2017 Larson LX 185 OB

Boat Reviews

Boat Review by: Richard Crowder

The LX 185 OB (Outboard) is the bigger of two models of Larson’s outboard offerings in its seven model LX series of bowriders ranging from sixteen to thirty feet. The other five LX models are sterndrive powered.

This LX 185 OB is intended, with its complement of standard equipment, to provide you all you need in a bowrider suitable for cruising, watersports, or simply exploring. Its relatively short option list will allow you some of the comfort upgrades to make your time on the water that much more enjoyable.

White is the only available hull colour to which you get to choose from three standard choices of applied-on striping graphics in black, blue, or red. Interior upholstery vinyl comes in two-tone white plus dark grey with again, your choice of accent colour in black, blue, or red.

Full wrap-around seating with surrounding back bolsters including bolstering on the forward surfaces of the helm and passenger consoles to facilitate forward-facing lounging, fills the bow area. Finished storage compartments are found beneath each of the three bow seat cushions. A handy stainless steel safety grab rail is mounted on the upper surface of both sides of the bow gunnels.

In the cockpit, a full wrap-around J-shaped lounge seat extends from the passenger helm down the port side, across the transom, and up the starboard side to the back of the adjustable driver’s “sport” bucket seat equipped with a forward flip-up bolster. A bolster pad on the passenger helm allows rear-facing lounging and can double as a watersports observer’s seat.

Storage is found beneath this lounge plus containment netting to secure a carry-on cooler. An in-floor storage compartment with carpeted floor and suitable for larger items such as waterskis, etc. is located between the two helms beneath the opening centre section of the walk-thru windshield.

Grey snap-in carpet is standard as are a complement of stainless steel items such as pull-up cleats, eight cupholders, plus another pair of safety grab handles serving the cockpit. A ski tow pylon is also standard as is a boarding ladder mounted on the starboard side of the unusually large integrated swim platform section on each side of the outboard motor well. A bow cover and cockpit cover are provided to keep the weather out when your boat is at rest.

The driver of the LX 185 OB is offered a tilting sport steering wheel behind which is a molded grey dash with an eyebrow and complete with two large gauges for tachometer and speedometer bracketing a smaller fuel gauge. Below this fuel gauge is where the optional digital depth sounder would be mounted.

On the vertical surface to the left of the steering wheel is mounted the standard equipment Bluetooth compatible Rockford Fosgate stereo with MP3/IPOD Port Adapter plus USB Port and four speakers. A 12-volt power outlet is also provided. The LX 185 OB also comes standard with painted Shoreland’r swing-tongue trailer complete with disc brakes and retractable tie-downs. Various trailer upgrades are optionally available.

The biggest decision you will have to make will be to first choose your brand of outboard power available from Evinrude, Mercury, Suzuki, or Yamaha and then the horsepower you may want depending on your boating lifestyle. Larson recommends from 90 to a maximum of 150 horsepower to adequately and comfortably power the LX 185 OB. Hydraulic steering will be standard if you choose 150 horsepower and is optionally available on motors of lesser horsepower.

The remaining short list of options includes a bimini top, fish finder, Marine Mat in Camel or Grey on the deck and swim platform, upgraded snap-in Marine Mat or Sea Grass Mat in the cockpit, and a stereo upgrade to the Rockford Fosgate Prime Audio System which adds a 400 Watt, 4-Channel Amplifier, PMX-2 Audio Receiver, plus remote control.

The Larson LX 185 OB may certainly be everything you need and want to be able to enjoy your desired lifestyle on the water.

2017 Larson LX 185 Photo Gallery

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