Overview

Given the widespread popularity of taking one’s boat to The Sandbar, or The Cove, or The Island (I’m using proper nouns because in every boating locality these places are referred to as specific locations), it’s a wonder we haven’t tested a boat with this name in the 69 years we’ve been in publication. Way to go, Sea Pro! And, not just for the name. The 225FLX Sandbar Boat is designed and outfitted with features to make it shine for boat buyers who regularly visit their local gathering spot, the beach brigade, the cove captains, the sandbar bosses.

As our test proved, this is a versatile boat. Read on to discover more about it.

Engines

You can power the Sea Pro FLX with a variety of outboard engine brands. That is to say, a given dealer may offer it with one or more brands of power. We think boats that offer you a choice of power is a good thing.

Our test boat was powered by a single, inline-4 Suzuki 200-hp outboard. This delivered good performance for this boat. Check out what we thought.

See a video review of our test boat’s Suzuki outboard, here.

The 225FLX rides on a conventional V-hull with a moderate 17.5 degrees of deadrise. This is not a boat that is going to offer a high cruising speed on choppy water, like other boats that sport a deeper V.

That said, properly handled the 225FLX can readily traverse open water safely and comfortably when properly handled. In fact, our test took place on a day of questionable weather, with 20-knot winds whipping up steep, 3-foot whitecaps. In these conditions, the Sea Pro’s ability to stay on plane at 15 mph—something a similar boat with a deeper V would be challenged to achieve, by the way—allowed proceeding in dry, slam-free comfort. The optional Zip Wake auto trim tabs helped in this. It’s all about setting your expectations.

Shallower deadrise also results in higher efficiency due to easier planing. This allows the boat to achieve good performance with a 200 hp Suzuki inline-4 outboard. Our tester hit 30 mph in 10.3 seconds and topped out over 40 mph. The chart shows the fuel burn, which I deem excellent for a coastal boat this size. Larger 250 hp options are available.

Also, the scant 14 inches the 225FLX draws can be attributed to its hull form. That’s knee-deep, easy-wading, even for kids. You might consider that shallow draft one of the “sandbar features.”

Interior and Accessories

Wading around the boat is what Sea Pro envisioned when it developed the innovative Sandbar Table that mounts to the transom, just above the waterline. This facilitates serving snacks while beached or anchored shallow.

Other sandbar-specific features include a tremendous head compartment—the largest we’ve seen in a boat this size. There’s a sink, porthole and our tester sported the optional marine head with a pump-out. For long days beached or at anchor, your crew will need relief and this head provides it comfortably.

Let’s review the seating. Forward, the V-shaped seats combine with the seat on the console front to allow a group to gather around the optional table. Optional backrests convert the seats to lounges. Pull the cushions (these fit inside the head—we checked) and use the optional table as a filler to create a casting platform. The seats conceal draining storage.

Aft, folding jump seats create a three-to-four-person-wide lounge out of the aft platform. Big storage is inside. Want to face aft? The leaning post backrest flip flops to do just that. Additionally, an optional cooler slides out from beneath the leaning post to form either a footrest or another seat, or for easy access to the cooler itself. 

Flip that backrest the other way and take your spot at the helm. There is comfort seated or standing thanks to the footrest and there was enough room at the helm, further enhanced by the tilt helm power steering. There’s also space for a variety of electronics, including big-screen MFDs, to add to the standard Simrad 9-incher. An Audison Marine Audio stereo is also standard, along with a compass, and the Sea Pro Connect app. I appreciated the dry box atop the console: Every boat needs a “Captain’s Box” at the helm for wallets, licenses, glasses and more. Overhead, the T-top provided good sun coverage and impressed me in several ways. Made in-house by Sea Pro, the top features powder-coated pipework, an underside that matches the hull color, and a grab handle incorporated into its perimeter that I found perfectly placed for boarding the boat from a high dock. 

