270 SS Bowrider - Crownline Boats

boat test
Crownline
270 SS Bowrider
Brawn,
meet beauty.
photos courtesy of crownline
by Lynda Wheatley
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february 2016
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SPECS
Crownline
270 SS
Bowrider
Specifications
LOA: 27'3"
Beam: 8'6"
Fuel Capacity: 55 gals
Max Power: 430 hp
Base Price:
Contact dealer
Crownline.com
M
y mother has a theory about quality in cars. The sticker price, the promotion, the bluster
and bombast of the salesperson preaching the vehicle’s virtues — she says any buyer worth
their salt will ignore the noise and focus instead on the telltale sign of quality: the doors. If they shut
with the decisive whoomp of a refrigerator door, that weighty, near-soundless seal of resounding
finality, a person could bet the manufacturer took care in all aspects of the car, from engine to ignition.
But as I step past the chrome-trimmed walk-thru gate and down into the gleaming interior of
Crownline’s new model bowrider, the 270 SS, it occurs to me that Mom’s theory — so far fail-safe
for more than 20 years of car purchases — isn’t particularly helpful in the world of boats.
Do I look to the distinctive double-hull band gelcoat design on this 27-foot, 3-inch beauty? The
patented F.A.S.T. Tab hull that not only looks sexy but also minimizes drag and launches the boat
to plane in a blink? Or do I meditate a minute on the maximum horsepower — a hair-a’flying 430
— this ride brings to the water?
No, I won’t. I’ll be honest with you. Those features, all wonderful and fine, aren’t what captivate
me about the Crownline 270 SS. While I appreciate the model’s undeniably sleek, sparkly body and
the power that goes with it, what I truly love about this boat is the countless thoughtful touches that
elevate it from a simply gorgeous boat to an amazing boating experience.
Fact is, the 270 SS does double duty. It’s first and foremost designed for fast action: waterskiing,
wakeboarding, tubing and firing out from dock to Dad’s “they’re biting right now!” fishing spot of
the hour. But the boat offers much more than mere muscle, delivering features galore to those who
want nothing more than to tool around the water all day in max-relax mode.
Storage, galore
Few things frustrate me as much as tripping over tangled piles of gear every time you move fore
and aft. Which is why I’m close to squealing when I see the amount of storage on this Crownline.
Uber deep storage areas with easy-to-clean, spray-in liners are standard beneath the entire J-shaped
stern seating. Another massive amount of storage space awaits under the bow seating, plus an easily
accessible locker for your anchor and lines.
If, by chance, all that space doesn’t suffice for your family’s water toy collection, you’ll also find a
super-sized ski locker. Besides being generously spacious, the locker sports a clever built-in drawer
that neatly and easily hides away the boat’s optional cockpit table. None of the aforementioned storage
spaces need to share space with your cooler; a 25-gallon cooler is easily accessible under the hinged
seat for two, set behind the captain’s bucket seat.
The out of sight, out of mind zen extends to the head, which is so well hidden in plain sight of the
co-captain’s chair that I didn’t realize it was even there. Once opened, a quick swivel of the dash revealed
a short but well-appointed hideaway for all essential business, thanks to its attractive cabinetry, sink,
screened portlight window, toilet and a hand-held shower with excellent pressurized water system.
Seating for all
As a studied and certified master relaxer (read: lazy), I’m pretty picky about lounge-ability on boats. I
sometimes find that sport boats — in their zeal for speed, strength and sexiness — come up short on
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comfort. Not the 270 SS. In addition to the as-expected cushy
bucket seats with flip-up bolsters for captain and co-captain, this
boat treats passengers’ backs and bottoms right. Incidentally,
thanks to a 102-inch beam and smart design, this 27-footer
can comfortably fit up to 12 backs and bottoms.
The aforementioned J-wrap cockpit seating features
ergonomic seat backs. The plump bow seats feature a kind
of hot tub seating in which the cushion curves to the shape
of the sprawled-out body above. And my personal favorite,
the transom’s electric sun lounge seat, which, with the
touch of a button, angles the back up or down and ensures
you’ve always got the best, most comfortable view of your
skier, the sun, or (my preference) the inside of your eyelids.
Fancy factor
Finally, the fancy factor — those tiny touches of luxury and
convenience that, sure, you can do without but are nice to
have. The 270 SS delivers. Stainless steel trim and accents
in spades, a moonrock steering wheel with polished spokes,
a touchscreen Raymarine MFD with engine data display,
sundeck shocks, lid shocks, a booming Jensen Marine stereo
with six speakers throughout, a bonus 36-quart cooler and
more are all standard.
What isn’t standard? A highly recommended cockpit
galley. It would replace the additional seating behind the
captain’s chair but bring to the party a stainless steel sink
and faucet, solid surface counter and finished storage space
or cockpit fridge — in my estimation, a worthwhile trade.
While I can’t rightly judge a boat based on Mom’s theory,
I can safely say that, behind the wheel, the 270 SS feels and
rides like quality should: quick to plane, stable in its turns and
smooth as my most nervous passenger, Mom, would require.
That being said, my own bluster and bombast aside, the
270 SS is likely to meet the expectations of any crew with
multiple needs. Sleek, with enough power for skis and
boards, and enough luxury for living large with the party
crew or lounging with a novel and bobber, this bowrider,
I’d say, lacks nothing except maybe a door.
But truth be told, even if it had one, I’d get in and shut
it happily behind me — no matter how it sounded. H
Bring the Party
It’s often said that good things come in small
packages, and the 225 SS is a testament to that. A
feisty 22-foot, 3-inch fireplug with 102-inch beam, this
new model in the Crownline lineup is a super-sport
Crownline
machine with mega party appeal. Expansive seating
225 SS
comes courtesy of an L-shaped cockpit with lots of
Specifications
legroom (plus filler seat at the side walk-thru), bench
and bow seating, aft-facing sundeck lounge seat
LOA: 22'3"
with adjustable back and a passenger perch that flips
Beam: 8'6"
forward and back for spotting or chilling.
Draft (up): 24.5"
What really amps up the 225 SS experience is its
Weight (dry):
Jensen Marine Audio system and the outstanding sound
4,690 lbs.
it pumps through its SIX speakers — and, quite frankly,
Fuel Capacity: 43 gals
into your bones. Though dancing is harder in the water,
Max Power: 350 hp
it’s nearly impossible to avoid, thanks to a social swim
Base Price:
Contact dealer
transom that features two crankin’ speakers, both of
which can be upgraded to Wet Sounds speakers. Just
Crownline.com
an easy arm’s length from the sundeck is a molded-in
25-quart cooler; an integrated cooler also awaits under
the portside bench seat. Ample gear storage and stylish
features are found throughout. All accoutrements considered,
swimsuits aboard the 225 SS are mandatory.
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