Tahoe 2150 CC (2019-)

Brief Summary

The TAHOE 2150 CC is designed to be a multi-purpose boat capable of being a fishing platform, cruiser, or watersports boat for numerous towing sports, or a dayboat entertaining venue. She is outboard powered like virtually all center consoles, but she has the profile and many of the amenities and room of a deckboat.

Key Features

• POWERGLIDE fiberglass hull
• Bow platform with anchor locker and 4-step boarding ladder
• Wraparound bow seating with 84-qt. insulated storage/fishboxes
• In-floor wakeboard/ski/trolling motor storage compartment
• Port and starboard rod racks with holders for four 7’ and two 10’ rods
• Center console with in-console storage
• Stereo with Bluetooth, MP3 and USB input and 4 speakers
• Aft lounge with two 56-qt. storage compartments and 36-qt. cooler
• Color-keyed Bimini top with boot and drop-down changing curtain
• Aft swim platform with ski tow pylon receptacle and 4-step ladder

Test Results

Specifications

Length Overall	21' 1'' / 6.43 m
Beam	8' 6'' 2.59 m
Dry Weight	3,485 lbs. 1,581 kg (w/ engine)
Tested Weight	4,181 lbs. 1,896 kg
Draft	17'' 0.43 m
Deadrise/Transom	20-deg.
Max Headroom	open
Bridge Clearance	3' 10" 1.17 m
Weight Capacity	2,300 lbs. 1,043 kg
Person Capacity	10
Fuel Capacity	46 gal. 174 L
Water Capacity	N/A
Length on Trailer	27' 8.23 m
Height on Trailer	6' 6" 1.98 m
Total Weight	4,181 lbs. 1,896 kg

Acceleration Times & Conditions

Time to Plane	4.1 sec.
0 to 30	9.8 sec.
Ratio	N/A
Props	19p Enertia
Load	2 persons, full fuel load, no water, 50 lbs. of gear
Climate	90 deg., 85 humid; wind: 10-12 mph; seas: 0

Engine Options

Tested Engine	1 x 200-hp Mercury 4-stroke
Std. Power	1 x 150-hp Mercury FourStroke
Opt. Power	10 Mercury FourStroke engine options from 175-hp to 225-hp

Captain's Report Learn More
Watch Our Video

Contents of Report

• Mission Statement

• Basic Specs and What they Mean to You

• Features Inspection

• The Bow

• The Helm

• The Cockpit

• The Aft Platform

• Performance

• Handling

• Prices

• Warranty

• Options to Consider

• Observations

Mission Statement

TAHOE is combining two of the most popular styles of outboard-powered boat, the center console and the deckboat, in a hybrid model, the 2150 CC. The boat has the recreating benefits of a deckboat in the bow, with a wide seating area that can convert into a large sunlounge with a filler cushion or provide lounging space for a crowd around a table – all of which make her a capable sportboat. Abaft the center console, she has more of a fishing feel with a leaning post and somewhat open cockpit area. The 2150 CC comes with rod holders and racks, insulated coolers that can be used as fishboxes and a livewell, and 360-degree fishability.

Basic Specs and What they Mean to You

• 8’6” (2.59 m) Beam. This is as wide as a boat can be and still be trailerable in all 50 states without a permit.

• Max Horsepower. The USCG allows up to 225-hp on this boat.

• Max Person Capacity. The USCG allows this boat to be occupied by up to 10 people sitting or standing, so long as they don’t exceed 1,475 lbs. (669 kg). This rivals some similar-sized pontoon boats in capacity.

• Deadrise – 20-Degrees. This is a good compromise between a deep-V (22 to 24-degrees) and a relatively flat boat bottom at the transom between 16 and 18-degrees. Deeper gives a better ride at the expense of speed and fuel efficiency.

• Draft – 17” (.43 m), gear up.

• Fuel Capacity – 46 gallon (174 L).

• Water Capacity – None.

• Average Weight with Motor – 3,485 lbs. (1,581 kg). This is the boat weight without fuel, water, or gear aboard. When comparing boats, keep in mind that boats with less material should cost less – unless they have a counterbalancing investment in infrastructure and engineering.

• Average Package Weight – 4,614 lbs. (2,093 kg). This weight includes the trailer, but not the fuel, water, and gear. In order to determine the best tow vehicle for this rig, the weight of a full tank of fuel, water, and the weight of equipment added (such as a T-top, anchor, etc.) to the bare hull -- as well as the weight of other gear for fishing or other sports -- should be added to it. That figure, typically 10% to 20% greater than the package weight is what the tow vehicle should be rated for.

