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1999 Caravelle Boats... 20ft / 6.10 m Bowrider Boats |
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| Category | Bowrider |
| Pricing Notes | (As Tested) |
| Length | 21ft 5in / 6.40 m |
| Beam | 8ft 6in / 2.44 m |
| Engine Model | Mercruiser 5.0L MPI V8 |
| Horsepower | 260 |
| Fuel | Gas |
| Fuel Capacity | 36 gals |
| Hull | V Bottom |
| Weight | 3,400 lbs |
| Dealers | Contact Caravelle Boats Dealers |
| Buyers Guides | Search For Caravelle Boats Buyers Guides |
| Boats For Sale | Search For Caravelle Boats For Sale |
By: Jake Thomas
Caravelle Powerboats has been producing innovative, high-quality boats for over 41 years. Although slightly under the radar in Canada, they should definitely be on your list of test drives if you are looking for a new boat.
Taking advantage of our excellent September weather, I headed out onto the water in Caravelles 217 Bowrider powered by a 260-hp MerCruiser. It felt slightly under powered, accelerating from 0 to 20 mph in 6.46 seconds. Although the hole shot acceleration was a little slow, the boat still felt quite nimble and light on the water, hitting a top speed of 48 mph at 5000 rpm. This boat would be a blast with the 5.7-litre engine in it, thats for sure, but every option has its price.
When put through the paces, the boat remained quite level and tracked extremely well, yielding a safe comfortable feeling through a range of speeds. Caravelles 100 per cent wood-free construction was evident as the boat felt extremely rigid through even the roughest water.
Our test boat was equipped with the wakeboard premium package that features a tower complete with integrated Bimini and board racks. The boat was also equipped with the new Star Gazer PerfectPass cruise control system, which is GPS-driven instead of their traditional paddle wheel configuration.
This system is a must-have for wakeboarding behind an I/O as that 20 mph speed is often difficult to maintain manually in V-bottom hulls.
Inside the boat, careful consideration was made to maximize storage in every available space. The optional bow filler cushion also creates a massive sun deck easily capable of holding four adults. The swivelling, bolstered captains chairs were very comfortable, but might be tight for taller drivers.
At the helm, the wraparound windshield had great visibility and, unlike most, the tower design had the legs parallel to the windshield frame so they all but disappeared from the sight line.
A well-engineered stern step and walk-thru create easy access to the integrated swim platform with no awkward change to the seating necessary. The large, rear L-shaped bench has ample seating for passengers, while deep gunwales create a comfortable environment with plenty of accessible storage in arms reach.
The attention to detail is evident throughout this boat as are plenty of innovative and functional design features. In an otherwise populated boat segment, the Caravelle 217 is on the podium in my opinion with a modest blend of quality and value.
TEST BOAT ENGINE
MerCruiser 5.0L MPI, 260-hp V8 with Alpha One Drive and 21P aluminum prop
ACCELERATION (mph/sec)
0-20 / 6.46 ; 0-30 / 7.91
TOP SPEED (rpm/mph)
5000 / 48
CRUISING SPEED (rpm/mph)
2600 / 25 ; 3200 / 31 ; 4000 / 37
SOUND LEVEL AT IDLE (800 rpm)
Helm 76 dbA ; Aft cockpit 81 dbA
SOUND LEVEL AT TOP SPEED
Helm 100 dbA ; Aft cockpit 102 dbA
