Sea Ray 230

When you're done skiing or boarding, you reboard from a ladder at the transom. You disconnect the rope at the stern as well. And finally, on Sea Ray's 230 Sundeck, you can put away your ski or board while you're standing on the swim platform. Open the transom hatch and slide the ski or board forward alongside the engine compartment. There's plenty of space -- the locker is nearly 6' long. No more dripping all over the cockpit.

Other highlights include three onboard coolers and a great helm layout that features darkly finished upholstery and cluster-style instruments. What's more, I could comfortably look through the windscreen instead of over it. Scissor-style aluminum hinges that lifted the bottom cushions for the forward lounges exhibited excellent craftsmanship and forethought. Usually, these types of lounges are hinged on the inboard side and you have to lean over them to reach down into the bottom of the locker, a feat most adults can't pull off.

The starboard helm console locker was entertainment central with an MP3 auxiliary port as well as an iPod connection. There's also dedicated stowage for the removable cockpit table. To port, the head compartment has 3'8" of seated headroom.

Sea Ray also put some good thought into the 230 Sundeck's bottom design, which featured three strakes per side and a triangle-like flared aft end to the inner pair. These provide all the lift you need to carry the extra weight that deckboats are expected to heft in passengers and gear. The boat planed at less than 25 mph, which means you could pull wakeboarders as well as younger kids on tubes. My test boat pancaked lake chop and in turns showed it could come around quickly to pick up a downed skier or boarder. And when he's back onboard, he'll have no problem putting away his gear.