Maxium 2100SD Review
MAXUM 2100SD
I'm not married - though I may as well be - nor do I have two young daughters aged nine and six. However I am a lot like Anthony Boudib, the proud owner of this Maxum 2100SD, in that I covet a boat with a big footprint for relaxing on the anchor, with great stability so you can sidle-up to the icecream boat, and which is deep enough not to ship water when the weekend crowds are out making waves and you're kicking back between towing the tube.
This is Anthony's first boat and, as such, much nail-biting deliberation paved the way to his purchase. He compared Bayliners and SeaRays and 4-Winns - the three main opposition - and decided that Maxum 2100SD was the most cost-effective boat that had the lot. He needed only a few options, namely full covers to keep his boat clean, and a tube for summer. Besides that watertoy, his two young daughters shrill to the ride in the bow, asking dad to drive faster and faster, says Anthony.
Fitted with a 5.0L MerCruiser MPI 260hp petrol inboard motor with an Alpha One sterndrive, the 2100SD goes pretty fast. Top speed was over 40 knots or 46mph. However, this speed was difficult to maintain even on this fair-weather mid-week day without the crowds on Sydney Harbour. But more on the ride later.
DEALER TRICKS
Cleverly, the importers and agents for Maxum also handle Bayliner. The former is pitched and priced as a prestige boat with a better finish than the Bayliner. It is also imported with a number factory-fitted options for our market as a kind of Fairline or Lexus in the mainstream bowrider market.
The factory options that come standard with the Maxum 2100SD imported here include a bow-filler cushion - Anthony converts the bow into a playpen for his daughters - a bow ladder that lets the family disembark at a beach, and the bimini top that's an essential for shade. Clears are supplied for weather protection should the need arise and they turn this into a pretty handy all-weather bowrider.
There were covers for the bow and cockpit, plus the full-length cover, and a Cruise Pack with a second shower and additional moulded table in the bow. This way, the parents can have the run of the cockpit while the kids reign up front. All local models also come with a portable head, which Anthony said the three women in his family considered a "must-have item" on his boat-shopping list, and the Premium Dash package with wheel upgrade and digital depth sounder.
DESIGN CONCEPT
Besides a high level of fitout, the Maxum 2100SD distinguishes itself through the sport-deck concept. Rather than be a deeply-veed narrow sports hull, it is voluminous, wide and deep. Space, stability, seating, creature comforts and amenities take precedence over straight-line performance across rough water.
As such, you need to drive the Maxum 2100SD carefully or sensibly to - boom, tish - Maxumise the ride comfort. This means backing-off the throttle when crossing big wakes instead of going at it hell-for-leather and mid-range cruising more often than streaming-eye redline runs. If not underway, then the rewards of the sport-deck design sure become apparent at your destination.
From bow to stern, this boat has more creature comforts, higher sides and safety for the kids, and greater stability for romping around than a narrower sports hull. And for Anthony and his family these traits create a boat that fits like a glove. In fact, he says it works so well that he's had great days aboard with two families.
Weighing about 2000kg on its dual-axle American trailer, the high-sided Maxum 2100SD is a big lump of a boat to tow and stow. The hull is 2.59-metres wide, which is on the trailerable daytime limit, but not dissimilar width-wise to Maxum sportsboats. I suspect the hull might be a little flatter in the transom, but that's just a hunch.
Compared with other sporty bowriders, say, a Sea Ray or Cobalt, the Maxum 2100SD has a fuller entry - Maxum calls it a Beam Forward Design. But in many ways, I welcome the full bow. For one, there's plenty of support for carrying kids or adults up there. And when you do back off the throttle, the bow doesn't drop down to the point where it's likely to ship water. Furthermore, in tight turns the full bow and buoyancy make the hull turn nice and flat instead of digging in.
While I didn't have a chance to see the hull out of the water, the brochure talks about tapered chines, large reverse strakes, an extended running surface and delta-step pad. You can interpret that how you wish, but I will add that the design doesn't break new ground. Instead, the hull harnesses tried-and-proved technology for generating lift underway.
On the construction front, Maxum uses so-called Interlocking Structural Components or ISC and a Rigid Matrix Construction method. Let's put it this way: the boat derives stiffness from a full-length fibreglass-encapsulated grid stringer systems that's laminated to the hull. The internal fibreglass liner and key components are bonded to the grid, thereby creating the "rigid matrix."
It helps, one would reason, that Maxum's parent company Brunswick Marine also owns Mercury and MerCruiser. As such, the boat and motor is a ready-made combo. Though the 2100SD comes standard in America with a 5.0L 220hp carburetted MerCruiser, the local importers prefer the multipoint injected version producing 270hp as seen on this boat. However, I can't see cause or water conditions that would warrant the jump to the optional 300hp 350 Magnum motor.
DECKED OUT
The boat's full-width non-skid boarding platform can double as a sunbaking area, though it is more often as a diving board with the swim ladder hanging at the ready. I noted a nearby handheld cold shower - the boat carries a handy 50ltr of water - and a second moulded tier in the platform that doubles as seat where you can drip dry while watching the world wash past.
A padded infill section creates a full-width aft lounge when in place but, when hinged open and the cushion from the lounge base is removed, you create a passageway from the boarding platform to the cockpit. Thus, you can convert this boat from a watersports platform filled with dripping kids running amuck to a sumptuous seating area for lounge lizards to bask in the sun. While it can seat up to four people, the rear lounge doubles as a daybed.
