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Consider a deckboat to be a kind of aircraft carrier for taking off for fun on the water. And that is especially true with Glastron's DS 215.

No Compromise Deckboat

The DS 215 proudly demonstrates why it’s no wonder deckboats have become so popular.

By Captain Keith Burton

It seems that every year folks are buying more deckboats than the year before. Maybe it’s because their neighbor bought one instead of a pontoon boat or runabout, and they liked the room and flexibility that deckboats offer.

And because of their popularity, more than every boat manufacturer is offering their version of this type of boat. But Glastron, with more than 50 years of fiberglass boat building experience, brings a whole lot more to the table in their DS 215 deckboat.



Bow Layout

This boat offers an amazing choice of activities besides just carrying folks. The forward swim platform also doubles as a fishing platform. Two comfortable pedestal seats can be configured at the bow. You also get standard docking lamps for those night fishing escapades.

The bow seats wrap around the front the boat, and there is plenty of storage beneath them for stowing your gear. The center cushion lifts off to provide a non-skid step to the bow. A small table can also be fitted for dining. But that is not all. A huge bow sun pad can be installed over the footwell. Talk about fun in the sun.

Console Features

Passengers will like the roomy changing area with a portable toilet built into the helm station. The helm features attractive black on white gauges set within a burlwood-like plastic panel, does a convincing job that it came from real wood-like trees.

The captain’s chair is extra padded and features a fold-up bolster to give you more height and space when needed.

Entertaining those passengers is made easy with the built-in entertainment station to the port side amidship. It features a freshwater sink and stainless steel grab bar, as well as room for a cooler.

For carrying more gear, such as wakeboards and skis, there is a large floor compartment, just like other boats, but not like pontoons.

Seating and Stern Features

The stern features an L-shaped bench seat with storage below. Under one cushion is a surprise. There is a livewell for the fishermen onboard. The same table that can be installed at the bow has a place at the stern too. So, when the bow is configured with the sun pad, you can have lunch from the stern seats instead.

Finishing out the cabin is a large sun pad at the stern. It conceals that hatch for the engine compartment, which by the way, has plenty of room below for storing the bow seats and extra cushions. The large hatch opens with a big tug assisted by hydraulic struts.

At the stern is a full-width integrated ski platform, which is accessed through a walkway on the starboard side, and is equipped with a fold down stainless steel ladder.

Performance and Ride

Our test boat was equipped with a 220-horsepower MerCruiser 5-Liter V8 that offered plenty of performance. We recorded a top speed of 45.5 miles per hour at 4,800 rpm. But if more speed is what you want, the DS 215 can handle as much as 300 horsepower.

Over the water, the DS 215 handles smoothly and is fun to drive. Crossing moderate wakes and waves are handled without pounding, which should make your passengers happy. Steering is linear and smooth. There is also good visibility all around but a choice for a taller windscreen would be appreciated as an option. The boat also takes a good set in turns and is quite maneuverable for its size.

Sure there are a good number of deckboats to choose from other boat manufacturers these days. But the Glastron DS 215 offers an excellent mix of style, performance and flexibility that are absent in many of the other boats in this class.

Speeds measured with Stalker ProSports radar gun. Fuel consumption (gallons per hour) measured with Floscan digital fuel-flow meter on gas inboards, sterndrives, and outboards, TechMate electronic scan tool on gas EFI inboards, Caterpillar digital fuel-flow meter on diesel engines, or permanently installed fuel-monitoring equipment. Range is based on 90% of published fuel capacity. Sound levels determined using Radio Shack digital decibel meter on A scale. 68 dBA is the level of normal conversation.

Performance Chart

Test Conditions