The Hurricane Crossifre breaks molds. Lots of molds. Sure, it’s built on the same hull of previous Hurricane deckboats. And yes, construction is traditional. No doubt, the seating layout is unsurprising. Otherwise, the Crossfire is a unique creature in the world of watersports boats.

Watch our Hurricane Crossfire 203: Video Boat Review.

Hurricane Crossfire 203 running

Running the Hurricane Crossfire 203 is pure, unadulterated fun - and thanks to the hassle-free pricing, buying one can be fun, too.



The first mold it breaks is pricing. Usually, when buying a new boat you have a starting price which rapidly grows as you check all the boxes for the options you want. Then when you see the “real” cost of the boat, you go back, do some prioritizing, and un-check a bunch of boxes. It’s not only a bummer, it’s also thoroughly confusing. But this is a non-issue with the Crossfire, because other than engine size the boat comes as you see it. You can buy the boat in the mid to upper $40,000 range, and it’ll have everything you need to launch and go.

And by “everything,” we mean everything. The standard-equipment list goes far beyond the norm, including some items that are almost always big-ticket, cost-raising extras. Take the tower, for example. Not only does it come with the boat, it comes with wakeboarding racks, “bullet” speakers, and sunshade. Or check out the helm chair. Instead of including a basic pedestal seat then offering you a pricey upgrade, the standard is a comfy flip-up bolster seat with adjustable arm rests.

crossfire 203

The Hurricane Crossfire 203 is laid out to maximize seating - and relaxing.



Some other highlights include gobs of seating with stowage underneath, a wet bar area with a sink and a removable cooler, and reboarding ladders at both the stern and the bow. When you flip up the bow hatch to look at that ladder, also take note of the anchor locker on the port side.

At the other end of the boat, swing open the deck hatch and peek underneath the deck, and you’ll see a strip covering the hull-to-deck joint. That strip is Trevira, a continuous-filament polyester that absorbs fiberglass resin and bonds to coarse surfaces better than regular fiberglass. It’s also excellent for disbursing impact forces. Put those two traits together, and the material seriously beefs up that joint, a common failure-point on lesser boats. But as you peer into the compartment you might also notice some rough fiberglass edges. On more expensive boats these probably would have been ground smooth or protected with trim, and if this were my boat, I’d do some improving here to prevent cuts and scrapes when accessing the area. The only other cost-cutting item I spotted was the plastic liner where the removable cooler slides in. Though I wish it were fiberglass, it's a very common part on many boats of this nature and is easily replaced, if necessary.

If all the big-ticket goodies and extras come standard, what exactly will you have to choose, when buying a Crossfire 203? The one big variable is the engine. Our test boat carried the max power, a 200 HP four-stroke Yamaha F200, custom-painted to match the Crossfire’s paint scheme. And, it gave us rockin’ good performance. Cruising speed was in the upper 30’s and top-end came darn close to 50 MPH, just three MPH shy of that mark. Handling was sporty, too, which isn’t always true of deckboat hulls.
Specifications
Length20'9"
Beam8'6"
Draft (hull)1'0"
Deadrise13 degrees
Displacement2,600 lbs
Fuel capacity49 gal.

Is looking at new watersports boats giving you a case of heartburn? Then you might want to check out the Hurricane Crossfire 203. If it fits the bill for your needs and desires, you’ll be even happier when you realize how easy it is to figure out the bill for owning one.

For more info, watch our Hurricane Crossfire 203: Video Boat Review.

Other Choices: The Sea Ray 21 SPX would be a competitor, though it’s more bowrider and less deckboat. The Bayliner 210 DB will also be in the running. But remember, figuring out the “real” cost for each will certainly be a bit more of a challenge than it is with the Crossfire.

For more information, visit Hurricane.

See Hurricane deckboat listings.

Written by: Lenny Rudow
With over two decades of experience in marine journalism, Lenny Rudow has contributed to publications including YachtWorld, boats.com, Boating Magazine, Marlin Magazine, Boating World, Saltwater Sportsman, Texas Fish & Game, and many others. Lenny is a graduate of the Westlawn School of Yacht Design, and he has won numerous BWI and OWAA writing awards.
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