Robalo R230 Boat Review

Let's take a closer look at the Robalo R230 in this boat review.

The R230 finds the balance between family comfort and fishability in the perfect entry sized boat for offshore. This model is sized to get you offshore safely and easy enough to manage single-handedly. For a young family in the market for their first offshore boat or a seasoned boater in search of a single engine center console that won't break the bank- the R230 packs a lot of features into 23 feet, especially at this price point.

The division of space between the forward seating bow and its 3-way convertible dining table to sun lounge to casting deck configuration- and the unique fishing cockpit arrangement show off this models versatility. By arranging your foredeck in either the open deck or flush elevated casting deck style, the bow becomes an extension of the fishing themed cockpit. The cockpit combines a traditional sunken deck behind the leaning post, with an aft casting platform that is part extra wide full transom gunwale and part raised casting deck. This rear deck features three across lifting hatches that when folded down, allow you to sit facing the stern with your feet on the rear platform.

The upper level of the rear hatches when deployed creates a padded backrest. The padded seats below them form the backbone of the interior hatches below deck. Raising the rear hatches reveals a 25-gallon live well to port, bilge and battery access in the center and a lift out bucket storage compartment to starboard.

The performance numbers on the R230 are very competitive in her class. With a single Yamaha 250 she offered her best fuel economy at 30 mph coming in at a hair under 3 MPG loaded down and fighting the tide. Our test day started out breezy but perfect for a real look at what you might expect when the ocean kicks up. In sloppy 3-foot seas the R230 settled in to a sweet MPH spot in the low 20's yet handled it fine when we added power and got closer to upper 20's.

Robalo's “Hydro-Lift” multi-angle hull design terminating at 20-degrees did an admirable job at keeping everyone comfortable in the slop while enabling us to stay on plane through the lower end of the speed range.

Robalo R230

Length: 23'-0"

Beam: 8'-6"

Draft: 19”

Deadrise: 20 degree

Weight: 4000 dry

Max HP: 250

Fuel: 90

Base price: $67,195-

www.robalo.com