Press Room

If a builder is going to claim it makes the world’s number-one-selling pontoon boats, then it had better back up that boast with a dynamite product. After our recent test of the Sun Tracker Party Hut 30 Regency Edition, we can see where the builder is coming from.

As the name suggests, the Party Hut is all about entertaining. The 31-foot boat offers room for 14, and there are many places for the party to congregate. The bow area features a pair of rotocast lounges that offer plenty of comfort as well as storage space for gear and the pedestal table for the bow area — above a large canvas
Bimini provides shade for everyone.

Working toward the stern, there’s a lockable dressing room with a portable toilet — not a pop-up room, a real room with a door and walls such as those on a houseboat. Something that will be very useful while entertaining is the galley, which features a sink with a 6-gallon freshwater tank and 6-gallon wastewater holding tank as well as a stove. The galley also features cabinets and drawers to store kitchen-related items and food.

At the transom there’s a bench seat that can easily convert into a larger sleeper. There’s also a good-sized sunpad that has a raised padded coaming around its edges.

One feature that really sets the Party Hut 30 apart is the large rooftop sundeck, and the hatch above the access ladder closes to prevent falls. There’s enough room on top to have a completely separate party.

This boat is about enjoying the ride in stride and is offered with Mercury outboards ranging from 90 hp to 150 hp — more than enough power for casual cruising.

As for the captain, the helm area features a bolster-equipped seat that provides a raised view over passengers’ heads — you also get a loaded instrumentation setup. A Lowrance 3500 digital depth finder comes standard on the craft, as does a Sirius-ready AM/FM CD stereo with MP3 jack and four 60-watt speakers.

The Sun Tracker Party Hut 30 Regency Edition will appeal to families that don’t want to leave anyone behind on the dock. At $29,995*, it offers ample space and comfort to host a great party on the water.

TEST POWER
MOTOR 90 hp Mercury 90 ELPT
PROP 3-blade aluminum
Craft available with outboards ranging from 90 hp to 150 hp from Mercury Marine

BASE PRICE
WITH TEST POWER $29,995*
*Price can vary depending on options — price does not include trailer

GO BOATING | january 2007