TEST: BOSTON WHALER 210 OUTRAGE
If you asked the best bunch of boatbuilders to design the ultimate trailerable fishing rig, it might resemble Boston Whaler’s 210 Outrage. It combines seaworthiness with commonsense and over engineering, and is a portable sportsfisher made for the wide blue yonder, with performance that belies its size and running costs that won’t break the bank.
The Boston Whaler 210 Outrage carves its own path in its unsinkability. The company went for a foam-filled hull so that regardless of how much water comes aboard and the size of the fish you pull over the gunwales or transom the self-draining platform remains afloat. And level. I like that, especially for bar crossings. Acceleration, from the injected two-stroke, is hot, too.
Safe carrying capacity is listed at 1496kg with a swamped capacity of 2494kg (total weight including engine, gear and crew). Although just a 21-footer on the waterline, Boston Whaler attributes a 10-person capacity to this boat, which is just huge. What’s more, its fuel capacity of 359lt puts the 210 Outrage squarely in the long-range/canyon-runner category.
But for all this, I still had visions of getting wet when I ventured across Botany Bay and out to sea in the 210 Outrage. Not only were rain clouds brooding overhead, but there was a nasty south-easterly wind driving a couple of metres of angry sea into the coast at Kurnell.
So I retrieved my wet-weather jacket from the car and pulled it over my shoulders and cast the lines. Fitted with an upgraded 200hp (175hp standard) Mercury Optimax outboard with Smartcraft, which of course relays vital engine data as well as fuel consumption and engine range to go, the 210 Outrage was a fast, fuel-efficient boat able to head into the fray at 22.5kts for an approximate 22.5lt/h consumption.
Though it was lightly laden, the ride was tolerable climbing up the cresting swells, leaping forth and falling off their steep backs. Full marks go to the dealer for fitting the optional hydraulic trim tabs that let you button down the broad, flared bow to the water. However, the boat rode sweetly in the peculiar seas, its bow travelling free, where it landed on its tail and folded back down.
BUILT TOUGH
Needless to say, the 210 Outrage boasts one of Boston Whaler’s signature (urethane) foam-filled hulls using a patented process which, when the inner and outer skins are joined and the liquid foam core cures, results in a one-piece or monocoque structure. Hence, nothing moved independently, rattled, creaked, or groaned, which accentuated the inherently good ride.
The hull shape is another example of clever design. There is a super sharp entry flanked by aggressive down-turned tapered chines and a big, flared bow. Though Boston Whaler also makes the Dauntless skiffs and Conquest centre cabin boats, the Outrage series with centre consoles have the sharpest entry and, in this instance, a handy 20 degrees of transom deadrise.
The exceptional buoyancy of the Boston Whalers coupled with the flared bow made for a boat that travelled over, rather than under, the steep headseas at even low speeds. And the forward casting platform can easily support the weight of a couple of keen anglers or a burley anchorman playing tug of war. The boat feels stiff and stable as it carries its 2.54m beam well forward of the console.
Arriving on a stylish, anodised aluminium Ezy-Loader tandem trailer with manual override brakes, the 210 Outrage with 200hp Optimax weighed about 1950kg dry. But add a full tank of fuel, the ground, safety and fishing tackle, and you’re closer to 2500kg, putting this in the maxi-4WD towing range. On the water, the boat gives the impression that it’s no minnow.
DECKED OUT
Besides fair mouldings and a good grade of non-skid throughout, the 210 Outrage has stainless steel deck fittings befitting those of a much larger craft. No toy cleats, rather these ones are big enough to take a line from a 40-footer beside which you might raft-up at a club weigh-in.
There are large rub and grabrails and an (optional) stainless steel bowrail, plus an anchor roller, motor well rail and cockpit toerails. The aft hawsepipes keep the cockpit reasonably snag-free, as does the boat’s combination of built-in storage compartments.
Storage ranges from a lined sub-casting platform hold in the bow that doubles for anchor storage – rubber clips prevent rattles once the lid is closed – through the twin under-gunwale rod and gaff racks (four per side) to the two-metre-long subfloor fishboxes and the dry storage area inside the console, where you’ll find a labelled fuse panel, battery master switch, and the twin batteries. Thus, you should be able to fish without tripping over tackle, bait, berley, or the prized catch.
Additionally, there was an optional work-of-art alloy tee top with clear all-weather curtains. I didn’t attach the curtains, mind you, as there was no need for them despite my fear of getting wet. Rather, I stumbled across them when sizing up all the storage aboard the 210, which also included a handy zip-up pocket for lifejackets and wet–weather jackets under that bimini top.
The hydraulic trim tabs were another option I’d insist on, if only to keep the boat on an even keel in strong crosswinds and/or with uneven crew/catch loads. But the piece de resistance on the options list were the Fishing Package and the deluxe leaning post with fully plumbed cavernous livewell.
The Fishing Package includes padded coaming bolsters which, with the toerails, 60cm of internal freeboard, and a slightly bent knee stance, let you hook your thighs under into the gunwales for serious tracing, gaffing, and stand-up battles. The two subfloor fish coffins are about two metres in length and are therefore big enough for a wahoo or mahi mahi. But decent tuna will have to be filleted. The coffins come with pump outs for easy cleaning.
The Fishing Package also includes a raw-water washdown, tackle drawers forward of the console, and a 51lt, 58-can portable cooler with cushion and padded backrest. You also get an extra two rodholders in your 210 Outrage, plus four overhead holders in the rocket launcher, from where you could run a high flatline or quasi shotgun.
