Access More Boat Tests
Already have an account? Login
Everglades 253CC (2019-)
1 x 300-hp Yamaha four-stroke V
Price
See the price by becoming
a BoatTEST member.
Members Must Log In
Brief Summary
The Everglades 253CC is a 24'9" (7.54 m) deep-v center console with hybrid bay/offshore boat characteristics. Our test boat came with a Yamaha 300-hp four-stroke outboard, fishing amenities to please most anglers, and enough seating to entertain friends and family.
Key Features
- Deep v-hull
- Lifetime hull warranty and 3 year component warranty
- Yamaha 300-hp outboard
- Seastar Optimus power steering
- Patented tempered safety glass hydraulic drop-down windshield
- Hardtop
- 8-person (2,800 lbs.) capacity
- Lighted circulating livewell
- Head compartment
Test Results
RPM | MPH | Knots | GPH | MPG | NMPG | STAT. MILE | NM | dBa |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
600 | 3 | 2.6 | 0.6 | 5 | 4.3 | 450 | 391.3 | 63 |
1000 | 4.7 | 4 | 1.2 | 3.9 | 3.4 | 349 | 303.3 | 66 |
1500 | 6.7 | 5.8 | 2 | 3.3 | 2.9 | 299 | 260.2 | 71 |
2000 | 8.2 | 7.1 | 3.4 | 2.4 | 2.1 | 220 | 191.6 | 75 |
2500 | 9.6 | 8.3 | 5.4 | 1.8 | 1.5 | 159 | 138.4 | 79 |
3000 | 13.8 | 12 | 7.2 | 1.9 | 1.7 | 172 | 149.5 | 84 |
3500 | 19.8 | 17.2 | 8.8 | 2.3 | 2 | 203 | 176.6 | 85 |
4000 | 27.1 | 23.6 | 12.2 | 2.2 | 1.9 | 201 | 174.6 | 86 |
4500 | 32.6 | 28.3 | 15.8 | 2.1 | 1.8 | 186 | 162 | 84 |
5000 | 36.6 | 31.8 | 19 | 1.9 | 1.7 | 174 | 150.9 | 82 |
5500 | 41.1 | 35.7 | 25.6 | 1.6 | 1.4 | 144 | 125.6 | 85 |
5650 | 42.6 | 37 | 26.4 | 1.6 | 1.4 | 146 | 126.5 | 85 |
Specifications
Length Overall |
24' 9" 7.54 m |
---|---|
Beam |
8' 6" 2.59 m |
Dry Weight |
5,250 lbs. 2,381 kg |
Tested Weight |
6,550 lbs. 2,971 kg |
Draft |
28'' 0.71 m |
Max Headroom | open |
Bridge Clearance |
8' 6" 2.59 m |
Weight Capacity | 2,800 lbs. (1,270 kg) |
Person Capacity | 8 |
Fuel Capacity |
100 gal. 379 L |
Water Capacity |
20 gal. 76 L |
Total Weight |
6,550 lbs. 2,971 kg |
Acceleration Times & Conditions
Time to Plane | 3.8 sec. |
---|---|
0 to 30 | 10.2 sec. |
Ratio | N/A |
Props | 16T 15 1/2 SWS 2 |
Load | 2 persons, 1/2 fuel, no water, 50 lbs. of gear |
Climate | 92 deg., 80 humid.; wind: 10-15 mph; seas: 1 |
Engine Options
Tested Engine |
1 x 300-hp Yamaha four-stroke V |
---|---|
Std. Power |
1 x 300-hp Yamaha four-stroke V |
Warranty
Hull Warranty Extended | Lifetime |
---|
Captain's Report
Captain's Report by Capt. Peter d’Anjou
Mission
The Everglades 253CC was designed to be a versatile day boat capable of cruising with the family, fishing, or skiing. Everglades describes this as a hybrid bay/offshore boat that is dry, smooth, and unsinkable. It is able to go in shallow water with its 16” (40.64 cm) engine up draft, and offshore with a variable deep-v hull form that measures deadrise at the transom of 20-degrees.
Distinguishing Feature
- Patented closed molded RAMCAP® construction process
Major Features
- Center console with hardtop
- Yamaha 300-hp outboard
- Seating
- Drop down hydraulic windshield
- Deep-v hull design
- Fishing amenities
Design
Everglades builds eight center console designs between 23' and 43' (7 m and 13 m). They also presently build a dual console 34-footer. The 253CC is the largest single engine boat in Everglade’s center console lineup.
The design of this boat was influenced by two other successful models in Everglade’s lineup, their 243CC which is considered a bay boat, and their 273CC which is more of an offshore fishing boat. So Everglades concept of creating a hybrid that could be a good all-around fishing, family, and tow sports boat for near coastal areas was born.
Everglades builds enough boats that the design process includes assembly prototyping with jigs (spacing and alignment tools) to make sure all equipment is exactly placed to design specifications before production begins.
Construction
The construction method known as Rapid Molded Core Assembly or RAMCAP is a build process that won Everglades an NMMA innovation award in 1999. Most small boat builders follow Boston Whaler’s original technique of injecting low-density 2 to 3 lb. foam into cavities to create flotation if a boat is swamped that meets USCG requirements. Everglades takes this a step further, molding high-density 6-pound foam and placing it in exact positions between the hull and liner and bonding them together with fiberglass and resin under vacuum.
