Detailed Evaluation & Buyer Recommendation
South Bay 524CR TT 2013 vs South Bay 525CR Upper Deck TT 2011 — Which Pontoon Fits Your Needs?
When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the South Bay 524CR TT 2013 and the South Bay 525CR Upper Deck TT 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?
Both boats share a closely matched power ceiling — 225 hp for the South Bay 524CR TT 2013 and 225 hp for the South Bay 525CR Upper Deck TT 2011. 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 South Bay 524CR TT 2013 is rated for 15 passengers, while the South Bay 525CR Upper Deck TT 2011 caps at 8. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the South Bay 524CR TT 2013 could be the deciding factor.
Bottom line: Choose the South Bay 524CR TT 2013 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 15 passengers and at 25,6 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The South Bay 525CR Upper Deck TT 2011 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 8 that costs less to run day-to-day.
General Boat Info
MakeSouth Bay
MakeSouth Bay
Model524CR TT
Model525CR Upper Deck TT
Model Year2013
Model Year2011
Measurements / Dimensions
Beam8 ft. 6 in
Beam8 ft. 6 in
Beam - Meters2.59
Beam - Meters2.59
Beam - Inches102
Beam - Inches102
Weight - Detail2,680 lbs
Weight - Detailnot available
Weight - kg1215.63
Weight - kgnot available
Weight - lbs.268
Weight - lbs.not available
Length [deck]25 ft. 1 in
Length [deck]25 ft. 8 in
Length - Feet25.58
Length - Feet19.75
Length overall - Detail25 ft. 7 in
Length overall - Detail26 ft. 6 in
Length overall - Meters7.8
Length overall - Meters8.08
Length overall - Inches307
Length overall - Inches318
Body / Hull
Hull materialAluminum
Hull materialAluminum
Hull typePontoon
Hull typePontoon
Pontoon and Inflatable Specific
Tube diameter25 in. Tube Length: 23 ft. 11 in
Tube diameter25 in
Number of tubesnot available
Number of tubes2
Engine and Drivetrain
Drive typeOutboard
Drive typeOutboard
Engine max225 hp
Engine max225 hp
Fuel tank capacity - Detailnot available
Fuel tank capacity - Detail31 gal
Fuel tank capacity - Litersnot available
Fuel tank capacity - Liters117.35
Fuel tank capacity - Galnot available
Fuel tank capacity - Gal31
Operational Info
Maximum capacity2,145 lbs. persons 2,905 lbs. persons, motors and gear
Maximum capacitynot available
Maximum people15
Maximum peoplenot available