Hi, I'm Captain Tripp with Boat Test
and we're aboard Robalo's 246 Cayman.
They tell us this is their most popular
boat in their whole lineup.
There's a lot of features
that Robalo has packed into this boat
and I'm excited to show you why this boat is so popular.
He gets up to speed nicely.
Bow drops down on plane really quick.
Ration test. The time to plane was 4.8 seconds, zero
to 20 mile per hour.
Took 5.7 seconds
and zero to 30 miles per hour was achieved in 8.3 seconds.
Very responsive.
Oh yeah,
this is fun.
I like it. She's just dancing on the water
and we'll do a little broad turn here.
Throw us a wake in there with it
man.
He's holding. As he becomes wakes on the side nice
and easy, open her
up like a dream.
This 246 is powered by Yamaha 300 V six
with an optional jack plate.
Her prop geometry was a 15
and a quarter by 18 by three saltwater series two prop.
The Robalo 246 Cayman boasts an overall length
of 24 foot six inches.
A beam measuring nine foot
and a draft of 16 inches with a motor raised.
Its empty weight stands at 5,100 pounds on our test stay
with half a tank of fuel and two people on board.
Our estimated test weight was 6,302 pounds,
powered by a single Yamaha 300 V six motor
that peaked out at 5,900 RPM.
We achieved a top speed of 48.5 miles per hour.
The optimal cruising speed was found at 3,500 RPM
registering 28.2 miles per hour.
This speed, the fuel consumption was 8.6 gallons per hour
translating to 3.28 miles per gallon.
This gives us a range of 265 statute miles while factoring
in a 10% fuel reserve from the boat's 90
gallon fuel capacity.
We had minimal chop on our testing day,
but we did experience some larger boat wakes
that they Cayman handled with ease.
I found the boat steady while on her way,
responsive when she needs to be
and experienced no prop ventilation.
Knowing that this is a shallow draft vessel
with less dead rise, she doesn't bank as hard in turns
and in an aggressive higher speed turn.
Full control is easily maintained
and there's just a bit of slide that's to be expected
with such a shallow draft hull design.
Although the Cayman is engineered to be a bay boat,
I wouldn't hesitate to take her offshore on the right days.
Now let's take a look at the details of this boat.
Let's talk about the hem From here.
You have great visibility through your flat tempered glass
and an integrated T top,
which is integrated into the console
so it's not protruding into the
aisles where you're trying to pass by.
The T top is obviously over-engineered for a bay boat,
but that's what I like to see
and we have an oversized top on it that provides more shade.
A lot of times in a bay boat you're always fighting over
that little bit of shade in the evening or in the mornings.
It's great to be able to share it with everyone aboard.
Note that there's an open space
above the windshield for a breeze.
Four of our rod holders are located on the back
of the T top along with spreader lights.
We also have an e-box overhead in the T top.
Have a nice sturdy stainless steel adjustable wheel
and our 12 inch Simrad screen that is custom flush mounted
In both port and starboard.
We find our backlit stainless steel switches
with the appropriate fuse nearby.
We also have controls for our trim tabs, 12 volt outlet,
a wireless phone charger, dual USBs
and our Clarion head unit for our stereo system,
two stainless cup holders, glove box keys,
and our Yamaha engine screen along with our engine controls.
Now our Robalo has chosen
to use a silicone based material for their upholstery.
This stuff resists mold and mildew
and it's gonna be looking new longer
than your traditional vinyl.
They also give us sturdy flip-up armrests
and a side cushion, so if you're passing by
or just leaning against this
here, you're nice and comfortable.
They also give us flip-up bolsters on each seat as well as
a molded-in footrest
with two different positions depending on your comfort level
and a Robalo branded anti-fatigue mat.
Along the backrest of our leaning posts,
we have four rod holders Under our helm seat.
Not only has Robalo given us a custom cooler,
but they've solved a common problem.
They have latches here that secure the cooler, so
as you're underway it's not drifting back
and out from under the seat.
Man, I've needed that so many times.
Looking at our cap rails, I'm happy
to see how wide these are.
These are 10 inches which allows you
to actually walk all the way around the boat
and we also find Robalo's black caulk, which is just a sign
of excellent craftsmanship
and then nice padded bolsters
with their silicone upholstery, which has many advantages.
Then underneath we have two rod holders as well as a plug
for a battery charger and I do like to see the padding here
for your reel so they're not scuffing up your boat.
Probably my favorite thing about the boat aside from its
overall look is the access to the bilge.
It's great to see such ease of access
to all of our important components.
When it comes to maintenance, there's a lot
to like in this mechanical compartment.
