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The NEW 2025 Sea-Doo Switch Fish Pontoon Boat

Eugene L.    08.29.24

Sea-Doo has brought out another addition to the award-winning Switch family of pontoon boats with the new 2025 Switch Fish .  This is the most accessible and adaptable model of pontoon boats that Sea-Doo offers, capable of being either a dedicated fishing machine or a family pleasure boat with just a few steps.  These are going to be available in two lengths, 18′ or 21′, with both being powered by the Rotax 1630 ACE – 230 hp engine (18’ also available with 170 hp Rotax). The Sea-Doo Switch Fish comes from the factory loaded with with a ton of features. Starting with four corner doors that give easy access to the water in both the front and back of the boat. For electronics, the Switch Fish comes with two Garmin 7″ touchscreen graphs, and an 80lb thrust Garmin Force Kraken trolling motor. This trolling motor comes with integrated wiring to keep things neat up front, as well as a secure storage locker for the motor when not in use. Additionally, the Switch Fish comes with two adjustable pedestal seats at the front of the boat, a quick attach 18-gallon cooler/livewell, and LinQ rod holders that can attach anywhere on the railing of the boat. All of these features can also be easily removed as well. So if your plans don’t include fishing for the day, the modular design of the Switch Fish lets you change that fishing space into a family fun space.

The new 2025 Sea-Doo Switch Fish has an MSRP that starts at $44,299 and should start being available to order this Fall.

2025 Sea-Doo Switch Fish Key Features

• Trolling package – Garmin Force Kraken 24V, 80-lbs thrust, 57 in shaft trolling motor with GT56UHD-TR transducer
• Garmin 7″ touchscreen GPS and Fish Finder at the console and at the bow
• Bow screen mount kit
• 2 lead-acid batteries, lead/AGM/gel/lithium battery charger
• 2 Fishing pedestal seats
• Quick-Attach 18 US gal (68 L) Cooler and Livewell
•  Washdown and spray nozzle
• Quick-Access rod storage and LinQ Lite rail rod holders
• Trolling motor storage
• Swim platform with LinQ attachment points
• Storage compartment lock
• BRP Audio System
• Quick-adjust handlebar
• Swim platform carpet
• 4 corner doors
• Unique coloration – Wilderness Green
• Three Models – 18′-170, 18′-230, and 21′-230
• Max Person Capacity – 8 people for the 18′ and 10 people for the 21′
• Max Load Capacity – 1,155lbs for the 18′ and 1,485lbs for the 21′
• Hull – Tri-Hull made from Polytec
• Estimated Net Weight – 2,548lbs, 2,557lbs, and 2,889lbs
• Length – 17.4′ and 20.4′
• Width/Beam – 93.5″
• Height – 81.1″
• Available – Fall
• MSRP – Starts at $44,299

Eugene L. is currently a writer for OutdoorHub who has chosen not to write a short bio at this time.

Mackinac Island among best places in US to see fall leaves from a boat

Mackinac Island, a Michigan tourist gem, is among the top destinations in the country to see the fall foliage from a boat, according to a boating organization.

Discover Boating calls the island a place where you can "enjoy time on your boat in Mackinac’s waters, or take a ferry to the island for a long weekend."

The website suggests visiting Mackinac Island, ranked No. 5 on the list, the first two weeks of October for optimal viewing of fall leaves which is "a little later than the surrounding mainland."

Discover Boating, which touts itself as a one-stop shop for all things boating, compiled the list of affordable options whether you rent, share or belong to a boat club.

Columbia River Gorge, Oregon/Washington

"The Pacific Northwest is spectacular year-round, but in the fall, the plentiful trees light up with color," Discover Boating says. "The Columbia River, which flows between Oregon and Washington, is center stage for foliage displays. The gorge is a canyon up to 4,000 feet deep that extends from the confluence of the Columbia and Deschutes rivers over 80 miles to the west. Peak leaf viewing lasts approximately two weeks between late September and early October."

