Thirty years ago, a pontoon was more barge than boat, with wooden decks that rotted after five years, and hard lifejacket lockers for seating. It topped out at maybe 10 mph and felt like a see-saw when the kids ran from side to side. Functional? Without a doubt. Comfortable? Well, maybe ... as long as you didn't plan to use it for more than a few hours.

Today's generation of pontoon boats is light-years ahead. You can ski 'em, fish 'em and use 'em to cruise. Many come with better amenities than some fiberglass deckboats that can cost twice as much. Dollarwise, it's hard to beat a pontoon boat for versatility. Space-wise, nothing can really touch them.

Pontoons with three logs such as Sun Tracker's new 22 Party Barge Regency Tritoon are pushing the floatboat's grumpy-old-man image yet farther off the lake. Three 26-inch logs not only give these boats a Darth Vader look coming right at you ' well, as 'Star Wars'-ish as you can get on a float boat ' but also add to stability, flotation and top end.

Boating World tests the 22 Tritoon at Lake Sheen in Orlando, Florida, on a warm, breezy afternoon. The 22, with beige and white coloring, and brown/tan upholstery, looks good at the dock. It's compact, curvy, and with the third log looks a little bit like a souped-up minivan.

The Party Barge gets an 'A' for amenities, and a 'B+' for driving abilities. With the 150-hp Mercury XR6 and 16-inch pitch aluminum prop, the 22 hits a top end of 38.1 mph (light speed for a pontoon boat). The boat runs from 0 to 30 mph in 6.4 seconds, but the steering feels a little stiff, and the prop has an unnerving tendency to slip after being trimmed only slightly. Tracker says that's due to the shape of the hull, which allows for very little trim.

That's something the driver gets used to, and the third log gets high marks for delivering good tracking and a solid ride. Many pontoons lean outward in fast turns, but this one holds its track. Other pluses in the driving experience are the 34-inch wide helm seat, easy-to-see gauges on the helm console, and instant control of the radio/CD player. The 22 Tritoon gets extra credit for forward docking lights.

Among all the details, however, what most people really care most about is the boat's party potential. And it's there, big time. The forward lounges pull out into the cockpit area, turning into sun beds. They also flip outwards on hinges for storage ' a nifty idea ' though that fixed position could make it a bit awkward to get wide items like wakeboards inside. Still, it's a handy feature, and shows that Tracker is thinking about ergonomics.

Speaking of which, there are drinkholders where you need 'em, and both front and rear lounges on the left side have tilted backrests. On the back lounge, spotters can lie back to watch water-skiers. The sunpad over the motor measures 31 by 95 inches, with an aluminum railing (all rail tubes are 1.25 inches wide) to keep you on the boat. Like the rest of the boat, the transom is all aluminum, and the lifting sunpad has a 'positive' latch system that holds it tight. It works okay, but is a bit rusted (there's corrosion on many of the screws), so it's hard to shut. An adjoining compartment has a pop-up privacy curtain (neck-high on this 5-foot-10-inch tester) for changing or using the standard head. The ladder's also stowed there.

Built on a 21-foot-8-inch aluminum deck and frame, the Tritoon's LOA is 22 feet 6 inches because of its pontoons. The beam is 8 feet 6 inches, making it trailerable. The open internal floor plan is sizable, measuring 16 feet 10 inches from the front door to the back lounge. Along the sides, there is generous seating on the double-wide helm seat (34 inches wide), facing forward lounges (2 feet by 6 feet), and an L-shaped lounge (six feet on the longer part of the 'L,' five feet on the shorter part) at the stern.

There are three ways to get on the 22: a forward door, another behind the helm seat on the starboard side, and a third one amidships on the port side (handy for getting on/off on either side of the boat). The aft and middle doors have slots for a ladder for getting in and out of the water. A bow platform would make the front door more practical ' especially with the third log protruding in front. As it is, getting on and off would be hard, unless you're pointing the boat into the dock. According to Tracker, a platform would mean less interior space, so it's a judgment call.

A 36-quart removable Igloo cooler fits under the helm console (though the electronics wires were just hanging down in there, so it could be easy to jerk 'em out with the cooler). Otherwise, fit and finish on the boat is pretty good. Forward and aft tables screw securely into pedestal mounts. The double-stitched upholstery is tight, and the aluminum welds along the outer hull frame are smooth.

The 22 has some notable features, shared with all Sun Trackers. First is the extruded all-aluminum deck structure. Designed with interlocking planks that are bound at the seams with closed-cell foam tape to stop leakage, an added benefit is that the foam reduces that chattering noise you get on many aluminum-decked boats. The carpet covering the deck also helps reduce noise. Below, the pontoons are joined to the deck by aluminum M braces, and underdeck, C-shaped aluminum crossbeams provide lateral support.

Of course, the obvious advantage to aluminum is that it never rots. The only wood on the boat seems to be two small supports under the helm console. Even the furniture frames are rotomolded plastic for a longer life and no rot.

Another big feature is the 26-inch-diameter pontoons. A few years ago, the industry standard was 22 inches. Now, it's 25, and Tracker upped the ante with 26-inchers made of .100 gauge aluminum alloy for better flotation and stability. The logs have multiple chambers, so if one's punctured, the pontoon will still float. The third log has additional planing grooves to enhance performance.

Standard power on the Tritoon is a 90-hp outboard, giving the boat a price of $18,650. The 150-hp upgrade adds another $4,065, and it seems to be worth the expense. What about that third log, you say ' do you really need it? Yes, if you want the extra speed. There's a big price difference between the Party Barge 22 with the 90-hp Pro Series outboard and the Party Barge 22 Tritoon with the 150-hp Mercury (both Regency Editions: $16,350 versus $22,715). But a big jump in speed might be worth the extra $6,365 to many boaters.

Either way, you'll get the lifetime warranty on the deck, and five-year coverage on the pontoon logs and motor pod. Now, that's a deal you sure didn't get on a float boat 30 years ago.