(Boat and Motor)
(Boat w/ 115hp)
If you’re wondering how this manufacturer is able to offer its SVX lineup of quality deck boats at such budget-friendly prices, you’re not alone. We’ve been raving about this series since it first debuted a few years back, and it’s clearly filling a need in the fiberglass segment. Price-point models such as this SVX 191 are helping potential buyers find their way into the boating lifestyle and helping our industry grow.
Highlights
At first glance, we love how the brown vinyl seats tie in so well with the MarineMat flooring located in the bow and on the rear swim decks. The color scheme creates a nice interior flow to the boat. There is also plenty of seating for up to 12 passengers.
For the captain there is a comfortable bucket helm chair with a flip-up bolster, and located on the dash console is a nice cluster of analog gauges that provide you with the basic information you need. However, you could option to a touchscreen if desired since this helm design gives you room to customize. Also worth noting, the MarineMat accent pieces are found at the helm too for a complete and finished look.
Directly across from the captain are two chaise lounges that sit back-to-back with a storage area in between. You could upgrade to a sink and faucet or just use the area as a serving location with the two cupholders that have a 12-volt port below. In the stern is a traditional L-shaped seating area with storage room below all the seats. If you’re looking for more areas to store your gear, the in-floor locker is more than a foot deep and 10 feet long for a perfect place to store tubes and other water toys.
Out on the swim deck you have plenty of walk-around space with a telescoping ladder built into the deck, along with a massive all-black ski/tow bar. The boat comes standard with an additional four-step boarding ladder with the other one located in the bow that stores nicely in its own compartment.
Starcraft has been building quality boats for over 60 years and regardless of the price, you can always count on the gel coat and overall fiberglass work to be outstanding. Up top, the gunwale or sides of the boat measure over 31 inches tall for a deep and safe family design with the bow measuring at 25 inches tall.
Performance
Being able to reach a top speed near 50 mph at full throttle speaks volumes of the pairing of the modified dihedral padded V-hull and the Yamaha 150hp four-stroke outboard. The hull provides great water flow and the air injection vents help ensure a smooth, dry and stable ride. Our 0-to-20-mph time of less than 5 seconds says a lot too, and as expected she dives into the sharp turns and handles very well.
You don’t need to be new to boating to appreciate the SVX 191 OB as it has a lot to offer. As tested we see a lot of added value for a boat that comes in at a great price. You could eliminate a few options and take less horsepower to get the price down even further. However, we feel the version we tested with a great mixture of standards and optional features along with the maximum horsepower is going to be the right combination.
NOTABLE STANDARDS
Jensen Stereo w/ Four Speakers, Bimini Top, Helm Seat w/ Flip-up Bolster, Eight Cupholders, MarineMat Flooring.
OPTIONS ON TEST BOAT
Gel Coat Color Scheme, Hydraulic Steering, Ski/Tow Bar.