About to purchase New Harris Tritoon / 1st boat ever

[suzukipro]

I am in the process of buying a brand new Harris Floate Boat and am still undecided on which model to go with, but have it narrowed down to 3. I also have some rookie boater / pontoon questions I'm hoping you all might be able to help me with so I avoid any regret or common 1st time mistakes. My preference in boat selection is as follows, but I may change my tune once I start seeing how fast things add up.
1. Grand Mariner 230 (Performance Package Plus)
2. Solstice 240 (Performance Package Plus)
3. Sunliner 240 (Performance Package Plus)

My primary use will be for family outings wife and 3 children ages 4-9 planning on mostly tubing, cruising and swimming. The boat will be parked in a slip at our local harbor during the boating season here in WI and will need to be stored in the off season. As far as options go I have a bunch of questions and concerns starting with the motor. I'd like to go with the Mercury 150-HP 4 stroke as I believe it will offer a good balance between cost and performance? I also wonder which options I should avoid and others I'll learn to appreciate well after the purchase is complete.

Anyhow thanks in advance for any help or insight you might be able to provide.

[mpilot]

[quote="suzukipro"]I am in the process of buying a brand new Harris Floate Boat and am still undecided on which model to go with, but have it narrowed down to 3. I also have some rookie boater / pontoon questions I'm hoping you all might be able to help me with so I avoid any regret or common 1st time mistakes. My preference in boat selection is as follows, but I may change my tune once I start seeing how fast things add up.
1. Grand Mariner 230 (Performance Package Plus)
2. Solstice 240 (Performance Package Plus)
3. Sunliner 240 (Performance Package Plus)

My primary use will be for family outings wife and 3 children ages 4-9 planning on mostly tubing, cruising and swimming. The boat will be parked in a slip at our local harbor during the boating season here in WI and will need to be stored in the off season. As far as options go I have a bunch of questions and concerns starting with the motor. I'd like to go with the Mercury 150-HP 4 stroke as I believe it will offer a good balance between cost and performance? I also wonder which options I should avoid and others I'll learn to appreciate well after the purchase is complete.

Anyhow thanks in advance for any help or insight you might be able to provide.[/quote]

We bought a cypress cay last year which is made by harris. We have a 230 with the performance plus and the 150. Before 2016 they would put long shaft motors and now they use XL shafts but only for the 150. I've somewhat come to terms with the loss in speed but our swim platform is covered in spray at certain rpms and with the full enclosure on the back panel will be covered in spray. I'd see if they have this corrected.

I've stated in other threads that there are positives and negatives to the pp+. The pro is sharp turning and handling, but that's not really noticeable until around 25 mph which is around 4000 rpms. You can tell lower but it really starts carving at the higher speeds. The con is not quite as smooth as some other tritoons in rough seas.

We opted for the double Bimini and full enclosure because we are on the water year round. Even without the enclosure the double Bimini is great, especially for kids because of the shade available no matter the angle of the sun. I would suggest to anyone to get some of those beach chair towel clips because they are great for hanging towels to dry or creating a little extra shade. Our boat has vitally no drop off in speed or performance with both biminis open or stowed.

We opted for the plush quilted seats and they are great. It's like sitting on a couch. We did the dual helm center walk through. We preferred this because it put the captain in the middle of the action instead of tucked at the back of the boat, and the dual captains chairs allow the copilot to easily watch tubers or skiers and communicate with the captain if someone falls. We went with the shorter backs but still reclining because it opened up the line of sight for passengers when hanging out. The center walk through has a little more functionality I think than the dual loungers.

Opted for the changing room under the front lean back that easily accommodates a Coleman flushing camping toilet. Great for emergencies and kids.

Vinyl floor is a no brainer with kids. Carry a small bucket and you can easily wash off messes.

Interior accent lighting is great for getting off the boat at night or hanging out at the dock. Didn't get the cup holders because they wanted way more than it costs to buy them and you really can't run with them on ever because they will basically blind you at night.

If you do the center walk through double helm, or even the rear louncer consider having them move the speakers if it has two in the helm and two up front. We had them do two in the front and two in the back so the stereo is more evenly heard.

We opted for the gauge style stereo even though it didn't have bluetooth, and added a Bluetooth adapter. The reasoning was the others were an odd size and if they stop making them then you'd be stuck with an odd hole in the dash whereas everyone makes gauge size now it seems.

Double batteries were reasonable and not much more than you could buy the stuff to add it later. Great for long days in the cove.

I hope that helps some. If you can go bigger on the motor it wouldn't be a bad idea. The problem is you jump to a verado which you have to pay not just the motor cost but the upgraded rigging.

[zoom650]

Congrats on deciding on a real nice boat. I know I've enjoyed my Solstice 220 with the Verado 150. Can I suggest your making a full wish list of options, let the dealer price it out, then tune it up for what your budget can stand.

I ordered the P3 hull. Two reasons: I wanted the 50 gallon fuel tank, and boat handling. The boat can take most turns at full speed and not loose bite from the prop. I also got the assisted power steering, .. just because, and it's worth it to one-finger figure eights. My boat turns on a dime.

