Small boats with a pilothouse always have either the aura of a workboat or that of a sport fisherman. However, the Finnish shipyard AMT, which has now been on the market for over 33 years and has built over 30,000 small boats, knows how to describe the advantages of the 215 PH more skilfully: "A boat for anyone who wants to be on the water from the first thaw in spring to the frost in autumn." An apt description, because the AMT 215 PH is much more than just a fishing boat: it is an all-rounder that is suitable for family outings as well as short weekend trips with overnight stays thanks to its ample space on and below deck.
The small cabin with a double berth in the bow and a fully-fledged on-board toilet below, together with a small galley, creates the greatest possible comfort that can be expected on a 21-footer. On cold days, a small, powerful Webasto diesel heater provides cosy warmth in the spacious and bright pilothouse in just a few minutes. Here too, the shipyard's experience with the harsh Scandinavian weather can be seen in the details - they have even thought of air vents under the windscreen to prevent it from fogging up, and the finish of the boat also looks Scandinavian and high quality at first glance. The finish on all parts is consistently good, the topcoat and the sealing seams are neatly sprayed. The artificial leather upholstery on all seats and cushions is well made and very exquisite with its contrasting coloured stitching. Only the electrical installations and cabling behind the fixtures are a little "loose" in some corners, and despite the short length and width, the 215 PH lies firmly on the water like a work platform as soon as you step on board.
And that's how it looks - at least at the back. Pragmatic. There are no seats, so there are no plans to stay here during the journey. However, it can be comfortable here at anchor with folding chairs and a table. There is plenty of space for this, as there is plenty of storage space under the floor. There is also a petrol tank, a neatly installed holding tank with suction pump and a compartment for long fishing rods that extends under the cab. There is further storage space in the small hatches towards the stern, and a small diesel canister with connection on the starboard side, which supplies the diesel heater. Otherwise, the main fuel on board is petrol. The good workmanship of the stainless steel parts is also noticeable here in the cockpit. In addition, the well-dimensioned and ample number of cleats. Four are installed at the stern - two outside and two inside next to the engine. A good solution, as this makes it much easier to keep the boat centred in narrow boxes.
The foredeck is easily accessible via the 20 centimetre wide side decks with sturdy grab handles and has a large (1.68 x 1.32 metre) sunbathing area, which is certainly not intended as such, but can also be used for sunbathing. The only drawback here: Although the centre of the deck is non-slip, the sides are unfortunately not.
The sliding door opens up a wide entrance to the driver's cab, which has more than sufficient headroom (1.88 metres). There is a double bench seat on the port side, with driver and passenger seats in front. The upholstery is firm with good support. The double berth in the foredeck has a good seat height of 1.38 metres and hard but comfortable upholstery (nine centimetres). The sleeping area under the driver's seat can be extended to a length of two metres by folding up the footplate. On the left-hand side, the reclining area is a little tight at 1.70 metres, and the stainless steel tubes are also slightly in the way on both sides.
Test drive
The controls inside are grippy and direct, the gearstick is snappy and easy to operate with the arm on the window rail. The only thing that takes some getting used to is the position of the trim switch on the dashboard, and it takes a bit of practice to hit it precisely with an outstretched index finger. The 100 hp Honda outboard engine can hardly be heard from the driver's seat when the door is closed. How practical that there is a second steering position outside, which makes casting off and locking much easier. The small steering wheel makes manoeuvring with a knob child's play. The outside gearstick is locked against the inside gearstick. The steering wheel, however, is not. This means that you can easily dart outside when cruising, clear the lines and intervene if necessary.
At low displacement speeds, the influence of weight shifts is clearly noticeable. At higher speeds, however, the boat is completely stable. From 2500 rpm it runs a little unsteadily, and frequent corrections are necessary to maintain the course. This is over when the boat switches to planing speed at 2800 to 3500 rpm. Visibility is very good from the main helm position during the transition, but at the rear helm position the view forwards is completely obscured by the superstructure. It is therefore more suitable for slow cruising. From 4000 rpm, the AMT runs at a good and economical gliding speed.
At high speeds, the 215 PH needs a good 50 per cent trim to show its full potential, and then runs at speeds of up to 66 km/h. With the engine all the way down, however, only 48 km/h. The trim tabs are well suited to compensate for uneven loading or crosswinds (high superstructure). However, they are not really necessary for better acceleration. During fast and tight manoeuvres, the engine should be fully down, otherwise the propeller will quickly draw air and the engine will go into the rev limiter. The same applies to rapid evasive manoeuvres. As long as there is no strong crosswind, manoeuvring in the harbour with the 215 PH is a real pleasure, because with turning circles of just over one boat length forwards and even less backwards, it is easy to turn in the tightest of spaces.
CONCLUSION
The AMT 215 PH is a comfortable, safe and spacious all-round boat which, despite its workboat appearance, is fast and manoeuvrable and also offers plenty of options for the leisure skipper, while the equipment with double berth, on-board WC and small galley also makes it suitable for weekend trips with the whole family or even overnight trips for two.
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