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Larry Whitely
417-873-5022

Jenna Kendall
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02/01/2005

TAHOE^® 215 Deck Boat

It'sall about cockpit space. TAHOE^®'s new 215 Deck Boat maximizes that by hanging outboard horsepower on the transom, which makes a lighter, quicker boat without the space-eating engine box in the cockpit. In our tests the boat's design and execution made a lot of sense.

The215's layout is spacious and comfortable throughout. Bow seating gives room for a few to lounge or a half-dozen to sit. Aft seating does the same.

Achanging room is handy on crowded boats to slip into a swimsuit or dry clothes, but often they rob the boat of valuable seating. The 215's changing room pops up out of the cockpit sole quickly and stows away just as easily. It collapses in a compartment that still leaves room below for an ample fuel tank.

Aski pylon and ski storage make the boat ready for towed water sports. A 50-gallon fuel capacity means everyone gets a turn without waiting for refueling.

However,if you're looking for a boat in California or plan to boat on Tahoe, this carbureted engine no longer makes the grade as low pollution engines and will not be allowed in California waters or Lake Tahoe. In most other places, EPA 2006 rules allow them and will continue to grandfather them after newer four-stroke and direct injection engines are mandated next year. Consider one of Mercury^®'s four-stroke Verado^™ engines if you can swing it and the gas savings will likely pay you back in two years.

Reboardingis easy, thanks to the aft swim platform with a hinged ladder that stows under its own hatch when not in use. A second ladder on the bow platform makes this boat easy to board from the beach, too. And after a day at the beach, sand and dirt hoses out quickly, thanks to the fiberglass cockpit that drains to the bilge.

Forfishing, the boat comes with a livewell and is prewired for a trolling motor. Add the model of your choice or have one factory-installed as an option. We found useful rod storage under the gunwale, too. Two casting chairs fit on the bow platform, giving two anglers a fair casting angle at the best hole - and they stow away in designated storage areas.

The215's hull is solid because it's made entirely of fiberglass with a rot-proof transom and a foam-filled stringer system that strengthens the boat. The construction also reduces the excess weight common with wood-stringer boats, resulting in an agile ride that responds well to the throttle.

Hullstyling on the TAHOE^® 215 matches its sporty ride with low, sleek lines. A color-matched trailer is optional, and would add to the fun and adventure. TAHOE builds their own trailers so you'll be certain of a perfect fit for a lasting rig. We liked the color scheme in the gelcoat and the coordinated interior style, too.

QUICK STATS
LengthOverall: 21' 2"
Beam: 8' 6"
DryWeight: 2,810 lb.
Seating/WeightCapacity: 11/1,750 lb.
FuelCapacity: 50 gal.
MaxHP: 250
MSRP: $27,495 (plus prep and freight)

TEST DRIVE
TestEngine: Mercury^® 200-hp carbureted outboard
TestProp: 19", aluminum
TestLoad: People (400 lb.); Fuel (25 gal.)
TopSpeed: 48.2 MPH @ 5,500 RPM
Timeto Plane: 2.7 sec.
Timeto 30 mph: 7.3 sec.
Min.Plane: 20 MPH @ 3,000 RPM, 86 db

RPM MPH Sound Level
800 3.6 63db
1,000 4.9 70db
1,500 6.8 69db
2,000 9.3 73db
2,500 12.4 80db
3,000 19.9 86db
3,500 27.5 87db
4,000 32.2 86db
4,500 38.3 88db
5,000 42.9 95db
5,500 48.2 98db

NOTABLE FEATURES
• Changingroom pops up from cockpit sole rather than hiding it where you'd lose valuable storage or seating space
• Forwarddeck eases dockside boarding or serves as anglers' casting platform
• Bowand stern boarding ladders ease access from beach or water
• Non-skidsole is easy to keep clean
• Outboarddesign conserves cockpit space
• Hull,deck and transom are 100 percent composite rot-proof materials designed to last for many years

Reprintedwith permission from Boating Life, Feb 2005.
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