2005 Doral 245 Sunquest

By: Mike Gridley

Bowriders are the quintessential family boat, so it just makes sense that boaters considering moving up to a larger day boat at a reasonable price may want to look into a used bowrider cuddy to test the waters. The extra length and addition of a midship cuddy cabin make our test boat, a 2005 Doral 245 Sunquest, a viable candidate for this role. Introduced in 2003, the Sunquest is a sizable bowrider with an overall length of 25 feet, 4 inches – or is it a cuddy cabin with a trailer able beam of 8 feet, 6 inches? In actual fact, Doral has done a pretty good job of marrying these two popular boat types, creating a great day boat with plenty of amenities.

Boarding from the aft, the 245 has an expansive swim platform for staging water activities. Nice touches on the platform are the concealed swim ladder, stereo remote and handheld shower. Removable and hinged cushions in the seat and sun pad open up a walk-through to the platform from the cockpit that is enhanced by the rounded step, which doubles as a seat for gearing up for water sports.

The cockpit with its U-shaped lounge seating has plenty of room for passengers and stretching out during a relaxing afternoon. Doral has incorporated nice design touches in the cockpit upholstery and hardware. The above-average quality of the vinyl was evident, showing no signs of excessive wear after four years of use. Not typical in a bowrider, the 245 Sunquest lacks an in-floor locker for skis and wakeboards. However, storage can be found under the lounge seating in the moulded bases.

Moving forward, there is a pair of fully adjustable bucket seats for both the captain and mate, with excellent detail typical of Doral. The dash is attractive and stylish, but lacks any place to mount electronics whatsoever – even a VHF – which I consider a real shortcoming with this boat. Sitting at the helm, my feet rested on top of the subwoofer for the killer stereo system. Given the poor placement, make sure you check this speaker is still working and free of damage from errant feet on any boat you may be looking at. On the passenger’s side, there is a lockable glove box, a sink with water and a Clarion marine stereo.

While this 25-foot Doral is an ideal size for a family day boat, it’s the sunquest’s innovative midship cuddy that enhances the capabilities and comforts on the water. The cuddy is large enough to get in out of the sun without feeling too crowded.

The cuddy has port and starboard facing seats with storage in the bases. Gear can also be tossed in a drawer that slides out from under the cockpit, as well as in a large locker (that is, if the boat doesn’t have the optional fridge). Pulling out the step reveals an optional

china head with holding tank.

There is only one inconvenience with the layout of the 245 and that is when moving forward to the bow. You’ll find it a bit awkward to pass through the cuddy, and it’s not exactly graceful if you elect to go up and over through the windshield. Once forward, though, the bow area is quite spacious and comfortable with the seats low in the hull for safety.

The sun pad, doubling as the engine hatch, opens smoothly on twin gas struts. With the lounge base cushions removed, the centre section of the seat tilts forward for access to the engine compartment. Doral offered the 2005 Sunquest with power options ranging from 300 to 375 hp from both Mercury and Volvo. The rigging in the engine compartment is acceptable. There is also reasonable access to service the 320-hp MerCruiser V8 coupled to a Bravo 3 drive that powered our test model.

After spending some time on the water putting the Sunquest through its paces, I concluded this power package was well matched to the boat, accelerating the big bowrider to 20 mph in 4.8 seconds and to 30 mph in 7.7 seconds. The lightly loaded boat’s top speed was an impressive 55 mph at 5500 rpm. The 245 cruised nicely at 37 mph and 3500 rpm.

Although not leading edge, the 245’s hull design performs adequately well. The hull will slide when handled roughly in the turns, but takes a set and turns smoothly when properly trimmed. It is more than capable of handling conditions found on bigger inland lakes. In summary, buying a used boat like this Doral 245 Sunquest gets you a modern boat – both in styling and building practices – that will last for years at a reasonable price.

POWER/PERFORMANCE
Test boat engine: MerCruiser 6.2MPI
Bravo 3, 6.2 L, V8, 320 hp
Cruising speed (rpm/mph):
3500 / 30.0
Time on plane: 6.2 seconds
Top speed (rpm/mph): 5500 / 55.5