In recent times center console boats and bowriders have come to dominate the market in the 18’ to 28’ range, and once-popular walkaround boats are now few and far between. Different people have different answers as to why: maximizing open space, versatility, and the fact that day-boating is more popular than overnighting so the cabin isn’t necessary, are some of the common reasons we hear all the time. But, what if you could create a walkaround that didn’t lose the bow cockpit to a cabin enclosure? What if you could still manage to design in that enclosed cabin with a head and sleeping accommodations? Most people would say it just isn’t possible, but Solara says check out the new S250 CW.
Solara S250 CW Design
The S250 CW follows a similar blueprint as its larger sibling, the Solara S310 CW. It’s sort of a meld between center console, dual console, and walkaround. The boat has a centered steering station, but the console extends to port all the way to the boat’s gunwale. On the starboard side there’s a deck-level walkaround-style side deck, and in front of the console the boat has an open bow compartment no different than you’d expect to see on a dual console or bowrider.
The net result? Extending the console to one side expands the console cabin area quite a bit, yet the only open deck space being sacrificed is a port-side side deck. You still have an easy walkway going forward, but you don’t have to cap off the bow to get a cabin. And when it comes time for docking along the port side there are steps molded in and a (narrow) side deck you can use to tend the lines. Aft of the console, meanwhile, nothing changes and you have the big, open cockpit a center console design provides.
Solara S250 CW Comfort Features
The most unusual comfort-providing aspect of this design is surely the fact that you get a relatively spacious cabin without losing the open bow cockpit. Down below you’ll discover 6’2” of headroom, a lounge/berth with room for a couple to overnight, a fixed head hidden under a seat, a mini-galley with a sink, additional stowage areas, and fishing rod stowage racks. It’s everything you’d expect from a walkaround cuddy cabin in this size range.
Getting the bow cockpit along with this cabin seems like a huge bonus. It has a forward-facing seat in front of the console and two center-facing loungers along the sides, with enough open deck space that an angler could cast from up here, too. When it’s cocktail hour, a drop-in pedestal cocktail table sits between the two forward seats. And if beaching the boat is in your plans you’ll be happy to find the folding bow ladder that swings out for easy entry and egress without so much as getting your feet wet.
In the aft cockpit, comfort perks include an electric grill, a refrigerator, and a transom shower. Folding seating pops down out of the transom and gunwale, and the entire deck is padded with EVA foam. There’s a pop-up ski pylon for giving the kids thrill rides on tow-toys plus a multi-zone Fusion stereo system for enjoying some tunes while you’re playing on the water. Speaking of the kids, they’ll love discovering USB charging ports at the helm.
It’s critical to note that all of this stuff comes standard — even a bow thruster, a Garmin 8612xsv MFD, and sun shades for both the bow and the stern cockpit are included on the stock features list. When you shop the S250 CW may seem pricey at first, but when you break out the calculator and add all these same features to other boats that call them price-adding options, you’ll discover that apples-to-apples it’s not as pricey as it seems.
Solara S250 CW Fishing Features
The Solara is designed for multi-activity use, and fishing plays a prominent role in the possibilities. There are plenty of rod holders, with nine flush-mounts (three in the bow), and six rocket launchers on the hard top. The launchers are clamp-ons. A livewell lives in the transom alongside a rigging sink. Additional perks include a raw water washdown, spreader lights on the hard top, downrigger ball holders under the gunwales, and a four-box tackle station in the leaning post.
Solara S250 CW Performance
Both times we were aboard the S250 CW it was blocked in place in a boat show so we weren’t able to run the boat, and there aren’t yet any third-party tests publishing the performance figures. However, we reached out to Solara and according to the manufacturer, with the F300 Yamaha outboard on the transom factory test data shows that the boat cruises at around 35 mph at 4500 rpm. At that speed, economy is around 2.3 mpg. And at wide-open throttle and 6000 rpm, top speed is around 50 mph.
Solara S250 CW Specifications
- Length Overall: 29’2” (incl. outboard)
- Beam: 8’6”
- Weight: 6,300 lbs.
- Draft (min.): 1’7”
- Max HP: 300
- Fuel Capacity: 116 gal.
- Water Capacity: 26 gal.
If you love the versatility of a center console, the bow cockpit of a bowrider or dual console, and the comfort of having a cabin, up until now you’d have to buy three different boats to check all of those boxes. The Solara S250 CW, however, proves that you can fit all of the above into one hull.
See Solara S250 CW boats for sale on Boat Trader.