2012 Bennington 2575 QCW I/O

Boat Reviews

Reviewed by Richard Crowder

The four Q-Series models in twenty-five and twenty-eight feet, with outboard or sterndrive power, represent the luxurious, super-deluxe flagships of Bennington, the fifteen year old pontoon boat manufacturer headquartered in Elkhart, Indiana. The "Q" is one of four series offered for 2012 with an incredible total of fifty-two floorplans available from seventeen to twenty-eight feet.

The Q-Series is readily identified and differentiated from the rest of the Bennington line-up, and indeed from other pontoon boats, by its sleek, wind-cheating, fibreglass, compound radius curved-back bow. It, along with the R-Series, also sport rear-sloping aft side panels and aft lounges with safety rails in place of traditional pontoon-type "fence" panels. The result is a stunning stylistic departure from traditional pontoon design.

The Q-Series 2575 sterndrive-powered model, subject of this review, is not a new model, but has been upgraded for 2012. With its standard fibreglass swim platform with telescoping boarding ladder, its overall length is actually slightly greater than twenty-eight feet. It runs on three pontoons 25' 6" long. Standard with the Q-Series pontoon design is the ESP package which includes a patented 32" elliptical centre tube with lifting strakes and performance foils on the outer two 25" diameter tubes. In Bennington's words, "ESP offers stability, performance, planing ability and a sharp turn radius for a ‘banking' turn." SeaStar® hydraulic steering and an underdeck waveshield is part of the ESP package.

But it is the interior appointments of the 2575 QCW that really exemplify the luxury of the Q-Series. All upholstery is soft-touch pillow top in fawn, ivory, or java and may be optionally upgraded to diamond pillow top. Forward to port and starboard are "wide-berth" chaise lounges with fold-down armrests with cupholder. The starboard lounge is longer than the port lounge and is integrated with the fibreglass helm console.

Between these two chaise lounges you may choose to add an in-floor storage compartment and/or a classy granite top coffee table with teak accents and more cupholders, or perhaps an optional ottoman with built-in cooler. Speaking of cupholders, there are plenty all around the 2575 but you also receive two portable cupholders with teak trim to move around wherever you need them.

Midship, opposite the helm is another "wide-berth" chaise lounge with fold-down armrest and a teak trapezoidal table between itself and the helm seat. Perhaps the signature design feature of the 2575 QCW is what Bennington calls "twin aft-facing Super Lounges with center walk-thru design." These contoured lounges are immediately ahead of the swim platform and lift electrically for access to the engine compartment. Beneath the starboard super lounge is a standard pop-up privacy enclosure.

The captain of the 2575 QCW is not left out of the luxury features either as the helm seat is a Pure-Comfort recliner with integrated headrest and armrests and is mounted on a swivel slider. This fancy seat may be upgraded to "extra-wide." The console is Bennington's "Next Generation" one piece fibreglass molded with footrest and Custom Sterling Gauge Package including all normal sterndrive gauges plus trim, hour meter and a GPS-driven compass heading in the speedometer. The custom wheel has teak accents and it tilts. An Echo 100 Garmin fish/depth graph is standard and may be upgraded with a Garmin colour GPS. A console storage compartment houses a soft-sided cooler and the standard Sony M6 stereo with dash mounted remote, USB port, 12v outlet, and MP3 recess. This stereo can be upgraded and amplifiers etc. added.

There are loads of options from which to choose including a full range of colours and textures for the panels, canvas, graphics, flooring and vinyls. Several galley possibilities are also available. Make sure you take a close look at the various "Blue Ice" LED lighting accents available including around the cupholders, along the side, underwater, and even built into the bimini top. A unique Sport Tower with chrome LED spot lights and torpedo speakers changes the entire profile of the 2575 QCW.

Seven choices of MerCruiser and three choices of Volvo sterndrive power are available from 260 up to the maximum allowable 425 horsepower.