First note that the battery switch is handy
and has dual crossover for the two standard batteries,
which are conveniently located to make removing as easy
as possible and they're securely strapped down.
Second, all the electrical wires are sheathed in
tubes to prevent chafing.
Finally, my arm is long enough to reach in
and turn off both the through hole ball valves.
As I've come to expect throughout the boat,
we have quality components
and that shows in this full stainless gas
support with a safety latch.
Right now we're in casting deck mode with plenty of room,
maybe even for two anglers up here,
but if you want the best ride in the house in rough seas
and you have plenty of seating for two adults
or three children coming from the stern,
the first thing you're gonna notice is we have two
compartments, one on each side for a five gallon bucket.
Great place just for your nasty things
or maybe your cast net.
And one thing I really like about the Robalo line is their use
of tension hinges on almost all of their hatches.
And these are great because wherever you open your hatch to,
it's gonna hold it in place so it's not banging around,
slamming around, and you're not worried about a gas
strut breaking on you.
Just a really great premium feature.
We also find rod holders, port
and starboard as well as stainless steel pop-up cleats
and coming a little farther forward,
we find stainless cup holders, both port and starboard.
We also have these large oversized live wells, again,
with the tension hinges
and I like that they have put a molded divider in here,
so if you have different baits you can keep them
so they're not arguing with each other.
I also like the fact knowing
that the live wells are both insulated
to keep your beta alive longer on those hot days,
Something that Robalo has done
with their bay boats is the forward seating.
They actually recessed it down.
Normally you just find cushion snapped on top
of the casting platform, so now if you're riding along,
maybe you hit a wave real quick.
The kids aren't just gonna slip over the side,
it's gonna keep 'em on board,
and we have padding that's curved
along the edges of the seating.
Another Thing that Robalo does in the fit
and finish category would be they
finish underside of their hatches.
I appreciate seeing so many rod holders aboard this boat,
especially nice and protected like they are here.
Then we have, of course our paddle latches with Robalo,
which I, I do enjoy
because I could just go up underneath the latch
and lift up versus having to fumble underneath my cushion,
mess up my snaps to get to my turn latch
and having these removable back rests make this a great
place to lounge maybe
during the day when you're cruising in smooth water,
you also have cup holders
and some of your JL audio custom speakers
and something else that Robalo gives us is a removable
table that can be placed here
with our short leg in and our additional cushion.
This converts to a large sun pad,
but it can also be lowered down to the level of our hatches.
We can remove our cushions
and it creates a large extra casting deck
and under our hatch here we find a live well
with our tension hinges.
Now sunk about this live well that Robalo does is we have
our Yeti style plugs.
This is a lot better in your traditional rubber
plugs you're trying to get in there.
It just never work, right?
This, you know it's gonna be working when you screw it in.
Just for that, we find our anchor locker as well
as two eight inch bow cleats.
Robalo managed to fit ahead under the console
of this 24 foot boat
and one of the ways they did is
by incorporating this forward facing entryway.
This approach is one we don't often see, but it makes entry
and egress a lot easier than
a door on the side of the console.
Our test boat is set up for storage,
but the is room for a portable toilet.
Robalo is one of those manufacturers that allows you to build
and price their boats right on their website.
It could save you some money
and make sure you get the experience you're looking for.
For example, Robalo gives you a choice
of eight haul gel coat colors.
You have the choice of a 250 or 300 horsepower engine
and hydraulic or digital steering,
and having tested her with a 300 horsepower
engine, we know what she'll do.
You also have a choice
of seven three tone upholstery color schemes.
Pick your favorite at no charge.
The T top is an option
and as I mentioned, everyone should have one.
This one is particularly well done
with the integrated glass windshield powder-coated aluminum
supports robust build.
I think it's worth the money if you want
to keep the glare down on your windshield.
Consider one of the seven dark tones for the overhead
of the T Top White is standard.
Robalo will install an optional multifunctional display
and the related wiring as well as sonar for just over $5,000
If you want to have a stereo on your boat.
My experience is don't even think about doing that yourself.
The wire runs and connections are problematic on A DIY job
and Robalo has worked with JL Audio to work out the best setup
and placement for Excellent Audio
Robalo will install a Minekota trolley motor for you
for $4,000.
Trim tabs are needed in most center consoles for balance
and the price is right.
Finally, the 246 Cayman comes standard
with a tandem axle trailer.
That's about it for our buyer's advice,
but no matter what you decide, you'll have a boat
with good bones under you.
That's our features walkthrough
and performance evaluation of Robalo's 246 Cayman.
I'm Captain Tripp Smith with Boat Test
and remember, life's better on a boat.