
Yamaha SX210
(with twin 110 hp, 1,052 cc Yamaha Marine engines) LOA: 21’3″ Beam: 8’6″ Displacement: 2,875 lb.
yamahaboats.com; 800-962-7926 A different take on the bowrider, the new Yamaha SX210 uses a pair of 110 hp, 1,052 cc four-stroke engines matched up with a pair of the manufacturer’s high-pressure jet pumps. The retail price of $34,599 includes a color-matched painted trailer, removable carpet and a Bimini top. The biggest advantage of jet propulsion is that you’re never worried about people swimming near the boat hurting themselves if they bang into the propellers. A side benefit is that you can navigate shallower waters than an outboard- or sterndrive-propelled boat can. Yamaha says the SX210’s draft is 1 foot 4 inches, compared with about two feet for most 20- to 21-foot bowriders. Yamaha

Yamaha SX210

Yamaha SX210

Yamaha SX210

Yamaha SX210
Carrying the boat’s beam farther forward makes the bow seats inviting even for long-legged crew. Yamaha

Cobalt 200
(with 220 hp MerCruiser 4.3L MPI Alpha sterndrive) LOA: 20’10” Beam: 8’6″ Displacement: 3,500 lb.
cobaltboats.com; 800-468-5764 Still the most popular boat on the water, the family bowrider offers the seating space you need for the kids, the performance you desire for towing and just cruising, and the deep-V hull to handle chop. When I was researching this story and found a Cobalt that met our financial parameters, I was pleasantly surprised. For as long as I can remember, Cobalt has been among the brands most often compared to high-end luxury automobiles. The Cobalt 200 retails for $35,847 (once you see this boat you’ll come up with the other $847) in its base dress without a trailer and powered by a 220 hp V-6 MerCruiser 4.3L MPI with an Alpha One drive. So equipped, the boat should run speeds nearing 50 mph and have the punch to pull a skier out of the water. Cobalt

Cobalt 200

Cobalt 200

Cobalt 200

Cobalt 200
A 20-foot bowrider with stowage for your scuba tank and fins? Pretty cool. Cobalt

Tahoe 228
(with 220 hp MerCruiser 4.3L MPI Alpha sterndrive) LOA: 22’5″ Beam: 8’6″ Displacement: 3,950 lb.
tahoe-boats.com; 417-873-4555 If you like the idea of all that space on a pontoon but still want a planing hull, check out a deck boat like the Tahoe 228, which basically takes the semi-V bottom of a runabout and marries it to a more passenger-conscious layout. The 228 is rated for 12 passengers with spacious lounges forward of the windshield and a large L-shape seating area in the cockpit. The driver and co-pilot travel in bucket seats that swivel and adjust fore and aft. If you want to keep drinks and snacks chilled, there’s a removable cooler under the aft bench seat and an insulated locker beneath the nonskid fiberglass sole. Dry stowage is available in two additional large in-sole lockers as well. Tahoe

Tahoe 228

Tahoe 228

Tahoe 228

Tahoe 228
Flip-up armrests for the bow seats make the lounges feel even more like chaises. Tahoe

Aqua Patio 240 SL
(with Yamaha 115 hp four-stroke outboard) LOA: 25’1″ Beam: 8’6″ Displacement: 3,296 lb.
godfreypontoons.com; 574-522-8381 Pontoon boats are the capacity kings when it comes to hauling a crowd on the water, and the Aqua Patio series from Godfrey Marine is a great example of the increased amenities and luxury that customers have been requesting from this breed of boat. For $33,495 with a Yamaha 115 hp four-stroke outboard, the Aqua Patio 240 SL (for sun lounge) can carry 14 people. The aft-facing chaise-style lounges are the best seats aboard, and the forward couches are deeper inboard to outboard than on competitive boats. This means that an adult can stretch out on them without fear of flopping onto the cockpit sole. Aqua Patio

Aqua Patio 240 SL

Aqua Patio 240 SL

Aqua Patio 240 SL

Aqua Patio 240 SL
Need a cup holder? They can be moved wherever needed aboard the 240 SL. Aqua Patio

Boston Whaler 190 Montauk
(with 115 hp Mercury 115 EXLPT EFI four-stroke outboard) LOA: 19’0″ Beam: 8’0″ Displacement (no motor): 1,900 lb.
bostonwhaler.com; 800-942-5379 Some people consider a center console the sport-utility vehicle of the marine world, and Boston Whaler’s 190 Montauk is one of the most revered center consoles on the water. The boat features a wide beam carried all the way to the squared-off bow. For convenience, a removable aft bench slips into the aft rod holders, while a filler cushion for the bow lounge creates a giant sun pad where your spouse and kids can stretch out and nap protected below the deck lines. Boston Whaler

Boston Whaler 190 Montauk

Boston Whaler 190 Montauk

Boston Whaler 190 Montauk

Boston Whaler 190 Montauk
The 72-quart cooler that secures in place with chocks aboard this unsinkable boat is removable. Boston Whaler