Boating USA — February 2018

(Jacob Rumans) #1

C


TESTS

T


#3053

CERTIFIED
TEST
RESULTS

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Debuting in the 60th
anniversary year of Boston
Whaler, the 240 Dauntless
Pro puts a greater emphasis
on fi shing than any of its fi ve
Dauntless sister ships.
How so? For starters, this
is the only Dauntless model
with a tower, and it’s stan-
dard. Featuring an elevated
second station, the tower
melds seamlessly with the
new center console. Steps
on the port side off er an easy
ascent, and a SeaDek pad

atop the console provides
cushioned nonskid footing.
An expansive forward
casting platform measures
86 inches long by 65 inch-
es wide. A huge central
locker under the foredeck
is fl anked by two equally
cavernous lockers.
An optional jack plate,
trolling motor and Power-
Pole shallow-water anchor
enhance the fi shing mission.

BOSTON WHALER


240 Dauntless Pro


SPEED EFFICIENCY OPERATION
rpm knots mph gph naut. mpg stat. mpg range range n. mi. s. mi. angle levelsound
1000 3.00 3.45 1.30 2.31 2.65 187 215 0 68
1500 4.87 5.60 1.90 2.56 2.95 207 239 2 71
2000 7.04 8.10 3.30 2.13 2.45 173 199 4 75
2500 8.99 10.35 5.30 1.70 1.95 137 158 5 76
3000 10.86 12.50 7.50 1.45 1.67 117 135 5 80
3500 17.03 19.60 10.00 1.70 1.96 138 159 4 84
4000 22.16 25.50 11.50 1.93 2.22 156 180 3 85
4500 27.20 31.30 14.80 1.84 2.11 149 171 2 88
5000 31.28 36.00 21.00 1.49 1.71 121 139 2 88
5500 35.63 41.00 19.90 1.43 1.64 115 133 2 92
6000 39.19 45.10 29.00 1.35 1.56 109 126 2 99
6200 41.71 48.00 31.00 1.35 1.55 109 125 2 100
MOST ECONOMICAL CRUISING SPEED

High Points
XPiloting from the tower station is a
blast. It’s also great for spotting fish
from afar.
XExpansive aft and fore decks are ideal
for fishing.
XThe 16 vertical rod holders let you take
plenty of sticks.

Low Points
XBe careful not to rest your feet atop the
console windshield when riding aloft.
XNo gunwale rod holders means you’ll
need to add these if you want to troll.
XReplacing standard cleats with
pull-ups would eliminate snags when
cast-netting.

Toughest Competitor
XEverglades’ unsinkable 243cc
($116,788 base with a Yamaha F300) is
also available with a tower, but it’s an
option. It has a larger central cockpit
but smaller casting decks fore and aft.

·LOA: 24'8"·BEAM: 8'6"·DRAFT: 1'2"
·DISPLACEMENT: 3,300 lb. (without power)
·TRANSOM DEADRISE: 16 degrees·BRIDGE
CLEARANCE: 8'1"·FUEL CAPACITY: 90 gal.·MAX
HORSEPOWER: 350 ·AVAILABLE POWER: Single
Mercury outboard to 350 hp

HOW WE TESTED
ENGINE: Single 350 hp Mercury 350 Verado DRIVE/
PROP: Outboard/Mercury Enertia 14" x 18" 3-blade
stainless steel GEAR RATIO: 1.75:1 FUEL LOAD:
80 gal. CREW WEIGHT: 800 lb.

There’s a 38-gallon livewell
under the spacious aft deck.
A second livewell resides
under the forward con-
sole seat.
Seat cushions and back-
rests can be fi t on the aft deck
to create a pair of seats. The
240 Dauntless Pro rides on
a 24-foot-8-inch unsinkable
hull, which sliced smoothly
through 1- to 2-foot rollers.
Driving from the tower sta-
tion puts a smile on your
face. The cutout and lean-
ing pad in the
hardtop are
contoured. A
bench-style
seat lets you
sit down and
use a cross brace as a foot-
rest. But be careful not to
rest your feet atop the con-
sole windshield.
Handling proved pre-
cise. The single Mercury 350
Verado outboard pushed the
240 Dauntless Pro to a top
speed of 48 mph at 6,200
rpm. The Verado power
steering made turning
fi ngertip-easy. An optional
fl ush-mounted Raymarine

7-inch Axiom Pro off ered
access to sonar and chart
plotting in the tower, while
an optional fl ush-mounted
9-inch Axiom Pro and a pair
of Merc SmartCraft multi-
function gauges were in-
stalled at the lower helm. A
helm bench-style seat with a
backrest features two fl ip-up
bolsters and a foldout footrest
on the powder-coated alumi-
num frame. A Yeti Tundra 65
cooler stows underneath.
Inside the console, acces-
sible from a companionway
on the starboard-side, is a
step-down compartment
with a port light and plenty
of room for a portable marine
toilet. —Jim Hendricks

To see a photo gallery
of the 240 Dauntless Pro,
visit boatingmag.com/3053.


BOSTON WHALER
Edgewater, Florida; 386-428-0057; bostonwhaler.com

PHOTO: COURTESY BOSTON WHALER

Price: $113,433
(base with a Mercury
225 Verado)

AVAILABLE POWER:
OUTBOARD

66 | BOATINGMAG.COM | FEBRUARY 2018
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