Twelve-year-old Thomas Scholz is all booted up and ready to wakeboard as he dips his board in the water, feels the cool water of the Indian River on his feet and briefly hesitates. If this were baseball, it would be a balk, but thanks to his dad, Lenn, it's OK, as Thomas is picked up and "helped" into the water. Thanks Dad. Thomas is just learning to wakeboard. When Lenn takes the slack out of the towrope and guns the engine, he gets up easily and cuts to the outside of the wake. Slicing back in, he gets a little air and then, boom! Faceplant. As Lenn pulls alongside, Thomas grins and is ready to go again.
So, is this some kind of fancy tournament wakeboard boat that the Scholz family is riding
on? Well, there's a rack for the board (or a slalom ski) on the tower, and there's plenty of
comfortable seating for mom, Viktoria, and 5-year-old brother, Kenton. But the harpoon on the side
of the boat gives it away, because this is a new concept boat by Boston Whaler called the 200
Dauntless. Even the styling is different, with a graceful shearline that swoops down in the bow and
stern, rather than the classic, ruler-straight look Boston Whaler has employed for decades on its
smaller boats.
Doubtless you've
heard of the Dauntless line, which began production in 1981, but this is different than any Whaler
you've ever seen. For many years, owners have used these unsinkable boats for a variety of
activities, such as fishing, skiing or just tooling around, and the Dauntless 200 continues this
tradition with a host of innovations that make it an even better all-purpose boat. A must-have
option on this boat is the ALL-Activity Tower™ ($1,340), which looks like a poling platform on a
flats boat. Whaler even lists this as one of its uses, but unless the "poler" is an NFL lineman,
it's doubtful that many will be stalking the flats with a long push pole in their hands, attempting
to propel the beamy 3,000-plus-pound boat and motor. Still, this clever option helps transform the
Dauntless into a veritable Swiss Army knife of boats by expanding its capabilities. Because the ski
tow atop the platform is higher than the usual transom-mounted configuration, Thomas discovers that
it gives skiers an advantage out of the hole. Once up, the Dauntless gives an even pull when being
towed and gets the towrope away from the outboard engine.
When the Scholz family shifts into fishing mode, it's a seamless transition. Although this boat
doesn't have the optional fishing package, it's still loaded with fishing features, like the
livewell in front of the console that can also be used as a cooler. The front casting deck is
spacious and has a large compartment that opens easily and stays that way, thanks to the hydraulic
dam. It has a drain so it can be used as a fish box or dry storage. The rear deck is all one level,
an improvement over other Dauntless models. There are also six vertical rod holders on the sides of
the center console, which - believe it or not - even has a portable head inside, making it one of
the smallest boats you'll ever see that has this feature. Not that it'll be of much use to the
aforementioned NFL lineman, but for most ladies, kids and compact menfolk, it's a nice, unexpected
feature.
The 200 Dauntless has a multi-position bench helm seatback that you can get with an optional
25-gallon livewell underneath ($1,342; the standard version has a 56-quart cooler) that also gives
you knife and pliers holder slots, and a pair of additional rod holders to go with the two standard
ones in the stern. With the seatback flipped forward, you can sit comfortably facing rearward for
some relaxing fishing. Unlike many flip-back helm seats that freely move back and forth, this one
has notches that allow you to lock the seatback into a fixed position, which allows those riding
behind to stand and use it as a grab rail when running through rough water. The only downside is
that the seat doesn't adjust fore and aft, so if you like to stand and drive, it puts you pretty
close to the wheel.
The wind has
kicked up pretty strong, making sight casting for redfish impossible, so the crew blind casts
Berkley Gulp plastic baits that are infused with shrimpy-smelling goodness (don't wipe your hands
on your pants though). Owners/anglers can opt for the fishing package ($1,228), which includes a
pre-rig for a trolling motor, as well as fore and aft fishing chairs with gooseneck pedestals, raw
water wash down and tackle bag for the console. Unfortunately, with this option, you lose the
anchor roller and tall, kid-friendly bowrail. But the upside is that you can now get a MotorGuide
Digital Wireless System that allows you to remotely control the trolling motor. New for 2007,
there's a Saltwater Series version for coastal anglers, including a powerful 24-volt model that
would be perfect for this boat. Imagine standing atop the platform with its huge height advantage,
wearing polarized sunglasses with rod in hand and sight-stalking fish in the shallows (the
Dauntless floats in 12 inches of water). With the matchbook-sized remote control device on a
lanyard attached to your belt loop, you can get your boat into position, drop it and fire a cast at
the fish; or, unselfish anglers can direct other anglers where to cast. Who needs a pole? An
additional bonus is that having a pair of rod holders on the platform gives you the ability to
change rods immediately.
