Cruising

FLEET AND FETCHING

Chris-Craft’s spirited runabout is a looker with deep talent.

By Capt. Dave Lear

The new Capri 21 may have the classic vertical bow profile and sloped tumblehome reminiscent of your grandfather’s pride and joy at the lake cottage. But make no mistake: This particular runabout is pure 21st century. It’s a drop-dead gorgeous piece of floating machinery with powerful performance, advanced construction and digital technology to boot.

Sporting an overall length of 21 feet, 2 inches with the standard swim platform and a beam of 7 feet, 11 inches, the Capri is nimble and spirited. It rides as soft as a dogwood petal in a chop, thanks to an aggressive transom deadrise of 18º. Drawing 34 inches of water at rest, it has a fuel capacity of 34 gallons, which is ample tankage for leisurely day cruising.

The Capri’s standard propulsion package is a Mercury 5.0 MPI Alpha engine with 260 horsepower. Optional upgrades include the Mercury 350 MAG or Volvo V8-C gasoline engines. If diesel is preferred, the Volvo D3 EVC is available for an extra $22,110. Both Mercury and Volvo engines can be ordered with dual props, as well as the Digital Throttle and Shift (Mercury) or Electronic Vessel Control (Volvo) for enhanced handling, monitoring and performance capabilities.

Factory sea trials with the Volvo V8-320 horsepower engine produced an impressive data set. Cruising at 2,500 rpm, the boat made 22.4 mph with a fuel rate of 6.14 gallons per hour or an average 3.65 miles per gallon. Top speed was an eye-tearing 55.6 mph at 5,125 rpm. It only took a mere 3.75 seconds for the Capri to plane off, and the 0 to 30 mph acceleration rate is a scant 7.1 seconds. Nimble indeed!

From the starboard helm, the operator has a commanding view through the low-profile tempered glass windshield and a comfortable perch in the deep bucket seat with flip-up bolsters. The companion seat is identical, while the aft bench seat adds to the luxury comfort level.

The main dash with gauges and switches is made of custom silver perforated panels. Power-assisted tilt steering, a custom mahogany steering wheel and LCD in-dash depth finder are standard. Each boat comes with a Rockford Fosgate AM/FM CD stereo with four speakers and a subwoofer, tweeter and in-dash remote control.

Like all Chris-Crafts, the Capri 21 is meticulously built with premium materials and components. All hardware is stainless steel, and the electrical wiring is color-coded throughout with waterproof Deutsch connectors. The boat is backed by a three-year factory warranty and a five-year transferable structural warranty on the woodfree hull.

Capri 21 prices start just above $67,000 for the standard model. Buyers can opt for one of 14 vibrant colors, including metallic deep sapphire and sunburst gold, for the hull, cockpit and console paint.

There’s a nice palette for vinyl colors as well. The Heritage Edition, which includes striking teak trim galore, and the Volvo V8-C engine will run in the neighborhood of $105,250—well-equipped with dual props, EVC controls, trim tabs and a transom shower.

Chris-Craft’s Capri 21 represents the perfect blend of Cary Grant style and James Dean performance enhanced by Steve Jobs technology. Your grandfather would definitely approve.