The Palm Beach Pontoons 240 Deluxe Limited SE I/O 2005 vs Palm Beach Pontoons Echelon 260 2013 comparison sits squarely in the category of decisions where specs alone won't tell the whole story — intended use, storage, and long-term ownership costs all factor in.
On paper these two are close siblings in the size department — Palm Beach Pontoons 240 Deluxe Limited SE I/O 2005 at 25,0 ft versus Palm Beach Pontoons Echelon 260 2013 at 26,3 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Palm Beach Pontoons 240 Deluxe Limited SE I/O 2005 tips the scales at 358 lbs — 126 lbs more than the Palm Beach Pontoons Echelon 260 2013 at 232 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 175 hp, the Palm Beach Pontoons Echelon 260 2013 has a 170-hp advantage over the Palm Beach Pontoons 240 Deluxe Limited SE I/O 2005's 5-hp ceiling — enough to notice on acceleration and at cruising speed, particularly with a full passenger load.
For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Palm Beach Pontoons Echelon 260 2013 is rated for 16 passengers, while the Palm Beach Pontoons 240 Deluxe Limited SE I/O 2005 caps at 13. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Palm Beach Pontoons Echelon 260 2013 could be the deciding factor.
At this size, power-to-weight ratio matters more than outright horsepower. The Palm Beach Pontoons Echelon 260 2013 comes in at 1 lbs per hp versus 72 lbs per hp for the Palm Beach Pontoons 240 Deluxe Limited SE I/O 2005. The lower the ratio the more explosive the acceleration — meaningful on a short RIB where bursts of speed, quick planing, and agility in surf or tight waterways define the experience.
The Palm Beach Pontoons 240 Deluxe Limited SE I/O 2005 is an inflatable design — lighter, easier to store, and quicker to launch from a beach or dock without a slipway. The Palm Beach Pontoons Echelon 260 2013 is a rigid hull, which typically offers a more confident ride in chop and easier maintenance over the long term.
Bottom line: Choose the Palm Beach Pontoons Echelon 260 2013 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 16 passengers and at 26,3 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Palm Beach Pontoons 240 Deluxe Limited SE I/O 2005 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 13 that costs less to run day-to-day.