Why Twin Engines Belong in the Center

Barletta is the only pontoon manufacturer to feature center-mounted twin engines. While every other manufacturer mounts their twin engines on the outside, we took a different approach—one that isn’t just different, but better in every way.

"The Twin-Engine Pontoon That Changes Everything". By placing the engines in the middle, we’ve redefined what a twin-engine pontoon can do. 

• Safer Boarding: Traditional twin-engine setups force you to climb aboard between two massive engines—not exactly the most welcoming entry. With Barletta’s center-mounted design, ladders are placed on either side of the engines, making boarding safer and more convenient for everyone, including kids and pets. Not to mention the convenience of two ladders. I don't know about you, but my friends take FOREVER on the ladder. 
  

• Aft Bar Protection: The stainless-steel entertainment accent bar isn’t just for your margaritas—it doubles as a protective barrier, separating passengers from the engines… or more importantly, the props.

• Damage Control: Docking and trailering get dicey when outboard engines stick out on either side. Our center-mounted design keeps them tucked within the boat’s frame, minimizing the risk of dings, scrapes, and—to be quite honest—$60K–$90K on the line (per engine)... yikes. 

  Something else to note? This boat goes fast. Obviously. You don’t want to be flying across the water at 50 mph and worrying about floating sticks or cans damaging your engines, which are almost half the cost of your boat. With our design, the engines are more protected from debris, so you can focus on the ride, not what’s floating in your path.

360-Degree Prop Indicator Lights: Unlike traditional twin setups that only have rear-facing indicator lights, our twin 400s have lights visible from all sides—so anyone around the boat knows if it’s powered up, even in broad daylight.

• Joystick Precision: Move sideways, spin in place, or hold position within 10 feet—no anchor required. Mercury’s Skyhook technology makes docking and maneuvering effortless. Barletta offers the most advanced joystick option in the pontoon market.

  The Mercury Skyhook is one of my favorite features of the Barletta Twin setup. Imagine watching Fourth of July fireworks in 200-foot-deep water. Instead of fighting to stay in place, you can drop an electronic pin, and the engines will automatically adjust to keep you within 10 feet of that point—like an anchor, but without the work.

• Speed: The Barletta twin consistently hits 65 MPH with a full gas tank. We aren’t the absolute fastest twin out there, but we prioritize a perfect balance of speed, stability, and comfort—not just raw velocity. On the other hand, we have one of the best hull-shots in the industry. If you're a car person, this is your "zero to sixty"—or in boating world, how fast you get to 30 MPH.

• Built the Best: Barletta already outperforms the competition when it comes to construction, but with our twin setup, we took it a step further. We use Double I-Beam crossmembers with integrated C-Channels, plus an extra "toon" starting at the captain's chair and extending to the transom, placed in between all 3 toons. This not only supports the center-mounted design but also improves buoyancy, making the boat safer in rough waters. It also means you can fit 14 people on board—something to consider when comparing passenger capacities.  If you are seeing low capacities on twin engines around the industry, it's a red flag... just FYI. 

• Like no other - Transom: While we are on the topic of construction, it's important to mention the transom of our twin. The transom on a pontoon is what connects the engine to the rest of the boat - so a very important piece to the puzzle.

  Our twin’s transom is actually higher than on any other Barletta model—or any competitor's twin-engine pontoon. A higher transom means less draft, so you're less likely to scrape the bottom of a lake or river. It also reduces drag, which improves both speed and efficiency. 

• Minimized Prop Wash: With engines mounted closer together, prop wash is almost completely eliminated, making handling sharper, more responsive, and smoother at high speeds. With traditional twin setups, the wakes from each engine interfere with each other, forcing the engines to work harder and reducing overall performance.

• More Room to Relax: Moving the engines to the center frees up valuable deck space, giving you more room to board, lounge, and enjoy the ride.

• Virtually Silent: Twin engines usually mean more noise, but Barletta’s advanced construction minimizes sound and vibration—so your conversations (and your playlist) won’t be drowned out. Hence the need for safety indicator lights - you can barely even hear the engine! 

• Effortless Fueling: Unlike traditional twin-engine pontoons that require you to fill two separate tanks, we have a single 125-gallon fuel tank with dual fuel fills—one on each side. No matter which side you pull up on, fueling is quick and easy. 

Barletta’s center-mounted twin changes everything. 

Buying a twin-engine pontoon isn’t a small investment. Heck, buying a boat in general - I get it. Do your research. Look beyond the numbers. Because when you’re spending this kind of money, you should be getting the best.

And the best? Well, that’s easy.

It’s Barletta.

Lusso 25 MCAT

Lusso 25 UCAT

For more info on the industry’s first center-mounted twin-engine pontoon, head over to our website and see what all the buzz is about.