Harris FloteBote SS 220
Author:
Robert Stephens As the throttle was shoved and the Super Sunliner burrowed through a wind-whipped test lake, a voice came from the rear lounge seat. One of three passengers was lying flat out and scribbling notes. ''Let me know when we’re going,'' he said, the big pontoon moving steadily into the 4,000-rpm range. It wasn’t that the Super Sunliner was crawling along. The ride was just so pudding-smooth that with eyes closed -- or fixed on a notepad or magazine -- you would have thought we were still tied to the dock, even as we cranked the steering wheel in whitecapping water. We tried several times to pop the throttle, just to make the boat lurch. We wrenched the wheel hard, trying to make it lean. But it held remarkably steady. The idea behind the Super Sunliner is to provide an open-air family room that moves through the water as if it’s on clouds. Plus, trick you out with enough necessities and fun stuff to keep everyone occupied for a full day. Don’t be surprised if the driver stays put for hours. The helm station has a cool, aerodynamic design, and it’s loaded with a Sony CD player, cutting board, two cupholders, a GPS holder and a fiberglass door that opens into a hidden sink and 48-quart cooler. Besides, the captain’s seat is one piece, and it fits like an Isotoner. We’ve seen a lot of pontoons where the driver’s seat backs right into the rear bench. But here, the back seat is several feet from the helm seat. A closer look reveals a pop-up changing room tucked under the rear seat, which means you don’t lose any rump capacity because of the privacy enclosure. All seats have special rolled foam at the back and under the thigh for extra comfort, and the carpet is among the plushest we saw on any pontoon -- just like the family room. Nice Touches 1. Doors to storage areas under headrests have piano hinges for durability 2. Rails are set back from the edge of the deck so they won’t get banged on docks or other boats 3. Cushions up front have flip-down hinges, providing full and easy access to stowed items
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