A Modern and Practical Day Boat
All the space without compromising performance.
By Capt. Bob Smith
Test Captain
Deckboats are not what they used to be; clunky, flat, and a bit unattractive. Larson makes one of the best looking and performing deckboats I have driven in a while. The 237 is the largest in their series, and this one certainly has the room you need for a large family or group of friends, and the power and performance you need for a skiboat.
Spacious Bow
The roomy bow area has enough seating capacity for quite a large group. You can enter the bow from the dock through a port side entry just ahead of the windshield, or from the bow. The bow has a small swim platform with telescoping ladder with space below to stow the anchor and rode. When it is time to serve the snacks, you can easily insert a table up front. There is a considerable amount of storage below the bench seats which wraps from the port side entry to the starboard side entertainment center. Under the center seat at the bow is another built-in cooler.
Entertainment Center
Across from the helm is the wet bar complete with covered ice cooler, sink with pull out sprayer, three cup holders and good storage. The in-floor storage compartment is situated in the bow of the boat, and is large enough for some of the biggest water toys you can think of. Easy care snap-in carpet is standard on the Escape 237.
Comfortable Helm
The helm seat is a comfortable bucket style, with slide and swivel adjustment as well as a bolster for better view when coming out of the hole. The back of the seat is ventilated for more comfort on those hot summer days. The instruments are easier to see with an eyebrow extending over the gauges shading off some of the bright sun. Sirius Satellite radio with AM/FM/CD player is standard with one year of service free. Over on the port side is a lounger bench with more storage space below.
Cockpit and Stern Features
A large triangular shaped table can be added at the stern for more serving space. A carry-on cooler has its own spot back here so it’s tucked out of the way. A handy transom shower comes standard and is ideal for a quick rinse after swimming.
Completing your pre-launch checks on the power plant is easy and will not take you long. The back of the rear bench seat and sun pad simply flips up on gas struts to give you full access. There’s enough room around the engine and even space for storing wet life jackets. Simply place the vests in here and let the engine’s heat dry them out. Our test boat had an optional extended swim platform, which gives you more room for water activities.
A Few Options
Some of the options you can consider on this model is a filler cushion for the bow, which converts the area into a large sun pad. For the family who enjoys doing tricks on the wakeboards, you can add a chrome tower for the boards. Another family-friendly option is the Porta-Potti, which will allow you many more hours on the water with the family. If you would like to spend the night aboard, you can opt for a camper canvas package with side curtains.
Specs
This year’s Escape 237 measures 23’3” length overall with an 8’6” beam. She weighs approximately 3,900 lbs., carries 5 gallons of fresh water, and 61 gallons of fuel, which should be plenty for a full day on the water. Larson offers several power plant options for this model from a 4.3L 190-hp Volvo to a 300-hp MerCruiser 350 MAG MPI with Bravo III outdrive.
Handling and Performance
We tested the Escape 237 on an inland lake in Minnesota with good conditions and two people on board. She handled very well and delivered a time to plane of only 3.7 seconds, with a 0-30 mph time of 7.1 seconds. She cruised most economically at 3000 rpm running 26.8 mph, which gave us a range of 207 miles on a full tank. Wide-open-throttle speed was consistent at 50 mph at 5250 rpm.
If you have been thinking about getting into a deckboat, but didn’t want the clunky looks of the old designs, Larson has an exiting boat for you to test out. The Escape 237 looks like a sportboat, performs like a speedboat, yet has the open space of a deckboat.
