Boston Whaler 210 Vantage Video Review: Versatile, Towable & Fast

Meet the smallest Boston Whaler dual console model with bowrider seating, the 210 Vantage. Released in late 2023, it’s a single-engine outboard with fishing capability that cruises at 27mph and can top 40 mph at wide open throttle. You can start by checking out its capabilities in this walkthrough and performance video by Rightboat’s content partner, BoatTest.com.

The walkthrough and performance video of the Boston Whaler 210 Vantage includes Capt. Shelley and Capt. Trip from BoatTest.com.

Testing the 210 Vantage

As the entry-level model in the Vantage line, the 210 can be towed easily with a truck or mid-size SUV, yet as Capt. Trip says in the video, it still feels like a stable, heavy boat, with plenty of power.

In addition to comfortable bowrider-style seating, Whaler’s designers have created some extra space in a couple of clever ways. On the port side, the head compartment is wider than you would think because the walkthrough aisle to the bow has been moved to starboard, off the centerline, to create reasonable maneuvering space within the compartment. Either a pump-out head or a portable head can be fitted.

A family-sized bowrider, the 210 Vantage has room for multiple modes of use

A family-sized bowrider, the 210 Vantage has room for multiple modes of use. Boston Whaler photo

Meanwhile, on the starboard side of the boat, the backrest forward of the helm station lifts to create easy access to a storage space beneath, that can handle fishing rods, wakeboards, etc.

In the cockpit, the captain will enjoy the variation allowed by the custom helm seat, but it’s the passenger seat to port that has the most versatility. The optional “lounger” seat would normally be a pedestal-style seat, but this one can be set to accommodate passengers facing both forward and aft, or shifted forward to create an aft-facing lounge seat. A third option is to lay the backrest all the way forward, creating a place to recline fully.

The layout also includes flip-up jump seats aft with secure handholds, yet when folded in the down position, they become part of a wide casting deck. On either side of the single Mercury outboard (a 225 hp Mercury V 6 on the test boat in the video), there are aft deck extensions that provide even more space for fishermen, or allow swimmers more transom deck to use the handy, concealed swim ladder.

Great seating, the capacity to both fish and play, and solid performance makes the 210 Vantage a popular model.

Great seating, the capacity to both fish and play, and solid performance makes the 210 Vantage a popular model. Boston Whaler photo

Where the 210 Vantage Fits in the Lineup

Boston Whaler produces more than two dozen boat models in seven distinct series. The dual console Vantage line fits between larger offshore fishing and cruising vessels and smaller skiffs and runabouts, offering four versatile models from 21’ to 33’. The multifunctional boats can be rigged for watersports, fishing, swimming, and cruising, or all of the above. The boats emphasize safe, comfortable seating forward, ample recessed storage, optional hardtops, and roomy enclosed heads—even the 21. This 21-footer was the newest in the lineup as of 2024 until a new 330 was launched in the fall.

Performance Data & Specifications

Capt. Trip put the 210 Vantage through his test in protected waters. Equipped with a Mercury 225 V6 Four Stroke, he recorded a top speed over 42 mph. (Speeds shown in specs and data below.) Making use of the boat’s electronic steering and throttle and the deep V hull, he was able to turn hard at speed without any slip and complimented the boat on its stability as well as its automated “smart trim” trimming system.

Boston Whaler’s performance report compares three engine packages, the Mercury 250 V8 Four Stroke, Mercury 225 V6 Four Stroke, and Mercury 200 V6 Four Stroke. The smaller 200 hp engine delivers speeds approximately 1mph lower than the 225 hp at 4000 rpm and 2 or 3 mph less at 6000 rpm. The 250 is slightly faster but only begins to really stretch its legs at 4500 rpm; it tops out at 50 mph while the 225 can do about 45 mph (that’s a couple mph faster than recorded in the BoatTest review).