Specifications
LOA: 21’8” Beam: 8’6” Draft: 13”
Fuel: 55 gal. Max hp: 250
Base price: $56,717 with Yamaha F200 outboard
EdgeWater: 386-427-9783 • ewboats.com
With $4 a gallon gas becoming a fact of life, smaller boats that are stingy on fuel make good sense these days, especially when you’re fishing bays, tidal rivers and other protected waters. That’s the thought behind EdgeWater’s 210IS (IS stands for Inshore Series) — an ideal boat for those trips when you plan to fish close to home with just a buddy or two.
This bay boat sports a 21-foot-8-inch hull that draws just 13 inches (with the outboard up) for chasing inshore species such as bluefish, redfish, tarpon, snook and striped bass. Yet when weather permits, it can also take you out to fish wrecks and reefs for kings, grouper, snapper, and more. With an 8½-foot beam, it boasts 65 square feet of usable cockpit space.
Yamaha’s new four-cylinder F200 four-stroke outboard powered our test boat. This lightweight engine mates perfectly with the 2,400-pound 210IS, propelling it to an impressive top speed of more than 48 mph in the waters of Biscayne Bay near Miami. This boat-and-engine combination jumped on plane in just a tad over four seconds, and reached 30 mph in about six seconds during our test. At the same time, the F200 offered fuel economy in spades, achieving 5 mpg at 3,500 rpm and 25.6 mph. That equates to a range of 250 miles with the 210IS’s 55-gallon fuel tank. Maximum rated horsepower is 250.
The 25-inch transom features fiberglass-composite construction, and the 210IS is also unsinkable, thanks to full-foam flotation. In addition, the gunwales are 21 inches high, and the deck is completely self-bailing. That’s reassuring, especially if you happen to get caught in a blow.
Performance with a single Yamaha F200 outboard
The 210IS features a simple — but effective — angling layout. Knowing that most of the action will take place up front, EdgeWater designed the boat with an expansive casting platform in the bow that can easily accommodate a pair of anglers, as well as a bow-mounted trolling motor. In the forepeak is a big anchor locker, while the casting deck houses three dry-storage lockers, all featuring hatches with gelcoated undersides, gas-assist support struts, gasket seals and compression latches. Storage for four fishing rods is built into the lockers on either side of the bow deck. The center compartment can double as a fish box.
There’s also a small casting deck aft with enough room for a single angler, and under it you’ll find three compartments: an 18-gallon livewell in the center and access to rigging — as well as storage space — in the two side compartments.
The center console is packed with functional features. A stainless-steel steering wheel with the EdgeWater logo etched in the hub controls the SeaStar hydraulic steering on the port side of the console, and there’s a built-in pad for mounting the throttle-and-shift control box, as well as the control panel for the optional Lenco trim tabs, to starboard of the wheel. A pair of recessed stainless-steel drink holders and a grab handle are also situated on the starboard side of the console. A panel of 10 switches controls everything from the four courtesy deck lights and electric horn to the bilge pump and raw-water washdown system.
The dash will accommodate flush-mount flat-panel displays up to about seven inches, with room for a larger bracket-mounted display atop the console. The helmsman can easily read the EdgeWater custom compass while under way. A thick acrylic windshield provides a bit of protection from wind and spray, while a beefy grab rail surrounding the console offers a sturdy handhold for your angling partner.
A removable hatch on the backside of the console provides access to the dual-battery system secured in a well that’s below deck to help keep the center of gravity as low as possible. The console will also store small items such as sunscreen and sunglasses. The upholstered passenger seat back in front of the console unsnaps to reveal a waterproof tackle locker containing three Plano tackle boxes. Unsnap the seat bottom, and you’ll find a 12-gallon livewell. A latching waterproof hatch keeps water from sloshing out in rough seas.
The padded leaning-post seat on the 210IS proved comfortable and secure during our test, even during some maneuvers in which we brought the boat about at high speed. Below the seat’s anodized-aluminum frame nestles a 72-quart cooler for keeping drinks and food iced while you’re out for a day of fishing.
Handling proved exceptional for this size boat. The 210IS hull knifed cleanly through the one- to two-foot seas on test day, and landed smoothly when we challenged some big wakes generated by nearby yachts powering through the bay. The hull slid a bit in turns with the outboard trimmed up, but tracked well once we brought the trim down a bit. The 210IS needs very little tab to run well, except perhaps to level out unbalanced side-to-side loads or pop on plane more quickly when fishing shallow water.
A host of factory options are available to help enhance the fishability of the 210IS, including four Garmin multifunction units, a bow-mounted trolling motor and two different Power-Pole shallow-water anchoring systems.
No matter how you order it, EdgeWater’s 210IS combines first-class construction and features with remarkable fuel efficiency, giving new meaning to the term “economy class.”