This provides a strong, rigid hull with sound and vibration dampening qualities as well as the desired flotation – even though boats over 20-feet in length are not required to have it. The liner is made on a male mold, which is why Everglades liners have highly finished gel coat interiors and opening any hatch presents a finished look.
Quality assurance of assembled boats includes a 200-item master checklist, tank testing, and for boats over 30-feet. a sea trial to ensure everything works just so.
Boat Inspection
Stern
Jump seats flank a cooler in the stern. When folded down the seats provide an aft casting deck that spans the beam of the boat in front of the engine.
The stern has an optional power pole for fishing and tow rings to both sides of the transom. Freeboard at the transom is 16” (40.64 cm). The aft corners of the 91 sq. ft. (8.45 sq. m) cockpit have drains that provide for a self-bailing cockpit. Just above the drains, Everglades has provided a washdown bib and freshwater to the port side which is connected to the boats 20-gallon water tank and a raw water washdown to starboard.
Side Decks
Helm
The helm console sits under the overhang of the hardtop (with a bridge clearance of 8’6”) and behind the three tempered panels of the windshield surround. The steering wheel is offset to the left and the throttle and shift binnacle are mounted in the middle of the console.
Across the top of the helm console are accessory switches. In the middle of the accessory panel is a raised Yamaha Command Link® Plus engine display. Below are two 16” multi-function displays. The right-hand guest side has a grabrail below two stainless steel drink holders. These are a good spot for stashing a cell phone since there is a USB charging port just above. Under the grab rail is a hinged storage bin.
The helmsman side of the console has the fly-by-wire throttle and shift to the right of the tilt wheel. Just forward of the throttle is the trim tab control. Between the wheel and throttle is an autopilot control. Below the wheel is the ignition alongside the battery switches and VHF radio mike.
Head
A head compartment with a Porta Potti is standard. Headroom is 5’ (1.52 m) from deck to overhead and the seated headroom above the potty is 3’7” (1.09 m). There’s an opening port with a screen on the starboard side.
Bow
The cockpit depth forward is 30” (76.2 cm) and the freeboard forward is 31” (78.74 cm).
Eight combo rod/cup holders grace the caprail right around the boat.
Anchor
Two hundred feet of ½” (1.27 cm) rode is attached to 10' of 3/8” chain with swivel and anchor on a bow roller through the hull.
Performance
The Everglades 253 center console has a LOA of 24’9” (7.54 m), a beam of 8’6” (2.59 m), and a draft of 28” (71.12 cm) with the engine down. With an empty weight of 5,250 lbs. (2,381 kg), 50 percent fuel and two people onboard we had an estimated test weight of 6,550 lbs. (2,971 kg).
With the single Yamaha 300-hp outboard turning a 16 x 15.5 prop, and run up to 5650 rpm, we reached a top speed of 42.6 mph. Best economic cruise came in at 3500 rpm and 19.8 mph. At that speed the 8.8 gph fuel burn translated into 2.3 mpg and a range of 203 miles. All while still holding back a 10 percent reserve of the boat’s 100-gallon (379 L) total fuel capacity.
Test conditions were 10 to 15 mph wind and 1-foot seas. The noise level at the helm was a modest 63 dBa at idle (600 rpm) and went up to 85 dBa at WOT.
Acceleration
Time to plane: 3.8 seconds
Zero to 20 mph: 5.8 seconds
Zero to 30 mph: 10.2 seconds
Handling
The Everglades 253CC is a solid boat. There was no rattling, it cut through waves nicely and was responsive to the helm. It also cornered without ventilation and provided a dry ride.
Equipment Discussion
No mention of a trailer on the company’s option list, however the local Everglades dealer says that Ameritrail trailers are often paired with Everglades boats and run approximately 7K for this size boat.
Price
Base MSRP with white engine ($158,846)
White gelcoat (NC)
Full hull color (NC)
Colored gelcoat – (ice blue, sand, sky blue, sea foam) ($1,490)
AwlGrip (non-metalic) ($9,884)
AwlGrip (metallic) ($11,352)
Custom paint single engine ($5,278)
Optional Equipment to Consider
- 4 rod/cup holder combos, 2 forward and 2 in bow ($1,403)
- Docking lights ($1,011)
- Rigid light bar 30" ($1,914)
- JL LED Speakers ($1,197)
- SeaBlaze Quattro LED underwater lights ($1,574)
- Outrigger quick-cam cleats ($729)
- Lee® Outrigger Package - 16' poles ($3,734)
- Taco® Outrigger Package - 15' poles ($2,969)
- T&H Atlas™ jack plate ($2,241)
- Minn Kota® Ulterra trolling motor ($6,779)
- 8' Power Pole Blade® black or white ($3,838)
- Additional swim platform with ladder ($2,687)
- Heavy-duty tow eye ($2,837)
- Black powder coating ($426)
- Premium Electronics package ($23,985)
Observations
What’s the difference between this boat and every other 25' (7.62 m) center console on the planet? The answer is that there are many more standard features included on this boat. Few others even consider providing this equipment or level of detail as part of the base price. Plus these details are often taken to the next level. Every hatch has a gas strut, the windshield drops down, seats don’t just fold up, they flip up and forward and lock down, the struts are stainless, and the drink holders all drain. From what we could see, nothing is done halfway, there are no half-measures on this boat and we like that. Well thought out and well-executed.