It's almost a given that if you're going to be using your boat
primarily or even mostly for wakeboarding and other watersports, and if you're going to be bringing
the whole crew out on the water with you, you're going to be in the market for a full-sized
V-drive. Even if you plan to do a little recreational skiing, it's likely that you're seeing a
V-drive in your future. It's only logical. With a V-drive, you get loads of seating and storage,
better-than-average performance and comfort, a good-to-excellent wakeboard/tube wake and (usually)
at least a decent recreational slalom wake, and you get it all in one package. The question is,
which V-drive do you choose? It's easy to fall back on the offerings from the higher-profile
builders, but that strategy overlooks some good boats that are better than good buys, boats like
Centurion's Concourse 23.
At 23 feet in length, and featuring a full 8-foot-6-inch beam, the Concourse 23 is
definitely in the full-size class of V-drives, with room for 10 people to fit comfortably on board.
The operative word, by the way, is 'comfortably.' The bow seating area is about as roomy as you
could hope for in a boat this size, with a surprisingly deep floor (with snap-in carpeting) that
allows even grown-ups to sit without having to rest their chins on their knees. Access between the
bow area and the cockpit is through a wide walk-through that features a self-draining ice chest in
the floor and non-skid padding for sure footing. One thing the walk-through doesn't feature is a
door to block the wind on cool mornings, so the optional canvas bow cover is definitely recommended
if you're going to be spending much time on the water in less-than-fiery weather.
The cockpit is flat-out huge, as are most of them in this class, with wraparound lounge
seating and a swiveling captain's seat at the helm so the driver can turn around and join the
conversation when docked or anchored. Snap-in carpeting makes going barefoot a pleasure, as well as
making cleanup easier ' just pull up the carpet and hose the cockpit down.
Beneath and behind the cockpit's wraparound lounge is where you'll find one of the
Concourse's best features ' a ridiculously large amount of storage space. Raise the rear-facing
observer's seat and there's room for an ice chest, camping gear, PFDs and more. Raise the rear
bench seat back on the port side and you have access to the storage side of the engine compartment,
with enough room for several wakeboards with bindings, inflatables or other large items. (This
space can also be accessed by raising the electrically operated sunpad/engine cover.) It may sound
clich'd, but if you can't find room for something on this boat, it's a safe bet you really don't
need to bring it along anyway.
Another nifty feature is the transom walkway on the starboard side. This walkway makes
getting to and from the removable teak swim platform and cockpit a breeze. There's more storage in
the walkway floor, and safe footing is provided by the standard non-skid padding. When no one's
using the walkway, a filler cushion can provide an additional seat.
The best seat in the house, though, is the one at the helm. Air-adjustable lumbar support
makes a long day in the driver's seat easier on your back, while rack-and-pinion steering helps you
steer a straight and steady course with hardly any effort. The analog gauges are laid out well,
allowing you to see them without taking your eyes off the water ahead.
Underway, the Concourse's performance shows why hardcore skiers have known about Centurion
seemingly forever. Equipped with a 315-hp MerCruiser 350 Magnum MPI, the test boat tops out at 43.9
mph and cruises effortlessly in the 30 to 35 mph range. Acceleration is, as expected, strong, with
the boat going from 0 to 30 mph in 7.9 seconds and from 0 to 36 mph (tournament skiing speed) in
8.9 seconds. The Concourse holds speeds very well, requiring virtually no driver input at either
wakeboarding speeds of 18 to 22 mph or ski speeds of 30 to 36 mph.
There are a number of MerCruiser engine packages available on the Concourse 23 in addition
to the 350 Magnum MPI. The 270-hp, 5.7L MerCruiser is the smallest option, then the 350 Magnum,
followed by the 330-hp Black Scorpion and topped by the 340-hp, 6.2L Scorpion. The 350 Magnum,
however, offers the best combination of performance and price.
The Concourse 23 handles very well for a boat this size, responding equally well to slight
steering adjustments and hard, wheel-lock turns. The hull holds firm in even full-throttle corners,
with no hooking or slippage. Most impressive, however, is how solid the hull sounds and feels, a
direct benefit of the ICS construction. The ICS construction is a 100 percent composite design
consisting of three individual pieces (hull, structural liner and deck) that are pressed together
and molecularly bonded with Plexus. The result is a 'unibody' boat with no floorboard and no
through-screws, so there are no rattles and virtu-ally no vibration, even in rough conditions.
Centurion is so proud of the ICS construction that every hull is backed by a limited lifetime
warranty, and judging from a too-short day on semi-rough water, it's unlikely that it will have to
honor many warranty claims.
According to Mike Helton of Austin Sport Boats in Austin, Texas, it's a rare Concourse that
leaves the showroom without the Air Warrior option package, and for good reason. The Air Warrior
adds a Power Tower that puts the tow rope's pivot point a full eight feet above the water for
easier deep-water starts and bigger air on a wakeboard. The Tower also gives you some added board
storage if you attach some board holders, and provides a swell place to hang a couple of speakers
to improve the standard Sony radio/CD player. The Air Warrior package, which includes checkerboard
graphics, also includes a ballast system that can fill itself with up to 25 gallons of water in
less than 10 minutes for even bigger wakes.
The Bennett Trim Tab is a great feature that lets you customize the wake and improve
rough-water handling with a lever arm mounted on the left side of the steering wheel for easy
operation.
Should there be a Concourse 23 in your future? If you're a wakeboarder, even part time, if
you enjoy going out on the water with a bunch of people, if you want a roomy boat that rides
solidly and performs well, the answer may be yes. True, you may not get the snob appeal that comes
with better-known, more expensive brands, but you'll be getting serious performance and comfort,
and a lifetime limited hull and deck warranty. And that's worth bragging about, too.