Sea Doo Utopia 185
Take a ride on Sea Doo's new Utopia 185 and rediscover paradise.
By Alan Jones
May 1, 2001
If you spend enough time on the water you will see some interesting
things, but what we are now witnessing is both touching and mesmerizing. A pair of adult bottlenose
dolphins takes turns gently scooping a four-foot baby with their tail and tossing it in the air,
obvi-ously to the youngster's delight. What we are privileged to observe seems to be the playful
cetaceans' equivalent of a human tossing their baby in the air and catching it. After playing for a
few moments, the trio of dolphins comes over to the boat and checks out the passengers before
continuing their horseplay. Apparently, the adults approve of the boat, because usually they shy
away when there is a baby in the pod. What sort of boat are we using for our commune with nature?
Sea-Doo's new Utopia 185, a jet boat with the versatility to be many things.
The temperature is in the mid-70s, and we've got the urge to explore the waters around Ft.
Pierce, on Florida's east central coast. Climbing aboard the Utopia 185 and settling behind the
wheel lets you know you are on a different sort of jet boat. The retro-look avocado dash with the
oversized speedometer is reminiscent of a vintage Harley in its simplicity. There's even plenty of
leg room for oversized drivers. Turning the key, the engine starts quickly and without a plume of
blue smoke, because the newest generation Sea-Doo is powered by Mercury's new 200-hp Optimax M2 jet
drive engine. Using Orbital's two-stage direct-injection technology, which delivers fuel to the
combustion chamber in the form of an ultra-fine mist for more complete combustion, the result is
almost no unused gas escaping into the environment. Now jet boaters can enjoy the improved fuel
economy numbers that high-tech outboard engine owners have enjoyed. The M2 jet drive features
Sea-Doo's Hydro-Surge automatic weed clean-out system, which literally turns inhaled vegetation
into mulch.
Idling out into the St. Lucie River, the first order of business is to find out if the
Utopia 185 rips, so after passing through the idle zone, the throttle is jammed to the stops and
the boat leaps onto plane with little bowrise. Streaking past 30 mph in just more than four
seconds, the 185 continues to accelerate until the radar gun shows a top speed of 46.7 mph.
Cranking the wheel, the Utopia responds with slot-car cornering. It's amazing ' just a quarter turn
of the wheel results in a 180-degree about-face that makes one of our passengers scream out loud.
Forget about trying to flip this boat, because no matter what weird maneuver you perform, the
driver is able to maintain complete control as it carves flat corners.
One of the Utopia's best features is immediately noticeable when the boat reaches an
unprotected stretch of water that is just plain rough. A lot of jet boats would beat you up in
choppy conditions like this, but the newest Sea-Doo, with its 20-degree deadrise, gives its
passengers one of the softest rides in the business. After slowing down for a few large boat wakes
it becomes apparent that you don't have to baby this boat over the rough spots, so when the next
big wake comes along we launch the 185 and land without losing any fillings.
After cavorting around for a while, the subject of lunch comes up and the Utopia is pointed
at the largest object on the horizon, the Roosevelt Bridge. Turning left past the bridge brings us
to Wahoo's on the Water, a popular seafood restaurant. Approaching the dock, another Sea-Doo
innovation makes itself known. For rookies, docking a jet boat can be a little tricky, but with the
user-friendly 'control speed steering' it's made simple by boosting the rpm by 1,000 when you turn
the wheel all the way in either direction. This little bit of extra power comes precisely when you
want it and gives the pilot the ability to literally pivot the boat on its axis as it approaches
the dock, making the driver look like a pro.
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Turning right at channel marker 17, at the river's
north fork, it seems as if you've traveled a thousand years back in time. The scenic north fork
meanders through the unspoiled mangroves and provides a glimpse of nature as it used to be. One of
the real benefits of the Utopia's 185 Optimax engine is its quietude. At idle, the sound level is
measured at just 69 decibels and is quiet enough to get friendly waves from the fishermen we pass
along the way. We are even able to get close enough to an osprey to get a close-up picture without
disturbing it.
For most of the river, the speed limit is set at 30 mph, and at that speed the Utopia handles the twists and turns easily. Toward the end of the river, the temperature suddenly drops 10 degrees, and it seems like a good time to turn around. Cruising back, another feature of the Utopia 185 is appreciated ' the full-size walk-through windshield. Providing excellent protection from the wind and spray, the windshield allows drivers up to about 6 feet 4 inches to comfortably wear their caps without having to routinely perform a 'hat overboard' maneuver. As the main river comes into sight, there is no traffic, so the opportunity is seized to engage in some more high-speed thrill seeking ' who can resist? Especially fun is the ride in the bow seats, which have plenty of room for a 6-footer to get comfortable and hang on for dear life. As the sun creeps toward the horizon, it's time to head back to the dock and, after securing the lines, we check out some of the features of the boat. One of the best is the front split bench seats that can be turned with their backs to the gunwale to create a U-lounge configuration for socializing. There is loads of storage aboard the Utopia, like under the stern bench seat, which flips up to reveal plenty of room for all the ski toys you will want to bring along. Flipping up the gas-assisted sunpad uncovers the engine compartment, which has more storage space and even an optional portable head and privacy curtain for changing out of wet swimming suits. Also hidden in the 'trunk' is the Bimini top, which slides out on tracks and is very quickly and easily deployed. In the dash is a glove compartment that has a 12-volt accessory outlet, and to make sure the crew doesn't get thirsty, there's a built-in cooler and seven strategically arranged cup holders. The word 'utopia' literally means a 'perfect place,' and is a good choice for the newest Sea-Doo sport boat. This is an 18-footer with a wide 8-foot beam that has room for eight people and possesses the versatility to do many things, and do them well. The Utopia 185 gives its riders comfortable cruising, good skiing, exciting maneuvering and provides them with a wealth of creature comforts seldom seen on jet boats. In a perfect world, all boats would be designed this well. |
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