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Here are four great ways to have a blast on the water.
Sport boats are about one thing: a great time on the water. Sure, a creature comfort or two has crept in over time, but these boats are designed first and foremost to bring you the thrill of speed and the challenge of watersports. Four recently released models represent both entry-level and top-of-the-line takes on this precept, across several categories — outboard, inboard, jet, and PWC. Take your pick, and your friends, and have a good time.
Boston Whaler 170 Super Sport
Big Fun in a Small Package
The 170 SS is all the boat you need, and none of what you don't, customizable with options to fit how you play on the water. Its simple, open layout, with a side console and bench seating, gives the 170 SS room for the family and the toys. Available with a 90-hp Mercury four-stroke outboard and a towing arch for wakeboarding, or a ski-pylon for those who don't seek altitude every trip across the wake, it's built with the same "saw-me-in-half" construction techniques as all Whalers. From $21,442 with a 60-hp Merc and a trailer | www.BostonWhaler.com
LOA: 17' | Beam: 6' 10" | Draft: 9" | Weight (dry, no engine): 1,150 lbs. | Fuel Capacity: 12 gal. (Optional 19 gal.)
Correct Craft Sport Nautique 200
The Multitasking Whiz
The Nautique brand celebrated its 50th anniversary this year and introduced the Sport Nautique 200, a multisport boat, as the next iteration in their lineup. Designed to let you ski, wakeboard, or wakesurf, with equal aplomb, thanks to Nautique's carefully designed hull, and the ability to control the wake shape from the dashboard, there's seating for 10, a built-in cooler, and a teak walkthrough. In addition, you can get GPS speed control for perfect slalom runs, and up to 736 pounds of ballast to really ramp up the wake for better surfing or bigger air. From $59,995 | www.Nautique.com
LOA: 21' 10" (w/platform) | Beam: 7' 11 | Draft: 2' | Weight: 3,200 lbs. | Fuel: 30 gal.
Sea Doo GTI SE 130
Award-Winning Features Set a New Standard
Sea Doo outdid itself with the GTI SE 130, taking home an Innovation Award at the Miami Boat Show for packing features into this PWC. Highlights include what they call Intelligent Brake & Reverse, which can slow and stop the PWC up to 100 feet sooner than other watercraft, and an electronic throttle control that offers two modes of throttle response and starts in neutral to make life easier at the dock. Plus, closed-loop cooling, an anti-theft micro-chipped lanyard, and an Eco mode that improves fuel economy. All for $9,599 | www.sea-doo.com
LOA: 11' | Beam: 4' | Weight: 745 lbs. | Capacity: 3 riders | Fuel: 15.9 gal.
Yamaha 242 Limited S
Go-Anywhere Fun
Twin 1.8-liter engines and jet drives mean lots of thrust, and little drag, resulting in neck-straining acceleration. Yamaha boasts that their 242 Limited S pops onto plane in 2.6 seconds and streaks to 30 mph in 4.3 seconds — great for slalom skiers. But the 242 isn't just about speed. The engineers at Yamaha have put some thought into the practical side of boat ownership, making the forward-raked tower fold down so you can park the boat in your garage, and giving it snap-in carpeting for easy cleanup after a day on the lake. The rear-facing seating at the swim platform, with a table that mounts to one side, means you've got the best seat in the house when the boards are put away. From $50,999 | www.yamahaboats.com
LOA: 23' 6" | Beam: 8' 6" | Draft: 16" | Weight: 3,519 lbs. | Fuel: 50.2 gal.
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Here are the dates for each show: