With an invitation to Sea-Doo’s International Press Launch in Washington DC tucked safely inside his passport, Craig Barnett heads west to check out the latest jet boat to hit the luxury sports market . . .

When Sea-Doo took a look at its 2009 sports boat line-up, it identified a fairly substantial gap in the range. Between the 23-foot Challenger 230 SE and the revamped 18-footer, the 180 SE, there was nothing to tempt the entry-level jet boater to upsize a little. Well in the modern boat market, keeping hold of customers you have already won by offering them a ready-to-roll upgrade path is essential stuff, so it’s no great surprise that in 2010, we will see the birth of that long awaited gap-plugger.

At 21 feet in length, the all-new Challenger 210 SE enters a highly competitive sector of the market and, as we arrive at the centre of the political world, Washington DC, for Sea-Doo’s press launch, it’s a challenge BRP seems very confident about facing. The party line goes something like this: “When taking into account the remarkable level of standard features, innovative user-friendly inclusions and the benefits of a jet-drive over stern-drive or outboards, this craft really stands out above the chasing pack.” We immediately head for the dock on the Potomac River and set about investigating the truth behind the claim . . .

For more, see the February 2010 issue of Sports Boat and RIB magazine.