HARRIS FLOTEBOTE GRAND MARINER SEL

Every memorable boat has a “gotcha moment”when you see something really stand out, and for the Harris FloteBote 250 Grand Mariner SEL pontoon it’s when we sit in the La-Z-Boy-eske DeLux recliner bucket seats with footrests.

There were other moments as well – like when we checked out the stern and found a rearward-facing couch with a convertible seatback that lets you switch it to a forward-facing couch with just a flip. Also out back is a generous swim platform with some very convincing optional Faux Teak that gives the Grand Mariner an upscale nautical look.

Harris is one of the few pontoon builders that realize most folks like to hang out on the platform at rest. The company designed the boat with a pair of cupholders built into the platform and two rearward-firing speakers. Skiers will love the industrialstrength pylon, and the centerline locker can handle any board you have.

Before production of the 250, Harris listened to a focus group of 20 women who steered them to design a boat with a classy, understated interior design, complete with its unique sculpted carpet and muted palate.

While the 250 Grand Mariner looks good at rest, it reveals its best side streaking across the lake powered by MerCruiser’s 350 MAG MPI sterndrive. Harris uses three 25-inch logs in its Performance III package for greater lift, but drops the middle log 1 inch, which might seem subtle, but helps transform it into a ‘toon with great handling.

The 250 doesn’t like to be trimmed up a lot and will let you know by ventilating a bit, but you can bump it up far enough to air it out while running to a top speed of 45 mph. The high-performance logs have lifting strakes on both sides of the middle tube and on the inside of the outboard tubes, allowing us to get the beefy 4,610- pound pontoon on plane in just 3.3 seconds and to 30 mph in 6.6 seconds.