Sun Tracker Party Barge 22 DLX (2017-)

Brief Summary

The Sun Tracker Party Barge 22 DLX has a number of features that make her particularly family-friendly. The 9' Bimini top has a "QuickLift" deployment system and storage pockets, and the entry gates are all double-latching and have pinch-prevention hinges to protect little fingers. Heavy gauge vinyl decking allows for quick cleanup and long wear, and a double-wide sunlounge sits just ahead of the transom.

Key Features

Industry-leading 10+LIFE warranty

24'' diameter multi-chambered pontoon logs

Built-in Rail-Lock system for optional mooring cover

NEW easy-clean flooring throughout

Port and starboard bow lounges, aft L-lounge with upholstery and storage below, and aft padded sundeck with pop-up changing room

Color-keyed 9' Bimini top with QuickLift deployment system and storage pockets

Inward-swinging, dual-latching gates with finger guards

Movable table with fore and midship base locations

Molded console with cooler storage space and stereo with Bluetooth and MP3 input

Full-width aft non-skid swim platform with boarding ladder

Test Results

Specifications

Length Overall	24' 2'' / 7.37 m
Beam	8' 6'' 2.59 m
Dry Weight	1,920 lbs. 871 kg
Tested Weight	2,988 lbs. 1,355 kg
Draft	N/A
Deadrise/Transom	N/A
Max Headroom	open
Bridge Clearance	N/A
Weight Capacity	2,200 lbs. 998 kg
Person Capacity	11
Fuel Capacity	32.1 gal. 122 L
Water Capacity	N/A
Total Weight	2,988 lbs. 1,355 kg

Acceleration Times & Conditions

Time to Plane	N/A
0 to 30	4.5 sec. (0to20) 7.5 sec. (0to30)
Ratio	1.92:1
Props	Enertia 16" x 11" 3-bl SS
Load	2 persons, full fuel, no water, 50 lbs. of gear
Climate	77 deg., 33 humid.; wind: 5-15 mph; seas: chop

Engine Options

Tested Engine	1 x 150-hp Mercury 150 ELPT 4-Stroke outboard
Std. Power	1 x 60-hp Mercury FourStroke ELPT Command Thrust
Opt. Power	9 Mercury 4-stroke engine options from 9.9-hp to 150-hp

Captain's Report

Mission Statement

The Party Barge 22 DLX is a new model for Sun Tracker. She’s 2’ (.61 m) longer than the model she replaces and designed to provide more passenger space, and the longer pontoons provide a better ride in chop and more buoyancy.

The DLX stands for deluxe, and the boat comes with a QuickLift Bimini top, easy clean vinyl decking, 26-ounce marine-grade UV resistant upholstery, and LED navigation and courtesy lights.

She has two 24” pontoons that are 22’3” long.

Major Features

• •QuickLift Bimini top -- can be deployed by one person
• •Easy Clean vinyl decking. Feels cool underfoot and can be easily hosed off
• •Doublewide aft port lounge makes a great tanning platform
• •Changing Curtain
• •Heavy-duty boarding ladder
• •Locking dry storage compartment in port amidships lounge
• •Rail-Lock system for mounting optional snap-less mooring/trailering cover

Features Inspection

The Stern. A design we like, the aft deck is full width at 8’ (2.4 m) and 1’8” (.51 m) fore and aft. The motor is installed on a custom box-beam pod that contains the EPA compliant fuel tank and system. To starboard, the boarding ladder looks and feels substantial. There are also two cleats outboard on each side.

Coveted Seating. The stern gate is 1’2” (.36 m) wide, and it opens inboard with a latch that secures it in place. To starboard is a small lounge with storage in the base. Opposite, a new doublewide sun lounge measures 3’6” (1.07 m) wide and 4’ (1.2 m) fore to aft. The backrest is at a comfortable angle and there’s a cupholder in the outboard armrest. For safety, there’s a rail that is 10” (25.4 cm) above the bottom cushion wraps around the port side to the stern gate.

Privacy Please. There are two bottom cushions on the aft port lounge, and the forward one lifts up to reveal the frame for a changing curtain that attaches with Velcro. Inside, there’s a fold-out stool.

Stern Storage. The aft cushion on the port side lounge in the stern raises on scissor-style hinges and secures in the up position, so a person can use two hands to retrieve gear. The starboard-side bottom cushions are hinged on the inboard side and lift up easily. All the seats on the Party Barge 22 DLX are built with rotomolded bases.

Amidships. Moving forward, to port there’s an L-shaped lounge across from the helm station. There’s locking dry storage under the hinged bottom cushion and receptacle for the table that comes with the boat. Just ahead to port is a boarding gate that’s wide enough to accommodate a wheelchair.

The Helm. To starboard, oversized captain’s chair swivels, adjusts fore and aft and has folding armrests. The 22 Party Barge DLX’s dash has a tachometer and fuel and trim gauges to port with a small storage tray in the center and accessory switches and a 12-volt power plug to starboard. The soft-touch steering wheel feels good.