Fishing standards include trolling-motor wiring, raw-water washdown, under-gunwale rod racks, four gunwale rod holders, a 68-quart stern cooler-box, two 120-quart boxes under the bow seats and a 12-gallon livewell.

The price is definitely a feature. Offered for $81,932 as a nicely equipped version with hull color, trim tabs, and a 200 Suzuki, the MSRP for a loaded version like we tested runs $103,361. This boat is a deal in today’s boat market, dear reader.

For comparison, I suggest you look at the Sportsman Open 212 ($89,495 with a F200XSA2 Yamaha in white). It’s a new 2025 model, and though it’s console head compartment is not as large as that of the Sea Pro, it comes with a tall, tempered-glass windshield, which I prefer to the short standard windshield aboard the Sea Pro.

In characterizing the Sea Pro 225FLX Sandbar it may be easy to say that it is a good boat for the money. I’ll just say I think it is a good boat. Check it out for yourself and let me know what you think.

How We Tested

• Engine: 200 hp Suzuki DF200
• Drive/Prop: Outboard/16” x 20” 3-blade stainless steel
• Gear Ratio: 2.50:1 Fuel Load: 75 gal. Water on Board: 0 gal. Crew Weight: 360 lb.

High Points

• The built-in-house T-top proved sturdy in rough water and offers an integrated handrail to ease boarding from the dock.
• You’ll appreciate the dry box atop the helm for a variety of reasons.
• This boat boasts the biggest head in its class.
• Through-bolted hatch lids finished on both sides.

Low Point

• The standard windshield is too low to provide any real protection. Order the optional and removable hard enclosure.

Extra Point

• The standard Sea Pro App keeps you in touch with bilge-pump activity, battery status and is your direct line to service help should you need it.

Pricing and Specs

Speed, Operation, Efficiency

The post Boat Test: 2025 Sea Pro 225FLX appeared first on Boating Mag.

Here’s a baker’s dozen of boats we think rate “must-see” status at the 2024 Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show. From fishing boats to luxury boats to deck boats, these craft all share one thing in common: they possess some new, different or interesting design, construction or layout characteristics that we think boat buyers who consider themselves true fans of powerboats will be interested in learning about.

We’ve included the location of each of these must-see boats at either the Bahia Mar Marina or the Broward County Convention Center. Download the FLIBS app (available on both Google Play and the Apple Store). Map your route, hit the show and get your boat geek on!

Read Next: Must-See Marine Electronics at the 2024 Fort Lauderdale Boat Show

Axopar 29 CCX

What: Termed a “hybrid center console” it is said to meld full on fishing with a refined experience underway.

Why: Modular cockpit offers four different layouts.

Where: Bahia Mar F/G Dock 49 (Nautical Ventures Dock)

Beneteau Antares 9

What: Termed, “The Ultimate Weekender,” this 30 footer offers two private cabins, a full galley and a head with shower.

Why: Truly private stateroom with solid bulkhead not a curtain.

Where: Bahia Mar, G/H Dock 29

Monterey Elite 30 OB

What: Honored as a Boating Magazine Boat of the Year category winner: Best Small Dayboat.

Why: The center helm is a true wow!

Where: Convention Center 2027

Phenom 43 Center Console

What: A no-holds barred CC said to offer performance, luxury and fishability. Fathom E-Power battery system extends the adventure without the need for a generator’s noise and fumes.

Why: The trademarked Phenom NextStep 3-Piece Hull Design is innovative and unique.

Where: Convention Center 2084

Sea Pro 225 FLX Sandbar

What: A unique take that offers versatility with an emphasis on those boaters who enjoy hitting the beach or sandbar.

Why: The special table that installs at water level for entertainment while wading and swimming.

Where: Convention Center 2030

Grady-White Freedom 345 DC

What: Grady-White will debut a new Freedom 345 dual console.

Why: This wide-beamed dual console sets high bars for luxury, fishability and quality.

