SUNLINER 230 SPORT
SPECS: LOA: 23'5" BEAM: 8'6" DRAFT (MAX): 1'9" DRY WEIGHT: 3,098 lb. SEAT/WEIGHT CAPACITY: 11/2,372 lb. FUEL CAPACITY: 37 gal. HOW WE TESTED: ENGINE: Mercury 300 Verado DRIVE/PROP: Outboard/Mercury Enertia Eco 16" x 17" 3-blade stainless steel GEAR RATIO: 1.85:1 FUEL LOAD: 37 gal. CREW WEIGHT: 425 lb.
Anew addition to the Harris Sunliner family for 2021, the 230 Sport maintains an affordable price point while bringing in a higher level of trim and increasingly powerful horsepower options.
The exterior features a redesigned fence profile, highlighted by a sleek taper aft and, on our test boat, optional black rails. Step aboard and you’ll also find an upgraded interior, with pillow-top furniture covered in new soft-touch vinyl and lumbar recesses backed with diamondpattern stitching accents. Harris adds a pair of cup holders, along with dual USB ports to top off electronics, placed within each cutaway. Below, roto-molded seat bases include guttered stowage for gear. Harris covered these rot-free seat bases in vinyl for a more upscale feel.
Amidships, we found a pair of reclining helm chairs, upgraded on our test boat to seats with more-supportive high backs. The centerpiece, however, is Harris’ popular SL lounger aft, redesigned for 2021 to include three possible configurations: a couch with aft sun pad, aft-facing recliner or, for those who want to soak up the sun, a new over-6-foot-long flat sun bed. In all three configurations, the port side of the couch remains a back-to-back seat with an armrest and cup holder. Stowage is found below all portions of the lounger. The aft-facing portion of the port seat hides an insulated cooler below and adjacent audio controls, easily within reach when hanging out at the sandbar.
The helm has likewise been upgraded for ’21. An inwardly curved base adds a few more inches of legroom for comfort. On the dash, standard 5-inch gauges can be switched out for a Simrad GO9, like on our test boat. Both choices are offset to be easily viewed without interference from the steering wheel. The convenient dash tray is a great spot to throw your phone. It has a USB port and 12-volt outlets, with the option to add a wireless charger. A maxhorsepower Mercury 300 Verado pushed the 230 Sport onto plane in a scant 2.9 seconds, reaching 30 mph in only 5.9 before topping out at over 48 mph. Handling was equally impressive, with the 230 Sport carving aggressively through all of our cornering maneuvers.