2014 Boston Whaler 270 Dauntless

Boat Reviews

Boat Review by: Richard Crowder

The name Boston Whaler, part of the Brunswick Corporation, is perhaps one of the most recognized brands in boating. “It is a calling that started in 1958 with our founder, Richard Fisher, who crafted the first twin-sponson 13-foot Whaler and then did his best to destroy it by driving up rocky rapids and cutting it in half. Turns out it was unsinkable, just like all of our models today.” Thus the beginning of the Unsinkable Legend™.

At almost twenty-eight feet length overall on a full nine-foot beam, the 270 Dauntless®, subject of this review, is the largest and widest of five Dauntless® centre console models for 2014 starting at seventeen feet. In all, Boston Whaler offers twenty-nine models of tenders, side and centre and dual consoles, plus walkaround offshore cabin models for 2014 in six series from over eleven feet to over thirty-seven feet.

Flexibility certainly is built in to this new 270 Dauntless® model with not only a rated on board capacity of twelve persons but also comfortable seating provided for twelve persons, a matching feature sometimes not found on centre consoles. And all of the seating positions themselves offer additional flexibility of storage, and some even add additional features as well.

For example, the bow seating is a huge U-shaped lounge with hinged flip-up seats and folding backrests and with multiple dry storage compartments below which can double as fishboxes. Facing this lounge on the front of the centre console is another huge double stretch-out lounge seat with flip-down armrests and a lockable storage compartment below that holds five fishing rods and the optional dive tank racks and even comes complete with two 5-gallon buckets.

The backrest of the triple-wide stern bench seat folds down to double as an aft casting deck and the seat bottom cushion lifts to access more storage. Even the standard double-wide helm leaning post with flip-up forward bolsters and removable backrest contains a storage compartment, four rod holders, and a 94-quart cooler. Multiple cupholders are located at all seating positions.

Inside the centre console access door is a head compartment with screened opening stainless steel portlight and standard portable head with pumpout. This compartment can also double as a huge storage unit. Up on the foredeck is a large anchor locker to which can be added an optional electric windlass or a forward fold down beaching access ladder. An optional bow table is also available as is a bow casting platform which can double as a sunlounge with the available filler cushions.

At the stern is a starboard side integral swim platform with a standard telescoping boarding ladder. Electric trim tabs with indicators are standard as is a freshwater shower. The helm console features an acrylic windshield and a tilting cast stainless steel steering wheel with urethane grip. Mercury® DTS (Digital Throttle and Shift) binnacle controls are standard for the standard single Mercury® Verado 300 horsepower FourStroke which may be optionally upgraded to a maximum of twin 225 horsepower Verado’s.

Boston Whaler performance reports show the single 300 with an optimum cruise speed of almost 28 mph at 4500 RPM while consuming just over 12 (US) gallons per hour. Wide Open Throttle (WOT) at 6400 RPM is 44.6 mph while consuming almost 30 (US) gph. Time to plane, 7.2 seconds. With the twin 225’s, optimum cruise speed is slightly less at 25.6 mph, but at a lower 3500 RPM while consuming just very slightly more fuel. WOT at 6400 RPM is considerably higher at almost 54 mph while consuming 47.7 gph. Time to plane with these largest twins available is about half at 3.7 seconds.

There is a huge selection of available options for the 270 Dauntless® to allow you to choose exactly what you need for the types of on-water activities you most enjoy. Most notable would include of course various choices of Raymarine® navigation/fishing electronics with room for up to twin nine or twelve-inch screens. Sirius® satellite radio, satellite weather, a VHF radio, and a Fusion® AM/FM stereo with MP3/USB inputs and four speakers are also factory available.

A fibreglass hardtop would most probably be on your list as might a raw-water washdown, and if your choose the Deluxe Leaning Post with Storage which also includes a solid surface counter top with sink and freshwater pull-out sprayer and 35-quart YETI cooler, you can also select the cockpit refrigerator which replaces storage drawers in this leaning post option. If fishing is a priority, choose the Deluxe Leaning Post with 30-gallon livewell. You may also want the All-Activity Tower for watersports enthusiasts, or perhaps a simple ski pylon, or underwater lighting, fishing seats, lots of canvas options, and perhaps an aluminum trailer.

“For true multi-tasking capabilities, the new Dauntless family lives up to its name.”

2014 Boston Whaler 270 Dauntless Photo Gallery

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