If you’ve been reading the boat reviews in FishTalk for a few years you may have noticed a certain pattern when it comes to Sportsman boats: I’m a fan. IMHO the bang they deliver for your boat-buying buck is very, very tough to beat. On top of that, they’re clear and upfront about pricing, and their list of standard features is shockingly comprehensive. Another reason why Sportsman boats stand out from the crowd is that they’re as teched-out as a modern megayacht. You say no way? The new Open 212 Center Console will have zero problem proving the point, because it carries more modern marine technology than plenty of boats twice its size and 10 times its cost.
Start with the Seakeeper Ride system, which is one of those included standard features. Sensors taking up to 1000 measurements a second chat with an onboard computer brain, which then adjusts paddles similar to trim tabs, to the tune of 100 times per second. Running at 30 mph in one to two-foot seas by Seakeeper’s measurements (which we’ve validated with our own measurements on other boats) that nets you a 58-percent reduction in roll and a 61-percent reduction in pitch as you cruise to the hotspots. Next, consider this boat’s control systems. It’s digital switching, with everything from pumps to lights activated with a swipe at the also-standard Garmin GPSMAP 1243xsv MFD at the helm. Then take a gander at that helm station, and notice that a pair of standard-issue inductive IPX6-waterproof cell phone chargers are integrated into the top of the console along with USB charging ports.
Did we mention that all of this cool tech comes… standard?
On the non-technical front, note that the new Open 212 is larger than their old 212 (by six inches of LOA and one inch of beam), and it stays true to Sportsman’s usual fishing/family balance. The bow has flanking seats with stowage underneath (note the use of paddle-style latches so you don’t have to fight cushions to access the hatch), including removable backrests. There’s a small seat on the front of the console with a cooler underneath, and a compact but useable compartment inside the console for those who need a head. Aft of the console there’s a leaning post with flip-up bolsters and a cooler underneath, a flip-down transom bench seat, and a starboard-side aquarium-style 25-gallon livewell.
Additional angling armaments include four gunwale rodholders, four leaning post rocket launchers, and five hard top rocket launchers plus a pair of kingfish holders; a raw water washdown; tackle trays under the leaning post and a slide-out cooler below; and cockpit coaming bolsters. As for performance, Sportsman publishes a 29.1 mph cruise at 3500 rpm while getting 3.8 mpg, and a 48.1 mph top-end with a Yamaha F250 on the transom. On the family side of the equation you’ll enjoy having a 10-gallon freshwater system; sitting in seats upholstered with Sileather silicon fabrics (which has better UV, mold, mildew, and temperature resistance than the usual vinyl); and sitting behind the helm station’s three-sided enclosure.
Who wants to take a guess as to how much gets added to the stock boat’s price tag by everything we just mentioned? Right again—all of this stuff comes standard. Take an Open 212 for a sea trial, do some comparison shopping, and break out the calculator. I’ll bet you become a fan, too.
Sportsman Open 212 Specifications
- LOA – 21’5”
- Beam – 8’6”
- Displacement – 3618 lbs.
- Transom Deadrise – 18 degrees
- Fuel Capacity –70 gal.
- Max. Power – 250 hp
- Area Dealers – Norfolk Marine, Norfolk, VA (757) 461-3391; Riverside Marine, Essex, MD, (410) 686-1500