For many disabled Americans, boating on anything smaller than a yacht is a logistical impossibility. Most small boats aren’t equipped to allow wheelchairs the ability to roll right on, until the advent of the Splendor 239 Freedom.
Splendor has carved its niche in building small catamarans that use only one engine and offer an incredibly smooth ride in conditions that would leave most deckboats tied to the dock.
For 2010, the designers at Splendor have made it possible for those in wheelchairs to easily access the 239 Freedom deckboat by designing a hydraulic ramp that lowers from the flat, totally unobstructed foredeck and can swivel nearly 180 degrees to accommodate any docking situation. It’s not only useful for those with wheelchairs, but also for people using walkers, motorized scooters, or those who just need a more stable platform when boarding.
Dillon Donnelly
Dillon Donnelly
Our test boat is powered with Suzuki’s 225 four-stroke and gave us excellent performance. We reached plane in just 2.5 seconds and hit 30 mph in only 5.1 seconds with a top speed of 44.3 miles per hour. Like other Splendor cats, it handled the rough conditions on our windswept lake with ease. Air between the twin cat hulls has a cushioning effect when you reach planing speeds. Unlike a lot of other cats, this one corners very well without the outward lean you usually get.
This 24-footer is ready to cruise with plenty of seating in its open cockpit design and is fishing-ready with a standard color Garmin fishfinder, available lockable rod racks and a livewell in the bow. It also makes a great ski boat with a tall pylon and a ski locker. For entertaining there’s a refreshment center that has a sink with a 13-gallon freshwater tank. Loads of passenger seating with storage underneath and an open cockpit design make it easy for all passengers to have plenty of room to move about.
The Splendor 239 Freedom gives those who are often excluded from the boating world a chance to go boating in style.