This is Barletta’s sophomore year, but it is playing at varsity level. The builder’s offerings this year are fully equipped, and Barletta provides features, construction, performance and styling on par with the best in the industry. This E24QC with a Mercury 250 FourStroke provided strong performance, attention-grabbing good looks and many useful, well-engineered features. Performance-wise, the 26-inch diameter tubes with full-length lifting strakes and outside spray rails on the outer tubes worked with the Merc to provide acceleration from zero to 30 mph in 6.5 seconds and a top speed of 44.5 mph at 5,800 rpm. Fuel mileage? Best cruise netted 4 mpg (3.6 gph) at 14.5 mph and 2,500 rpm. Handling was sharp, with excellent turning ability and no bounce or wallowing at any speed. Minimum plane speed occurred at just 14 mph at 2,500 rpm; that makes for a nice dinner-cruise speed, especially with a low cockpit-noise level of just 67 decibels.
Below the deck, the Barletta employs crossmembers that are extruded I-beams, gasketed at every bolted joint. The deck is ³/₄-inch plywood, glued and screwed together and to the structure. Barletta offers few hull options, preferring to make things easier in the ordering process. The “performance” options on other hulls (under-deck covering, large-diameter tubes, lifting strakes, full-length center tube, and outside spray rails) are standard.
The deck layout is simple yet effective for cruising, gatherings and watersports. The bow features long, facing loungers that will easily handle a few passengers per side. Amidships, the cockpit offers twin captain/copilot chairs that swivel, slide and tilt. Abaft, twin facing love seat lounges make a cozy conversation pit.
Custom touches abound, such as upholstered seat bases, pillow-tufted upholstery, USB charging ports at every seating location, a custom pop-out pet dish, clean and well-routed rigging, and a driver’s console that’s raised and features a two-position footrest area. The E24QC challenges the establishment, and does it with engineering, performance and features, and relative affordability: a cool $100,000 buys it, as tested.
⋅Raised driver’s console with dual-pad footrest is well engineered.
⋅Standard stainless-steel ski tow and boarding ladder are stout and won’t rattle.
⋅Hertz stereo system takes clean sound and ease of use to the next level.
LOA: 26′6″
Beam: 8′6″
Draft: 1′1″
Dry Weight: 3,560 lb.
Seat/Weight Capacity: 13/1,837 lb.
Fuel Capacity: 34 gal.
Price: $96,970
Engine: Mercury 250 FourStroke
Drive/Prop: Outboard/Mercury Enertia 14.7″ x 16″ 3-blade stainless steel
Gear Ratio: 1.75:1
Fuel Load: 16 gal.
Crew Weight: 400 lb.
Barletta Boat Company - Bristol, Indiana; 574-825-8900; barlettapontoonboats.com