Lake Tahoe, California

"Lake Tahoe is a busy recreational area throughout the year, with winter skiing and summer boating activities," Discover Boating says. "From September to late October, there’s another reason to vacation here: the myriad colors surrounding this freshwater lake in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Just 40 miles from Reno, Lake Tahoe is easy to access and welcomes everyone to enjoy the show."

Dillion Reservoir, Colorado

"Dillon Reservoir in Summit County, Colorado, is just 45 minutes from downtown Denver, but its Rocky Mountain setting might as well be in another world," Discover Boating says. "The Dillon Yacht Club, founded in 1968, is the nation’s highest sailing club, with an elevation of 9,017 feet above sea level. The marina offers pontoon boats for rent, and the club organizes sailing regattas, including the Frostbite Series in late September. Aspen trees comprise much of the surrounding foliage, so the area brightens with vivid yellows and golds in the fall."

Door County, Wisconsin

"Just an hour from Green Bay, Wisconsin, Door County sits on a peninsula that juts out onto Lake Michigan and lures visitors all summer," Discover Boating says. "But after many of the tourists have left, the 912-acre state park of Rock Island lights up with fiery color. While there, you can also tour wineries and lighthouses and ride the trolley from eatery to eatery. Or, stay aboard your boat and cruise from Green Bay to Lake Michigan, a journey that can take a week or more."

Mackinac Island, Michigan

"Mackinac Island on Lake Huron is best known to boaters because of the Chicago Yacht Club-sponsored race that concludes there," Discover Boating says. "Mackinac is almost entirely a state park where you can hike, visit Fort Mackinac (which dates from 1780), and relax at the luxurious Grand Hotel that draws visitors from afar."

Related: Police: Wreckage from 2007 plane crash in Lake Huron, passenger's remains found

Related: Mackinac Island's Inn at Stonecliffe named one of Time's 2024 World Greatest Places

Acadia National Park, Maine

"The Maine coast is a boater’s paradise, but autumn in the 47,000-acre Acadia National Park on Desert Island isn’t to be missed," Discover Boating says. "The coastal color peaks a little later than inland, so you may have more time to catch the brilliant change of birches, oaks, and maples. The entire Bar Harbor region glows with breathtaking hues. For foodies, Portland is the place to dock. Rocky beaches, distant mountain peaks, and plenty of moose, bears, and whales will keep you occupied."

Hudson River Valley, New York

"Gold, crimson and purple colors will welcome you to the Hudson River Valley in New York that combines picture-perfect country roads with fabulous river views," Discover Boating says. "Bird watching is big here with bald eagles, herons and egrets making the nearby marshlands their home. For an unusual treat, you can also visit the West Point Military Academy or rent a kayak and visit the river coves in perfect bliss."

Lake Nockamixon, Pennsylvania

"This 5,286-acre Nockamixon State Park in Bucks County makes a great day trip to take in fall colors," Discover Boating says. "The 1,450-acre lake is popular with anglers and sailors alike, and boating novices can take a narrated tour on a pontoon boat. The park maintains a marina with boat rentals and three other boat-launch areas, so there are plenty of places to get on the water and be dazzled by nature’s fireworks."

St. Michaels, Maryland

"In Talbot County, on the Eastern Shore of Chesapeake Bay, lies St. Michaels, a quintessential mid-Atlantic town where watermen abound," Discover Boating says. "Home to one of the finest maritime museums, St. Michaels has something for everyone, including pie-baking competitions, a pumpkin carving challenge, and scarecrow decorating contests."

Lake Norman, North Carolina

"Only about 20 miles from Charlotte, Lake Norman in North Carolina enjoys a mild climate, so the leaf transformation starts in October at the higher elevations and continues until November lower down," Discover Boating says. "Lake Norman was created with the construction of the Ford Dam between 1959 and 1964 and is the largest man-made body of water in the state. Boaters of all kinds flock here to ski, fish, sail, and even catch a stand-up paddleboarding yoga class."

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Angela Alsobrooks began her Senate run as an underdog. She’s hoping it ends by making history.

CHESTERTOWN, Md. — Angela Alsobrooks was nearing the end of another busy campaign push in late July, sweeping through four counties in two days.

