Luxury on the water for all.
By Chris Kourtakis
Boat test #1683
We at Power Boating Canada magazine were very impressed during our visit to the Barletta factory. From the moment we entered the building, the enthusiasm spread throughout, the office and all the way to the assembly line, where we met Jeff Roth, VP Marketing, as he was checking the quality control of welding. Why all this quality and enthusiasm? Its simple, say’s Bill Taylor, publisher of Power Boating Canada and RV Lifestyle magazines. The company structure is from a gentlemen who I have known for many years. One of the legends of the RV world, Bill Fenech, President, was at the helm – now that’s a success story in its own right – and a topic for another article!
Whether you are in the market for a new pontoon or not, you need to check out the full line up of Barletta boats as they will raise your expectations on what you will expect out of a pontoon or any other boat for that matter.
Nestled in the small town of Bristol Indiana, just outside of Elkhart Indiana, Barletta is located in the heart of pontoon manufacturing and is able to attract the best of the best boat builders, hand pick their production team, and executive management team. Their commitment to excellence started in 2017 by their current co-owner and president Bill Fenech.
With the ability to start with a clean slate or a blank sheet of paper as many people say allows Barletta to focus on their customers. To focus on you, the end user and to build a boat that is functional, practical, correctly engineered and manufactured. They are also able to hand pick their dealer network to provide you with the best possible customer service.
Barletta uses the best materials from the industry’s best suppliers. They are so confident in their products that they offer a 10 year (5+5) bow to stern warranty. If that doesn’t speak volumes, I do not know what does.
Stepping onto the 2021 L25UCATT, this model lives up to its name; L-Class, the luxury line for Barletta that offers up to 16 floorplans. The U in the model name stands for U-shaped seating and the C stands for co-captain chairs. Their model names makes it easy to know exactly what you are stepping onto when you are on the water or showroom floor.
The test boat floor plan layout is simple but elegant and includes two high back reclining chairs and a rear facing swim pad that is functional and perfect for a parent or pet owner to watch their children play in the water while lounging in comfort and style.
Our test boat is laid out perfectly and has all the amenities that you would come to expect from a pontoon of this quality. Barletta keeps it simple and does not have a lot of options. What you see is what you get. Being customer focused, Barletta knows exactly what their end users want from a pontoon and offer it as a standard option. What pontoon have you ever seen have a standard and integrated pet food dish? Their design team included all members of the family when designing their boat.
Equipped with a Mercury 350L Verado the whole shot is very impressive with a 0-20 mph in under 3.9 seconds with 3 adults and a quarter tank of gas. With a top end just over 50 mph at 6,000 rpms, the ride was smooth and quiet. The handling was better than expected for a pontoon over 25 feet; actually, quiet impressed with the precision handling in the 1-2 foot chop. All of this data was captured using the standard Smartcraft gauges and standard Simrad GPS and display unit.
Even though Barletta hasn’t been around for decades, they are doing everything right when it comes to building a luxury pontoon. Their boats are versatile, sleek looking and overall very functional. It’s a must, check their website.
Specifications
Tube Length: 25’ 6”
Person Capacity: 14
Deck Length: 27’ 6”
Max HP: 450 HP
Beam: 8’ 6”
Fuel Capacity: 48
Dry Weight: 4115
MSRP: approx. $141,793
For more information: www.barlettapontoonboats.com