Sea Ray Boats 205 Sport - Bowrider Boat

THEY SAY This is an eye-catching entry into family-friendly sportboats.

WE SAY The Sea Ray 205 Sport is a 21'-by-8' sportboat that’s definitely fit for watersports fun for the whole family. It has a hard-chined, modified-V hull sporting 20 degrees of deadrise at the transom, which provides sure handling. The test boat was rigged with the optional MerCruiser 5.0L MPI. I hit 52.9 mph and popped the boat on plane in 4.8 seconds, great for watersports. And there’s a surprising amount of stowage for a 21' bowrider. All your sporting equipment should fit in the in-sole locker or under the bow seats. The helm is ergonomic with plenty of room between the wheel and seat to steer while standing. The helm seat has a sports car–tall backrest for those who like to navigate on their bums. Also of note at the helm is a cupholder and blue backlit gauges for nighttime missions. Compared to white light, blue light makes it easier for the eyes to adjust in low-light situations. While we’re on the subject of light, there was a bit of glare coming off the dash.

WHO'D WANT ONE? Those looking for a rock-solid sportboat.

ANOTHER CHOICE Chaparral’s SSi 210 ($35,693 powered as our test boat).

THE NUMBERS $35,021. Contact: 800/772-6287, www.searay.com.