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Brief Summary
The Mako 21 LTS floats in just 12'' of water, which makes her fully capable on the tarpon and permit flats, but she has a lot more available fishing space than the typical 17-18-foot flats skiff. A 16-degree deadrise at the transom puts her on plane fast, and she has plenty of storage in the casting platforms both fore and aft. A 30-gallon aerated live well is standard, as is the rod box in the starboard bow step. She comes pre-wired for a bow-mount trolling motor.
Key Features
- Raised bow casting deck with non-skid surface
- Patented Rapid Planing System transom and Mako performance hull
- 2 bow dry storage areas and starboard rod locker with organizers
- Rotomolded console with rod holders and removable forward cooler/fishbox
- 2-tone high-density marine-grade upholstery
- Cockpit with 360-degree mobility and cushioned helm seat/cooler
- In-deck hatch for easy access to 1,600 GPH bilge pump
- Raised aft casting deck with 2 large dry storage compartments
- 30-gal. aerated aft livewell with Pro-Air system
- Custom-matched aluminum trailer with Sure Lube hubs
Test Results
RPM | MPH | Knots | GPH | MPG | NMPG | STAT. MILE | NM | dBa |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
620 | 3.2 | 2.8 | 0.4 | 8 | 6.96 | 403 | 351 | 65 |
1000 | 5.2 | 4.5 | 0.8 | 6.5 | 5.65 | 328 | 285 | 71 |
1500 | 7 | 6 | 1.6 | 4.34 | 3.78 | 219 | 190 | 76 |
2000 | 8.1 | 7 | 3.25 | 2.49 | 2.17 | 126 | 109 | 77 |
2500 | 11.1 | 9.7 | 4.6 | 2.41 | 2.1 | 122 | 106 | 83 |
3000 | 26.2 | 22.7 | 5.95 | 4.39 | 3.82 | 222 | 193 | 85 |
3500 | 31.2 | 27.1 | 6.8 | 4.59 | 3.99 | 231 | 201 | 88 |
4000 | 37.2 | 32.3 | 10 | 3.72 | 3.23 | 187 | 163 | 88 |
4500 | 41.7 | 36.3 | 12.4 | 3.36 | 2.92 | 169 | 147 | 89 |
5000 | 47.2 | 41 | 15.55 | 3.03 | 2.64 | 153 | 133 | 92 |
5500 | 50.8 | 44.1 | 18.5 | 2.74 | 2.39 | 138 | 120 | 94 |
Specifications
Length Overall | 21' / 6.40 m |
---|---|
Beam |
8' 4'' 2.54 m |
Dry Weight |
2,605 lbs. 1,182 kg |
Tested Weight |
3,698 lbs. 1,677 kg |
Draft |
12'' .30 m |
Deadrise/Transom | 16-deg. |
Max Headroom | open |
Bridge Clearance | N/A |
Fuel Capacity |
56 gal. 212 L |
Water Capacity | N/A |
Total Weight |
3,698 lbs. 1,677 kg |
Acceleration Times & Conditions
Time to Plane | 1.0 sec. |
---|---|
0 to 30 | 5.0 sec. |
Ratio | N/A |
Props | 19 P Tempest Plus |
Load | 2 persons, 1/2 fuel, no water, 50 lbs. of gear |
Climate | 74.8 deg., 72 humid.; wind: 0-0 mph; seas: calm |
Engine Options
Tested Engine |
1 x 200-hp Mercury OptiMax |
---|---|
Std. Power |
1 x 150-hp Mercury EXLPT 4-stroke |
Opt. Power |
1 x 150-hp Mercury XL OptiMax Pro XS 1 x 200-hp Mercury XL OptiMax 1 x 225-hp Mercury XL OptiMax Pro XS 1 x 200-hp Mercury XL Verado |
Warranty
Gelcoat Warranty Extended | 3-Year |
---|---|
Hull Warranty Extended | Limited Lifetime |
Captain's Report
Learn More
Watch Our Video
Overview
The 21 LTS is Mako’s largest flats boat possessing some 21’ (6.40 m) of fishable length. Additionally, she comes decently equipped at a wallet-conscious price point on a tandem-axle trailer. For power, this inshore machine is available with five different Mercury Marine power options ranging from 150-hp to 225-hp in 2- or 4-stroke versions, plus an additional five versions of trolling motors. With any of those motors, the 21 LTS should quickly get the boater to the fish and back with the brand's well-known ride quality.