The lounge base also forms parts of the engine box. Rather than having to dismantle seat bases and unclip catches, the engine room and prestart checks therein can be performed with a one-handed lift of the lid. The sender for the polypropylene fuel tank is accessible, as are the dipstick and fuel filter and lone engine/house battery.
The cockpit is a wide one and, with the helm and co-pilot seats swivelled to face the transom, it will work well with friends. The two tables and bases are stowed in the lockup storage area behind the helm, so the boat remains uncluttered when you area on the run. When assembled, the tables create a useful lunch spot and, with the canopy out, one that's shaded.
Storage is a real highlight on this 21-footer. Aside from the lockup hold behind the helm, there's storage under the rear lounge, in the moulded head compartment forward of the co-pilot, and under the seats in the bow. A full liner means that most of these areas are lined. And underfloor is a ski locker that, like most of the storage, is topped with rubber non-scratch mats.
The boat comes with a portable icebox or Igloo and there is a moulded drinks box in the bow that drains through to the bilge. To these things you can add small cockpit sidepockets with drinkholders and a lockable glovebox near the helm. Both the driving seats have fold-down bolsters, too.
Some might scoff at the moulded dayhead with portable loo, but it's actually big enough for kids and mums should nature call or a change of attire be in order. The boat had a small moulded sink on the portside for washing the prawns off your hands and rinsing the picnic setting. Other points of interest include the bow ladder, non-skid step and second shower up front, the stainless-steel cleats and nav lights, and the excellent padded backrests and grab rails that make the deep bow seating area nice and safe.
The flash dash sported Faria engine gauges, fuel and trim gauges, the digital depth sounder, plus toggle switches for the horn, blower, bilge pumps, and courtesy, nav and anchor lights. Oh, and the switch for the waterpump. The boat has two 12V accessory outlets for charging your phone and attaching a handheld spotlight, plus an adjustable and sporty wheel.
The supportive bucket seats lent a sense of purpose to the driving and co-pilot positions and, while tinted, the safety-glass windscreen wasn't took dark when wearing sunnies. I also liked the folding door that blocks off the bow walkway so you don't get a cold blast up the trouser leg. However, it rattled annoyingly when left in the folded position. A better locking device is needed.
WINTER DRIVING
It says something other than global warming that I didn't turn purple while driving this bowrider in winter in Sydney. The windscreen serves its intended purpose and there was only a brief loss of vision during the transition to planing speed with two adults seated back on the rear lounge and no-one in the bow.
As touched on, I exercised caution with the big ferry wakes and walked the boat over the waves. But in the lightly ruffled water the hull travels just fine. And I found it a surprisingly manoeuvrable and fun boat to drive in an erratic manner for our cameraman.
With full leg-in trim, the hull held a useful 18 knots at 2500rpm and a low-cruise speed of about 22 knots at 3000rpm. Somewhere around 29-30 knots seemed to be a handy cruise in calm water, while top speed of 40.1 knots was recorded at 5000rm. Though a small block, the V8 had a nice sound, as will the JBL four-speaker marine stereo and CD player.
Tellingly, Anthony and his family had put 76 hours on the clock of this, their first boat, after a great summer afloat. This equates to lots of harbour runs, which is what they enjoy doing most. And for taking the whole family on the harbour, bay or river, the 2100SD sport-deck is a boat better by design.
WHAT WE LIKED
Huge interior volume, stability and depth for carrying the family in safety.
A big spread of dayboating amenities from a portable loo to 50ltr of freshwater.
Distinct bow and cockpit seating areas each with a table and icebox.
Bow and stern boarding ladders and showers.
Very good finish and smart styling.
NOT SO MUCH
Wide-bodied, full bow boat needs to be driven gingerly across rough water.
A big boat to tow and stow.
Dual gel batteries are worth considering on a deck boat of this size.
Door dividing bow from cockpit rattles when folded and needs a better retaining mechanism.
Specifications: Maxum 2100SD
HOW MUCH?
Price as tested: $74,177 with 5.0L 260hp MPI MerCruiser motor, factory-fitted options that are fitted to Australian models, on dual-axle Karavan trailer.
Options Fitted: The factory options that come standard with the Maxum 2100SD imported include bow-filler cushion, bimini top and clears, cover, Cruise Pack with second shower and additional moulded table, portable head and Premium Dash package with wheel upgrade and digital depth sounder. The owner added full-length cover.
Priced from: $72,677 on 5.0lt 220hp MerCruiser on Karavan trailer.
GENERAL
Material: GRP with stiffening fibreglass grid
Type: Moderate-vee planing hull
Length Overall: 7.06m
Beam: 2.59m
Deadrise: n/a
Weight: Around 1782kg with base 5.0L Mercury inboard (2000kg+ on trailer)
CAPACITIES
Berths: Camp on deck
Fuel Capacity: 212ltr
Water Capacity: 50ltr
ENGINE
Make/Model: MerCruiser 5.0L MPI
Type: Inboard four-stroke petrol motor.
Rated HP: 260hp @ 4400-4800rpm.
Displacement: 5.0lt
Weight: About 425kg
Gearboxes (Make/ratio): Alpha One Sterndrive
Props: 21in ALLOY
SUPPLIED BY
Avante Marine,
Silverwater, Sydney.
Phone (02) 9737 0727 for your nearest Maxum
Web: www.maxumboats.com.au
Originally published in TrailerBoat #194
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