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Caravelle Interceptor 192 SS

The impact of this tight 19.5-foot Interceptor model begins to strike when you see it straight on at a dock.

The impact of this tight 19.5-foot Interceptor model begins to strike when you see it straight on at a dock. Its long and arrow-sharp bow meets the smoke windshield, with ruby red (our test-boat color) spread over everything but the seats and dash plates. Should you get on all fours to look underneath the rub rail, you’ll see scoops and artistic grooves – all there for style points.

That’s all very cool. But the full impact cannot be appreciated with the boat sitting empty at the dock. It needs a driver to sit in the low-riding helm seat and turn the key.

The MerCruiser 5.0L MPI motor in our test boat has a humble reputation, but with the through-hull exhaust flipped open and the pointed bow aimed at an empty stretch of lake, we went into “man up” mode. Caravelle built the Interceptor 192 for boaters who don’t want to spend mortgage-type dollars on a heart-thumping ride. The 8-foot beam and low driver profile put us in complete control. A bigger Interceptor with more horsepower in the engine bay will register higher speeds, but the 52.7 mph we averaged here felt closer to 60 mph because of the concentrated package and our proximity to the water when driving.

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Easy as the boat is to handle, we still found some features normally associated with bigger performance boats – deep in-floor storage, brawny retractable cleats, big sun pad and the through-hull exhaust. Caravelle uses no wood in constructing the 192, and we noted how firmly it rode at all speeds. At top end, with a little lake chop, the 192 remained more firm than we might expect from such a niche boat less than 20 feet. When not testing for acceleration and all-out speed, we found a nice economical pace at 2,500 rpm (about 23 mph). And we still looked fast doing it.

Notable Features
Ladder on the swim platform is tucked under a color-coordinated hatch.
Carpeted glove box keeps valuables like cell phones and handheld GPS units from knocking around.
Bow rails inside the gunwales keep the boat’s performance profile intact.
Fiberglass helm area and bezels on the gauges match the color of the boat.
All cup holders are plumbed to drain water out – same as the cockpit and storage areas.

At A Glance…
This is an affordable little looker with performance features and style usually seen on bigger boats.

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Vital Stats
Length Overall: 19’6″
Beam: 8′
Dry Weight: 2,900 lb.
Fuel Capacity: 30 gal.
Maximum HP: 270
MSRP (w/ MerCruiser 5.0L MPI): $33,393 (not including trailer and fees)

Test Drive
Test Engine: MerCruiser 5.0L MPI
Test Props: 19-pitch aluminum
Test Load: People (400 lb.) Fuel (30 gal.)
Top Speed: 52.7 mph @ 5,250 rpm
Time to Plane: 3.4 sec.
Time to 30 mph: 7.5 sec.
Minimum Planing Speed: 17 mph @ 2,300 rpm

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