Don't start with the boat. Start with how you actually plan to spend your Saturdays on the water.
I get this question from almost every new lake homeowner, usually right after closing. Here's how I'd think through it.
If you're mostly entertaining and tubing: get a pontoon
A pontoon is the right call if your summer looks like family and friends on the water, lounging, grilling, floating, and the occasional tube behind the boat. Entry-level pontoons run $5,000 to $15,000, mid-range 18 to 22-foot models with 60 to 115 horsepower run $15,000 to $40,000, and premium 22 to 28-foot models built for entertaining large groups run $40,000 to $100,000.
Here's what surprises people: you don't need a dedicated ski boat just to pull a tube or even to wake surf casually anymore. Modern performance tritoons, the higher end of that price range, with 150 to 300-plus horsepower, can pull a tube, a skier, and even a decent wake surf session. If your household wants to do a little bit of everything without owning two boats, a well-powered tritoon is the most practical single answer.
If you're serious about skiing, wakeboarding, or wake surfing: get a dedicated ski boat
If someone in your house genuinely competes, trains, or just wants the cleanest wake possible, a dedicated inboard ski or wake boat is worth the money, and it is real money. Real performance in this category starts around $125,000 for brands like Axis, Moomba, and Heyday. Nautique's GS series starts near $145,000, with G23 models running $200,000 to $260,000, and fully loaded flagship models can exceed $400,000.
That's not a boat you buy because you might use it. It's a boat you buy because you already know you will.
If it's mostly you, or you and one other person, having fun: get a jet ski
Jet skis are the cheapest way onto the water and the easiest to store, most lift right onto a dock without needing a full boat slip. New models run $7,000 to $22,000, with the average landing around $15,000 to $16,000. They're great for a quick ride before dinner, and newer models can tow a small tube for one rider, but they're not built for a group day on the water the way a pontoon is. No shade, limited seating, nowhere to just sit and talk.
The honest answer for most lake families
Most people I work with who do a little of everything end up with two watercraft, not one: a pontoon or tritoon for the group, and a jet ski for quick solo runs. Very few households actually need a six-figure dedicated ski boat unless someone in the family is a serious, committed rider.
One thing to factor in before you buy either
If you're still shopping for the lake home itself, think about dock and lift capacity before you fall in love with a boat. Not every dock on every lake I work can handle a full-size tritoon and a jet ski lift at the same time, and retrofitting a dock for a bigger boat after the fact costs more than most people expect. If you know what you want to own on the water, tell me before we start touring homes, and I'll factor that into which properties actually make sense.
Best,
Tim Ornell Waterfront Real Estate Advisor | Ornell Group Real Broker, LLC — Luxury Division (NASDAQ: REAX) Minnesota Real Estate License #40442506 651.263.9480 | ornellgroup.com 7037 20th Ave S, Suite 200, Centerville, MN 55038 Specializing in Twin Cities, MN waterfront properties and relocations.
Sources checked for this post:
- Pontoon and tritoon pricing by size/power tier, and wake-sports capability of performance tritoons (current marine industry pricing guides)
- Dedicated ski/wake boat pricing (Axis, Moomba, Heyday, Nautique GS/G23/Paragon lines)
- New personal watercraft pricing range across major brands (Sea-Doo, Yamaha WaveRunner, Kawasaki)
