The sports car of deckboats.
by David A. Rose
While it’s certain I’ll sport a smile anytime I climb aboard a boat, I had a larger-than-usual grin on my face as I stepped onto Glastron’s new-for-2018 GTD 200.
The vessel’s iconic look — both inside and out — has Glastron’s classic style mixed in with modern designs.
As I put the motor into gear and pulled away from the dock, I imagined myself looking as cool as the late James Dean carting out onto a California roadway in a vintage sport car — minus any actual resemblance to the man himself whatsoever, mind you.
Yes, looks are everything
The GTD 200’s chic features were designed to mimic the sensation of driving a classic vehicle; you know, when even the sportiest of muscle cars of the late-1950s and ’60s had more than ample room for you, your family and friends, and all your gear. This sports car-style deckboat series — Glastron’s first deckboat line in four years — was designed to haul up to 11 passengers and still have plenty of space for water toys and essentials.
“The GTD 200 is the fiberglass answer to the aluminum pontoon boat,” says Doyle VanderPol, marketing manager for Groupe Beneteau, Cadillac. “You’re getting a lot more seating area for a lot less money, as well a safe, stable ride.”
Measuring 20 feet, 3 inches in length, with an 8-foot 6-inch beam, I found the GTD 200 to be extremely stable — even with my larger-than-it-should-be stature moving about the boat, checking every nook and cranny as the craft sat idle on the lake. But it’s not just the GTD 200’s stretch and girth that make it unwavering; it’s also the Glastron’s SSV hull that reduces rocking from side-to-side and front-to-back by acting as sponsons (a projection on the side of a boat) when the craft is at rest.
Level on the level
The day I test-drove this particular boat was less than stellar for a pleasure cruise. Fall’s first cold front was rolling through and whitecaps were roiling the surface of the inland lake we were on. The SSV hull’s wide chines, however, extend far forward. Under power, the chines created a bank of water; all of which added lift and precise, stable turns, just as it was designed to do. Even on plane, the boat was steadfast due to those wide, reverse chines.
Under the muscle of the 200-hp outboard on the particular model I was test-driving — the maximum horsepower for this particular vessel, mind you — the GTD 200 just skipped over the waves with a 45 mph top-end. The ride was not jarring and the craft never slid sideways when turning, even when skimming across the building waves. And believe me, I made some sharper-than-normal spins to test the SSV hull’s design.
I guess the best way to put it is this boat was fun to drive, even in the less than ideal conditions I was faced with.
Creature comforts
Even with the wind whipping the way it was, I was still comfortable with nothing more than light undergarments and a windbreaker, even at top-end speeds. I credited the calmness within the gunwales to the stylish, full windshield that wrapped around both the driver’s helm and passenger seating. The windshield, with its vintage-looking tilt back over the dashboards, would have kept the breeze from whipping my hair around, had I had any. I could only imagine how comfortable I would have been in perfect summer boating conditions.
Glastron also offers the GTD 200 in a single console and dual console with windscreen options, which allows this deckboat three distinct deck configurations to please anyone’s style.
But before even turning the key and starting the Evinrude on the transom, I had to get in; which, for me, is the most difficult process of any boating outing.
Glastron has made boarding and exiting this series a breeze with a multipurpose portside entry mid-ship, as well a stepping platform in its interior. The stepping platform can be turned into a fully-padded seat once everyone’s aboard.
That door was on the opposite side of the dock when I was entering it, but it wasn’t a hindrance. Thanks to the standard swim platform, I was able to comfortably enter and disembark.
Have a seat
Seating for 11 people, plus space for essentials? Yep, this deckboat has it — a 2,400-pound passenger and gear capacity, to be exact. All vinyl seats are hand-stitched and are as comfortable as can be. Moving about the craft was easy thanks to the widespread space between seating.
U-shaped bow seating is offered with an optional padded, add-in centerpiece for stretching out in the sun. There’s plenty of storage underneath each bench for your boating essentials.
Moving toward the center of the craft, storage underneath the flooring is large enough to hide wakeboards and the like, while a cooler for a day’s worth of munchies and drinks fits snug and secure within the optional portside console. Atop that same console, a sink and water spigot is present for prep and cleanup, as well as an optional bow and transom shower for rinsing spills and sandy feet.
On the starboard side, just ahead of the captain’s armchair, the GTD 200’s dashboard showcases the vintage-meets-modern look, with Glastron’s classic retro gauge tubes and switches coupled with carbon fiber paneling and smartphone storage. A four-speaker premium sound system with remote will shake, rattle and roll a boater’s world from bow to stern, while LED lighting makes finding gear a breeze as the sun sets.
Moving aft, seating is spacious, and removable backrests allow for multiple seating arrangements. There’s also more cavernous compartments under each and every seat.
Besides its cool looks and roominess, what stood out about the GTD 200 is its versatility. From all-day-on-the-water additions, such as an optional porta-potti with privacy curtain that attaches to the Bimini cover, to optional ski pylon, wakeboard tower and board racks, this is a boat that allows you to play hard yet stay comfortable sunup to sundown. There’s even accoutrements for the angler at heart with opportunities for a 24V electric trolling motor, bow casting platform, fishing seats, baitwell and fishfinder.
Boat with a cause
While it was the iconic look of the boat that induced my larger-than-usual grin, I soon figured out there was more to Glastron’s new GTD 200 than meets the eye. Comfortable, spacious, stable and multifunctional all in one. It’s what I like to call the sports car of deckboats.
DEALERS
SkipperBud’s
Grand Haven, MI
skipperbuds.com
616-842-8725
SkipperBud’s
Grand Haven, MI
skipperbuds.com
616-842-8725
Spicer’s Boat City
Houghton Lake, MI
spicersboatcity.com
989-366-8400
Specifications
- LOA: 20’3″
- Beam: 8’6″
- Draft: 18″/35″
- Weight: 3,250 lbs.
- Fuel Capacity: 40 gals.
- Water Capacity:
- Power: 200 hp
- Price: $36,000
- Website: glastron.com
Photo Courtesy of Glastron
Photo Courtesy of Glastron
Photo Courtesy of Glastron
