
Fuel typeGas
Operational Info
Maximum people7
Maximum people14 2 Tubes - 25 in.: 16 3 Tubes - 25 in.: 18 3/4 Center Tube: 15
Maximum capacitynot available
Maximum capacity1,960 lbs. 2 Tubes - 25 in.: 2,310 lbs. 3 Tubes - 25 in.: 2,630 lbs. 3/4 Center Tube: 2,185 lbs
Pontoon and Inflatable Specific
Tube diameternot available
Tube diameter23 in
Number of tubesnot available
Number of tubes2