The deluxe leaning post with livewell is a fishing centre unto itself. Behind the leaning post with flip-up bolster is a serious 90lt oval livebait tank with light and powerful pump, built-in knife and plier holders, cutting-board lid for rigging tackle, and rodholders for pitch baiting. To this you could add another built-in tackle drawer nearby and a small cutting board at the transom. All of this leaves just outriggers (mounting spots on bimini frame provided) and a decent electronics package. Note: the Boston Whaler-supplied Navman gear won’t cut it in our deep water.
An optional 78lt freshwater shower was fitted, which is a nice touch, and the 210 Outrage comes with a single boarding platform at the transom (through which you could mount a berley pot), plus aft-quarter seats for those family days aboard. But for my money I’d lash out and order the optional Comfort Package with bow cushion to create a sunpad/playpen for post fishing family trips with mum and the kids.
Last, but not least, despite the boat’s foam-filled hull, there is still great access, better than many conventionally-built GRP boats, through various inspection to subfloor servicing items such as fuel senders and, through the engine well, to the bilge and oil bottle that has a deck filler. It’s all watertight from bow to stern, washable, and self-draining. Though no one really reverses up in sportsfishers like this, preferring to chase fish and pull anchors to the side, the transom was nice and buoyant going backwards. Dry? Are they ever?
DRIVING STATIONS
The console is wide enough to afford some protection on the twin leaning post with flip-up bolster. I didn’t have to try to hard to get the boat airborne, but thankfully the thick tubular alloy grabrails supporting the tee top provide a good handhold for crew. I had a cast stainless steel wheel with truckie’s turning knob to hold onto.
On the console I noted switches for horn, nav/anchor light, courtesy lights, freshwater washdown, livewell, and fishbox pumps. There were two drinkholders and a huge vertical mounting space for serious electronics. The Smartcraft engine gauges have switchable menus from which I gleaned the Optimax 200’s fuel consumption.
Driving the boat was comfortable standing with the seat bolster up, with my feet propped against the footrest, or cruising downsea while seated. Crew will find plenty of places to hold on and the gunwales are wide enough to sit on when trolling. But being a centre console it’s very much a sunscreen, sunnies, and sunhat boat.
The 210 Outrage was presented as a very light ship and performance figures will therefore be exaggerated by as much as 10 per cent. But with a 17-inch stainless steel prop, the boat revealed its efficiency by holding plane at 2380rpm and 7.8kts with the trim tabs and outboard leg in. So you can troll while planing if you want, though better consumption will come without dragging those trim tabs through the water.
I found the low-cruise speed of 22.5kts at 3150rpm was most comfortable in the prevailing, unpleasant, conditions. Consumption was a frugal 22.5lt/h. Fast cruising – should conditions allow – was clocked at 29.4kts at 4000rpm, where the Optimax 200 consumed 31.5lt/h. Averaging between these two, one gets a 25kt cruise and 27lt/h consumption for a range of over 300 nautical miles. A giant killer.
What I would consider to be near-maximum continuous speed offshore in this boat was 33kts at 4500rpm, and flatout I clocked 42.3kts at 5600rpm. Without any weight up front, and in the bends when the chine was exposed, there were occasional thumps from what felt like a light boat that could do with some more fuel and gear. But there was no stopping this big 21-footer, which almost seemed to laugh off the punishment.
Oh, there was not a drop of water on the spray jacket or windscreen. So, along with everything else, this is a dry centre console that will please olds dogs and young pups. The Boston Whaler Outrage 210 answers the call, even at $100,000-plus on road and in rough water.
WHAT WE LIKED
Unsinkable hull with sea-kind ride and big-boat engineering
Lots of non-skid
Easy-clean, ergonomically thoughtful deck space
Built in storage
Options on the demo boat help create a tournament bluewater fisher
Huge cruising range (and no smoke trolling down sea) from the direct-injection Optimax 200hp outboard
Competes with the battlewagons on the canyons
NOT SO MUCH
Big-ticket item still needing outriggers and electronics
Aft quarter seats hinder access to the transom for drift fishing and cubing/chumming
Supplied cutting board is small
Could be more family friendly
A big tow for maxi 4WDs when fully loaded.
Specifications: Boston Whaler 210 Outrage
HOW MUCH?
Price as tested: $105,500 w/ Mercury 200hp Optimax outboard, dual-axle trailer, options, safety gear and registrations
Options fitted: Fishing Package, leaning post with livewell, bow rail, tee top with radial outrigger cockets, weather curtain, hydraulic trim tabs, cockpit table, freshwater shower, aluminium trailer, and more
GENERAL
Material: Foam-filled GRP with fully moulded cockpit liner
Length overall: 6.24m
Beam: 2.54m
Deadrise: 20°
Weight: Approx 1224kg dry hull only; 1950kg dry on trailer with 200hp Optimax; approx 2500kg loaded on road
CAPACITIES
Berths: On deck
Fuel capacity: 359lt
Passengers: 10
Water capacity: 75lt
Rec/max HP: 225
Rec/min HP: 175
ENGINE
Make/model: Mercury Optimax 200hp
Type: 60-degree V6 injected two-stroke petrol outboard
Weight: 225kg
Rated HP: 200hp
Displacement: 3.032lt
Drive: Outboard 25-inch shaft
Propeller: 17-inch stainless steel
SUPPLIED BY
Andrew Short Marine,
1 Box Road, Taren Point, NSW, 2229
Phone: (02) 9524 2699
Website: www.whaler.com
Originally published in TrailerBoat #211