At first glance, Sarasota Bay looks like many other waterways in Florida. Surrounded by condos, this estuary, located 50 miles south of Tampa, has been hit hard by a combination of over-development and under-stewardship. With its water quality declining, fish populations growing smaller, and dwindling natural resources, it was well on its way to being a victim of its own success. But about a dozen years ago, the National Estuary Program included Sarasota Bay as one of the 29 targeted systems in its national project and has already shown dramatic results: Nitrogen pollution in the bay has declined by almost half, beneficial sea grasses are reappearing, and fish, crab and shrimp populations are on the increase. In addition to the rebounding habitat, it's also a great boating area. When the wind blows hard, many cruising hot spots are shut down, but Sarasota Bay is just the right size to offer a combination of protection from huge seas, but with enough space to feel free. It's the perfect spot for the Rinker 290 Fiesta Vee, which like the bay, is the right size for cruising. But even better, it's also the right price.

Mark it down ' $89,495. Most stories about boats show the price in the last paragraph so they can tell you how great a boat is before they send you into sticker shock. But the Rinker 290 Fiesta Vee is different; it's one of those boats that a dealer has on the lot with the price tag in bright orange numbers on the windshield, proudly proclaiming: THIS IS THE PRICE. There are not many 31-foot-plus cruisers out there for less than $100,000, but instead of being just a 'price boat,' Rinker gives cruiser families some nice touches that allow this boat to stand on its merits.

Boarding via the large swim platform, you see features like dedicated storage for four large fenders, a transom shower, and a three-step boarding ladder that lays flat in a contoured recess. Sliding into the helm seat dispels the idea you are riding in an econo-cruiser. The tilt, three-spoke wood sports car steering wheel feels richly comfortable, and the classy, white-faced Teleflex gauges are set well above for easy reading. The adjustable helm seat is comfortable and is wide enough for a couple or a parent/child combination. The captain's driving position favors tall folks because the MerCruiser controls sit rather high. For shorter drivers, flipping up the high-rise seat bolster and sitting on top gives the driver a better position and affords even better visibility by looking over the highly raked, tinted, tempered glass windshield. The throttles' height is perfect when standing up, although there is a roto-molded support frame for the seat bottom that protrudes out just far enough to chafe the back of the driver's legs if they are not positioned in the right spot to take advantage of the half-moon cutouts.

Idling out into Sarasota Bay, the afternoon winds have kicked up in keeping with the normal warm-weather pattern, which means that later, boaters will be able to set their watches to the thunderstorm that is beginning to shade the western horizon black off in the distance. Two-foot seas rumple the surface, giving the 290 Fiesta Vee a good real-world test. At idle, the twin 260-hp, 5.0L MerCruiser MPI engines produce slightly more than 61 decibels, which is average quietude for a boat in this class. Putting the 290 Fiesta Vee on plane in about six seconds, the engines pull strong and steady as the Rinker reaches 30 mph in 10.1 seconds. The top speed, with the new-generation multiport fuel-injection engines, is a respectable 44.3 mph. Even with the standard 190 hp, 4.3L V6 engines, Rinker estimates that the 290 Fiesta Vee will be capable of achieving about 40 mph.

At top speed the Rinker is easy to handle, and the standard Lenco trim tabs allow the driver to keep the boat running level. LED indicator lights let you know the amount of tab selected ' a feature normally found on costly performance boats. With a relatively flat 18 degrees of hull deadrise, the two-foot seas extract a modest amount of rattling from the moderate pounding. Here Rinker made a choice, opting to give owners better side-to-side stability, improved fuel economy, and higher top-end speed over deep-V, rough-water slicing performance. Having twin-prop Bravo III outdrives also helps contribute to the 290's stability and agility as the driver proves by artfully swerving out of the way at the last second to dodge a floating piece of wood. Once the 290 Fiesta Vee is dropped down to a cruising speed of 30 mph and the engines' rpm is perfectly matched thanks to the synchronizer, the ride improves, and the sea conditions elicit no further protest. At this speed, fuel economy is estimated to be about 1.5 miles per gallon, which gives the Rinker a theoretical range of 225 miles with its 150-gallon tank ' more than most boats in its class.