There's an unseen boundary between river and ocean where you pass from fresh to salt water. In underground caves considered holy, the ancient Mayans thought of it as a sort of crossover from the natural world that we know, to the unknown spiritual world. In the saltwater fishing realm, it's where you go from hunting your bait to the real game. From throwbacks to trophies. And in boating, it's often where you keep a so-so cuddy or inshore boat from crossing, or suffer the consequences by getting tossed to and fro by the larger waves. Only the most capable vessels may pass this threshold, or you'll find yourself in a world of hurt a few miles offshore. So as you idle down the Savannah River to the entrance of the Atlantic Ocean just offshore Tybee Island, you're a little curious to see how Sea Chaser's 2400 Walkaround will handle the introduction to the big waters.

The Sea Chaser 2400 WA is a cuddy version of the 2400 center console model. The obvious tradeoff is less overall deck space, but instead, you've got a cuddy for shelter and storage, which is now loaded with supplies for a three-day trip. This makes the 2400 a little bow heavy, which has its advantages and disadvantages on the water. That pretty much sums up the Sea Chaser's demeanor.

The Sea Chaser 2400 comes well-equipped for fishing, with standard features like the 30-gallon insulated livewell in the stern, a roomy 10.5-cubic foot fish box, and plenty of rod storage under the gunwales, in the T-top's rocket launchers, and in the four in-gunwale stainless-steel holders. There's plenty of "wiggle room" in the cockpit for three able-bodied fishermen, thanks to the helm-forward cuddy cabin configuration.

To help keep costs down, the helm seats are inexpensive, roto-molded buckets that are modestly padded, but are well-designed enough to give you a reasonably comfortable perch. A nice pair of Pompanette seats would be a solid upgrade here. The tall windshield does a good job of keeping the spray off of the captain's sunglasses, and being minimally curved, it doesn't distort your vision. The console is utilitarian and features easy-to-read gauges, but doesn't give you a place to add a flush-mounted large-screen electronic display - however, there's plenty of room on top for a stand-alone model. The first modification owners will likely make is to add a rubber mat to the top of the console to keep items like cell phones and suntan lotion from sliding off. A cupholder for the captain, who's doing his best to block his Gatorade bottle between the gunwale and his shoe, would also be a nice addition.

But these minor problems are more than compensated for by the 2400 WA's suggested retail price of just $30,730 without power, which is a lot less than most walkarounds. What you don't get standard, you can upgrade by checking into an aftermarket piece or two. It's the equivalent of buying that dream car you always wanted without power locks or windows - small things, but worth the sacrifice in the bigger picture.

The 2400 WA can make a good case as a family boat and not just a fishing rig. The centerpiece to this possibility is the cabin, which could sleep two adults comfortably. If the kids get tired of trying their hand at casting, they could easily retreat to the shaded cabin and pass the time away on video or board games. Walkaround space in the cockpit is great, and the aft seats aren't afterthoughts like on a lot of fishing boats this size. You use one as your observation lounge as the captain spins the wheel and you head toward Tybee Island, admiring the beach from afar and the armada of seagulls that calls this neck of Coastal Georgia home. The aft seats allow you to spread out your legs a little, and a minute into the new digs you're taking in big, deep breaths of ocean air. You could convert the fishbox to a huge cooler and be happy with refreshments for a long weekend voyage. The rails around the boat are good, and allow for easy access to the bow where there's even a padded seat.

Later in the day the wind picks up, and an angry four-foot sea tests the 2400 WA. With a modest 17 degrees of deadrise, the Sea Chaser isn't designed for really horrendous conditions, but in moderately rough seas like this, it does very well. Being slightly bow heavy (thanks in part to the luggage situation), along with the assistance of the standard trim tabs, the 2400 can stay on plane at a slow enough speed to avoid pounding, and it gives a decent ride despite the conditions.

Once they reach the Savannah River, the throttle is maxed and the 2400 WA jumps out of the hole and planes almost instantly. It reaches 30 mph in less than 10 seconds and hits a top speed of 46 mph, which is excellent considering it's powered by only a single 250-hp Suzuki 4-stroke (not pictured here).

Overall, the Sea Chaser handles the trek with rugged determination. You feel like you've got yourself a serviceable ocean-goer and fishing platform, and at this price, you can max it out with options like outriggers, electronics, and even spring for a sporty-colored hull without breaking the bank. At the end of the day, the Sea Chaser can make the trip from fresh to salt water, and that's all that you were asking for in the first place.