Most deckboats are cushy, not fishy. Godfrey’s Hurricane FunDeck GS 211 casts a different line. For starters, it’s a center console. Hook a redfish and you can work him around the perimeter without dancing through a cockpit walkthrough. A five-tray tackle drawer is located in the port inwale, where you’ll find stowage for a rod as well as a 25-quart Igloo cooler. There’s room for four more rods along the starboard inwale, and you’ll find a pair of rodholders in the gunwale. Choose the optional fish package ($588) and you’ll add a bow fishing seat, an aerated livewell, two more gunwale-mounted rodholders, a trio of rodholders at the swim platform, a trolling motor plug, and an extra battery tray. Don’t think the family will be thrilled about slime and scales on the upholstery? The snap-in carpet, as well as all the cushions, are removable. Strip it down and the FunDeck GS 211 is easily maintained, ready to be rinsed at the end of the day with the blast of a hose. When it’s time to dish and not fish, company will enjoy the spacious U-shaped lounge in the bow. It offers nearly 14′ of seating width, and 3’4″ of legroom in the interior guarantees passengers won’t be knocking knees. A small built-in cooler keeps drinks close at hand; throw in the optional playpen cushion ($305) and start soaking up the rays. There’s a large stowage area in the lockable center console that can double as a head compartment when nature sings, the bottom third of which is fully lined, making for simple cleanups if a kid (or adult) misses his or her target. Underway, the Hurricane FunDeck GS 211 offers the familiar ride of the Hurricane series’ cathedral-inspired hull. It’s stable at rest, planes in a scant three seconds, and handles smoothly and predictably in glass or chop. My test boat’s 200-hp Yamaha F200 four-stroke pushed me to a top speed of 42.3 mph and purred like a kitten. Nothing fishy about that.
HIGH POINTS: Anchor locker has handy clips to hold hardware in place, as well as dual notches for the rode. Twin sinks, one with pressurized water, provide easy cleanups. Don’t worry about mildew under the cushions-channels drain away water. Well-supported Bimini offers nearly 7′ of headroom.
LOW POINTS: Center console door hits port bowlounge when open-a rubber stop would protect the gel coat from inevitable chips. Compared to the plastic-lined stowage under the bow cushions, the painted marine ply under the dual sinks looks out of place. Combination head/stowage compartment in center console is nice but could be improved with ventilation.
Toughest Competitor You’ll be hard-pressed to find many center console decks left in today’s full-windshield, runabout-inspired deckboat market. Fishy deckboats, however, do exist. At 22’4″, VIP’s Deckliner 224 features an open layout, twin fishing chairs on the bow platform, an aerated livewell, digital depthsounder, and the option for a trolling motor. Outfitted with the identical 200-hp Yamaha four-stroke and standard trailer, the VIP runs $41,000.
LOA……………..20’10” ** **
Beam……………….8’6″
Draft………………..1’2″ ****
Displacement (lbs., approx.)…………2,990
Transom deadrise……………18° ****
Bridge clearance………….4’6″
Minimum cockpit depth………………..2’5″ ****
Max. headroom…………4’4″
Fuel capacity (gal.)…….52 ****
Price (w/standard power)………..$30,060
Price (w/test power)………..$37,091
Standard power Single 150-hp Yamaha 150TXRB gasoline outboard.
Optional power Single gasoline outboard to 225 hp.
Test boat power Single 200-hp Yamaha F200 gasoline outboard with 204.6 cid, 4.00″ bore x 3.48″ stroke, swinging a 151¼4″ x 17″ three-bladed Saltwater Series ss prop through a 2.00:1 reduction.
Standard equipment (major items): Aquatronics AM/FM/cassette stereo w/2 speakers; pressurized water system; auto bilge pump; hydraulic steering; 12v receptacle; quick-release windscreen; 25-qt. Igloo cooler; tackle drawers; Bimini top w/boot.