Where: Convention Center 2025

Sōlace 28 HCS

What: This new bay boat is unique from design, to build to layout.

Why: The excellent execution of the convertible transom which transforms from seating to casting platform while concealing two 50-qt coolers.

Where: Convention Center 2021

Sailfish 232 Center Console

What: A category winner for Boating Magazine Boat of the Year 2024; honored as: Best Small Fishing Boat.

Why: Excellent mix of construction and standards for its price.

Where: Convention Center 2081

Regal 38 SAV

What: This boat cruises, fishes and entertains while displaying little compromise regardless of the activities you pursue on the water.

Why: Multi-position captain’s seats. Ever see a chair become a table? See this boat!

Where: Bahia Mar, H-Dock

Robalo R257

What: They say this boat is a leap forward in boat design.

Why: Check out that hardtop!

Where: Convention Center, 2061

Sea Ray SDX 230 Outboard

What: The latest outboard-powered deckboat from Sea Ray, the year 2025 model SDX 230. (*SDX250 shown in picture)

Why: Will it be luxurious, functional, or both?

Where: Bahia Mar, Dock G/H 45

Boston Whaler 330 Vantage

What: They say that this versatile model is the final piece in the evolution of Boston Whaler’s  dual-console lineup.

Why: Boston Whaler always showcases some cool and new features with new models.

Where: Bahia Mar, Dock C 300

NAVAN S30

What: The new NAVAN open-air center console.

Why: Unique T-Step Hulls.

Where: Bahia Mar, GH Dock

The post Fort Lauderdale Boat Show 2024: Must-See Boats appeared first on Boating Mag.

Overview

Make no mistake: The Sea Pro 292DLX Offshore is an ­angler’s center-console. It’s got all the amenities beloved by hardcore fishermen, but a quick walk-through reveals enough creature comforts to keep the entire family happy.

Let’s start with the fishing features, most notably the twin 25-gallon livewells on opposite sides of the transom. Both feature clear lids, and they are pressurized to help prevent sloshing. An additional livewell resides aft of the helm seating, and there are four built-in ­rod-­holder/cup-holder combos above it. The cockpit has an ­inward-swinging side door to port for help in boating big fish; it also makes for a great spot to board the boat from a floating dock. Four rocket-­launcher rod holders reside in the hardtop piping, and there are six rod holders mounted into the topside gunwales. There’s a 277-quart in-sole fish box in the bow, joined by a 127-quart box in the aft cockpit sole. Additionally, the lockers under the bow seating each serve as 120-quart fish boxes or coolers if needed.

Engines

The 292DLX is built to handle a rugged ride outside the inlet, with a single-piece fiberglass stringer system bonded to the hull with methacrylate. The hull itself has a vinylester barrier coat and is foam-filled for more buoyancy, as well as to make for a quieter, sturdier boat. The deep-V hull tapers to 22.5 degrees at the transom, so it can carve through heavy seas without pounding. Powered by twin 300 hp Suzuki outboards, we reached a top speed of 59 mph and cruised comfortably in the 30s. Steering felt predictable and ­responsive at the helm.

Interior and Accessories

For those who prefer cruising and socializing, the bow benches feature plush ­cushions with slide-in backrests for lounging. Forward of the console, a love seat with flip-down armrests rounds out the conversation pit. In the main cockpit, the twin captain’s seats are adjustable and have flip-up armrests and bolsters. There’s also a flip-up transom bench. 

Read Next: Sea Pro 259

The standards list on this boat is extensive, including Zipwake Interceptor trim tabs, a Lewmar electric windlass, a 16-inch Simrad multifunction display flush-mounted at the helm, and an Audison stereo system.

How We Tested

• Engines: Twin Suzuki 300 hp outboards
• Drive/Props: Outboard/16″ x 21″ 3-blade stainless steel
• Gear Ratio: 2.08:1 Fuel Load: 175 gal. Water on Board: 0 gal. Crew Weight: 480 lb.

