Riding on a pair of 25" diameter pontoons, the 220 Cruise can handle up to 135-hp; upgrade to the three-pontoon Performance Package and she'll take 150-hp.

Get Only What You Need

Some boats come loaded with equipment and "extras" that many people don't need and never use. Only trouble is, all that stuff costs money. But with the “Cruiser” series, Harris FloteBote has created a line of pontoons with just the gear that folks need to spend the afternoon riding around and having fun. This keeps the cost down – base price of the 220 Cruiser with a 50-hp Mercury outboard is just $19,870, and many people would do just fine with even a smaller, less expensive motor.



The standard layout has lots of seating, a table and a sun pad.

OK, there's no galley, no head, no built-in coolers -- so you pack food, drink and ice in a carry-on Igloo. A changing room with curtain is optional. Also optional – and this might be taking "bare bones" a little too far for us – is a helm seat. We like to steer standing up much of the time, but we want a seat available. Fortunately, it's an inexpensive option, and also comes as part of an optional Cruiser Upgrade Package that also adds Regency carpeting, a Sunliner helmstand, an upgraded Sony Silver stereo, a three-step swim ladder with platform, docking lights and a fire extinguisher.



The optional aft-facing lounger can hold up to four people. We think it makes a nice change from the standard L-lounge, small table and narrow sun pad.



Here's the lounger in detail. Note the drink holders at all four corners.

Beauty Is Not Just Skin Deep

What's not missing is the traditional Harris FloteBote rugged construction. The 220 Cruiser rides on 25" (63.5 cm) aluminum pontoons, built in-house by Harris craftspeople from marine-grade 5052 alloy; four sealed sections mean that punching a hole in a tube won't keep you from getting home safely.

Each tube is further protected by a full-length keel, and finished with two-piece "Dolphin" nose cone to slice through chop and knock down spray. Two longitudinal mounting brackets on each tube bolt to aluminum cross-members which support the wood deck. The tubes, under-structure and deck are covered by a limited lifetime warranty.



Twin tubes are fine unless you want to go fast. Then you'll need the FloteBote Performance Package which adds a third tube and lifting strakes -- and a bigger motor.

If You Want to Go Faster...

If you want your 220 Cruiser to get up and go when you punch the throttle, you'll want both Harris FloteBote's Performance Package and one of the more powerful outboards it permits you to mount. The performance option adds a third tube, lifting strakes on the outer tubes and a partial aluminum skin to cover the crossmembers and improve aerodynamics. To make proper use of the Performance Package, we recommend opting for more power, up to the max of a 150-hp Verado four-stroke. Max power with two tubes is 135-hp.



The helm is basic, but has all the gauges you need with a single outboard. A digital depth sounder is optional. No-feedback steering is standard, upgraded to hydraulic with 115-hp and larger outboards.

If you don't want the whole Performance Package, you can get just the lifting strakes, recommended for engines of 90-hp and up. But you won't get the increase in max hp thanks to the third tube. Although usually we want as many horses as possible, in this case we'd probably stick with the standard twin-tube setup and not be in such a rush. This boat is about enjoying your time on the water, not about speed.

Power options are Mercury and Honda four-stroke outboards from 9.9-hp to 150-hp. A Torqueedo electric motor is also available. Folks interested in the bigger engines might want to add the optional ski-tow bar.

Recommendation

We like the Harris FloteBote 220 Cruiser, with the optional upgrades mentioned above. She is not as loaded with extras as most pontoons, but all the necessities are there (again, with the Cruiser Upgrade Package added). With a Mercury 50-hp outboard, the Cruiser Upgrade, the aft-facing lounger and a few small options, MSRP is under $21,000, a price that's very hard to beat.

If your budget is tight, or you don't want to spend money on gear you don't need and won't use, we think you should check out the 220 Cruiser. She will make a fine, and cost effective, addition to anyone’s lakefront summer cottage.