SeaDoo Boats 230 Challenger - Bowrider Boat

The new 230 Challenger is the boat Sea-Doo hopes will lead the way into the mainstream boat market. At 23'6", the 230 Challenger is the longest boat ever offered by Sea-Doo. It's also the most attractive boat to come out of the Sea-Doo studio. I love the scallop on the hull above the bond line, the broad shape of the bow, and the sweep of the gunwale line into the transom. This boat looks modern and sleek, unlike many previous Sea-Doo boats, which tried too hard to be stylish.

But don't think that Sea-Doo left out any gizmos. The most dramatic is an optional retracting windshield ($3,000), available on models with the SE package ($1,900, including snap-in carpet, stereo remote, Bimini top, cockpit table, and depthsounder). At the push of a button, an electronic mechanism glides the curved glass port and starboard windshield sections up or down within their consoles. Choose protection on cool days or opt for a breeze when it's hot. Adjust the height a bit to find that sweet spot that lets you see over the glass while air passes overhead. Slide the center section of the windshield out of the starboard console's pocket door to fill the walkthrough, creating a windblock.

The other gotta-have-it item is a 2'8"-wide "buddy" seat that pivots to either face the port console or merge with bench seating that wraps around the cockpit. There's carpet-lined stowage more than a foot deep below all of the seats, including those in the bow, and more stowage in a tray below the aft sundeck.

The 230 Challenger comes in three flavors: the base model ($35,499), the SE ($37,399), and the 230 Wake ($43,899), which includes a boarding tower with racks and speakers, PerfectPass speed control, 1,000-pound ballast tanks, and special graphics. An upgrade to twin 215-hp supercharged/intercooled engines ($4,000) is available on the SE and Wake, and for another $4,000 you can add a tower to the SE. The base engine package delivered great acceleration, sporty handling, and a decent ride for a boat with no trim and a rather flat bottom.