Sea Ray 210 Bow Rider Specs and Review [Video]

From the late ‘90s through the early 2000s, the Sea Ray 210 Bow Rider went through many upgrades and generations, the most important of which were the following:

• 1^st gen. – 1989-1990
• 2^nd gen. – 1996
• 3^rd gen. – 1997-1998
• 4^th gen. – 1999-2002

In this post, we’ll review these generations and their key differences one-by-one.

Fist Gen. (1989-1990)

Review (’89-’90)

In 1989, Sea Ray introduced its popular Bow Rider runabout series.

Along with the mid-range 210 Bow Rider (210 BR), its closest relatives, like the 180 BR, 190 BR, and the 200 BR, also instantly became popular.

As the name suggests, the 210 BR was built on a 21-foot V-shaped mono hull.

She measured in with a beam of 8 feet and an overall length of 22.5 feet, including a fairly small integrated swim platform.

The latter was equipped with a swim ladder and grab handles.

Wrapped around with a curved windshield, the spacious cockpit was available with different seating layouts.

The standard floor plan was designed with two back-to-back seats and two Hi-Lo aft jump seats. (The helm seat could be opted for a swivel bucket.)

Completed with a large cushion over the motorbox, the raised jump seats formed a small sun lounger.

Offering less free deck space, the optional cockpit layout had two swivel bucket seats, a rear bench seat, and a full-beam sun pad.

Standard cockpit features included integrated armrests, grab handles, wooden gunwale boarding steps, beverage holders, side panel storage, a ski locker, and a lockable glovebox.

All floor plans shared the same forward lounger, utilizing a fiberglass-lined floor, gunwale-mounted grab rails, and wraparound seating with storage beneath.

The bow also housed navigation lights, grab rails, mooring cleats, tow eyes, and a sizeable anchor locker.

The advertised dry weight of the 210 BR was 3,030 pounds, which increased up to 3,500-3,600 pounds with liquids and some accessories.

Loaded on a tandem-axle trailer, the total weight of the rig was roughly 4,300-4,600 pounds.

In terms of propulsion, this runabout was powered by MerCruiser sterndrive gasoline engines.

According to original Sea Ray brochures, in 1989 she housed a 260hp 5.7L MerCruiser engine variant, which was downgraded to a 230hp 5.0L MerCruiser in 1990 for some reason.

Even though the 210 BR enjoyed a great design and luxury amenities, she suffered from rot-prone wood construction elements.

Besides the carpeted floor, the bilge stringers and the transom were also designed with these infamous wooden cores.

Since replacing these rotten wood structural elements wasn’t worth it, many of these aged Sea Rays ended up in boat salvage yards.

Specs Chart (‘89-‘90)

Hull Length	21’ 0”
Overall Length w/ Swim Platform	22’ 6”
Maximum Beam	8’ 0”
Draft (stern drive down)	30”
Draft (stern drive up)	13”
Dry Weight	3,030 lb.
Est. Trailering Weight*	4,300-4,600 lb.
Fuel Capacity	55 gal.
Engine (1989)	5.7L MerCruiser Stern Drive (260hp)
Engine (1990)	5.0L MerCruiser Stern Drive (230hp)

*(w/ std. engine, liquids, basic gear, and trailer)

Second Gen. (1996)

Review (‘96)

After 4 years of hiatus, the 210 BR made a comeback for the 1996 model year.

But compared to its forerunner, the new model was significantly shorter and featured a shallow modified-V hull design.

The overall length was reduced from 22.5 feet to 20.5 feet while its 8-foot beam remained unchanged.

She also dropped some weight and her fuel capacity was significantly decreased as well.

These changes caused the curb weight to decrease by a noticeable 250 pounds.

Beyond the numbers, the ’96 210 BR enjoyed much sleeker lines and a refreshed interior without the outdated teak gunwale boarding steps.

The arrangement of seating layouts remained unchanged, but they were upgraded with more comfortable cushions.

One of the most innovative features was the new Hi-Low aft bench seat, which extended the sun pad in a raised position.

What’s more, the power source of the 210 was already the more advanced 5.7 MerCruiser V8 engine.

Sea Ray offered this unit in four different configurations including the carbed 5.7L 210hp (std.), 5.7L EFI 220hp, and the 5.7LX.

Rated at 250hp, the latter was also available in both carbed and fuel-injected versions.

Specs Chart (‘96)

Overall Length w/ Swim Platform	20’ 6”
Maximum Beam	8’ 0”
Draft (stern drive down)	30”
Draft (stern drive up)	13”
Dead Rise	15°
Dry Weight	2,900 lb.
Est. Trailering Weight*	4,000-4,400 lb.
Fuel Capacity	35 gal.
Std. Engine	5.7L Alpha I (210hp)
Opt. Engines	5.7L EFI Alpha I (220hp) 5.7LX Alpha I (250hp) 5.7LX EFI Alpha I (250hp)

*(w/ std. engine, liquids, basic gear, and trailer)

Third Gen. (1997-1998)

Review (’97-‘98)

After one year of production, the manufacturer redesigned the 210 BR again for the 1997 season.

The refreshed model returned with a larger deep-V platform, featuring a much steeper, 21-degree deadrise at the transom.

Also, the beam was widened by 6 inches and the overall length was expanded by 4 inches.

