Chaparral 223 Vortex VRX: Review

Last year, Chaparral broke away from its conventional ski/family image when the company teamed with BRP to bring us its first jet-powered bowrider, the Vortex 203 VR.

The boats were designed to fill a number of criteria; they were to carry on the Chaparral traditions of comfort and build quality, while taking the company forward into the realms of modern, innovative board sports like wake boarding and wake surfing.

It was a big ask. While Chaparral is a company whose boats have a great reputation in their market niches, it’s not a company generally associated with the hip, doof-doof world of board sports.

The latest boat to hit our shores from the new range is the Chaparral 223 Vortex VRX. This is the daddy of the jet boat range with stunning features and even more stunning performance.

Power is supplied by two Rotax supercharged engines producing 200hp each and pushing the boat through twin BRP jet units.

The VRX designation is the top-of-the-line board sports boat that features ballast tanks on either side as well as in the bow and Chaparral’s all-new Aerial Surf Platform (ASP) that recently earned the National Marine Manufacturer's Association 2015 Innovation Award in the U.S. This technology means that you can ‘customise’ your wake to suit the style of surfing or boarding that you want to do.

All this technology is controlled by a touch screen in the centre of the dash which is the ‘brains’ of the boat. Called Intelligent Throttle Control (ITC), the Rotax system is certainly high tech at its best. It provides different modes for different uses of the boat. Ski Mode provides pre-programmed acceleration curves so anyone in the family can be an expert tow sports driver. Eco Mode dials in the most efficient cruising speed, taking the guess work of maximising fuel economy. While Docking Mode rescales the throttle for precise manoeuvrability in tight docking situations.

Sitting at the helm, the 223 Vortex is more reminiscent of a high-end sportscar than a boat. The dash is neat and sculptured like a car’s it’s balanced and symmetrical to look at with central screen flanked by multi-function circular gauges giving engine info, fuel flow and speed.

Rocker switches control lighting, bulge pumps, blowers and the like while low on the left is the ignition and twin start/stop buttons for the engines – a nice touch hinting at the sporty intentions of the boat.

The helm seat is a beauty with manual adjustment and plenty of lateral support. The sports-style steering wheel is adjustable too so it’s easy to get a comfortable driving position.

Across at the co-pilot’s perch, there is a flip-up glove box that contains the head unit for the powerful Polk stereo system that pumps the sound throughout the boat and back to the boarder behind.

The backrest of the passenger’s seat can be folded forward to create an aft-facing lounge – a great position for the observer to recline in comfort.

The cockpit is surrounded by lounges, and with the inclusion of the bowrider section up front, the boat can comfortably seat its maximum load of ten.
There are also two aft-facing transom seats that would be great for sitting at anchor or as a staging area for your boarding activities.

Over the top of the boat is the sturdy sport arch that sports a set of Wet Sounds speakers that blast your tunes back to the boarder. On top of the arch is the tow point and, noting that Chaparral has really put some thought in the usage of this boat, there’s a mounting point on top of the tow point for a Go Pro camera. The camera can then be operated via Bluetooth on the touch screen in front of the driver.

PERFORMANCE PLUS
Hit the start buttons and the twin Rotax engines burble into life. The Docking Mode allows the boat to be manoeuvred out of the marina without accidental application of the 400hp on tap.

Once safely out into open water, the Vortex can be let loose and the fun begins! Top speed is around 46 knots where the Rotaxes will be chewing through around 120 litres per hour.

But drop that down to around 5000rpm at 20 knots and you’re burning around 30 litres per hour. That will give plenty of range from the 189-litre tank.
Acceleration is brutal. Forget taking time to get onto the plane, this boat just jumps out of the water and is planning almost instantly. Push the single throttle forward and you’re doing 20-plus knots in seconds.

Handling is great fun with tight jetboat-like spinout turns the order of the day. But don’t forget to your passengers know if you’re going to play slalom, or you’ll unseat them in no time!

Although we didn’t really get to put the 223 Vortex through its paces, take it from us that this is a fun boat to drive.

COMFORT AND SPACE
While we have been espousing the virtues of the virtues of the Vortex’s performance, make no mistake that this is boat has all the comfort and convenience of the other boats in the Chaparral range.

Storage is a big part of this boat and there’s heaps of it. Under the seats, in the consoles and under the floor, storage abounds. There is a handy insulated locker under the passenger’s seat, and it drains out to take care of melting ice or so you can wash it.

Obviously there are board racks on the sport arch but there’s also a big central locker under the floor with the lid supported on gas struts.

There’s storage in each of the consoles which is where the cockpit and front tables can be stowed. When fitted, the tables transform this high-powered sports boat into a pleasant and relaxing place to chill and have a bit of lunch.

While our time with the Chaparral 223 Vortex VRX was all too short, we are planning to revisit the boat in the very near future and give a more detailed rundown of its wake-making capabilities using an expert boarder. Water needs to warm up. Stay tuned.

SPECIFICATIONS:
Price as tested: $148,000
LOA w/ Swim Platform: 6.78m (22ft 3in)
Beam: 2.59m (8' 6")
Bridge Clearance: 1.37m
Bridge Clearance with Arch Tower: 2.16 m
Deadrise: 20 degrees
Fuel Capacity: 197 litres
Draft Down: 41 cm
Max HP: 500hp
Dry Weight: 1633 kg
Passenger Capacity: 10/816 kg