If you want to get into motorised water sports, you often start with sports boats between 4.00 and 6.50 m, unless you are looking for boats with overnight accommodation. In the lower class, inflatable and rigid hull boats with outboards are a good choice. From around 17 feet, there are the first boats with inboard engines, usually with a 3.0-litre engine and 137 hp. If you go up a level to the 18-19-footers, you will often find six-cylinder engines with 4.3 litres in the engine compartments.
Our two test candidates, the Larson 850 LX and Sea Ray 185 Sport, are exactly in this class. Both are typical bowriders that offer chill-out and socialising areas with a seat/berth combination in the bow and, in addition to the driver and passenger seats, a rear bench for a further three people in the cockpit. This is adjoined by the sun lounger and, last but not least, the bathing platform with ladder.
What do you do with this type of boat? Water skiing, tubing and wakeboarding are particularly popular with young people. The test duo is also ideal for swimming trips and offers plenty of space and comfort for exploring. If you are caught out in the rain, you can protect yourself with convertible tops on both boats, which have integrated large foil windows for good all-round visibility. However, the canopies are only available for an extra charge: Larson € 1950 (convertible top and bow tarpaulin) and Sea Ray € 2370 (convertible top, bow tarpaulin and cockpit tarpaulin). At 2.10 metres, the carpool has about 0.30 metres more headroom under the Sea Ray tarpaulin than with the Larson.
In terms of cockpit size, the Sea Ray has a little more to offer in terms of length, whereas the Larson is wider, which is also reflected in the general dimensions. On the bow sofas with sporty, firm upholstery, the dimensions are almost the same. Differences can be found in the layout: Larson offers a continuous seat/reclining cushion from front to back and only back cushions in front of the windscreen, where two cup holders are located. In the Sea Ray, the latter divide the seating area. Upholstered backrests can be found throughout the bow area. When it comes to the handles, the shipyards are again in agreement and install a solid grab handle on each side.
The well-padded rear bench seats and the sun loungers in the engine compartments were also unanimous. Shortcoming: We searched in vain for a stern railing or handrail to limit the sunbeds to the stern edge. The same applies to the stern showers. The shipyards take different approaches to the bathing platforms: Larson relies solely on a platform integrated into the hull. The smaller integrated platform of the Sea Ray extends its cantilevered external platform (standard). Ladders of the same design principle (folding ladder) and approximately the same length, together with handles at the stern, make it easier to climb on and off. Folding out the ladders from the water is sufficiently easy.
The complete comparison test can be found in BOOTE 6/12
If you want to stow your water sports equipment, there are plenty of stowage boxes under the stern/bow benches in the engine compartment and cockpit floor on both boats. The bow lockers are ideal for stowing anchoring gear.
Data sheet: Larson LX 185
Shipyard: Larson Boats
Type designation: Larson LX 185
CE category: C - Coastal waters
Material of hull and deck: Plastic
Length: 5,64 m
Width: 2,33 m
Displacement: 1,11 t
Price: 31.330,00 €
Data sheet: Sea Ray 185 Sport
Shipyard: Sea Ray
Type designation: Sea Ray 185 Sport
CE category: C - Coastal waters
Material of hull and deck: Plastic
Length: 5,99 m
Width: 2,21 m
Displacement: 1,18 t
Price: 29.900,00 €