Alsobrook, the Democratic Senate candidate in Maryland, shook hands and took selfie after selfie in near 100-degree heat. She stopped at a locally owned unisex hair salon and visited a clothing drive for children in foster care. 

Alsobrooks also spent some time on the docks of a marina meeting with watermen and women from the Chesapeake Bay region, who are the lifeblood of the state’s seafaring culture and economy.

During her final campaign stop in the area, sea captain Tyrone Meredith offered her a tour of his fishing and charter boat, Island Queen II.

Alsobrooks, 53, didn’t hesitate. She’d swapped flat sandals for short rain boots and leaped across the narrow divide between dock and water to climb aboard. Meredith, a fifth-generation fisherman whose family roots in the area date to 1867, beamed as he showed off the vessel that represents both his livelihood and his heritage.  Such exchanges on the campaign trail “give me joy,” said Alsobrooks, the county executive in Prince George’s County. “I want to represent people with all the passion I have.” 

In the Democratic primary, Alsobrooks was outspent 10-to-1 by Rep. David Trone’s self-funded campaign; she still won handily . She now faces Republican Larry Hogan , Maryland’s former two-term governor, in November’s general election to fill the seat of retiring Democratic Sen. Ben Cardin.

The race has become one to watch for its potential to reshape the makeup of the Senate, where Democrats have a razor-thin majority. The polling so far has found Alsobrooks with an edge but smaller than the lead Democrats usually hold in the state, according to an NBC News analysis of available data. 

If elected, Alsobrooks, the mother of a college-age daughter, stands to make history. “We enthusiastically support her bid to be the first Black woman senator to represent the great state of Maryland,” said Glynda Carr, president of Higher Heights for America PAC, which works to elect Black female candidates nationwide. “We know she is a necessary voice.”

This election cycle, Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware and Valerie McCray of Indiana also won Democratic primaries, and, if victorious, they would be the first Black people to represent their states in the Senate.

“Angela can help ensure that all Black women will have a voice in this body,” Carr said. “She will not only fight for Maryland, but she will also fight for all of us when she is elected to office.”Alsobrooks said that beyond potentially making history, she wants to shape policy in Congress. Her platform includes endorsing of a $15-per-hour minimum wage, health care for all, gun manufacturer accountability and abortion access. 

“We are looking at a time that is like a time we’ve never seen before,” she said during her whirlwind campaigning. “This election will help us decide the kind of future we want for our children and grandchildren and what kind of state and country we will build for them.”

The two Maryland candidates for the Senate, who have contrasting visions on everything from public safety to tax relief, haven’t yet debated. Occasionally, sharp elbows have been displayed. 

In a July opinion piece , Hogan wrote: “While my opponent will be a rubber stamp for her party bosses, Marylanders know me, and they know I have the courage to stand up to the current president, the former president, and the bosses in both parties. I will work with leaders on both sides of the aisle to deliver for Maryland.”

In response, the Alsobrooks campaign said: “Larry Hogan continues to mislead and misrepresent. Moves straight out of the Mitch McConnell playbook, which makes sense given Mitch recruited Larry.”

Alsobrooks continued stumping on the Eastern Shore, a rural, traditionally conservative area that stands in stark contrast with the suburban Prince George's County, where she currently holds office. She spoke to a multigenerational, multiracial cluster of people in front of Phat Daddy’s BBQ in Chestertown as the aroma of smoked meats wafted through the air. She shook hands with voter after voter, smiling for photos under the hot sun.

William Holland, the owner and CEO of Phat Daddy’s, operated a food truck for years before he opened a sit-down eatery in 2021. “We launched during the pandemic,” Holland said. “One important thing for me is taking care of my employees. When it’s slow, I don’t want to have to lay anyone off. I asked her about ways to help small-business owners like myself, and I appreciated that she listened.”   

As the campaign event wrapped up in Chestertown, Alsobrooks’ team handed out literature and green, black and white campaign signs for lawns and windows. 

