In the last few years, Sun Tracker’s Party Barge series underwent a total transformation that delivers a new level of sophistication and luxury. The flagship of the Party Barge line, the 27 Regency Edition is a perfect example. But even more impressive is that despite upgrading numerous features, the price still reflects the Tracker core philosophy of keeping boats affordable.
Unique Factor
Rising like a soufflé above the downward-curving 1.25-inch anodized rails are the overstuffed bow lounges that give the revamped Party Barge line its signature look. The settees – two forward and one amidships – are generously filled with Sun Tracker’s high-density comfort foam for a cushy foundation. The seats are covered in very soft, yet stout 30-ounce expanded back vinyl that has a stain-resistant top coating – a handy feature if the kids slosh their Welch’s grape juice around. All three couches have chaise lounge seatbacks with a generous amount of recline.
Instead of a space-consuming stern sunpad, there are twin pedestal-mounted captain’s chairs that can be placed in four different locations around the boat giving you plenty of floor plan flexibility. The seats are oversized and overstuffed just like the excellent helm seat. If you want a stern sunpad, remove the seats and inflate the $69 optional double-wide inflatable bed.
Performance
Because there is no sunpad to dampen outboard engine noise, our first engine choice is a four-stroke instead of the OptiMax 150 direct-injected two-stroke on our test model. Normally, aspirated Mercury four-strokes only go up to 115 hp, so if skiing is in the picture, upgrading to the supercharged 150 Verado gives you the ultimate in quietude and four-stroke punch out of the hole. Another plus is the Digital Throttle and Shift (DTS) to replace the standard unit, which, on our test boat, was a little stiff.
Other than the slightly louder sound signature of the OptiMax, which measured 61 decibels at idle (most four-strokes register 55-57 dBa at idle), it pushed the 27 very well. Despite only having twin 26-inch tubes, our performance results were comparable to many builders’ three-log pontoons. This was made possible with the Regency Edition’s standard NV Performance Logs, which feature lifting strakes on the inside and outside. Time to plane was a brisk 3.8 seconds with very little bowrise. The OptiMax/NV tube combo helped us get on plane and reach 30 mph in 6.4 seconds, which is very fast, considering this is a near 28-footer that weighs 3,230 pounds. We topped out at 35.5 mph, which is more than adequate for most any type of skiing.
Handling
Because of the NV tubes’ large strakes, the Party Barge 27 rides higher in the water than models equipped with standard tubes that tend to plow, increasing drag and resulting in slower speeds and poor fuel economy. Because of their lift, the performance tubes also make the bow run higher, so it’s almost self-trimming as we found out when we trimmed the Mercury up and lost speed.
Having strakes on the outside of the tubes also reduces the outward lean in the corners that you experience from two-tube pontoons. When we cranked the boat hard over, it carved a nice turn, although it still doesn’t match the cornering ability of most three-tube models.
During our test on Table Rock Lake near Branson, Mo., there was moderate chop on the large, 43,100-acre lake. Because its bow rode higher, the 27 Regency Edition was resistant to stuffing and it danced over the chop. A unique feature seldom seen on twin pontoon boats is the optional Rotomolded centerline ski locker on our test boat. This large plastic tub gives you loads of storage room, but you will be startled the first time you are slammed by a big wave. It sounded like a fire hose blasting the side of a mobile home.
Best Uses
Typically, two-tube pontoons without a huge amount of power are best suited for leisurely cruising, fishing and towing inflatables. The Party Barge 27 can certainly do all of these things. But thanks to its high-performance pontoons, you can add slaloming and on-plane cruising to the list without pushing your engine beyond its happy rpm range. Since it can accommodate up to four swiveling pedestal seats, those along on a scenery-laden cruise won’t miss a thing. Sun Tracker makes the 22 Sport Fish a Regency Edition Party Barge specially rigged for fishing. It’s considerably smaller than the 27, which can be equipped with rail-mounted rod holders to scratch the fish itch.
Preferred Setup
The standard package is very impressive, including items like NV Performance Logs, hydraulic steering, a six-speaker CD stereo with MP3 input and an entertainment center centrally located in the helm console. The console also includes three large storage drawers, a nonskid food/beverage prep area with fiddle rail and a sink with a freshwater spigot. Something you don’t often see on a pontoon is the full-width swim platform with a boarding ladder, which is also standard.
In addition to the $69 bed/sunning platform, a worthy add-on is a movable ottoman ($399) that gives you a feet-up option anywhere on the pontoon as well as additional storage and cupholders. For skiers, the stout tow bar that circles the engine is a must.