See that picture of Yamaha's new SX230? It's a great example of how nicely jet boats have evolved into sportboats, and how manufacturers like Yamaha have successfully gone mainstream with their product, right into the heart of the sterndrive bowrider market.

Manufacturers will tell you that jet-drive boats are nothing like those toy boats selling like hotcakes 10 years ago. Now, they're real boats; the companies don't even call them jet boats anymore. All the while cranking up the volume on the benefits of having jet propulsion: No exposed props; shallow-water running capabilities; twin engines that'll get you home if one dies miles away. The same stuff you've heard for years ' all legit ' but all just background noise at this point.

Look closer at the SX230. Notice the amphitheater on the transom? That's the big news here ' all you need to notice to see how far jet boats have really come. Last year's Yamaha SR230 laid out the groundwork for the SX230, but the new SX version is the true quantum leap from jet boat to bowrider. Granted, both have the same hulls, engines and topsides; but the SX has extra features that jettison any leftover jet-boat baggage.

Most bowriders don't run from 0 to 30 mph in 4.8 seconds, or have sterns doubling as outdoor patios. Throw in the wraparound windshield, bolster seats, standard throttle and retractable cleats in the package, and the SX230 can go toe to toe with just about any midrange 23-foot bowrider, even a few premium brands that are more expensive but have fewer plush amenities. Really, the only thing remaining to weigh in your purchasing decision is the jet power ' and even that's not as controversial as you might think.

The SX230 reveals its multifaceted-personality during a day-long test on Georgia's Lake Oconee. With long stretches of water and hidden coves, the lake is a good place to put the pedal to the metal, and then kick back on the transom with a cold soda and a few friends.

But the first thing you notice is how well the SX230 behaves in tight quarters. The age-old complaint about jet boats is that they're like bumper boats around docks, and the somewhat tricky throttle system on last year's SR230 ' two throttles and one gear shifter ' didn't change anyone's mind. But the SX230 has Yamaha's standard 704 throttle controls, and this feature goes a long way toward separating it from other jet boats ' in fact, this is the missing link. It makes maneuvering the SX as intuitive as any other boat, and the twins help getting in and out of tight spaces. Yamaha gets big, big points for that change.

Yamaha also did a nice job of building stability into the hull, without limiting the fun factor. The SX has a fairly sharp entry with 25 degrees of deadrise amidships that softens to 20 degrees at the transom. It handles waves like most other 23-footers you've tested, lively but not slamming. But it can also turn on a dime and then stop to pick it up, though it doesn't skid out or have that skipping-stone handling associated with some jetboats. (Small grab handles are placed all around the inside of the cockpit for those times your crazy brother-in-law's driving.) Weighing in at 2,900 pounds, you notice the SX's heft.

The cockpit, too, has ditched the telltale jet-boat features of the past, like the dual plastic pod windshields, and the scooped out seats on the back lounge. Now, there's a full wraparound windshield, U-shaped lounge, bucket helm and companion seats with bolsters, and tasteful piping along the upholstery.

Of course, the fair way to judge the SX is not by other jet boats, but by looking at the 23-foot bowrider category. Above the waterline, the SX holds its own in the crowded field, with standard retractable cleats, depthsounder, tilt wheel, 15 storage compartments, dual-level gloveboxes, a sliding bow door to insulate the cockpit on cold days, bow-filler sunpad for the hot days, removable Berber carpet and even a Bimini top.

With 80 inches of interior width, it feels spacious enough and seats up to 10 people. Areas like the carpeted storage compartment under the bow seats and 14-inch by 35-inch wakeboard locker show decent fit and finish. The two gunwale storage areas on either side of the aft lounge make use of space that's often wasted. So does the 9-inch-wide walkthrough to the transom, with its fold-down step. The overall impression you get is a simple, spacious cockpit.