Key Features
Fishonomics
The front casting deck features a wrap-around raised platform with easy clean non-skid surfacing and a helpful full-length toe kick. It also offers four deck compartments including a forward anchor locker with a removable bait tub. Two 90-quart (85.2-liter) boxes are situated on the port and starboard sides with a jumbo 136-quart (128.7 liter) box fitted in the middle. The smooth gel-coat lined compartments use stainless steel hinges and latches and gas-strut- assisted hatches. A construction detail worth noting, the bow and stern decks are both set-up with laminated aluminum backing plates for casting seat installations.
A forward console seat supplies generous padding for guests and performs discreet double-duty. The back bolster pad hinges up to reveal space for two Plano 3600 Series tackle boxes, while the seat bottom cushion gives access to a 72-quart (68.1 L) removable cooler that straps in place so it stays secure.
The narrow helm console maximizes deck space while still offering the captain a comfortable workstation. The dash is equipped with a tachometer and fuel and water-pressure gauges plus some console space to mount flat-panel displays. Controls consist of a binnacle-mount throttle/shift with trim on the lever, and a Teleflex tilt hydraulic steering set-up. There are two cup holders with a 12-volt plug nearby so a cell phone can be charged.
For comfort, the pilot and companion sit on a cushioned 94-quart (88.96 L) removable cooler that is housed in an aluminum-framed structure complete with flip-down footrest and four rod holders. The seat back is removable and can be placed at the stern to create a bench seat with a cushion that secures to the livewell hatch. This seat can be paired with the optional side jump seats to provide a flexible seating scenario for a bay cruise or for a post-fishing cold one.
The aft casting deck gives ample space for two anglers to work, plus has a 30-gallon (113.6 L) livewell with aeration system located in the sole. On either side of the livewell are two large dry storage compartments that could be good for foul weather gear and other such necessities.
Hull and Deck
Taking a look at the 21 LTS’ construction, Mako employees hand-laminate the hull, deck and one-piece fiberglass stringer system and then chemically bond together the three. The hull-to-deck joint is chemically bonded and mechanically fastened every 6” (.15 m) with stainless-steel hardware. All voids are filled with flotation foam to absorb vibration and sound, we're told by the builder. The molded helm console is mechanically and chemically fastened in place with quarter-inch aluminum backing plates. The transom is also beefed-up with a powder-coated reinforcement plate for the motor.
Performance
The Mako 21 LTS has a LOA of 21’ (6.40 m), a beam of 8’4” (2.54 m) and a draft of 12” (.30 m). With an empty weight of 2,605 lbs. (1,182 kg), 50% fuel, test power and two people on board, we had an estimated test weight of 3,698 lbs. (1,677 kg).
The 21 LTS base model comes standard with a 150 horsepower Mercury 4-stroke outboard and Mako offers the boat with four other Mercury propulsion packages. They include the supercharged 4-stroke Mercury Verado 200, or owners can choose among 2-stroke Mercury OptiMax outboards rated at 150, 200 and 225-hp, respectively.
We tested the boat
with a Mercury 200-hp OptiMax 2-stroke turning a 19” pitch stainless-steel three-blade propeller and the 21 LTS hit a top speed of 50.8 mph at 5500 rpm, burning 18.5 gph, giving her a range of 139 miles at WOT. Best cruise was 31.2 mph at 3500 rpm. The motor burned 6.8 gph, resulting in a range of 231 miles. The 21 LTS has what Mako calls the Rapid Planing System in her bottom design at the stern, and the boat accelerated to 20 mph in 3.3 seconds and to 30 mph in 5 seconds even, which should make her a capable towboat for tubing or boarding. Bow rise was minimal and our test driver maintained his sightlines throughout the process.
In maneuverability tests, the 21 LTS met every challenge we threw at her. She transitions through S turns cleanly and held her line through sweeping arcs. When we crossed wakes and wind-whipped chop, she felt solid and the wide bow flare helped knock down spray.
Pricing
Note: Pricing includes an aluminum tandem-axle trailer.
Mercury 150 EXLPT $33,995
Mercury OptiMax 150 XL $33,995
Mercury OptiMax 200 XL $36,995
Mercury OptiMax 225 XL $39,395
Mercury Verado 200 XL $40,995
Mako Assurance Warranty Program
Mako says its warranty includes--
Options to Consider
Observations
The biggest boat in the Mako flats fleet, the 21 LTS is laid out well for fishing and can cruise capably when the family wants to put away the rods. The forward casting deck is large and there’s good storage space for rods and gear beneath the hatches in the sole. The aft livewell will keep bait active and the stern deck lets anglers spread out to work a hot spot.
Cooler-top lounges in the bow and at the helm provide versatile seating and the optional cushions in the stern will come in handy for cruising. The choice of outboards lets buyers fine-tune the power to the intended use.
Finally, for the reasonable price, the tandem-axle aluminum trailer completes the package, giving buyers a turn-key rig that they can take straight to the ramp.