Go Boating Boat Test: Palm Beach 220 Deluxe SE
It's easy to see why this pontoon boat is so popular.
by Go Boating Test Team, February 2006
Go Boating
The Palm Beach 220 Deluxe SE is an example of what we would consider an upper mid-level pontoon at a great price. This is one of the most popular models Palm Beach puts out, and we can see why.
The rounded bow adds an attractive element of style, and the twin chaise lounges forward offer great cruising comfort. All the furniture is of Sure-Life rotomolded construction, and you'll find plenty of storage under all the seats. The aft L-shaped lounge can be had with an aft-facing chaise to starboard or a flat seat to accommodate an optional livewell ($200), which is a convenient feature for those who like to pull out their rods from time to time. Under the forward port chaise you'll find a dedicated cutout for a cooler, and under the starboard chaise you'll find more storage.
The "SE" stands for stern entry, which makes this boat great for those who like to enjoy watersports. A permanent four-rung folding boarding ladder makes getting back on the boat much easier.
All the way aft you'll find a large sunpad, one of the largest we've seen on this size of pontoon — and it has a raised padded lip around the outside to provide an extra measure of safety and comfort. There's even a small hinged section of the pad that flips open to port on hinges to reveal a dedicated trash receptacle.
On the classy-looking EuroHelm you'll find gold bezels around the gauges, an XM satellite-compatible Sony AM/FM CD stereo (with two 6.5-inch speakers) and a quick-release smoked windscreen.
Behind the helm is a large Flexsteel captain's chair, which is one of the most comfortable helm seats you can get.
Performance
Our test of the 220 Deluxe SE took place on the St. Croix River near Stillwater, Minnesota, which is about 2.5 hours northeast of Palm Beach Marine's headquarters in New Ulm, Minnesota. We had three people aboard and a quarter tank of fuel (7 gallons or 44 pounds) — you'll also be interested to know that the fuel tank is built into the motor pod, which keeps the weight of the fuel over the center of the boat rather than to one side or the other. For power we had a Yamaha 90 two-stroke spinning a 3-blade aluminum prop.
With the throttle all the way forward and the engine trimmed for top speed we were able to register 26 mph on our GPS at 5,500 rpm, which is right at the top of this engine's power limit, so the prop was well matched. The sound level was a tad high at 92 dBa, which isn't surprising for a two-stroke — and you can expect a range of about 65 miles at top speed. Our most efficient cruising speed was 15 mph at 3,500 rpm, which yielded a cruising range of about 84 miles — and the sound level at this speed was only 78 dBa.
The craft handled well and did well pulling one- or two-person tubes. While you can only go as high as 100 hp on the craft with two 23-inch pontoons, you can go as high as 120 hp with a pair of 25-inch pontoons or as high as 150 hp with a triple-tube setup (three 23-inch tubes), so there's plenty of room for more power if that's what you're looking for.
Overall
Our initial impression of the Palm Beach 220 Deluxe SE was that it was a good-looking pontoon that offered an attractive list of standard features at a reasonable price. We wouldn't say that it's trying to be everything to everybody, but those interested in a no-nonsense pontoon with noticeable style and generous features would do well to give this boat a look.
While the craft we tested was powered for someone who would probably spend most of his or her time cruising on a smaller lake, the ability to up the horsepower with different tube arrangements will allow you to get even more out of the 220 Deluxe SE.
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Manufacturer Contact Information
Palm Beach Marinecraft, Inc.
2137 N. Broadway
New Ulm, MN 56073
(507) 233-8020
www.palmbeachmarine.com
The craft handled well and did well pulling one- or two-person tubes.
