Rinker thought it was time for a sporty, family-priced boat aimed at the middle-class enthusiast when it penciled up the MTX 210. We scanned its broad bow and the sleek profile, taking in the luxury appointments, and decided even before we drove it that the 210 was a bull’s-eye for price- and fuel-conscious boaters.
Inside we found luxurious seating and a walk-through transom for easy boarding. Even the bow offers easy access, with a nonskid step. We can’t lump the MTX into the growing group of “pickle-fork bow” rigs. This one smoothes out the bumps to give the bow a streamlined wedge that appealed to us.
To improve the stability at rest and increase the passenger capacity, Rinker carried the chines forward in a wider angle, giving the boat a broad “wrestler’s” stance at rest. But on plane, the MTX lifts out of the water and cleaves chop on a sporty deep V-bottom. It has stability at rest and sure-footed speed on the fly.
Rinker set up two MTX 210s for our testing. With a bigger load and a top-end-robbing five-blade prop on the 5.0-liter engine, we lost a little more than 3 mph against our test with the MerCruiser 350 Mag Bravo 3. Every nudge of the 5.0 liter’s throttle gave back satisfying acceleration, and the power curve was nearly identical to the 350 Mag. We’d love to see the smaller engine setup with a three- or four-blade prop, which we think would give greater top speed, making the 5.0-liter engine ideal in terms of performance and economy.
Key Note: This sleek 21-footer is for the family boater who needs to accommodate kids and friends, yet haul it with the family vehicle.
Standout Features
• A wide cockpit with a wraparound aft seat gives plenty of comfortable seating.
• Rinker put a new emphasis on fit and finish with high-quality stainless-steel fittings and trim.
• Digital throttle and shift is standard with MerCruiser engine selections.
Vital Stats
* Length Overall: 21′
* Beam: 8′
* Dry Weight: 4,100 lb.
* Seating Capacity: 10 people
* Fuel Capacity: 39 gal.
* Maximum HP: 320
* MSRP (test boat w/ MerCruiser 5.0L MPI Alpha): $34,500
* NMMA Certified: Yes
Test Drive
* Test Engine: MerCruiser 5.0L MPI Alpha
* Test Prop: 19-inch stainless, 5-blade
* Test Load: People (425 lb.); Fuel (30 gal.)
* Minimum Planing Speed: 15 mph @ 2,700 rpm
* Top Speed: 48.2 mph @ 5,000 rpm
* Time to Plane: 3.2 sec.
* Time to 30 MPH: 8.5 sec.