In June, one of her signs was vandalized in what state Attorney General Anthony Brown described in a statement as “a hate-bias incident.” A large sign in Laurel was defaced with the letter “KKK,” and crosshairs in the shape of a target were painted on Alsobrooks’ image. Prince George’s County police told NBC News that the investigation remains open but that there have been no new developments regarding the vandalism.

Gina Ford, a campaign spokesperson, told the media: “We were made aware of this very unsettling incident, and our paramount concern is Angela’s safety. However, this sort of hateful threat will not deter Angela or her campaign.”

Indeed, there is a certain unflappable quality about Alsobrooks, a quiet confidence that seems to stem from the nurturing environment in which she was raised, a “quintessential American family” with loving parents and an older sister. Her father held down two jobs: In the mornings, he delivered newspapers. Later in the day, “he changed into his suit and would go sell insurance,” she told NBC News. “After losing his job, he became a car salesman.”

Her mother was a receptionist, employed over the years in local government and hospital settings. “I would go to the ER and wait for her to get off work,” Alsobrooks said.

The devoted parents stressed education and exposed Alsobrooks and her sister to fine dining, art and culture while instilling values such as religious faith and telling them that nothing was beyond their capabilities.

“We had so many outlets,” Alsobrooks said. “Dance, voice lessons and children’s improvisational theater. Church.”

In the ninth grade, after meeting peers involved in citywide student government, she was impressed and decided to run for treasurer. 

“I had a real campaign. My campaign volunteers were my parents. They took me to the toy store, and I handed out candy wrapped in play money,” she laughs.

Alsobrooks won her very first election, then another as the student group’s president. Public service has been her calling ever since.

A few years later, Alsobrooks said her parents “cleared out their retirement accounts, budgeted and shared one car,” to pay her Duke University tuition. She later attended the University of Maryland School of Law and then honed her legal skills as a law clerk in the Howard County Circuit Court, and later the Baltimore City Circuit Court.

A pivotal position for Alsobrooks was becoming an assistant state’s attorney in Prince George’s County, and the first full-time prosecutor to handle domestic violence cases.

She went on to become the first woman and youngest person ever elected state’s attorney in the county. Under her tenure as top law enforcement officer, violent crime dropped . She also established a first-of-its-kind unit to investigate and prosecute police and official misconduct.Her political star continued to rise when she became the first woman elected to her present role as county executive for Prince George’s County, a suburban enclave outside of Washington, D.C., and one of the wealthiest majority-Black communities in the country. During her tenure, she has focused on job creation and economic opportunity; youth investment and education. She has also prioritized health care access, and providing mental health and addiction treatment.

Now, she says she is ready to take her experience to Capitol Hill.

She is one of the speakers slated to address the nation on Tuesday night from the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

When President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris visited Prince George’s County, Maryland last Thursday, Alsobrooks was among the officials who welcomed them.

Biden referred to her as “soon-to-be senator,” while Harris, a former senator herself who has endorsed Alsobrooks’ bid, told the audience, “I have worked with her over the years. … you’re going to do a great thing when you send her to the United States Senate.”

Back on the Eastern Shore, Alsobrooks shed her suit jacket. As seagulls soared overhead and boats bobbed in the waters, she took the opportunity to speak to yet another group of Marylanders about a range of issues, from protecting the environment and the Chesapeake Bay, to reproductive freedoms for women.

Jessica Mackler, president of Emily’s List, a PAC that backs Democratic, pro-choice women candidates, told NBC News, “We came out quickly and strongly with our support for her.” 

Via its independent expenditure arm, Women Vote, the PAC has invested $2.6 million in the Alsobrooks campaign, Mackler said, some of which will underwrite ads highlighting the stakes of this race.

We “will do everything in our power to help her win and make history as the first Black senator from Maryland this November,” she said. Both candidates have received a wealth of endorsements. Hogan’s include state’s attorneys, sheriffs and small business owners; while labor unions, educational associations and civil rights organizations are among those that have predominantly backed Alsobrooks. 

“Freedom is the thing that makes us American,” Alsobrooks said. “It is the thing that is foundational, the bedrock of our existence. It is our belief in human rights and integrity. These are the issues that really do bind us, and we know that this election will help us decide which direction our country will go in.”

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