But its transom, measuring 55 inches by 79 inches, is where the SX really shines. Scooped, padded backrests, table pedestal, JVC stereo control, and a fold-down walkthrough turn the area into a nice patio. It's a great place to hang out in quiet water, while the kids swim off the back. It'd also be a good fishing platform for the anglers in the family. This design's one of a kind ' stylish and practical ' and will appeal to the watersports enthusiasts out there.

The SX is $3,000 more than the SR ($26,999), and for that, you get a blue-and-white hull, custom-painted trailer, depthsounder, second remote stereo control on the transom, Bimini top, carpet, bolster seats, and filler cushions for the bow. For an extra $2,000, the 230 comes in a wakeboarding version called the AR230 ('AR' standing for 'Air'). That includes an 88-inch-high, removable aluminum tower from Extreme Marine and an electric speedo.

It's not a bad investment if you or your kids want to use the boat for recreational boarding ' or just turn heads on the water. The jet-black hull with red-flame graphics is definitely an eye-catcher, and the open transom gives you great access to the water. Extreme also builds the wakeboard towers for MasterCraft, the premium ski-boat builder, so the quality's definitly there.

But don't expect the SX to perform like a dedicated wakeboard boat. Besides hull shape, engine configuration (jet drive versus inboard) and weight distribution, the power curve of the MR-1 engines doesn't lend itself to precise wakeboarding speeds. From 6000 to 7000 rpm, just as it's coming on plane, it skips from 9.6 mph to 23.2 mph ' and getting it to settle into an optimum wakeboard speed of 17 to 19 mph is difficult. (Yamaha says the power curve on these 4-stroke engines is linear, and that the spike should even out when it finishes R&D on its throttles ' which, at test time, were prototypes.)

Nonetheless, there's a definite learning curve to the 4-stroke MR-1. Watching the tach climb to 10000 rpm is a quirk you'll have to adapt to, if you're used to a 4800-rpm redline on a sterndrive. It's not a bad thing, but it takes an attitude adjustment.

The twin 140-hp motors offer other benefits. Yamaha was the first builder to put 4-strokes in a jet boat, and the difference between the MR-1 and a 2-stroke is striking. The 4-strokes are library-quiet, more fuel efficient, and you can forget that white smoke in your wake.

But you don't lose the bennies, either. As mentioned, the SX hits 30 mph in 4.8 seconds ' greased lightning compared to most boats its size. Towing power with the twins is also excellent ' the boat planes in two seconds ' and there's no prop to worry about. The top speed of 48.1 mph is decent, but it's also nothing to write home about. It's faster than most 23-footers with 4.3L engines, and in the ballpark of those with 5.7L sterndrives, which usually top out in the low 50s. Packing significantly less weight at the transom than a sterndrive (the weight for engines and pumps on the SX is 518 pounds, compared to a 260-hp I/O that weighs about 1,000 pounds), the SX may feel more skittish. But once you get used to the quick throttle response and handling, you may never want to go back.

The general belief about twin engines is that they will naturally consume more fuel than a single powerplant. That's not necessarily true, if you look at comparative numbers with other bowrider builders. Fuel consumption for the SX230 is in the ballpark of several single 5.6L sterndrive-powered boats its size, according to a comparison by BW.

But then there are other urban legends about jet power that don't always pan out. The shallow draft of 18 inches, for instance, might seem appealing until you head into the shallows and suck things like mud or sand into the impeller. (Fortunately, the access port on the transom makes it easy to clean out weeds and other debris). And jet drives, though propless, pack a powerful punch if you're in the water, right behind the boat.

The real proof in the pudding shouldn't necessarily be about speed and performance, but where you'll be doing your boating. If it's a lake or river that doesn't see big traffic or big swells, and you plan to use the boat for towing the kids or just drifting and hanging out, the SX230 is a leading contender. Its cockpit and transom erase qualms about its jetboat pedigree, putting it smack-dab near the head of the midrange bowrider class. Add in the amenities, twin engines and fit and finish, and it's sure to change the way you think about jet boats ' er, make that sportboats with jet power.