The end of the no-wake zone a few hundred yards past the marina is not for the faint of heart. Or at least those who like to cruise at a speed somewhat reminiscent of a mall parking lot covered with speed bumps. As if to prove your point, someone up ahead with a sleek, high-powered fishing rig punches his throttle at the 'starting line,' sending the bow to the stars before it levels out, and the angler is on his way at 60 mph to some bass down the lake like it stole his wallet.

You'd enjoy a fun ride, sure, but surely not at the expense of a queasy stomach. You've been with daredevil drivers on too many fast boat rides that turned into episodes reminding you of a few rough rides on rickety roller coasters. That's why, when you've had the chance, you've opted for a more conservative speed on the water, and rarely, if ever, hopped on board a jet boat.

But that's where you find yourself now, on board a Sugar Sand Mirage 1800 with a 240-hp Mercury Optimax Jetdrive engine occupying the stern, a ways out from the marina and a few yards now from the point of no return. You can't back out now, you're at the helm, and your buddy would never let you hear the end of it. So as you pass the no-wake zone, you nose down the throttle, cringe a bit as you brace yourself, and ...

Totally let go of your apprehension. The Mirage may have every component a jet boat needs, including a grab handle strategically placed in the cockpit, but one thing you discover on this little foray is that the Mirage comes with a smoother, sleeker ride than you're accustomed to on other jet boats. And that suits you just fine, as you breach 30 mph in a little more than seven seconds. The planing takes about a blink of an eye, and the ride to this point is nothing but lovely. If you can call fast lovely. The 30-mph plateau comes and goes, and you're still feeling pretty good. Getting a little bolder, you nose down the throttle even more.

Your buddy doesn't mind. He's got a great seat on the lounge. The Mirage 1800 has plenty of comfortable seating for the crew, and he's taking advantage of the lounge seat in the stern. Your captain's chair at the helm has full suspension, a major reason you haven't heard so much as a peep out of your back when you hit a rough patch, and when it's time to set the boat down in a nice cove for refreshments, the seat swivels and slides for optimum socializing opportunities. But that's for later.

OK, now for the moment of truth. To this point, you've been doing well cruising in the upper 30s. The conditions on the lake are pretty good, just an occasional dicey wave here or there, and still the Mirage's hull has handled those with ease. You grip your hand around the throttle control, floor it, and in a few seconds hit 47.8 mph.

The Mirage isn't bucking or fidgeting at this point. The fact that the walk-through windshield has been unhitched all this time and hasn't flapped to and fro gets a nod of approval from you and your passenger. There are no signs that the grab handles on the boat even need to be used.

With your reservations about jet-boat handling at high speeds lifted, you decide to see if your buddy is still awake back there. At about 40 mph, you make a few sharp turns, the ones that usually make people shrink in their seat and grit their teeth if they're unprepared. But even those are taken in stride from the well-built hull.

The real beauty of the Mirage 1800, however, is that it isn't just a go-fast/drive-hard jet boat. The Mirage's cornering may be the star attraction that gets people aboard, but it's not the lone attraction. The Mirage is equipped for an assortment of family activities. There's a swim step conveniently located in the bow should anyone want to take a dip and not bring half the lake with them back on board, soaking the upholstery. The bow itself has seating for maybe three kids, but two adults would have to position themselves and their appendages in the right way lest they lock up or cram the quarters. On the ride back, your buddy gives the bow seating a try, while you find a safe cruising spot at 35 mph, but he soon opts for the comfort of the lounger.

There's storage room, it's just not easily accessible if you've got a full crew. The beverage cooler/livewell is located below the rear seat, safe and snug during the fast jaunts, but locked away unless someone gets off their keester to serve the refreshments. There's a lockable glove box to store some valuables and other assorted items, but a little side storage (even netted) could help complement the flip-up storage options underneath the seats.

The Mirage comes in two distinct packages ' a Sundeck version, and a Fun & Fish model. The Fun & Fish's rear seats are pedestal seats that remove for use at the bow and stern as sort of raised fishing platforms. You can also set up a trolling motor on the Fun & Fish. The Sundeck version, the one you're driving, has a nice sundeck on the stern, and you didn't even have to step over it to get on board. The swim platform has a wraparound walk-through that diverts traffic from the sundeck and into the cockpit, a nice feature to avoid wet feet on upholstery on a boat this size.

But remarkably, you don't want to use that feature at the marina to depart any time soon. There's an entire lake to explore, a lot of gas in the tank, and loads of confidence in the driver that no matter what you put the Mirage 1800 through, it won't punish you with a wicked turn or jolt. For as much fun as it is to go full throttle in the Mirage 1800, it's just as satisfying to stay in your seat doing it. The 'starting line' doesn't look so intimidating any more.