Solid, quiet and fast ¨C this 18-footer has what it takes for all day boating.

Paul Larson started building wooden boats in Little Falls, Minnesota in 1913. A lot of water has flowed down the Mississippi since then and everything about boat building has changed. The materials, the power, the shape of the hull, and even the demands of the boaters have all evolved into something Paul Larson would barely recognize. Yet, when you step into one of the boats that bears his name, the Larson SEi 180, you can almost feel that 93-year heritage.

It¡¯s one of the boats we tested at New Ark Marina on Lake Muskoka in the fall, and she slips into the Muskoka waters beautifully. It's a relative small boat, at 17 feet, six inches, but she feels like something much larger.

Larson puts a lot into this bow rider. In the bow section, under the seating for two, is nicely finished storage. In the cockpit, the bucket helm and companion seats combine with the bench across the transom to provide seating for up to eight people. There¡¯s more storage under the aft bench and in the sole. The open space in the cockpit boasts deep pile Berber carpeting. It¡¯s an option that adds a touch of luxury.

On the subject of options, there are a few things you can add to this SEi. For instance, the Roswell Wakeboard tower and accompanying reinforcement turn it into a tow boat for wakeboarders. There is, by the way, a towing ring for skiers that comes standard.

Open the engine compartment and you find more room for storage on either side of the engine, although it would be nice to see some kind of compartments to separate the storage from the 4.3-litre MerCruiser MPI. This is a 220 horsepower engine and had lots of get up and go.

The MerCruiser purrs quietly abaft when you start her up. She handles herself well at idle, so docking and meandering down channels is easy. Out in open water she shines. The Larson SEi came up on plane in a little more than four seconds and hit a top speed of 49.5 miles per hour at 4,900 rpm¨C she¡¯ll do more than that with some time on the engine. The top speed was 41.2 mph at 4,200 rpm with the trim all the way down.

Bopping along at top speed, she showed her the precision and sophisticated of Larson¡¯s VEC construction process. The SEi was quiet, sure footed and while taking her own wake in stride, there wasn¡¯t a rattle or any flexing. This is a solid craft. It stayed on plane for six-and-half seconds when I cut the throttles at top speed. It just eased down into the water without diving or falling back. Back on plane, she cruised nicely at 22 mph at 2,400 rpm.

Overall, the Larson SEi is a very dependable craft with performance and efficiency to keep you on the water all day.

Specifications
LOA (centerline): 17'6"/5.33m
Beam: 7'9"/2.36m
Dry Weight (w/base engine): 2.365 lbs./1,072 kg
Deadrise: 21 degrees
Draft: na
Fuel Capacity: 23 gal/87 L
Power as Tested: 220 hp 4.3 L MerCruiser MPI
Base Price: $22,183w/MerCruiser 190hp 4.3L

Prices Supplied By: Larson Boats
Little Falls, Minnesota (800) 452-4834 www.larsonboats.com (Page Top)