Overview
Experience shows 23 feet as a sweet spot for producing great wakes and waves. The redesigned Ri230 makes the spot extra-sweet. Centurion’s Opti-V hull, the updated running surface, features the deepest transom deadrise in the segment—20 degrees. This helps shape wakes and waves, and gives the Ri230 a smoother ride. With 5,400 pounds of onboard ballast, the Ri230 displaces a ton of water, further adding to towing performance. The Ri230 was chosen over bigger boats to pull at last year’s World Wakesurfing Championship.
Interior and Accessories
Centurion’s QuickSurf port and starboard transom-mounted plates deploy to create the sizable, endless waves. A centerline transom plate customizes the wave’s shape and size. Centurion’s Revo Side by Side 12-inch touchscreens allow easy control of settings. Find a setup you like, then save it to a custom profile for future use.
The Ri230’s wakesurfing waves offer a lot of push—a Centurion hallmark—with a pocket that’s easy to stay in. This is great for beginners or more-advanced riders trying new tricks. Wakeboard wakes are long and clean, especially at 65- to 75-foot rope lengths, with a smooth transition up the face.
A 5-inch touchscreen dubbed the ROV—Range of View—provides control of the bow- and transom-mount cameras, which are great for monitoring riders and swimmers, putting the boat on the trailer, and monitoring fuel-flow and trip data. In fact, no other watersports boatbuilder provides fuel-consumption data.
Engine
Equipped with a 6-liter GM Marine V-drive, the Ri230 exhibited plenty of torque to get out of the hole and up to speed for both wakesurfing and wakeboarding. The adjustable, high-back captain’s chair proved comfortable, with a flip bolster as well as swivel capabilities. The extra-large SewLong Bimini cover provides great shade. With room for 14, the Ri230 offers comfort throughout. Slide the back bench forward to convert it to rear-facing seating for watching the action. A table can be added for socializing.
Updated styling is just one more reason to check out Centurion’s Ri230.
High Points
- World-class wakes and waves in a smaller, more fuel-efficient package.
- QuickLaunch utilizes surf plates to get the Ri230 on plane quickly with minimal bow rise.
- Ramfill accounts for over 50 percent of the Ri230’s ballast and can fill in under 90 seconds.
Low Points
- Optional stern thruster is not as powerful as those found in the competition.
Toughest Competitor
- MasterCraft’s X-Star S is a 23-foot watersports boat with seating for 16. It features 4,300 pounds of ballast (with Surfstar) and comes well-equipped at $200,500.
How We Tested
- Engine: GM Marine 6.0L HO 450 hp
- Drive/Prop: V-drive/Acme 16″ x 15″ 4-blade
- Gear Ratio: 1.72:1 Fuel Load: 81 gal. Crew Weight: 360 lb.
Pricing and Specs
| Price: | $242,181 (as tested) |
|---|---|
| LOA: | 23’0″ |
| Beam: | 8’6″ |
| Draft: | 3’0″ |
| Displacement: | 5,500 lb. |
| Transom Deadrise: | 20 degrees |
| Ballast: | 5,400 lb. |
| Fuel Capacity: | 81 gal. |
| Max Power: | 450 |
| Available Power: | GM Marine engines to 450 hp |
Speed, Efficiency, Operation
Centurion Boats – Merced, California; 209-384-0255; centurionboats.com
