Boating USA — March 2018

60 | BOATINGMAG.COM | MARCH 2018

PHOTO: BILL DOSTER

arch and built-in Bimini stood firm, lack-

ing most of the beam-to-beam flexing you’d

experience on lesser towers. And this one

maintained its firm position even though

it is hinged and electrically powered to go

up and down to increase bridge clearance,

open more doors to more waters, and ease

dry storage during winter months.

I pitied potential 287 owners who

struggle with modesty. Bringing this vessel

to local dock-and-dine venues will turn

heads and fight to puff your chest. We

picture smiles that broaden as crew in eve-

ning wear glide to the dock via the transom

walkway and easy steps ashore.

Others might question why you’d leave

the boat. We did when we took stock of

the wraparound seating in the cockpit. It

begins just behind the passenger bucket

seat and makes the right-angle turn at the

transom, spreading comfort to the transom

walkway. At first, we wondered why there

wasn’t a filler cushion to cover the walkway,

then we realized that without it seating was

generous, not just sufficient. Even the helm

and passenger bucket seats are generously

wide, perhaps making room for a compan-

ion to share. Chaparral’s hardware is always

exemplary, and the swivel and slide controls

of these seats are real standouts. You can

reach the chrome levers at each hip and pull

them to release the mechanisms to swivel

or adjust legroom. Nobody in a boat this

luxurious should have to crawl under the

seat to do that — as is the case with the seats

in nearly all the competition.

And just who is the competition for the

287 SSX? I suggest you look at Monterey’s

298 SS to find a comparably stylish

29-footer. But you’ll find some differences.

Like the treatment of the helm deck. Both

the passenger and helm seats are adjust-

able benches with flip-down armrests.

They don’t swivel but are fully wide enough

for two cozy adults. Wraparound cockpit

seating is comparable, but Monterey’s

transom seating sits farther forward, offer-

ing a wider, deeper sun pad between the aft

seats and transom platform.

The glass helm on our Chaparral was

optional, but we’d be hard-pressed to go

the distance on this opulent boat and try

to save a few bucks here. Monterey offers

factory-installed GPS displays as well, and

today most are capable of displaying all

engine functions normally reserved for cir-

cular analog gauges. That’s all wrapped in a

custom dash with double-stitched vinyl.

It’s easy to get caught up in the luxury

of this day cruiser, but what makes it a

bargain at its luxury price is the sleek but

durable hardware, the proven all-fiberglass

construction, plus a warranty and service

network of which few boatbuilders can

boast. —Randy Vance

High Points

Glass-cockpit helm design is handsome,

more durable and more functional than

multigauge helm displays.

Optional wakeboard arch lifts and lowers

electronically to reduce bridge clearance

in moments.

Swivel and slide levers are on the tops of

the seat fronts, not hidden beneath.

Low Points

The 9-foot beam requires a permit to trailer

but is ideal for big lakes and bays.

Protruding styled “fins” from the transom

platform that wrap around the hull are

rub-rail-protected but could strike a piling

when docking.

·LOA: 29'0" ·BEAM: 9'0" ·DRAFT (MAX):

1'11" (drive up)·DISPLACEMENT (APPROX.):

6,200lb.·TRANSOM DEADRISE:22 degrees

·BRIDGE CLEARANCE: 5'4"·FUEL CAPACITY:

100 gal.·MAX HORSEPOWER: 430 ·AVAILABLE

POWER: Single MerCruiser or Volvo Penta gasoline

sterndrive engine to 430 hp

Price: $158,317

(with test power)

HOW WE TESTED

ENGINE: SINGLE 380 HP MERCRUISER 8.2

DRIVE/PROP: BRAVO THREE STERNDRIVE/24"

PITCH STAINLESS-STEEL PROPSET GEAR RATIO:

2.00:1 FUEL LOAD: 15 GAL. WATER ON BOARD:

0 GAL. CREW WEIGHT: 400 LB.

CHAPARRAL BOATS

Nashville, Georgia; 229-686-7481; chaparralboats.com

Its 9-foot beam gives

an exciting, open-

deck plan that keeps

big crews comfortable.

Conveniences include

an electrically lowered

radar arch with Bimini

and convertible pad.

C

CERTIFIED

TEST

RESULTS

SPEED EFFICIENCY OPERATION

rpm knots mph gph^ naut. mpg stat. mpg n. mi. range range s. mi. angle levelsound

1000 5.00 5.75 1.50 3.33 3.83 299.797 345.000 0 73

1500 6.86 7.90 4.10 1.67 1.93 150.693 173.415 4 76

2000 8.69 10.00 6.80 1.28 1.47 115.012 132.353 8 88

2500 13.30 15.30 11.00 1.21 1.39 108.780 125.182 14 87

3000 22.68 26.10 13.00 1.74 2.01 157.017 180.692 8 87

3500 28.46 32.75 16.50 1.72 1.98 155.231 178.636 5 87

4000 33.72 38.80 22.00 1.53 1.76 137.930 158.727 6 88

4500 38.54 44.35 30.00 1.28 1.48 115.617 133.050 6 90

5000 42.54 48.95 33.00 1.29 1.48 116.008 133.500 6 92

MOST ECONOMICAL CRUISING SPEED

AVAILABLE POWER:

STERNDRIVE