• Bridge Clearance – 3’10” (1.17 m), without a T-top or arch.

• Package Height – 6’6”, on the trailer, but without a T-top or towing arch. Standard garage doors are 7’0” (2.13 m) high.

• Package Width – 8’6” (2.59 m), which means the trailer has been designed to not exceed the width of the boat. How wide is your garage door opening?

• Storage Length – 23’6” (7.16 m) with a swing-away tongue on the trailer.

Features Inspection

The Bow

Deckboat Features. The 2150 CC’s versatility is most easily seen in the bow’s horseshoe-shaped seating area, which definitely feels like a deckboat. There are forward speakers, stainless steel cup holders, and grabrails on each side. The two-tone upholstery has some textured details and the piping is color-matched to the boat’s graphics.

A side-mount table in the bow is an available option, and we recommend getting it for most applications. Forward, the freeboard is 2’4” (.71 m) high. The bow platform has a four-step beach boarding ladder to starboard, an anchor locker on the centerline, pads for mounting a trolling motor, and three pull-up cleats, one of which is on the centerline – something we rarely see in this size and price range.

Fishing Features. Remove the cushions for the bow lounges and the area becomes a large casting deck. Anglers can step up onto the bow platform if the situation calls for it. Under the seat platforms are hinged hatches open to insulated, draining 84-quart (79 L) compartments that could be used to ice down fish, for drink coolers, or for storage.

Forward in the bow is a 17-gallon (64 L) aerated livewell with a 600-gph (2,271.25-lph) pump, gravity drain, adjustable spray head and switch at the dash. If an owner opts for the 70-pound-thrust trolling motor, there’s a dedicated mounting pad on the foredeck. Since the boat is wired for it, a trolling motor can be added in the aftermarket.

The Console

TAHOE puts a full height door on the front of the console. It opens to reveal a compartment that has space for an optional portable toilet that can be used with a standard drop-down Bimini curtain. To give an idea of the available space, inside we also saw the optional bow table. A glove-box-style hatch provides access to the helm rigging.

There’s 17 ½” (44.5 cm) of space between the console and the gunwales on each side.

The Helm

The 2150 CC’s helm is topped by an acrylic windscreen with black-faced instruments set in a panel of the same color to port to help reduce glare.

Accessory switches are in a row across the bottom of the panel. To starboard, our test boat had an optional Lowrance fishfinder with a 7” (17.8 cm) screen. To the left of the steering wheel is a cell phone holder that secures the device with a bungee cord and to the right are the buttons with a built-in position indicator for the optional Lenco trim tabs.

The shift/throttle lever is mounted on a raised pedestal and outboard of that to starboard is the remote control for the stereo. There are two storage pouches ahead of the driver’s and companion’s knees.

The 35” (.89 m)-wide leaning post has two flip-up bolsters. An owner can opt for the removable backrest that drops into rocket-launcher-style rod holders and there’s space for an optional 36-quart cooler in the base of the leaning post.

The Cockpit

Because this boat has been built on the hull of a deckboat, by its very nature, it has a relatively shallow cockpit. That makes this boat best for lakes, protected water, and coastal work when conditions are right.

Abaft the helm are a total of six in-gunwale rod holders, three on each side. Just ahead to port and starboard are drop-in compartments on top, and down low are fold-out doors. Our test boat had optional tackleboxes to starboard and to port is a tool rack.

Behind the leaning post is a full-width bench seat with fold-up cushions that uncover two 56-quart (53-L) storage compartments and a 36-quart (34 L) cooler. In the backrest, there’s a dedicated storage rack for the optional ski tow pylon and table base.

The Aft Platform

Aft, the stern platform has two hatches that open for battery access forward. Aft to starboard, the four-step boarding ladder folds into its own rack and there’s a powder-coated grabrail, with an optional stereo remote forward. Opposite to port is the pull-out shower.

There’s a threaded socket forward for the optional ski tow pylon. TAHOE also makes available a removable cover for the splashwell that is intended for use with the optional fishing seats to create a clearer deck for the angler’s feet because it covers the rigging hoses and wiring harnesses.

Performance

The TAHOE 2150 CC is 21’1” (6.43 m) long with an 8’6” (2.59 m) beam and estimated dry weight with engine of 3,485 lbs. (1,581 kg). With two people and a full tank of fuel on board, test weight was approximately 4,181 lbs. (1,896 kg).

The boat was powered by a single naturally-aspirated Mercury 4-stroke 4.6 L outboard turning an Enertia 19” 3-bladded prop. The test was conducted in 90-degree heat with 85% humidity and winds from 10-15 mph – not ideal test conditions for maximum speed.