It's clear that this section of the Indian River is redfish-free, so a change of venue is in
order. Shifting into cruising mode, the rear casting platform is flipped up to reveal a stern bench
that features a tall, padded backrest for comfort. If it's calm, riders can sit on the padded
bowrider seats ($770) or on the bench seat in front of the center console. Not only does the 200
Dauntless have the capacity to carry eight passengers, but there's actually seating for all, making
this one of the most compact, four-couple sunset cruisers ever (did you think the eight cupholders
were for show?). Sun tanners will love the filler cushion option ($1,718) that transforms the
entire bow into a sunning platform, and because this model features a wider bow section than even
the larger 220 Dauntless, it's extra-roomy.
The destination is the famed Mosquito Lagoon near Cape Canaveral on Florida's East Coast. The route takes the Dauntless over some shallow water, so the Verado 175 engine (maximum horsepower for this boat) is trimmed up slightly, and the Whaler skims over the 18-inch-deep water with ease. Once open water is reached, the Verado's ultra-smooth fly-by-wire Digital Throttle and Shift (DTS) is maxed out, and the Whaler hops on plane in a little more than 3 seconds, reaching 30 mph in just 6.5 seconds before hitting a top speed of 45 mph. An appealing feature of the 200 Dauntless is the cleverly designed helm station. Because Whaler uses Mercury's SmartCraft gauges, you only need two of them to keep you informed about all the engines functions. This allows Whaler to put all the accessory rocker switches and gauges in a compact strip running down the center of the console, which isn't only cool looking, but also opens up a large area in front of the driver for oversized electronics.
Reaching the lagoon, the stiff wind has frothed up the water like a Starbucks latte. Older
Whalers have traditionally been a little rough and wet riding in the chop, but this aspect has been
improved immensely by the advent of the Accutrac hull, which uses reverse chines to direct water
spray down and out, and a sharper entry that allows you to slice through the chop in a civilized
fashion. Determining how much deadrise to give a boat is always a tradeoff; the 200 Dauntless has a
"tweener" hull that measures 16 degrees at the transom, which is flatter than most V-hull boats.
This allows it to get by with less horsepower, get great fuel economy (better than 5 mpg at
econo-cruise speed), and plane faster with an improved top end. It also makes it a stable fishing
platform. In really rough water, it'll pound more than ultra-deep V hulls, but most boaters tend to
stay in port when it gets really rough. As for safety, Whaler's foam-filled Unibond™ construction
means that no matter what happens, it'll float.
Although the crew
manages to catch the odd nuisance fish, it's officially an off day for fishing, so with stomachs
growling, they head to J.B.'s Fish Camp, a legendary waterfront eatery with signature dishes like
the "Crabulous Sandwich" or gator tail. Checking out the MSRP sheet, while downing crispy fried
local oysters, shows that the 200 Dauntless has a base price of $44,488 when powered with a 150-hp
direct-injected OptiMax 2-stroke. The upcharge to the quieter and more powerful Verado 175
supercharged 4-stroke with its no-cable DTS shifter and hydraulic tilt steering is only $2,879, and
well worth the money. When rigged with all the must-have options like the tower, bow cushion and
Clarion stereo with MP3 input, the price as tested rises to $52,331. Serious anglers will spend
even more, making this an expensive boat for its size, but when you consider its versatility and
quality of construction, you'll fully appreciate its value. So if your day on the water includes
two or three different activities, the Boston Whaler 200 Dauntless will be there, ready to hook you
up.
Boston Whaler 200 Dauntless Specifications:
LOA 20'6"
Beam 8'5"
Weight 2,400 lbs.
Fuel 75 gal.
Maximum HP 175
Base Price $44,488
(w/150-hp Mercury OptiMax 2-stroke)
Price As Tested $52,331
(w/175-hp Mercury Verado 4-stroke)
Hull Warranty 10-year transferable
NMMA Certified? Yes
Boston Whaler
100 Whaler Way
Edgewater, FL 32141
(386) 428-0057
www.whaler.com
Test Data
Performance data was gathered with a 175-hp Mercury Verado 4-stroke, two people on board and
35 gallons of fuel.
Standard Features
Six 8-inch cleats, stainless-steel rub rail, stern deck-mounted stainless-steel rod holders,
full-width aft casting platform, captain's storage bin, bow anchor locker, swim platform with
telescoping and hidden boarding ladder, hydraulic tilt steering, stainless-steel prop,
console-mounted rod holders, instrumentation and electrical switch panel with circuit breaker
protection, insulated livewell with lid on front of console, reversible pilot seat with locking
backseat and slide-out carry-on cooler, stern seat with folding backrest, lockable console storage,
portable head and compass.
Options
Aluminum trailer, Navman 4350, Navman 6500, VHF radio, Bimini top, electric trim tabs,
freshwater shower, Clarion stereo, Sirius radio, sun lounge, bow cushion, ALL-Activity Tower™,
fishing package, T-top, aft side rails and fish box under stern seat.