High Points

• Long list of standards includes Zipwake interceptor tabs that automatically adjust the ride.
• A total of 13 cup holders on the boat means nobody’s drink is out of reach.
• Hardtop has a built-in “rainfall” freshwater shower system.

Low Points

• Only four rocket launchers in the hardtop piping. 
• The side door in the cockpit takes away undergunwale rod storage; everything is a compromise.

Toughest Competitor

The Boston Whaler 280 Dauntless is another family-friendly center-console that starts at $234,500 with a single 400 hp Mercury Verado. (Twin 300 Verados bring the starting price to $270,481.)

Pricing and Specs

Speed, Efficiency, Operation

The post Boat Test: 2024 Sea Pro 292DLX Offshore appeared first on Boating Mag.

Overview

Details such as finished hatch lids, the massive hinges of the side boarding door, and the way that door’s folding swim ladder ($918) stores in a dedicated rack make the Sea Pro 320 DLX Offshore’s quality stand out.

Interior and Accessories

The 320 DLX’s console changing room boasts a wide door, 6 feet, 2 inches of headroom, a porcelain toilet with holding tank, a sink, and a bench seat with storage, plus access to helm electronics.

The helm features a proprietary Connect boat-control system based on twin Simrad NSO19 Evo3 electronic displays. A key fob activates the system, but there’s a master switch on the dash too. 

A pair of macerated, in-sole fish boxes lie port and starboard beside the helm. Beneath and behind the helm seat, you’ll discover an 80-liter cooler on a slide, and above that is a 36-inch-wide freshwater sink with a hinged lid. Overhead, an ingenious freshwater shower flows from a stainless-steel grate. The hardtop’s aft edge and the transom each hold a five-rod rocket launcher. The gunwales hold 11 more, and two horizontal racks lie recessed into the starboard topside. A folding transom bench seats two.

An electrically actuated table makes the bow cockpit a picnic area, a sun pad or a casting deck. Seating is plentiful, and a built-in dry box includes twin USB chargers.

A large, finished hatch grants easy access to the boat’s batteries. In between massive gelcoated stringers sits a polished stainless-steel sea chest with two pumps feeding 30-gallon pressurized livewells in the transom corners. The sea chest minimizes the number of through-hull fittings. We found the plumbing and wiring neatly arranged.

Engines

We liked the nimble, sturdy feel of the 320 DLX on a snotty day. Handling proved crisp and dry, with a soft ride from the 24.5-degree deep-V hull. The twin Yamaha 300s provided a low cruise at 28.1 mph, high cruise at 31.9 mph, and top-end of 49 mph. We liked that the 320 DLX rose onto plane easily at speeds in the midteens, suggesting a wide range of usable speeds to fit conditions. The boat also proved stable on the drift.

How We Tested 

• Engines: Twin 300 hp Yamaha V-6
• Drive/Props: Outboard/15.25″ x 19″ Yamaha Saltwater II 3-blade stainless steel
• Gear Ratio: 1.75:1 Fuel Load: 100 gal. Crew Weight: 540 lb.

High Points

• Bilge access is laid out well, and the finish is excellent.
• Hull proved to possess a solid feel and good maneuverability at speed.
• Cockpit scupper system drains quickly.
• Dry-box organizers in the bow and at the helm are ingenious storage features. 
• It’s useful to have auxiliary controls for the boat’s Connect system between the helm and companion seats, next to the seat controls.

Low Points

• Windshield wiper does not sweep the lower third of the windshield’s front panel.
• Access to the stern deck means climbing over one of the two transom livewells—not an easy task in snotty seas.

Toughest Competitor

Take a look at the Sportsman Open 322 with twin Yamaha F300XSB engines. Its suggested retail is $284,130.

Pricing and Specs

Speed, Efficiency, Operation

Sea Pro Boats – Whitmire, South Carolina; 803-694-2644; seapromfg.com

The post 2022 Sea Pro 320 DLX Offshore appeared first on Boating Mag.

