A PWC ON STEROIDS
The Saxdor 200 Pro Sport has been described as a personal watercraft that combines a jet ski’s convenience and ease of use with the safety and comfort of a compact boat.
However, there’s a lot more to this boat that makes it something exceptional.
Kiwis are certainly not unfamiliar with this style of European boat; it’s just that until a few years ago, they were not available in New Zealand.
They are the sort of boat you like or don’t. They are far from a traditional Kiwi style runabout, and that’s what makes the Saxdor 200 so interesting. Over the four days that I had the boat, I was amazed at the favourable comments I got, from fueling at the gas station to stopping for lunch on the way to our test venue, Lake Rotoiti (North Island). Parked up at the VR Resort on the shores of the lake or at the hot pools, the boat attracted a lot of attention. I found myself being a quasi-salesman. How much? Where is it built? Can I fish from it? Why that strange bow? Well, I managed to answer most of the questions and even convinced our very sceptical video man after a day’s shooting that this was actually a great boat. He admitted to liking it.
Designed in Finland and built-in Poland, the Saxdor 200 Pro Sport I reviewed on the beautiful waters of Lake Rotoiti was amongst the first shipment to land in the country through distributor Sports Marine. According to Scott Williamson, GM of Sports Marine, the interest in the Saxdor has been exceptionally high and sales encouraging. More Saxdor boats are on the way to NZ throughout this year, including a larger 320 model.
EYE-CATCHING
The Saxdor delivers as a fun day boat, family cruiser, and fishing platform in a very stylish and eye-catching package. There is something about the style that makes people take a second look. It follows a similar layout trend to any centre console boat but does it differently and with a touch of panache. The Saxdor 200 was released in 2020 by Sakari Mattila, the original designer and founder of award-winning boat brands Axopar, Paragon, Aquador and XO.
The Saxdor 200 comprise two models, the Sport and the boat we reviewed, the Pro Sport. The difference between the two is based on the engine packages and a few extras. While the 200 Sport is only available with either a Mercury 100 or 115 ProXS engines, the 200 Pro Sport comes with three options. It’s either a Mercury 150 ProXS, 175 V6 ProXS or 175 V6 DTS. The Pro Sport also has trim tabs and a sports steering wheel.
There are multiple seating, roof styles, hull, and upholstery colours. You can choose one of four roof styles; Open boat, Targa arch, Foldable soft-top or Hardtop – or have an open boat. The 200 has four vibrant colour options with matching upholstery.
While our boat had a traditional four-seater arrangement with two forward bucket seats with bolsters and a rear bench seat, there is an optional triple jockey seat. For the style of boating we do in New Zealand, I would certainly go with the four-seater package. The jockey console, which is quite popular in small RIBS, does give you excellent stability and security when blasting along in rougher water and more deck space, but it’s not so family-friendly.
I liked the hinged backrest on the rear sofa seat, which means you can be aft-facing when towing water toys. A rear ski arch comes complete with a ski hook.
Talking of skiing, I was able to get a local skier to have a run behind the boat. He was very impressed with the moderate wake, as was the driver, who said the boat was rigid, stable and didn’t deviate from its track even when the skier was at the peak of hard and aggressive turns.
GRIPPY HULL
The Saxdor 200’s is based on a twin-stepped hull with a slender beam and a deep deadrise angle of 22.5 degrees. The distinctive wave-piercing axe bow is characterised by a vertical stem and a relatively long and narrow entry. The forefoot is deep and the freeboard relatively high, with little flare, so that the bow profile resembles an axe.
What a cool hull. In the calm freshwater of Lake Rotoiti, the boat was quick to plane at 2300 rpm @ 9 knots, and the further I pushed the throttle, the better it felt. The hull delivers an exceptional ride, flat in the turns, responsive, and sticks to the water like on rails. Very nimble and very agile. Later, when I got the chance to run the boat on a choppy Auckland harbour, I was equally impressed.
The soft-riding and exceptionally grippy hull is matched with a selection of single Mercury outboard engines ranging from 100hp to the super grunty performance-based 175 Pro XS. Top speed with a Mercury 100hp is 34 knots. Bolt-on the 175 Pro XS, and you will see 45 knots on the speedo @ 5800 rpm. The fly-by-wire throttle provides superb control both at high speeds and when manoeuvering the boat around the marina or, in my case, the jetty outside the hot pools.