To port of the wheel, the Bluetooth stereo has MP3 and USB ports, and to starboard, there’s a cell phone holder. The windscreen provides good protection and is tall enough that a driver can wear a baseball hat without worry of it getting blown off. The controls are comfortably positioned to starboard.

Easy Shade. The 9’ (2.7 m) long color-matched bimini top has LED courtesy lights and a protective boot. The QuickLift deployment system uses easy-to-release supports that let one person raise or lower the top with minimum effort.

Forward Lounges. In the Party Barge 22 DLX’s bow, there’s a shorter lounge to port and a full-length one to starboard. Both have hinged cushions that open storage compartments, and beneath the forward-most one on the starboard side is a wastebasket in a dedicated slot. There’s 3’2” (.97 m) of space and a receptacle for the table between them.

The Bow Deck. All the way forward is a centrally positioned bow gate that opens to a deck that is 1’ (.3 m) deep and 8’ (2.4 m) across. The boat is equipped with small LED navigation lights on each side.

Performance

Tooning Up.The Party Barge 22 DLX rides on multi-chambered 24” (60.96 cm) pontoons. They have wave deflectors at the bow and full-length keels. With two people, 32 gal (121.5 L) of fuel, and test equipment on board, our test boat weighed 2,988 lbs. (1,355.3 kg). She was powered by a 150-hp Mercury 150 ELPT four-stroke outboard with 1.92:2 gears turning a 16” x 11” (40.6 cm x 27.9 cm) Enertia three-blade stainless steel propeller.

The Numbers. This twin-toon boat hit a top speed of 36.1 mph (31.4 knots) at 5800 rpm. Best cruise came at 3000 rpm, where she ran 15.6 mph (13.6 knots) and burned 3.3 gph (12.5 lph). That’s 4.8 mpg (2.03 kpl), which gives the Party Barge 22 DLX a range of 138 statute miles (222 km) with 10 percent of the boat’s 32.1-gallon (121.5-liter) fuel capacity in reserve. In acceleration tests, the boat ran to 20 mph (17.4 knots) in 4.5 seconds and to 30 mph (26.1 knots) in 9.4 seconds.

Maneuverability. In turns, Party Barge 22 DLX exhibited a slight outboard lean that is typical for a twin-pontoon model. Her 4:2 ratio steering made it easy to carve through tight turns and change directions. With the boat’s speed and maneuverability, she should have no problem towing tubers or wakeboarders.

Construction. Sun Tracker builds the Party Barge 22 DLX with full-width, heavy-duty extruded Z-bar deck supports that are through-bolted to M brackets. The bow is reinforced, and there are heavy-duty U-channels behind the deck trim. Deck edging is extruded anodized aluminum, and the transom is an all-aluminum box-beam design.

The motor pod is made from all-welded extruded aluminum. Fence panels are slightly elevated for drainage and ventilation, and they have sound- and vibration-dampening insulation. Fasteners are either stainless steel or coated to resist corrosion.

Price

• •$18,475 with a Mercury 9.9 ELPT FourStroke outboard
• •$20,295 with a Mercury 25 ELPT FourStroke outboard
• •$22,995 with a Mercury 60 ELPT FourStroke outboard
• •$23,995 with a Mercury 90 ELPT FourStroke outboard
• •$24,395 with a Mercury 90 ELPT FourStroke Command Thrust outboard
• •$24,995 with a Mercury 115 ELPT FourStroke outboard
• •$25,395 with a Mercury 115 ELPF FourStroke Command Thrust outboard
• •$27,795 with a Mercury 150 ELPT FourStroke outboard
• •$25,205 with a Mercury 115 ELPT OptiMax Pro XS four-stroke outboard

Warranty

• •10 Year Bow-to-Stern Warranty
• •Limited Lifetime Structural and Deck Warranty
• •Transferability to second owner
• •One-stop Warranty Resolution
• •Full Coverage Throughout the Warranty Period-No Pro Rating

Options to Consider

• •Rail-mounted bbq grill (ordered through parts dept. Dealer installed) $315
• •Woven floor upgrade $400
• •Ski tower (plus dealer installation) $470
• •Underpinning kit (plus dealer installation) $505
• •Snapless Sun Tracker mooring cover in Black or Light Sand $815 each
• •Tandem Axle trailer with brakes on one axle $2,995
• •Tandem Axle trailer with brakes on both axles $3,150
• •Additional freight charge applies for standalone trailer purchase

Observations

With her expanded dimensions and clever features such as the port aft-facing sunlounge and QuickLift bimini top, the Sun Tracker Party Barge 22 DLX offers a versatile entertainment platform for 11 passengers. At 24’2” (7.4 m) long with an 8’6” (2.6 m) beam, she provides a stable platform.

An owner who opts for the 150-hp outboard will get the punch to pull watersports enthusiasts.

When paired with a tandem-axle trailer, the Party Barge 22 DLX weighs 3,753 lbs. (1,702 kg), so a mid-sized SUV such as a Ford Explorer should be able to tow the package easily.