Alera Marine’s M25L tested extremely well. Fitted with a Mercury V-10 Verado outboard, the M25L stormed to 30 mph in 6.4 seconds and hit 52.5 mph at 6,500 rpm. Handling was tight and light; response was very sharp for a near-28-footer. The big Mercury drank fuel at 5.1 gph, which calculates to 2.7 mpg, which is good economy.
The 25-inch-diameter outer tubes are baffled and pressurized; the center 25-inch tube is fitted with storage and the fuel tank. The outer tubes are protected with Roc Guard vinyl rub rail. The superstructure is triple-channel extruded aluminum crossmembers encircled completely by a fully wrapped-around and welded rub rail. The deck is one-piece composite encapsulated Vixen Composites PET closed-cell foam board, so there are no seams in the floor.
The perimeter enclosure features an aggressive aluminum rectangular multi-angled tube perimeter surround, optioned up in Gold with Fusion White paneling insets. The extended bow deck gives plenty of space for boarding and docking access. The bow gate features a unique friction hinge to keep it open or shut. The bow section features twin facing curved and body-contoured loungers wrapped in beaqutiful Bayside Tan vinyl, with comfortable built-in armrests. Storage underneath is accessed with lift-up cushions on articulating hinges. In-floor storage is standard.
Amidships, the raised pilot’s console is vinyl-topped, with a wireless charger, a lighted storage cubby, and a concealed quick-access trash receptacle underneath. A 12-inch Simrad display is standard. No C-zone switching here—boat functions are operated with lighted toggle switches. Optional is a Roswell Spectre Powered Tower with 9.5-foot electric Bimini top and Tower Speakers. The audio upgrade features ten 8-inch speakers, an amplifier and subwoofer. Aft, there’s a large sun pad seating bed that’s configurable in several different positions for fore/aft viewing. An Air Station inflator/deflator for water toys is optional. A Lewmar articulating boarding ladder is standard.
High Points
- Bold styling and color selections make this new player stand out. It won’t be hard to identify an Alera pontoon from way across the lake.
- Nifty watersports pylon is also a fuel filler. Most might not put these two together, until it’s realized that fueling into the pylon is easier to access, with less potential for messy spillage than typical ’toons.
- Full 360-degree aluminum rail protects and stiffens the Alera’s deck, unlike others that only reinforce bow and stern.
How We Tested
- Engine: Mercury Verado 425
- Drive/Prop: Outboard/Mercury Revolution X 18″ x 20″ 4-blade stainless steel
- Gear Ratio: 1.75:1 Fuel Load: 49 gal. Crew Weight: 375 lb.
Pricing and Specs
| Price: | $184,723 (as tested); $54,000 (base) |
| LOA: | 27’6″ |
| Beam: | 8’6″ |
| Draft: | NA |
| Dry Weight: | 3,850 lb. |
| Seat/Weight Capacity: | 14/1,906 lb. |
| Fuel Capacity: | 70 gal. |
Alera Marine Group – Elkhart, Indiana; aleramarine.com