Sea Pro’s brand-new 248 DLX Bay is fully-equipped with a 350-horsepower Suzuki motor with dual props, a jack plate, power steering, and digital throttle and shift, making the boat really easy to drive. With rod lockers, a casting platform, live wells, a fish box that drains overboard, and a lined anchor locker, the 248 DLX Bay has everything you need to be a serious fisherman, plus plenty onboard to make your family happy when you’re just hanging out on the water.

The post 2020 Sea Pro 248 DLX Bay appeared first on Boating Mag.

Make no mistake, fishing remains the priority. Aft, a pressurized 30-gallon livewell is centered at the transom, featuring a clear lid and rounded interior to avoid bait shock. Macerated fish boxes are found below the floor to both sides of the leaning post, and another insulated fish box awaits below the bow floor. Horizontal rod stowage is located within the starboard inwale. Thigh-high coaming bolsters wrap the perimeter. The leaning post, on our test boat upgraded to include LleBroc Billfish chairs with padded armrests and flip-up bolsters, features tackle drawers up front, nooks for knives and pliers, a cabinet portside with slide-out tackle boxes and an additional live well aft. The console features plenty of open space for a captain’s choice of electronics. Even the bow table favors fishing — it lowers to do double duty as a cast netting platform.

For all the fishing focus, the 259 retains the ability to haul a crew in comfort. Aft, a cushioned bench folds out from its tucked-away position on the transom and features a backrest that rises and lowers. At the helm, those cushy Llebroc seats provide room for captain and passenger, and they add fold-down armrests. Forward, generously padded cushions snap in above all port and starboard storage lockers to provide bench seating. Slide-in backrests can be added for true forward-facing support and to let the crew stretch out in comfort. The seat on the front of the console also goes beyond the norm with a fully padded bottom and backrest, plus welcome grab handles integrated into the lid below.

Twin Suzuki 200s powered our test boat, pushing this deep-V offshore-worthy hull with 22.5 degrees of transom deadrise onto plane in 5.8 seconds and maxing out at 49.5 mph. Standard UltraFlex steering can be stiffened for running offshore or softened when you want to eliminate jerkiness when trolling. Lewmar trim tabs further fine-tune the ride.

High Points

• All drain water is plumbed to one central manifold, limiting holes in the hull.
• Standard T-top, portside dive door with ladder.
• Lewmar Pro Fish 1000 windlass with foot switches.

How We Tested
Engine: Twin Suzuki 200s
Drive/Prop: Outboards/Suzuki 16″ x 21.5″ 3-blade stainless steel
Gear Ratio: 2.29:1
Fuel Load: 29 gal.
Crew Weight: 345 lb.

Sea Pro Boats – Whitmire, South Carolina; 803-694-2644; seapromfg.com

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For the fishing, start at the transom, where the starboard hatch opens to reveal a removable cast net bucket with a plastic clip to hold it in place. You can use this container for anything, but the smart angler will keep the cast net there at the ready. The transom features a 35-gallon recirculating livewell. It also has the standard four rodholders on the gunwale topsides and an inwale rodrack to port. Two 90-quart, insulated, overboard-draining fishboxes reside under the bow seating.

On the family side, Sea Pro put a utility center along the starboard gunwale, a spot usually reserved for rod racks, with a sink connected to an eight-gallon freshwater system. Next to the sink is a bait prep (or food prep) station with a Starboard plastic cutting surface and a stainless-steel grabhandle. A standard 36-quart cooler resides underneath, though you can opt for a refrigerator. Another family-friendly feature: The port seat folds down into three different positions — lie back to watch the boarders, face forward, or totally recline to catch some rays.

The insole ski stowage locker is fully finished. A plastic hatch lifts up to let you check the water tank and access the hose. There’s a pie hatch for fuel tank access. The head is fully finished with a vinyl headliner. A cargo net on back of the door holds loose items.

