I have had a few Tritons, 1998 TR-21, walked bad, found out later that the boat was set up way wrong, 2005 21-X, really good boat, it would run 81, 2007 21X2, maybe the best one I had, it had a 300 XS on it and it was a battleship that would touch 80, I have a 2012 21 HP right now, really like the boat, still tinkering with the set up, it came from the factory not set up right, it will run 76 now but should be running 78-80 under good conditions with a medium load. If you put it all into one package the Triton is hard to beat, the lay out, looks, ride, and performance are all really good. The same can be said about several other boats, get what you like, definatly do not be scared of a Triton.

The tr's and especially the xp's were the ones that got that rep for triton.

I have had to help other Triton owners learn how to drive their boats. Even with the proper setup, The biggest problem I encountered was, they were trimming the motors too high. You may think you are really flying when your boat is chine walkin' and you're having to drive it, but you are actually losing speed. Just tap the trim down till it stops walking. You won't even need your hands on the steering wheel. The XS is for grandpa; get the HP.

Hmmm arent you suppose drive through the chine aleast thats what i do. It seems as if not trimmed up less speed but idk i could be wrong but every boat i have driven trim it out if it walks drive it if not great. I had just herd all the whore stories about how dangerous tritons are now that i see that that is not the case i think i am gonna have to look at em a little harder.

You don't drive through the chine, that is a good way to have an accident, you don't let it chine by correcting the boat with the steering wheel, I am sure this is what you meant. I still say set up is really important, I had one boat that the engine was setting about 2 1/2 inches too low on the transom, talk about a squirrely sucker.

Friend has a 21XS Elite. It's rock solid at wide-open but it's not getting faster than 70 when fully loaded. That size of boat should be stable well into the 70's when setup correctly.

i had a 99tr21 and i ran 70 to 72 and i could hold the steering wheel with on finger but i also got a prop from steve out at lake fork i still have the prop and it is forsale

Tell me more about these whore stories...

I have a 2001 tr21 merc 225 that doesn't walk at all. Most have the motor to low that causes them to walk.

Most boats will chime if you tilt your engine too high at top speed. Just trim down a little and chimes are gone. No problem with my Triton.

it's also going alot slower then, this has nothing to do with tritons, but boat hull physics in general.

If the boat isn't high enough on the pad to want to walk on you, you are running to wet, and leaving speed on the table.

When you have alot of boat out of the water, drag is minimized and speed increases.

True for all pad hull boats, brand doesn't matter.

learn how to drive your boat and what input it needs from the steering wheel and get the max speed out of it, or trim it down till it stops trying to walk and leave 4-5 mph on the table..


About the comment earlier, on if you drive one boat that chine walks can you drive any that do??

Sure, once you understand what causes the walk, and how to correct it, with enough time in a boat you can repeat it in any pad boat.

Some boats take bigger correction movements than others, some take much smaller.

it just takes a little seat time.

I can almost take a nap driving my partners 21x compared to stinging out my Allison and set-up right and balanced it doesn't take alot to drive anyomre either, but it was the hardest boat to learn i have ever had..

i drove a ranger z520 recently that walked way worse than my triton. they all will if not set up properly. its all about seat time and learning to not let it

I was at Amistad today and had my '12 21xs elite with a 250 SHO and it ran 74.1 and never walked in any way. My 06 tr-21x would wash the numbers of the side but you could play with the trim and a little corrective steering and it would be just fine. As mentioned setup is the key to any boat.

Running down the lake after takeoff the last thing I want on my mind is having to "drive" my boat. If you bought a car and had to "drive" it when you got on the highway I imagine you'd look at another model. Never understood why people don't do the same with boats.