In terms of posh luxuries you can buy yourself, there are a few things that always seem to manage to be at the top of most people’s lists. Lavish vacations are always exciting, new places, new sights and sounds, new experiences, and new worlds abound. A second or third home that usually is someplace exotic or remote also happens to make the if-I-won-the-lottery list too. A place to bring family and friends and simultaneously provide a good, enjoyable and fun experience for all involved, while also, ever so slightly, show off a little bit. And finally, on the top of the windfall list is a boat. Now, what kind of boat may vary from person to person, some people prefer racing speed boats, some the extravagance of a 40 foot yacht, but what if there was a boat that could manage to bring those top three bucket list items all into your life for far less than you might imagine? Enter: The Crestliner 240 Rally DX.
Sure, its name is quite the mouthful, but we promise, it’s worth the effort. The first thing you can’t help but notice upon looking at the Crestliner is the copious, and almost excessive amount of seating space there is all around this pontoon boat. Port, starboard, bow, deck, it doesn’t matter. There is seating abound to the tune of 16, yes count’em, 16 passengers! Soft and plush seats surround every inch of this boat, and it even is available in five different floor plan configurations to cater to your specific boating goals.
The 240 Rally DX does live up to its Rally namesake by posting a top end speed of nearly 42 mph, not bad for a 3,400 pound (with three tubes) boat with a length of 25’9” and a beam of 8’6” powered by a moderate 115-horsepower outboard motor. It’s not quite a full-fledged performance pontoon, but it certainly is fast enough to make for some memorable water sports moments.
What you may not notice about the Crestliner is the remarkably solid construction underneath your feet. The company did not chintz out on making sure the 240 was built to last. There is a plethora of heavy duty stainless steel while opting for the V3 Action package comes with tubes that are 0.080 gauge aluminum and are upped from 25” to 27” around while remaining 24’ long. There are also full-length torsion control rider brackets, extruded aluminum cross-members, an under-deck aluminum skin as well as reinforced nose-cones. All hallmarks of solid craftsmanship that we approve of and are sure you will too.
If people entertaining isn’t top on your priority list, you can also opt for the fishing version of the Rally DX. In this variation, there are a set of fishing seats that get installed in the stern in place of the lounge chairs in the party trim, while two more fishing seats take the place up front, eliminating a few more loungers. Out back, the transom sports a 15 gallon live well (with another well up front as well), and there is an extra rod holder rack for eight at the stern and another four out back.
Whatever your choice of trim in the Crestliner 240 Rally DX, it has the ability to make a dream come true. You can bring a host of people, your entire family in fact, out to a remote destination in a lake or bay of your choosing and give them all the experiences in the world. And the best part of the 240 is that you don’t need to wait for the Powerball to come through for you. This dream-maker’s base price is a very attainable $22,370. Yeah, that’s right, you can have your fantasy life for less than the cost of most Kia models. Of course, there are plenty of options, and with a slightly bigger motor and a few more amenities, you can climb up to almost the 30 grand mark. But, then, in terms of personal luxuries, 30k is barely a drop in the bucket for making dreams come true.