On the water the 228 DC produced solid perform-ance numbers with a 225-hp Verado, registering a whisker under 50 mph. The four-stroke engine kept the cockpit quiet at low speeds, allowing passengers to have a conversation. And the 104-gallon fuel tank gives it more range than other family-style boats in the bow-rider and deckboat class.

The post Sea Pro 228 DC appeared first on Boating Mag.

In the new cabin, a six-foot boater can stand up with just a bit of headroom to spare. That is roomy for a cuddy that size. The whole area feels even roomier because they’ve rethought the berth. Instead of an enormous V-Berth, Knight’s team modified the shape so that when the berth cushions are removed, it forms a comfortable L-shaped couch that faces a flat-panel TV. The side cushions are pulled from the bulkhead to fill out the berth.

The new galley sports a long, wide countertop with a sink, stove and a compartment deep enough to store wine bottles. A microwave, fridge, hot water and an optional AC are also on board. With the AC, plus a couple of house batteries, the cabin can remain cool all day … or night. Even the head is bigger than we expected with full-fiberglass liner construction, an optional flushing head and pullout shower.

So, how’d they do on the fishing end? Quite well, we thought. And they did it while keeping an eye to sport-boat comfort, using a wide helm seat and passenger lounge for starters. The reversible two-person passenger backrest converts from a forward-facing lounge to an aft-facing cockpit seat. The real surprise is the aft seat that easily flips down to clear the cockpit for fishing.

We found a 35-gallon aerated livewell with a clear lid behind the helm seat. An enormous fish box features a removable divider so you can separate pilchards from pinfish. The divider fits over a deep freshwater sink, making it a handy cutting board. A scrap bucket fits in its own compartment in the sink, keeping chum and other “aromatics” contained to release their charms on the fish. Underneath all this there still is room for a three-drawer tackle-storage system. We closed the drawer on that and turned to find another system under the passenger seat. This one has slide-out mesh lure pouches that fit in polymer channels for quick drying and secure storage. Next to it are sliding utility boxes and leader holders inside the door.

Our test boat was rigged with two engine batteries and three house batteries. With a full crew, we still had sporty acceleration and a breezy top speed. In our opinion, Vann Knight’s team hit the mark on comfort, fishability and performance.

Notable Features
Bow pulpit and roller are standard and make dropping a hook for the evening or bottom fishing easy.
Fiberglass head is roomy and has an optional pump-out head with a pullout shower for weekends afloat.
Cockpit space was impressive in both length and width thanks to the wide beam.
The lockable battery panel is below the passenger seat, making access to battery switches and breakers easy.
Special cutout compartment in galley holds ketchup, dish soap, etc.

Vital Stats
Length Overall (w/o pulpit): 28’6″
Beam: 9’2″
Dry Weight: 5,900 lb.
People/Weight Capacity: Yacht Certified
Fuel Capacity: 194 gal.
Max HP: 500
NMMA Certified: Yes
MSRP (as tested w/ twin Mercury Verado 225): $127,194
**

Test Drive**
Test Engine: Twin Mercury Verado 225
Test Prop: Rev 14.675 x 17, four-blade
Test Load: People (600 lb.), Fuel (100 gal.)
Top Speed: 49.5 mph @ 6,400 rpm
Time to Plane: 4.6 sec.
Time to 30 MPH: 6.5 sec.

At a Glance
The 270 Express balances hard-core fishability with comfortable family fun.

Power Curve

RPM/MPH/Sound Level (db)

Idle/3.8/57

1,000/5.9/66

1,500/7.9/70

2,000/9.1/73

2,500/11.0/75

3,000/17.3/78

3,500/23.9/79

4,000/29.4/80

4,500/34.3/84

5,000/38.6/84

5,500/42.5/86

6,000/47.9/90

6,400/49.5/91

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