Caravelle 210:  Room to maneuver. 

            These days builders are trying to pack more into less.  There’s a power struggle going on over who can put a head aboard the smallest boat.  The only trouble is some of those heads would make a Keebler Elf claustrophobic, let alone offer an adult enough room to wriggle.  But builders keep trying.  One boat that’s moving ahead in the space race is Caravelle’s new 210.  You won’t have to shoehorn yourself inside this head.  There’s also plenty of room to fish and a full-size console.

            The key to its roominess is an 8’6” beam, which allows for a 3’2”-wide console and a generous 2’2” pass-through on either side.  In front of the console is a cushioned 72-quart Igloo cooler.  Since the beam is carried far forward, the 210 can also pack in a cavernous fishbox with an overboard drain under the casting deck.

            Inside the console is a 3’-by-3’3” enclosure with 4’2” of headroom, giving you plenty of space on the portable MSD.  Plus there’s a light that keeps it from feeling tomb-like when the door is shut.

            The Euro-style transom includes a center bulkhead with cushioned jump seats on each side.  The seat backs swing out for entry to the swim platform.  A large vertical hatch on the forward face of the bulkhead provides good access to the plumbing, including the livewell, through-hull, pumps, oil reservoir, and battery and switch.

            The 210 has a fiberglass stringer and rot-resistant plywood core in the transom, and a solid fiberglass hull. And it’s no lightweight:  At 3,100 pounds without power, it’s heavier than others in this class. Combined with its 18 degrees of transom deadrise, that extra beef makes the boat stable when drifting. Pushed by our carbureted 150-hp Yamaha TX is ran easy, finding its sweet spot at 2800 to 3200 rpm in a three-foot chop and performing a quick 3.6-second time-to-plane.

            To satisfy hard-core anglers and picky families, the 210 needs some aftermarket rigging.  Start with half a dozen vertical rod holders.  The console needs better ventilation to be used as a head, so an opening port would be worthwhile.  The space is there, it just needs some organizing.

            Overall, the 210 is an attractive package at an attractive price. 

By John Page Williams

Boating Magazine