Due to its larger dimensions and new features, the dry weight increased from 2,900 to 3,200 pounds.

This weight gain and the larger (41-gallon) fuel capacity increased the trailering weight into the ballpark of 4,300-4,700 pounds.

The larger deck not only offered much more free space but it was also redesigned with much sleeker lines and new amenities.

Some of the key novelties included a hide-away boarding ladder, sportier windshield architecture, enlarged floor ski locker, and redesigned seatings and side panel storages.

Just like the seating plans, the 5.7L and 5.7LX MerCruiser sterndrive engines were carried over from the previous year.

Specs Chart (’97-‘98)

Overall Length w/ Swim Platform	20’ 10”
Maximum Beam	8’ 6”
Draft (stern drive down)	37”
Draft (stern drive up)	19”
Dead Rise	21°
Dry Weight	3,200 lb.
Est. Trailering Weight*	4,300-4,700 lb.
Fuel Capacity	41 gal.
Std. Engine	5.7L Alpha I (210hp)
Opt. Engines	5.7L EFI Alpha I (220hp) 5.7LX Alpha I (250hp) 5.7LX EFI Alpha I (250hp)

*(w/ std. engine, liquids, basic gear, and trailer)

Fourth Gen. (1999-2002)

Review (’99-‘02)

Manufactured from 1999 through 2002, the fourth-generation 210 BR surpassed its predecessors in terms of design and features.

Besides its new design, the revamped model utilized a wood-free fiberglass floor and stringers.

The old-fashioned gunwale-mounted steel grab rails were replaced with interior grab handles, and the new three-piece windshield had a much sleeker look.

Redesigned for more storage capacities, the enlarged helm console storage could accommodate a sizeable cooler while its hinged door already doubled as a walk-thru door.

Another nice addition was the center swim platform extension, which increased the surface of its integrated counterpart.

Besides the new body and features, the power sources of the 210 BR were also upgraded with more powerful packages.

As a rule of thumb, the standard engine during the ’99-’02 era was the 5.0L MerCruiser Alpha I MCM sterndrive engine rated at 220hp.

In contrast, the new boat was marketed with different optional engine packages, which you can read in the chart below:

Specs Chart (’99-‘02)

Dimensions and Capacities

Overall Length w/ Std. Swim Platform	21’ 0”
Maximum Beam	8’ 6”
Draft (stern drive down)	35”
Draft (stern drive up)	18”
Dead Rise	21°
Height – Waterline to Top Of Windshield	4’3”
Height – Kelel to Top Of Windshield	5’ 9”
System Voltage	12 VDC
Dry Weight	3,400 lb.
Est. Trailering Weight*	4,500-5,000 lb.
Fuel Capacity	48 gal.
Usable Fuel	45.6 gal.
Max Persons / Weight	10 / 1,600 lb.
(MWC) Max Weight (Persons/Gear)	1,800 lb.

*(w/ std. engine, liquids, basic gear, and trailer)

Engines

Std. Engine (’99-’02)	5.0L Alpha I MCM (220hp)
Opt. Engines (’99-’00)	5.0L EFI Alpha I MCM (240hp) 5.7L Alpha I MCM (250hp) 5.7L EFI Alpha I MCM (260hp)
Opt. Engines (’01-’02)	5.0L EFI Alpha I MCM (240hp) 5.0L EFI Bravo III MCM (240hp) 5.7L EFI Alpha I MCM (260hp)

Comparison Chart

For a better comparison, we’ve listed the key specs of the four generations head-to-head:

Generation	1st	2nd	3rd	4th
Years of Manufacture	89-’90	96	97-98	99-02
Overall Length w/ Std. Swim Platform	21′ 0″	20′ 6″	20′ 10″	21’ 0”
Maximum Beam	8′ 0″	8′ 0″	8′ 6″	8’ 6”
Draft (stern drive down)	30″	30″	37″	35”
Draft (stern drive up)	13″	13″	19″	18”
Dead Rise	NA	15°	21°	21°
Dry Weight	3,030 lb.	2,900 lb.	3,200 lb.	3,400 lb.
Fuel Capacity	55 gal.	35 gal.	41 gal.	48 gal.
Std. Engine	230/260 hp	210 hp	210 hp	220 hp
Opt. Engine	–	220 – 250 hp	220 – 250 hp	240 – 260 hp

Takeaways

The 210 BR was one of the most popular models in Sea Ray’s Bow Rider series and with good reason.

Thanks to its relatively low (4,300-5,000 lb.) trailering weight, it was easy to tow and handle on the ramp.

Yet, it was large enough to accommodate up to 10 people and plenty of gear.

Sea Ray manufactured the 210 Bow Rider from 1989 through 2002 with a break of a few years in between.

Early generations utilized wood-cored structural elements that were prone to rotting over the years.

Because of this, many of these vintage boats ended up in salvage yards.

In contrast, the latest model from this series (’99-’02) not only utilized wood-free stringers and floors but also enjoyed the most advanced features.

Hence, if you are considering buying a 210 BR, the best practice is to stick to these vintages.

Based on our research, the asking prices of these models average between $10,000 and $20,000 depending on their age, condition, accessories, and engine package.

The optional engines usually mean higher prices, but they are definitely worth the extra expense.