The Saxdor 200 weighs around 1000 kgs on the water with a full fuel load and returns a reasonably impressive fuel economy. Hammer down, it runs to 60 lph, but bring that back to a cruise around 4500rpm, and you will see 34.3 knots for 37 lph/1.1 lpnm and a range of 92 nm. The boat is also easy to tow, launch and recover using a mid-sized car or SUV, or my Isuzu D-Max X Terrain, which hardly knew it was there.
VERSATILE PACKAGE
The entire raised foredeck is one large lid, which, when lifted, reveals not only a massive storage area but also an accommodation space. With a clip-on camper-style tent and the foredeck cushions, it can be transformed into an occasional berth for overnighting.
With the lid down, the large deck section in front of the console makes a spacious sunbed and is also configured with a sunshade. It’s also a perfect casting deck for soft baiting. You also have the option of a clear deck hatch to let more light into your ‘tent’.
What I found interesting is the boat is set up as a ‘left hand’ drive, which is unusual. The helm is wide enough to handle a pair of Simrad GO9 XSE MFDs, with Mercury Vessel View link, a Fusion entertainment system, and necessary switches and controls.
The windscreen is height adjustable and, even when at its lowest position, still does a great job of keeping the wind off your face. Not so sure the locking screws that hold it in place would last too long in rough seas, but something that could be easily altered.
Talking of alterations, Kiwis like their anchor lockers, and while the Saxdor 200 doesn’t have one, it is again a simple retrofit with the addition of a small deck hatch.
The boat has been decked out in U-Dek flooring, which provides a very classy finish. While the self-draining deck is open around either side of the engine, if you want more safety for the children or stop your shoes and gear exiting overboard, you can also fit hard or soft net style transom gates.
Storage is plentiful, from under the seats and the foredeck lid to a pair of provided in a couple of self-draining side bins in the aft coamings and a storage bag below the steering wheel. There is an optional watertight storage box in the console with a wireless Qi charger and USB.
The Saxdor 200 is fun to drive and more practical than any jet ski. The Saxdor 200 is the perfect next step for a funkier ride for PWC owners and sport boat enthusiasts. Whether it’s for fishing, watersports, enjoying the water with friends and family or heading to the beach, there is a version for everyone.
Specifications
- Model: Saxdor 200 Sport Pro
- Year Launched: 2022
- Priced from: NZ$61,296 (plus trailer)
- Price as tested: NZ$114,280
- Type: Centre Console
- Construction: GRP
- LOA: 5.94m
- Beam: 2.29m
- Deadrise: 22.5 deg
- Height on trailer: 1.925m
- Trailerable Wgt: 1350 kg
- Power: Mercury 175 Pro XS
- Power options: Outboard only 100hp- 175hp
- Propeller: 18” 3 Bld SS
- Fuel capacity: 110 litres
- MFDs: 2 x Simrad GO9 XSE
- Flooring: U-Dek
- Entertainment: Fusion
- Trailer: Watercraft
- Manufacturer: Saxdor Yachts
- Supplied by: Sports Marine
PERFORMAN CE DATA
| rpm | knots | L/h | L/NM | range (NM) |
| 1000 | 4 | 4 | 0.9 | 110 |
| 1500 | 5.6 | 6 | 1.1 | 87 |
| 2000 | 6.9 | 11 | 1.6 | 61 |
| 2500 | 9 | 16 | 1.8 | 55 |
| 3000 | 16.5 | 18 | 1.1 | 93 |
| 3500 | 23.5 | 25 | 1.1 | 93 |
| 4000 | 28.4 | 30 | 1.1 | 93 |
| 4500 | 34.3 | 37 | 1.1 | 92 |
| 5000 | 39.1 | 43 | 1.1 | 90 |
| 5500 | 42.6 | 55 | 1.3 | 77 |
| 5800 | 45.2 | 61 | 1.3 | 74 |
Note: Range is based on 90% of fuel capacity.