Winding up the 200-hp Mercury outboard to 5500 rpm, we hit 48.6 mph (42.2 knots) at WOT.

We recorded best cruise at 3000 rpm where the boat ran 22.6 mph and burned 5.4 gph, which translated to 4.2 mpg and a range of 174 statute miles with 10 percent of the boat’s 46-gallon (174 L) fuel capacity in reserve.

We should point out that running at 3500 rpm gave us almost as good fuel consumption, but much more speed – 29.2 mph. Here we were burning just a bit more fuel costing us just 1 statute mile in range. Most people we know will drive the boat at this speed, if not faster.

In acceleration tests, the 2150 CC planed in 4.1 seconds and ran to 20 mph in 6.8 seconds and to 30 in 9.8 seconds.

Handling

With calm seas on test day, we had to rely on crossing other boat’s wakes to see how the 2150 CC took on waves. The boat transitioned cleanly back and forth with a dry ride and smooth tracking. In circle turns, she carved smooth arcs and leaned into the maneuvers comfortably. The POWERGLIDE hull design has reverse chines and four HYDROSTEP strakes that run the length of the hull to provide lift.

Prices

• $36,595 with Mercury 150-hp FourStroke

• $39,935 with Mercury 200-hp FourStroke

• $40,970 with Mercury 200-hp FourStroke in Cold Fusion color

Warranty

Five years on the hull, interior stringers, and transom and one year on components.

Options to Consider

Options in bold are ones that BoatTEST recommends as a basic necessity—

• Lowrance Elite-7 ti fishfinder ($1,075)

• Lowrance HDS-7 Gen3 flush-mounted fishfinder with CHIRP Sonar ($1,750)

• Freshwater MotorGuide Xi3 trolling motor with 70 lbs. (32 kg) of thrust and 60” (1.52 m) shaft ($1,050)

• Saltwater Minn Kota Riptide 24-volt trolling motor with 70 pounds (31.8 kg) of thrust and 54” (1.37m) shaft ($1,815)

• Digital Depthsounder ($175)

• Two choices of stereo upgrades ($625 - $975)

• 4-amp cranking battery charger ($96)

• Two removable fishing seats with pedestals ($510)

• Bow filler cushion ($595)

• Storage box for leaning post ($150)

• Removable backrest for leaning post ($555)

• Trim tabs ($1,025)

• Splashwell filler panel ($95)

• Ski tow pylon with storage brackets ($185)

• Bow shade canopy for standard Bimini top ($280)

• Amidships stainless steel rod holders ($50)

• Reel protector pads ($140)

• Two 3700 tackle trays ($20)

• 36-quart (34 L) cooler under leaning post ($60)

• Portable toilet that stores in console ($85)

• Raw-water washdown ($595)

• Removable cockpit table with forward mount ($325)

• Glued-down or snap-in soft-touch flooring ($725)

• Wakeboard tower with white powder-coated aluminum frame ($4,080)

• Wakeboard tower w/white powder-coated aluminum frame and racks ($4,560)

• Console and leaning post cover ($130)

• Snap-on cockpit cover ($425)

• Mooring cover ($645)

• Tandem-axle trailer w/14” wheels, brakes on one axle, other gear ($3,195)

Price

The price is $36,595 with a 150-hp Mercury XL 4.6 L FourStroke engine. The basic options that we consider the boat will need in most applications comes to just $5,371, bringing the total to $41,966. Avid anglers will want to add fishy things, and towing enthusiasts will want to add watersports amenities, which could drive the cost up several thousand more. Nevertheless, this boat will be a value hard to beat.

Observations

TAHOE is taking a big step with this boat and it seems to be in the right direction. Adding a center console to a deckboat makes sense because it improves the utility with 360-degree fishability.

The bow configuration with optional table creates a welcome entertaining area as large as on most new 30’ (9.14 m) center consoles costing $150k or more. Both anglers and watersport buyers will enjoy the utility of this space.

We find the boat wanting when it comes to a comfortable aft-facing position for a spotter when towing. The leaning post with aluminum rod holders or a seat back doesn’t look comfortable to us. We think that perhaps the option of just a basic old-fashioned leaning post that can be used from the front of the back, might make a good option.

Manufacturers have tried hybrid fish-and-ski models based on sportboat hulls for years and usually the fishing aspects are compromised. But on the TAHOE 2150 CC, the builder has done an excellent job of making the boat fishing friendly, and now just needs to make the boat more towing friendly.