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Ebbtide Campione 210 BR: Perormance Test

Ebbtide 210 Campione BR handles the rough stuff with uncommon ease for a 21-footer.

By Staff

December 3, 2001

The Ebbtide Campione 210 ran almost 60 mph.

You can't control the weather. That's a fact. We don't have unlimited time to test boats. That's another fact. So what happens when conditions are less than ideal for testing, but time is running out? Simple answer: We get out there and test, even if that means running a 21'-long, 8'6"-inch bow rider in 2- to 4-foot seas.

That's a perfect description of the Ebbtide 210 Campione BR and the conditions, off Captiva Island, Fla., in which we tested it. To our pleasant surprise—maybe even relief—it turned out to be no problem. In fact, it was kind of fun.

Base price for the 210 Campione BR with a MerCruiser 5.0-liter engine is $24,207. Options, notably an upgrade to a MerCruiser 350 Magnum MPI, boosted the as-tested price to $32,282.

Performance

Straightforward and simple, the 20-degree hull of the 210 Campione BR had a modified V-pad keel, negative chines and after-planes. The bottom had two full-length strakes.

Combined with the 300-hp engine with an Alpha drive twirling a Mercury Laser II 14'' x 19'' three-blade stainless-steel propeller through a 1.47:1 reduction, that simple hull proved simply dazzling in water that would keep most 21-footers at the dock. Winds gusting to 20 mph did nothing to blow the 210 Campione BR off track. The bow rider took the 2- to 4-footers head-on, quartering and following with surprising ease.

At one point, our lead test driver launched the boat off a 4-foot swell. "We must have been 6 feet in the air," he said, "and we landed flat and soft, just like an offshore boat."

The 3,175-pounder proved as nimble as it was solid. Once we found water smooth enough for agility testing, the boat earned perfect scores in slalom turns at 20, 30 and 40 mph. It held a crisp line without wavering or bobbling in cruising and full-speed circles, and when it came time to slow down, even abruptly, it never deviated from course.

Top speed for the 210 Campione BR was 56.2 mph, but our speed-run conditions (1- to 3-foot chop) weren't ideal. In smooth water, the bow rider might well be a few miles an hour faster.

Time to plane was 4.2 seconds. Standing-start acceleration numbers did justice to the engine upgrade, because the boat hit 22 mph in three seconds and 54 mph in 15 seconds. The 210 Campione was stout in midrange drills, shooting from 20 to 40 mph in 5.4 seconds and 30 to 50 mph in 6.3 seconds.

Workmanship

Accented with graphics, the two-tone gelcoat exhibited plenty of shine and pop, and the mold work was devoid of dimples or waves. To protect this snazzy exterior, the manufacturer installed a brawny rubrail.

The open bow area was cozy but well padded.

The boat was all handlaid. Deck lamination included 1-ounce mat, 1 1/2-ounce mat, Coremat, BTI XM2415 bias ply and 18-ounce woven roving. The bottom was laid up with 1-ounce mat, 1 1/2-ounce mat and 24-ounce roving. A blend of these materials and others were used in the hullsides and transom.

Not lacking for hardware, the 201 Campione BR had an array of pieces starting with a nav light ahead of the anchor locker on the nose. A stainless-steel handrail topped the gunwale on each side of the open-bow seating area. The manufacturer aligned all the screw heads for those rails, as well as the boat's four cleats.

The walk-through windshield was well installed. Rounding out the hardware group was an anchor light receptacle on the transom, a ski-tow eye and grab handle, and a fold up ladder above the integrated swim platform.

Secured by gas struts, the engine hatch raised near vertical. Inside the compartment, the motor was installed with lag bolts driven into the stringers and the standard transom assembly. Wiring was adequately supported and logically routed.

Interior

In the Campione BR's open bow, we found a semi-circular lounge. Under the bottom cushions was stowage and an ice chest.

Two bucket seats and a rear bench comprised the cockpit seating arrangements.

The entire sole of the boat was richly carpeted, which would make moving from the open bow to the cockpit easy on bare feet. In the cockpit, there were swiveling bucket seats, separated by an in-sole ski locker. A grab handle on the port gunwale was within reach of the co-pilot.

Helm station instruments were mounted in a simulated woodgrain panel.

The driver's bucket had a flip-up bottom, which can be a plus come docking time. The steering wheel at the helm tilted, and the Mercury throttle/shifter was set on the starboard gunwale. Simulated woodgrain dash panels for the Faria gauges gave the helm a luxurious look and feel.

Cockpit stowage options included the aforementioned ski locker, which was large enough to hold a wakeboard or kneeboard, and gunwale trays. There also was a stowage area under the bottom cushion for the bench seat, aft of which was a one-person sunpad.

Skiing

Because of its soft wakes and solid pull, our ski tester dubbed the Campione "one of the best runabout ski boats" of the 2001 Performance Trials. Our wakeboarder was less enthused by the boat's wakes, rating them average. However, both testers gave the boat top marks for drivability and agility at pickup time.

Overall

We would have loved to get the 210 Campione BR in smooth water, but it really didn't matter. The bow rider performed well and felt solid in bad conditions. Even in the rough stuff, this is one smooth operator.

Test Results

Hull and Propulsion Information

Deadrise at transom	20 degrees
Centerline	20'10"
Beam	8'6"
Hull weight	3,175 pounds
Engine	MerCruiser 350 Magnum MPI
Cylinder type	V-8
Cubic-inch displacement/horsepower	350/300
Lower-unit gear ratio 1.47:1
Propeller	Mercury Laser II 14" x 19"

Pricing

Base retail	$24,007
Price as tested	$32,282

Standard Equipment

Battery tray, bilge blower, automatic bilge pump, AM/FM cassette, carpet, insulated cooler with drain, built-in cupholders, tilt steering wheel, glove box, speedometer, tach, water temp., oil pressure, fuel, voltmeter, trim gauge, courtesy lights, driver and passenger adjustable bucket seats, rear bench seat, nav lights, ski tow, stainless-steel bow and stern eyes, anchor rope compartment, stainless-steel rails and cleats, hand-laminated deck and hull, dura-core construction.

Options on Test Boat

Upgrade to MerCruiser 350 Magnum MPI engine ($5,700), Captain's Call exhaust ($1,025), cockpit and bow covers ($475), stainless-steel gunwale ($275), flip-up bolster buckets ($250), depth gauge ($175), CD with remote ($175).