I drove the Verado and the Fourstroke, and thought the Verado had more torque coming out of the hole. Top end speed probably better with the Fourstroke. Your dealer could explain the difference better than I. If your hull is totally clean, the 150 will give you speed in the mid to upper 30's.

I stayed with the 150 for a couple reasons. It had enough top end speed and fuel economy and the larger engine required a more expensive steering unit. If you've got room in the budget for more horsepower, go a little bigger and you won't be sorry.

The Mercs are digital, so you'll get the pricey AGM batteries. Rig it with dual batteries.

I upgraded my stereo. Rear speakers would be nice. When driving I can't really hear what's playing. Just to mention before you go overboard with the stereo, when taking the kids out to a beach one of them always has a waterproof bluetooth speaker they put on the bow or stern, or float it in the water with them.

Yes to a raised helm option. Yes to courtesy lighting around the boat too. Yes to a vinyl floor. Yes to a factory installed GPS/Chartplatter/FishFinder. Yes to a ski locker in the third toon. Love my dual bimini; its hot down south!

Harris's docking lights are pricey and don't really add much light. Probably better aftermarket options. The only thing you'd gain is for the wiring to be in place.

One caution on the Solstice, make sure your configuration allows for the captain chair to recline. My 220 does not have room to recline with the rear sofa I have. If you're thinking 240, maybe you'll be okay.

Oh yeah, if you're ordering your boat, add 6 more weeks to the delivery date, so you won't be disappointed. I ordered mine early February and was sweating getting it by Memorial Day.

Boat show in Atlanta is tomorrow and I'm excited to see what's new on the toons this year.

[suzukipro]

I'll have to give the double Bimini some thought and wonder if the lighted Bimini is worth it? I think it might be better to get some LED lights in case I spend time on the boat while it's docked at night?

Also I really like the Dark woven teak for the main flooring and have heard good things about from a co worker (only has one year on his though). Anyone else have opinions regarding the woven teak Vs vinyl flooring?

My friend has a Merc 150 on his 25' tri-toon and it seemed to perform well with both our families aboard. I know everyone insists going as big as possible, but from what I've seen/read the Merc 150 should get the job done. If I do find that I need to go bigger I'd be interested in hearing the pros/cons of the L4 verado (175 & 200) vs the L6 Verados.

Thanks again for your input!

[ron nh]

There's been a lot of talk on here about this obviously. It all comes down to your comfort level with the extra cash. The 150 will be great fun. The price difference is so drastic above the 150, for Mercury anyway, don't know about the others. If moneys no object....My plan for the next boat is to go with a 250 or 300 and never tell my wife how big the difference was. Think that'll work?

[zoom650]

[quote="suzukipro"]I think it might be better to get some LED lights in case I spend time on the boat while it's docked at night?

Also I really like the Dark woven teak for the main flooring[/quote]

I bought some of these solar lanterns 3 years ago. I saw one in West Marine for about the same price as this, but found 3 for $20 on the web. No kidding, these go all night long. I use a big Nite Ize twist tie to hang it where I need it.

https://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywo ... kzfniy77_b

Harris included a clamp on the bimini frame LED (single) light. Its only good to shine on your helm switches. But better than nothing if you're fumbling after dark.

On floor covering, the last time I was in my dealer showroom, they had samples of different flooring hanging like rolls at a carpet store for comparison.

[mpilot]

We opted to decline the factory fishfinder/gps option as well as the storage in the third toon. Sometimes I regret not getting the storage below, but then I have friends with bilge pumps that go out or hang up and kill the battery and I remember why I'm glad I didn't. With that many kids you may want it though.

Look at the dash and see how big of a unit they put in from the factory...the one for ours was a 4 inch I believe and not that good of a sonar. We already ran a tablet on the old boat and a friend's houseboat so I bought an 8 inch tablet from Best Buy and installed Navionics on it and have the same chartplotter found in the Lowrance units. For less than 200 you can add a wifi fish finder. Basically for 300 you can have an 8 inch touch screen gps/chartplotter/fishfinder and then still have a tablet to use in the house if you want. We played around with Ram mounts and other options but a piece of high strength velcro did the trick to mount it on the dash.

The docking lights on my Cypress Cay are below deck and actually pretty bright but fore around 20 bucks I can buy the plugs that match the factory plugs and get 18w cree floods that will give a ton more light. Much easier from the factory because the wiring is already there. Also, if you get any of the courtesy light packages it gives you a few extra switches which is nice for future expansion.

We also didn't go with the outside lighting but I'm adding it this year...couldn't see the high price from the factory when I can get better lights a heck of a lot cheaper.

Also agree with the above on ordering it...we ordered ours Valentine's and got it the week before Memorial Day. If you order the double bimini and mooring cover make sure you have cut outs for the front struts so you don't have to stow the bimini tops to put the cover on if you don't want to. Ours has the 12 foot rear bimini and it's a beast to stow and open.

