Tahoe 215 Xi (2014-)

Brief Summary

The Tahoe 215 Xi is an example of a deckboat which has the room to bring along plenty of friends because she has a capacity for 12 people. While her primary mission is to be used as a watersports platform for swimming and towing, she can also be used for fishing. She comes standard with a 220-hp 4.3 L Mercury sterndrive and has many features including an aerated livewell.

Key Features

• Fishing features include 2 removable chairs, fore and aft pedestal base positions, starboard under-gunnel rod storage, aerated bow livewell and wiring for optional trolling motor
• Aft swim platform with concealed boarding ladder, insulated cooler/storage and ski tow ring
• Color-keyed Bimini top
• Aft L-lounge and bow lounge seating with storage, removable cooler and trash receptacle
• Port refreshment center with sink, sprayer and freshwater tank
• In-floor ski/wakeboard/trolling motor storage
• Adjustable swiveling driver bucket seat with flip-up bolster
• Molded starboard console with tinted windscreen, storage, easy-to-read gauges, AM/FM/CD stereo with MP3 jack, four 60 watt speakers and the ability to accept an optional Sirius Satellite Radio package
• Bow platform with non-skid surface, anchor locker and boarding ladder

Test Results

Specifications

Length Overall	21' 6'' / 6.5 m
Beam	8' 6'' 2.59 m
Dry Weight	3,510 lbs. 1,592 kg
Tested Weight	4,038 lbs. 1,832 kg
Draft Up	16'' 0.41 m
Draft Down	32.5'' .83 m
Deadrise/Transom	20-deg.
Max Headroom	open
Bridge Clearance	3' 10'' 1.17 m (max)
Weight Capacity	1,800 lbs. 816 kg
Person Capacity	12
Fuel Capacity	36 gal. 136 L
Water Capacity	none
Total Weight	4,038 lbs. 1,832 kg

Acceleration Times & Conditions

Time to Plane	3.2 sec.
0 to 30	8.7 sec.
Ratio	Alpha 1.47:1
Props	14.5 x 19 Black Max
Load	2 persons, 1/2 fuel, no water, 50 lbs. of gear
Climate	69 deg., 68 humid.; wind: 0-5 mph; seas: calm

Engine Options

Tested Engine	1 x 260-hp Mercury 5.0 MPI
Std. Power	1 x 250-hp MerCruiser 4.5L MPI ECT
Opt. Power	Not Available

Warranty

Hull Warranty Extended	Limited Five-Year

Captain's Report Learn More
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Mission Statement

The Tahoe 215 Xi was created to be a crossover platform capable of being an "all-purpose" boat for entertaining up to 12 people, a fishing boat with standard items such as livewell and pedestal seats, and a runabout for towing sports. We think she does all of these tasks reasonably well in a reasonably priced package.

Major Features

Performance

The Tahoe 215 Xi has a LOA of 21’6” (6.55 m), a beam of 102” (259 cm), and a draft of 16” (40.6 cm). With an empty weight of 3,510 lbs. (1,592 kg), half fuel and two people onboard we had a test weight of approximately 4,038 lbs. (1,832 kg).

WOT Speed.

With the 260-hp Mercury 5.0 MPI engine turning an Alpha drive with a 14.5 x 19 Black Max propeller, we reached a top speed of 51.2 mph at 5200 rpm. At that speed we were burning 21.8 gph giving us a range of 76 miles.

Best cruise

came in at 2500 rpm and 24.1 mph. That speed reduced the fuel burn to 5.5 gph meaning the 250 could keep that speed up for nearly 6 hours and 142 miles while still maintaining a 10% reserve.

Hole-Shot Times.

With the PowerGlide hull’s 20-degree deadrise at the transom we reached planing speed in 3.2 seconds, accelerated to 20 mph in 5.8 seconds, 30 in 8.7 seconds, 40 came and went in 12.7 seconds and we continued accelerating through 50 mph in 20.3 seconds.

Handling

Trimming Tips.

On accelerating, the 215 presents a 12-degree bow rise before coming up on plane in only 3.2 seconds. Add trim to about the 1/2 mark on the trim gauge to get into her proper cruising attitude, additional trim will cause ventilation of the propeller before any bow oscillation takes effect. She leans approximately 7-degrees into the turns and when taking power off she settles back into the water stern first.

Features

Fishing Features

It might seem to be easy to build a boat for fishing since it operates on the water and that's where the fish live. But it takes more than that. There are basic requirements for every fishing boat, and usually optional items as well. For the standard features, Tahoe includes starboard side rod storage with three rod tubes, two removable fishing seats with two bow positions and one aft position plus designated storage space, a bow livewell with a 500 GPH pump out system and adjustable spray head, and pre-rigging for an optional trolling motor.

For options

, Tahoe offers five different trolling motors between 54 and 82 lb. thrust and 50 to 60’’ shaft lengths. Three different battery chargers are also offered.

Comfort Features

There is comfortable seating for 12 guests on the 215 Xi. There's a portside refreshment center with sink plumbed to a 15 gallon (56.8 L) tank for easy cleanups at snack time. A removable pedestal table is included as standard equipment. The standard Bimini top includes a drop-down changing curtain.
Several stereo options are offered and can even include wakeboard tower speakers and satellite radio capabilities.

Watersports Features

The 215 Xi comes standard with a 220-hp 4.3 MPI engine. Our test boat was equipped with the optional 260-hp 5.0 MPI engine that brought us to a top speed of 51.2 mph. Obviously that translates to a boat with enough muscle to pull even the largest skier out of the water. The standard engine will likely suffice but it's reassuring to have the added muscle, particularly when the boat is loaded with guests. However, the higher horsepower engine is not needed quite so much when tubing or wakeboarding. The optional wakeboard tower is a desirable piece of equipment for boaters wanting to wakeboard, and for that it makes the 215 really shine.

Observations

We think Tahoe has its act together when designing the 215 Xi. She’s got a multitude of amenities and equipment that when added up provide a remarkably complete package that’s reasonably priced. And, because of her versatility, she can keep a lot of people happy regardless of what the day’s itinerary calls for.