Luxury & Performance--South Bay 922 CR

By Capt. Bob Smith

Honda invited us to come to Lake Lanier in Georgia to enjoy some early fall weather and test nine boats with their outboards strapped on the back. Forest River Marine builds their boats to impress their owners with luxury and performance. The South Bay 922 CR proved to be a good match with Honda’s 90-hp four-stroke engine delivering a smooth comfortable ride.

Bow Features

Starting up front, insulated side panels have great looking anodized “D” railings that add support and looks to the panels. Elliptical stainless steel docking lights help you find your way into the slip or onto the trailer at the end of the day. Stainless steel flip-up cleats allow good size dock lines to be attached to the bow and stern and our test model came with highly polished stainless steel corner guards to protect the deck from dock rash or accidental damage from bumps and bangs.

The large bow entry gate allows easy passage into the bow seating spaces. If you typically have a need for more seating, you can add a filler bench into the bow gate area to complete the wrap-around lounger in the front. The lounger back on the starboard side is hinged on the side which allows items to be stored vertically. The seat bottoms are also hinged giving easy access to storage space in the roto-molded seat bottoms. The lounger back on the port side hinges at the top and the space inside can be used as a cooler. Small speakers are mounted in the seat backs and cup holders and the large speakers are mounted in the seat bases delivering a rich sound from the on-board stereo system.

Helm Station

The fiberglass helm station is packed with features. It includes a side storage locker located below the helm which also gives access to the electronic connections. Also here is a drop down cover over the stereo system, a switch on that controls the pressure water for the sink, a filler cap for the water is next to the sink, and a storage box on the starboard corner.

At the Controls

The driver controls the stereo with a Jensen stereo remote located on the left side of the wheel. Faria gauges are gold trimmed and grouped for great view underway. A handy Garmin 145 was mounted in the dash to keep an eye on the bottom and look for the fish. Lighted rocker control switches and push button circuit breakers are at your fingertips along with a driver’s beverage holder. There is plenty of leg room beneath the tilt wheel so the driver won’t feel cramped. Our test boat came with the upgraded captain’s chair with adjustable headrest, flip arms, adjustable seat, pneumatic lift, and adjustable seat back.

Aft Seating

The aft lounger features the same comfort and storage as the bow seating area. A twin post table sets up easily to make room for snacks and lunch on board and there is a concealed trash bin in the end of the lounger. Back here there is a large sun pad with raised bolster edge and families will appreciate the lift up enclosure with Porta-Potti storage. The back half of the sunpad lifts up to gain access to the fuel cell in the center, batteries, battery switch, and battery charger on the port side.

Through the aft gate is a wash-down located in the side panel and a vinyl coated platform with stainless steel grab bar for easy reboarding from the water. Our boat had the optional extended platforms with concealed telescoping swim ladder and stainless steel tow bar over the center of the stern and the engine.

Specifications

The South Bay 922CR measures 23’1” in length with a deck width of 8’6”. She rides on 25” tubes and weighs about 2505 lbs. She is rated for up to 115-hp outboards in her standard two tube version.

For style, performance and exceptional luxury, it will be hard to beat the South Bay 922 CR.

• Top speed for the Forest River Marine South Bay 922CR (2007-) is 22.4 mph (36 kph), burning 9.2 gallons per hour (gph) or 34.82 liters per hour (lph).


• Best cruise for the Forest River Marine South Bay 922CR (2007-) is 8.2 mph (13.2 kph), and the boat gets 5.29 miles per gallon (mpg) or 2.25 kilometers per liter (kpl), giving the boat a cruising range of 138 miles (222.09 kilometers).


• Tested power is 1 x 90-hp Honda 4-stroke (outboard).