[Drago]

Yes bilge pumps fail. Mine came loose in the tube and ran the battery down. Easy to fix. Also a way to kill all power from a dual battery set up - starting and deep cycle. The storage in tube is a great place to store big, bulky, light weight stuff - noodles, extra PFD, ski ropes, skis, even a wake board. Lighting in the bimini is a nice help at night. A port-a-pottie in a spacious changing room is a great friend. Stereo upgrade if anyone in the close family cares about music. A good boarding ladder is a must. And don't forget EZFenders - search this site. Good fenders are real nice to protect the new boat - Taylormade are good. The new vinyl flooring is really nice I hear - make sure to stand on it in the hot sun right now b4 ordering. Some types are hotter under foot than others. Velcro has not held anything well on my helm - even the NASA crap. A small decent fishfinder with good lake contour maps is very helpful if your lake is charted on their chips. It does not need to be big nor expensive. I like Huminbird brand on a RAM mount - stays out of the way and can be easily removed when not at boat.

[suzukipro]

Sounds like I should also plan on using an I-pad or equivalent for navigation apps, but has anyone tried Mercury's vessel view? Also after pricing out the power assisted hydraulic steering it might not make the cut, but I am looking at the new active trim technology as worthy option. Either of these options may be too new to get any real user feedback yet though.

I plan on skipping the underdeck/toon storage and wonder if any aftermarket options should be considered over the OEM stuff? I'm thinking a porta potty and possibly even a changing room can be had much cheaper the then OEM stuff, but is a bad idea? I'm all for this setup as nice as possible, but want to avoid paying a premium for options only to find a better aftermarket option is available for a 1/4 price.

Thanks again to everyone for your help so far.

[mpilot]

[quote="suzukipro"]Sounds like I should also plan on using an I-pad or equivalent for navigation apps, but has anyone tried Mercury's vessel view? Also after pricing out the power assisted hydraulic steering it might not make the cut, but I am looking at the new active trim technology as worthy option. Either of these options may be too new to get any real user feedback yet though.

I plan on skipping the underdeck/toon storage and wonder if any aftermarket options should be considered over the OEM stuff? I'm thinking a porta potty and possibly even a changing room can be had much cheaper the then OEM stuff, but is a bad idea? I'm all for this setup as nice as possible, but want to avoid paying a premium for options only to find a better aftermarket option is available for a 1/4 price.

Thanks again to everyone for your help so far.[/quote]

Our changing room was 300 I think and they swapped out a seat to do it so not bad. If you go with a traditional layout with the changing room under the sundeck you can buy them online. Mercury vessel view actually has a Bluetooth module now that is a lot cheaper than buying their display and you can connect to most smart phones or tablets. I think it was around $300 and is plug and play. With the 150 I think it's still a fairly expensive add on to do the active trim but I'm not sure. I like control over my trim as what is the best level today may not be the same tomorrow. Also what's the most efficient may not be the most comfortable.

[mpilot]

One more note from our experience...it looks like the mark up is at least 30% on the boats at the dealership. Our boat came in really near the break even point for our dealer. With that said, build your boat online like you want it, knock 30% off and that's about as low as it will go on a custom ordered rig. You should be able to beat your dealer up to get around that price point

[ksks]

SP,

I also am looking at a Harris in the next couple years. I live in WI, but will be moving south.

I wonder if some of the recommendations for bigger engines may come from folks boating on large lakes. The lake I'm on down south, I can cruse 20 plus miles one way. So am looking for a boat that can easily rise at 30mph. WI lakes are much smaller, unless you're looking at Michigan, and a fast cruising speed wont be used. Hole shot may be something to consider, but likely not too big of an issue unless you go too small.

I doubt you would use the full 150hp much, except for skiing.

ksks

[suzukipro]

We'll be on Lake Winnebago so there will be plenty of room to stretch the 150's legs. A couple co workers have a 300 and 275 Verados on their tri toons and are topping out in the low to mid 50's for top speed, where mid 30's will suit me.

[ksks]

Oh, nice. That will be good then.

[zoom650]

If you're still looking at Solstice, .. I'm back from the Atlanta Boat Show.

All the Solstice they showed came rigged with 200's. The dash has changed. I wish I had used my camera to show you. Two large gauge clusters moved to the side with Simrad electronics in the middle. I did not see a Simrad in demo mode. It was maybe 6" square, and It does not look jammed in as an afterthought.

Change to the ski locker. More narrow hatch and I didn't see a bilge in the one I opened. Deeper and more narrow than mine. My locker has a "well" on one end the bilge sits in. This one had no "well".

If you choose that model, there is one sucky thing they have not corrected and that is the driver's glove box. Its just below the throttles. Due to it's angle the box hold water, be it rain or from a wash down. Solution it to drill a small hole in the bottom. Realize it does not stay 100% dry there.

Docking lights, now standard, were relocated from under the front deck and are now on the side fence, forward and below your marker lights. Three vertical lights in each unit, and they're bright.

And, FYI, the Sunliner models were coming rigged with 175's.

Now, Harris did have a Crowne rigged with twin 350's and it was sick! Boy what I wouldn't give to take that baby out for a spin.