Boating Life 212 Bow Rider Test

You gotta love the crisp Lamborghini-like feel of Kiekhaefer controls. A single lever for forward and reverse and a precise throttle along the power range make it easy to hold a steady course and speed.

Who's likely to get bitten by the Interceptor bug? A family guy who had to give up the sports car before he was ready, or a young family looking for something cool and quick. This boat meets the needs of those buyers with family features and a strong dose of performance.

The scalloped hull looks fast sitting still with its flashy graphics, and the test data say the boat is not just a painted lady. Our boat came with a 350 Mag Merc, which adds about $5,000 to the sticker price, but rewards the owner with four to six miles per hour on the top end.

At speed, the hull handled predictably with no noticeable bad habits in chop, either when turning sharply or quartering over wakes. The helm fits nicely, with good windshield positioning, handy placement of controls and switches and a comfy captain's bucket seat with bolster.

Forward seating is comfy, too, adding passenger-carrying capacity to this 21-footer. There?s plenty of storage in all the right places and cup holders where they're needed to keep the deck dry. In the cockpit, three guests can sit across the aft bench, and the most important partner has a bucket seat on the passenger side.

We found a full-liner cockpit on board with a nonskid deck. Snap-in carpet is standard and easy to clean dockside, if needed. The deck is scuppered to the bilge, so boaters can hose away the dirt and let the bilge pump clear out the mess.

The transom platform is solid and offers plenty of room plus a reboarding ladder. We liked the standard Bimini top that limits the sun's impact on hot summer days, but most owners will rely on that 58-mph wind stream to cool off. We did, and had a ball during the entire test drive.

Stats:

Length Overall: 21' Beam: 8' Dry Weight: 2,900 lb. Seating/Weight Capacity: 9/1,375 lb. Fuel Capacity: 36 gal. Max HP: 320 MSRP (test boat): $36,453

Test Drive

Test Engine: Mercury 350 Mag, Bravo 1 Test Prop: 19-pitch Vengeance, stainless steel Test Load: People (425 lb.); Fuel (25 gal.) Top Speed: 58.5 MPH @ 5,000 RPM Time to Plane: 3.5 sec. Tim to 30 MPH: 7.5 sec. Min. Plane Speed: 20 MPH @ 2,200 RPM

Notable Features

*Optional extended swim platform puts swimmers beyond the outdrive.

*Electronic through-hull exhaust.

*Tilt wheel and molded-in arm rest at the helm.

*Recessed interior lights are handy and durable.

*Finished bilge and storage compartments are clean and roomy.

*Helm has an optional flip-up bolster that gives room for stand-up driving when docking.

*Cockpit drains to bilge for easy maintenance and strength.

Your browser does not support inline frames or is currently configured not to display inline frames.	View Boating Life Magazine's test on the Interceptor 212 Bow Rider. (2004 model year)

Caravelle 212 Interceptor Boat test – by Dave Mull	This new bowrider not only looks fast, it delivers speedy, flat-out family fun. The new 212 Interceptor from Caravelle might be the fastest-looking bowrider you’ve ever seen. But, it’s more than just eye candy. With the optional electronic switchable exhaust that vents the 350 Mag MerCruiser topside, it might be the fastest- sounding bowrider on the lake. And with a top speed of 60 mph achieved with head-snapping acceleration, it just might be the fastest bowrider you’ll ever drive. No two ways about it, this boat is built for solid fun on the water. “The Interceptors are designed to get the new boaters moving up and out of the personal watercraft crowd,” said Caravelle’s vice president of sales Craig Cummins. After our test ride last summer, we think this go-fast is likely to attract quite a few jetskiers with its speed and maneuverability. Georgia’s Lake Lanier, where Caravelle hosted its dealer meeting, was a good venue for checking out the 212. With the reservoir’s vast expanse, we could open the Interceptor up and let it eat, which is what having a boat like this is all about. The boat’s sweeping contour, pointed bow, low profile and low slung windshield all add up to give the 212 a speedy appearance. The company doesn’t mess with the sleek lines, installing flush-mount cleats that you pull up when you need to dock. If someone says “yellow boat,” most boaters will respond with “yuck”. But that’s not the case here. The Interceptor 212 is predominantly white with sunny yellow accents set off by black striping, a color scheme that the company calls Lightning. The result is flashy, yet tasteful. Also, available is Firemist, which is white with red and black accents. Thunderbolt is white with purple, yellow and black accents (it looks pretty neat-I’m not joking). This boat offers ample cup holders, with two in the bow, one for the pilot and one for the passenger riding shotgun. The four passengers could fit in the stern u-shaped sofa each have a cup holder, too.

Boating Life Magazine By Randy Vance	You gotta love the crisp Lamborghini-like feel of Kiekhaefer controls. A single lever for forward and reverse and a precise throttle along the power range make it easy to hold a steady course and speed. Who's likely to get bitten by the Interceptor bug? A family guy who had to give up the sports car before he was ready, or a young family looking for something cool and quick. This boat meets the needs of those buyers with family features and a strong dose of performance. The scalloped hull looks fast sitting still with its flashy graphics, and the test data say the boat is not just a painted lady. Our boat came with a 350 Mag Merc, which adds about $5,000 to the sticker price, but rewards the owner with four to six miles per hour on the top end. At speed, the hull handled predictably with no noticeable bad habits in chop, either when turning sharply or quartering over wakes. The helm fits nicely, with good windshield positioning, handy placement of controls and switches and a comfy captain's bucket seat with bolster. Forward seating is comfy, too, adding passenger-carrying capacity to this 21-footer. There?s plenty of storage in all the right places and cup holders where they're needed to keep the deck dry. In the cockpit, three guests can sit across the aft bench, and the most important partner has a bucket seat on the passenger side. We found a full-liner cockpit on board with a nonskid deck. Snap-in carpet is standard and easy to clean dockside, if needed. The deck is scuppered to the bilge, so boaters can hose away the dirt and let the bilge pump clear out the mess. The transom platform is solid and offers plenty of room plus a reboarding ladder. We liked the standard Bimini top that limits the sun's impact on hot summer days, but most owners will rely on that 58-mph wind stream to cool off. We did, and had a ball during the entire test drive. Stats: Length Overall: 21' Beam: 8' Dry Weight: 2,900 lb. Seating/Weight Capacity: 9/1,375 lb. Fuel Capacity: 36 gal. Max HP: 320 MSRP (test boat): $36,453 Test Drive Test Engine: Mercury 350 Mag, Bravo 1 Test Prop: 19-pitch Vengeance, stainless steel Test Load: People (425 lb.); Fuel (25 gal.) Top Speed: 58.5 MPH @ 5,000 RPM Time to Plane: 3.5 sec. Tim to 30 MPH: 7.5 sec. Min. Plane Speed: 20 MPH @ 2,200 RPM Notable Features Optional extended swim platform puts swimmers beyond the outdrive. Electronic through-hull exhaust. Tilt wheel and molded-in arm rest at the helm. Recessed interior lights are handy and durable. Finished bilge and storage compartments are clean and roomy. Helm has an optional flip-up bolster that gives room for stand-up driving when docking. Cockpit drains to bilge for easy maintenance and strength. Originally Published: January 2004*

Caravelle 212 Interceptor

Boat test – by Dave Mull