Let's face it, buying a first boat can be a daunting proposition. A lot of folks will try to learn everything they can before pulling the trigger: construction, warranties, length, features, resale value, fit and finish, engines and outdrive systems. Factor in the number of boat companies out there, and you get information overload. Golfers experience a similar malady when they try to incorporate all the tips they read into their game, a malady called 'paralysis from analysis.'

How do you combat that problem? Aside from diligently reading Boating World, word of mouth is a powerful tool. If you ask a sampling of avid boaters to name three companies that make a good-looking, quality runabout and stand behind their product, you will probably hear the name Sea Ray mentioned as often as any other. When it comes to Sea Ray's newest runabout, the 200 Sport, there are going to be three types of buyers: people who have previously bought 'brand X' and are ready to upgrade, boaters who have already owned Sea Rays, and those lucky new boaters who asked around and got it right the first time. The sleek 21-footer from Sea Ray is available with eye-catching graphics and is loaded with standard features that are usually options, like the Clarion Marine CD stereo with AM/FM tuner, and power-assisted tilt steering.

The helm station is a good example of form meeting function. The instrument panel reminds you of a vintage racecar's Spartan look with a modest array of chrome-bezeled analog gauges that feature Sea Ray's exclusive low-glare blue backlighting to protect night vision, and lighted toggle switches set into the 'Kevlar-eske' panel. The large center gauge is a four-in-one unit that shows fuel level, water temperature, voltage and oil pressure. In order to cut down on annoying windshield reflections, the dash is covered with a gray non-glare surface, although there is a strip of white gel coat between it and the darker instrument visor. This creates a visible ghost on the curved, tinted safety glass windshield. The height of the windscreen is perfect for normal-sized drivers and offers good protection from the wind, with practically no distortion on the curved sections. An optional Ritchie compass sits just off center on the left side of the dash, but still gives the pilot a good view of the heading.

The standard cockpit seating configuration gives the driver and co-pilot wraparound swivel bucket seats, with the pilot-side seat being adjustable fore and aft. With this seating plan, you get a full stern bench and larger sunpad for catching ... ah ... sea rays? BW's test boat is outfitted with a companion-side back-to-back seat that is probably the preferred configuration if skiing is your number one activity. Some ski hounds might even opt for the twin back-to-back seats so more passengers can comfortably view the ski show out back. These seats fold into a sunning lounge when the skiing is done and can double as beds if the owner likes to do some boat camping. Getting back-to-back seats changes the stern seating configuration and gives you corner jump seats, whose easily removable bottoms can be positioned higher to create a decent-sized stern sunpad.

Raising the sunpad and removing the sculpted engine cover reveals a gel-coated engine compartment that houses the optional MerCruiser 5.0L carbur-eted MCM V6 that cranks out 220 hp (a $1,346 upcharge), while standard power for the 200 Sport is the 4.3L carbureted powerplant that puts out 190 hp. Cold starting the 5.0L requires using the choke, but it fires up with a minimum of cranking and settles into a stable idle fairly quickly. Those looking for no-choke starting and better fuel economy can go with either the 220-hp, 4.3L MPI (add $2,146) or the 260-hp, 5.0L MPI for an additional $3,600 more than the standard engine package.

Idling away from Sea Ray's dock on the French Broad River in Knoxville, Tennessee, the engine registers a quiet 60 decibels, and putting the 200 Sport on plane takes less than four seconds and is accomplished with minimal bow rise. Accelerating to 30 mph takes just 7.6 seconds, and at that speed the boat measures only 82 decibels on the meter, making conversation possible without raising your voice. On the starboard side the Holsten River, which merges with the French Broad to create the Tennessee River, comes into view. To celebrate, the Quicksilver pistol grip throttle is jammed to the stop, and the 200 Sport rapidly reaches a top speed of 48.6 mph. Even though the trim is almost to the point of cavitation, the Sea Ray is stable and easy to drive. Trimming the Alpha 1 drive in a little and cranking the wheel hard over carves a controlled tight turn in either direction, which is no surprise if you've driven a Sea Ray before.

Most skiers will be happy with the standard configuration, which gives them a ski tow mounted high on the transom, but for those who want 'the look,' there is an optional tower available that features wakeboard racks. The swim platform is fully integrated into the hull, avoiding the bolted-on look, and has a three-step stainless-steel ladder that stows neatly into a recess. At 20 mph the 200 Sport plows up a decent jumping wake, although some ballast would help. Knoxville locals probably invite a couple of University of Tennessee offensive linemen to sit in the stern to help create a nice launching wake. A large centerline storage compartment is big enough to handle any size ski and has a hydraulic dam to keep the door open.

Additional storage for towels, life jackets, and all the other stuff boaters bring along can be found in both consoles and under the bow seats. The 200 Sport features a helm-forward design that maximizes cockpit space. In addition, the 8-foot beam is also carried forward more than on most boats, which helps to avoid a cramped feel. The bow is wide and has a rearward-facing seat to allow those up front to watch the skiers eat facefuls of water after an unsuccessful maneuver. There is a wide anchor locker that has a cutout for the line, but boaters who anchor in anything more than calm water should rig a bridle because there is no centerline bow cleat, but rather two that sit pretty far apart. The bow seats have backrests that are a little too upright for real reclining decadence, since the designers opted to give riders more legroom instead. There is no head option, but the consoles would have to be larger to accommodate one and might make the boat look boxy, which would spoil the 200 Sport's beautiful lines.

The base price for the 200 Sport with the standard 4.3L engine is $26,452. This puts it in the upper echelon in its class, but this is a classic case of paying for what you get. While some builders are still making boats by the seat of the pants, which can lead to an inconsistent product, Sea Ray uses CAD/CAM (Computer Aided Design/Computer Assisted Machining) to allow its 5-axis mill to grind out a master pattern with a tolerance of 1/2,000 of an inch to help create a totally symmetric mold. Then, laser-guided robots spray the gel coat with precise control to insure uniformity. As you might imagine, this stuff isn't cheap, but it allows Sea Ray to stand behind its product with a limited lifetime warranty, instead of the usual five-year coverage.' So whether you are buying your first boat, or are moving up, Sea Ray makes it easy to make the right choice.