Premier Grand Entertainer 290

Premier 290 Grand Entertainer

Premier 290 Grand Entertainer

Premier 290 Grand Entertainer

Premier 290 Grand Entertainer

Premier 290 Grand Entertainer

Premier 290 Grand Entertainer

Premier 290 Grand Entertainer

Premier 290 Grand Entertainer

Premier 290 Grand Entertainer

Premier 290 Grand Entertainer

Premier 290 Grand Entertainer

Premier 290 Grand Entertainer

Premier 290 Grand Entertainer

Premier 290 Grand Entertainer

Premier 290 Grand Entertainer

Premier 290 Grand Entertainer

Premier 290 Grand Entertainer

Premier 290 Grand Entertainer

Premier 290 Grand Entertainer

Premier 290 Grand Entertainer

Premier 290 Grand Entertainer

Premier 290 Grand Entertainer

Premier 290 Grand Entertainer

Premier 290 Grand Entertainer

Pontoon boats appeared decades ago as slow-moving, bare-bones party barges and progressed to fast, smart-handling boats with deluxe accommodations. Premier’s Grand Entertainer is an amalgam of that evolution, delivering 50-plus mph top speeds and all the comforts of a favored bistro. No, really: This 29-foot-5-inch ’toon sports a three-stool bar, complete with overhead glass racks, cold stowage and a grill. Premier even installed purse hooks for the ladies. All that’s missing is a balladeer strumming a guitar and a few ficus trees. Though given the Grand Entertainer 290’s size and price, if you can buy it, chances are you’ve the wherewithal to fill in the blanks.

My test of the Grand Entertainer 290 proved its ability in coastal chop. Powered by twin DF300 Suzuki outboards and featuring the PTX package, with its flat planing surface on the center tube and lifting strakes on the inboard sides of the outboard tubes, it took off with alacrity and produced crisp turns. If your impression of pontoons dates to those party platforms of old, you need to get aboard a boat like the Grand Entertainer 290 to experience how design features like PTX help pontoons deliver performance mimicking that of a runabout.

Back at the dock, opposing the shifters allowed stress-free docking, despite the brisk crosscurrent. That’s a benefit to be given weight if choosing between single or twin power in any boat type, but it’s especially important with a pontoon. But, with so many ponies strapped to the transom, even my test boat’s 80-gallon fuel tank may not provide enough range for some boaters.

Structural features, such as large footprint M-brackets that connect deck to the pontoons, solid aluminum keels and an equally solid all-aluminum framework, indicate this big ’toon is built for the long haul on big water. Luxury features such as Flexsteel furniture, stainless-steel accents and deck hardware, and special upholstery made with “nano block technology” to make stains easy to clean, ensure a pleasant environment every time you step aboard. Looking to be the skipper of the boat that’s at the center of Saturday’s raft-up? Take Premier’s Grand Entertainer 290 for a trial.