One trend has been clearly recognisable in recent years: outboards are IN. That's why more boats than ever are being designed and built to be fitted with outboards. Having already tested the Sea Ray 230 in BOOTE 10/2017 with a Mercruiser inboard with a displacement of 4.5 litres and 250 hp, we were naturally very excited to compare it with the outboard. But first, let's take a closer look at the boat from the outside.
Our test boat is moored at Boote Pfister on the Main. As soon as we pull down the full tarpaulin, we are greeted by immaculately finished and colour-contrasting seats and upholstery made of light and dark imitation leather, as well as a floor made of light synthetic teak. The seats are firm and comfortable, the cockpit is deep and protected, and the hull's buoyancy is very pleasant, even in the waves of passing freighters. In short, it is a pleasure to be on board.
The Bowrider is approved for up to 13 people (category C), which is remarkable despite the many seating and reclining areas. The storage space under the benches and the floor hatches is indeed more than sufficient to safely stow all the things that 13 people will take on board. There is also space to store enough life jackets. The largest storage space on board is under the sunbed in the stern, as this is where the engine would be located on the inboard version of the SPX 230 OB.
The boat
- Shipyard: Sea Ray/USA
- Type: SPX 230 OB
- CE category: C/6 persons
- Hull and deck: plastic
- Overall length: 7.95 m
- Width: 2.59 m
- Unladen weight (without tyres): 1778 kg
- Draught (m. m.): approx. 0.81 m
- Clearance height: 1.26 m
- Fuel tank: 189 litres
- Freeboard: 0.45 m
- Cockpit side height inside: 1.05 m
- Cockpit sun lounger: 1.64 x 0.53 m
- Sun lounger rear: 2.13 x 0.95 m
- Max. Motorisation: Outer wb. 186 kW (250 hp)
- List price (with test engine): 94340 €
- Distribution: Boote-Pfister, Wahlweg 6, 97525 Schwebheim, www.bootepfister.de
The workmanship is - as usual from Sea Ray - really excellent, both in terms of the hull, the installations and the cushions and tarpaulins. Cup holders and grab handles are distributed throughout the boat. As a special highlight, the boat even has a small toilet compartment under the co-driver's dashboard. In principle, this is just a narrow chamber lined with artificial leather with a Porta-Potti, without a window or washbasin - but on a long day on the water, such an enclosed toilet room is hardly worth its weight in gold. Around the height-adjustable steering wheel, things are classic: round instruments with all the important parameters (fuel gauge, oil pressure, trim and coolant temperature), rev counter, plus a somewhat fiddly, very small 5-inch Simrad display. Underneath, in burl wood, the obligatory toggle switches for consumers, a Fusion sound system and two sockets, 12 volt and USB.
The SPX 230 OB is offered with a 150 hp Mercury Verado as standard, so the version with a 250 hp V8 (additional price of around 12,100 euros) can be seen as a major upgrade. However, this engine is just right for our comparison with the inboard engine, which also has 250 hp.
The V8 starts powerfully at the touch of a button on the electronic Mercury throttle. However, the engine speed is then reduced to idle and it is barely audible. The harbour manoeuvres are very elegant and with an extremely tight turning circle; we certainly don't miss the missing bow thruster. The course stability is excellent at slow and fast displacement manoeuvres. However, during leisurely acceleration from displacement to planing, surprising vibrations occur between 2200 and 2500 rpm, which echo under the steering console. Above 2500 rpm, however, the vibrations disappear again, and you probably won't even notice them when accelerating quickly. The SPX 230 OB reaches a good planing speed at around 3500 rpm. At a speed of 23 knots, the boat then has a range of 118 nautical miles (plus 15 per cent reserve). It reaches its top speed at 5950 rpm and 43.2 knots. Four knots faster than her sister ship with an inboard engine at the time.
With or without trim - the SPX 230 OB is not fazed by sporty, tight turns, slaloms or rapid evasive manoeuvres. She follows all steering commands unflinchingly, without slipping aft or even breaking away.
Conclusion
The Sea Ray SPX 230 OB is a very high-quality, well thought-out and thoroughly successful boat for good weather. It not only has plenty of space for up to 13 people and luggage, but also many comfortable sunbathing areas for sunbathing and relaxing. With the 250 hp Mercury, the boat is sportily motorised.
Need more information? You can find the test of the Sea Ray SPX 230 OB with more pictures, measurement results and a full review in BOOTE issue 02/2022 - available from newsagents from 12/01/2022 or online at Delius Klasing Shop.
