2025 Monterey Elite 30 OB

Boat Reviews

Boat Review by: Richard Crowder

Monterey’s all new Elite 30 OB (Outboard) is one neat day cruiser. Notice I didn’t say center console, for although the helm is centred on this boat and there is most convenient walk-around on both sides of the helm, Monterey never mentions the word center console. And nor should it be mentioned. The Elite 30 is simply an extremely well-designed and luxuriously furnished day cruiser.

This Elite 30 is a couple of feet longer and a foot wider than its little sibling the Elite 27, and it comes standard with twin Mercury outboard motors instead of single outboard on the 27. One of the first design features you will notice is the almost vertical stem, which of course provides for a longer waterline length and additional interior space. There is no foredeck topside anchor locker thus allowing more interior room, too. Instead, the thru-stem anchor leads into the storage compartment beneath the bow seat cushion thus making this the anchor locker. Neat.

Next you might then notice the massive full-height one-piece tinted glass windshield stretching from the base of the helm console to the fiberglass hardtop. Windshield side wings mounted to the top sides of the console provide close-up weather protection to the helm. More tinted glass fills in the space between the aft vertical riser supports of the hardtop which are mounted on the gunnel on each hull side and thus providing some weather protection to passengers. Neat.

Next you may notice that the molded and integrated swim platform allows easy access across the transom and is uncluttered by hoses and wiring for the motors. If you are quick, you will also notice that there is not one but two folding telescoping stainless steel boarding ladders recessed into the platform; one on each side of the platform to better facilitate in-water activities. What you will not notice are hullside boarding/fish landing doors, rod holders, or rocket launchers or livewells, as the Elite 30 is dedicated to cruising comforts and amenities. Neat.

So what does make the Monterey Elite 30 special for cruising? Let’s start at the helm. Two high-back and well padded helm chairs with fold-up armrests on the outside of each. Both have fore and aft adjustment and with flip-up forward bolsters and face a very practical and well laid-out dash. Between the two helm chairs is a padded console like you find in most vehicles, which acts as both an armrest and as a small storage compartment. Neat.

The port side of these two chairs faces a gorgeous tilting steering wheel with three polished chromed stainless steel spokes and black leather rim. Centred in the dash between these two chairs is a standard Simrad 15” screen which is the navigation and electronics nerve centre of the Elite 30. With its Ultra Wide B60 transducer, this touchscreen can be split into two screens with GPS/chartplotter, engine instrumentation, sonar, integrated digital switching for onboard DC functions, plus stereo controls. Neat.

Below and aft of this screen are the standard auto-retracting trim tab controls with indicators, plus the twin throttle control binnacle, and ahead of that the optional joystick control. To the left of the power-assisted steering wheel are a few only DC switches controlling the most often used accessories like the horn so that the touchscreen doesn’t have to be accessed for those functions. Also within the dash are open storage areas ahead of each helm chair, a pair of wireless chargers, 12-volt and USB outlets, and three stainless steel cup holders ahead of the passenger seat.

Aft of the helm chairs is a two-person aft-facing bench seat with a hinged flip-up seat cushion beneath which is a 45-quart carry-on cooler. Beside this bench seat is a molded wetbar with stainless steel sink, cold water faucet, trash receptacle, and storage. There are two more 45-quart carry-on coolers with dedicated storage; one beneath each of the port and starboard bow bench seat cushions. There are a total of eleven stainless steel drink holders in the cockpit as well as 12-volt and USB outlets.

Across the stern is a comfortable looking three or four person bench seat cum lounge with the seat cushions sectioned in an almost 60-40 split, providing access through each portion to storage below and then to the mechanicals and electricals in the lit bilge compartment. The articulated seat backs flip forward to provide 60-40 or full aft-facing sit up lounging, or full laydown stretch-out sun lounging.

A starboard side transom door leads to the aforementioned swim platform with its two boarding ladders. A portable cocktail table with bow and stern side-mount bases is standard, as are blue/white LED RGB cockpit courtesy lighting, hardtop overhead RGB lighting, docking lights, and RGB LED underwater lights. A cold transom shower is also standard as is SeaDek flooring inlay throughout. The standard stereo is a Fusion Apollo RA770 with six JL speakers, a pair of 10” subwoofers with LED lights and all driven by a pair of JL amplifiers. Both bow and stern stereo remote controls are provided.

Moving forward on your choice of either side of the helm console you will find again a forward-facing two-person seat with flip-up armrests mounted on the forward face of the console beneath the windshield. A substantial back rest serves each of the V-berth bench seats, allowing forward-facing stretch-out lounging and on each bow gunnel is a full-length low profile safety bow rail. An in-floor storage compartment serves this bow area.

The entire front surface of the helm console to which the two-person seat is attached, swings open to reveal a sizeable head compartment with an electric toilet with holding tank and level indicator, vanity with sink and pullout sprayer, storage, Marine Mat flooring, and an opening portlight with screen. Additional notable standard equipment includes a 3-bank battery charger with deck plug, a hull vinylester barrier coat, and eight standard choices of coloured hull sides in addition to white.

Notable available optional features include bow and/or cockpit portable sun shades, individual canvas covers for the console, helm seat, aft seat, and bow. You may want woven cockpit flooring, a bow filler cushion, anchor windlass with anchor, rope, and chain, a bow boarding ladder, SeaDek swim platform inlay, Phender Pro holders, a coloured hull bottom, and even a watertoy air inflator. You will have to choose your power which is available from standard black or optional white, twin 250 or 300 horsepower Mercury outboard motors all with Digital Throttle and Shift (DTS) standard and with optionally available and most desirable Joystick Piloting for Outboards (JPO).

As stated at the outset, Monterey’s all new Elite 30 is simply an extremely well-designed and luxuriously furnished day cruiser.

2025 Monterey Elite 30 OB Photo Gallery

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