English
Beautiful Rinker 230 Atlantic - Pocket Sports Cruiser!
Listing this boat has brought back many happy memories for me… and one slightly scary one.
You see, not only did I sell these boats when new, but I used one for a while for my own use.
I loved it.
The Rinker 230 Atlantic has just about everything we could have wanted at the time….
Power for pulling skis and water toys.
A massive swim platform and a big open plan cockpit that could swallow up all our gear for a day out.
A proper cabin that was great for the kids and that we could sleep in if needed be.
It’s a great handling hull that I had complete confidence in.
It really looks the part and got compliments everywhere we went.
We went lots of places – Donegal, the North Coast, Fermanagh… It was a breeze to tow and launch.
And with a proper anchor locker and roller it was a piece of cake to anchor up…. Well, except for the day of my scare…
My memories of that Rinker 230 were pure boating bliss.
All apart from one day.
That day was mostly perfection too, apart from one little’ incident’.
We were in Donegal, on Sheephaven Bay, a truly beautiful part of the world with white sandy beaches and crystal clear water… Which makes the rest of this story all a bit embarrassing.
I virtually grew up there, spending every summer holiday that I can remember as a kid messing around on the water.
Back in 2008, I was busy recreating those childhood memories with my own young family and some friends of ours. The weather was fantastic. We had the bimini top up on the 230, to shade the baby from the sun, and we spent a great morning just cruising around the various different inlets off the bay.
At lunchtime we idled into one particular spot where we used to ski as kids. This bay had a nice flat sandy bottom and had a fairly constant 3 to 4 feet of depth at low tide. I remember often coming off the skis in there and being able to stand on the bottom while waiting for the boat to come back around and pick me up.
That lunchtime it was pretty close to high tide so I thought I’d get in nice and close to the beach before dropping the hook for lunch.
I got the boat turned with the nose to the breeze and popped up onto the foredeck to start letting out the anchor rode as the boat drifted back toward the beach. According to the depth finder we were in about 14 feet of water so everything looked good.
Until that was, I glanced behind the boat to check our distance to the shore and saw a large dark mass under the water directly behind the us.
Now, I know this place like the back of my hand, and there ain’t no rocks here, so I was completely baffled.
The anchor hadn’t set yet, the motor was off, and the boat was still drifting back, so there wasn’t much I could do as we started to just drift over the top of the gloomy shape below.
I ran to the back of the boat for a look, thinking it’s maybe a big mat of seaweed on the bottom…
Er… No.
It was a bloody sunken fishing boat – around a 21ft steel built thing with a wheel house and everything, half sticking up out of the sand….
Holy shit. We were right on top of it!
Nothing I could do only run to the foredeck to pull the anchor and try to motor away from it.
As I hauled the anchor in as fast as I could we glided serenely over the top of the wreck, with the anchor dink, dinking off the side of her wheelhouse on the way back up. We were past the wreck by the time I got to the helm and was able to motor away.
We could not have missed that thing by more than a couple of inches… That was a close call.
It turned out the wreck (which by late afternoon was revealed in all it’s glory at low tide) had broke her mooring in a storm a few weeks previously and washed up on the beach. It was still fully intact and was bristling with all sorts of stuff that could hole your boat or ensnare your prop; like bow rails, antennas, an a-frame, and that honking big steel wheelhouse… And not a marker buoy in sight. Although it was real easy to make out in that crystal clear water when you were on top of it!
Anyway, the lesson I took from it, was to order an electric anchor windlass on the next demo boat!
But aside from all that…
The Rinker 230…
What a boat.
I’ll cherish the memories we made on ours. And now this one is available to you… As coincidence would have it, one of the previous owners of this boat decided to have us install an electric windlass on it, along with a bunch of other extras!
If you’re in the market for a 23ft cuddy then I would wholeheartedly recommend this Rinker 230.
We’ve known this one from new and with only 194 hours on the clock she’s still in beautiful condition. It’s been well maintained and lovingly cared for.
We can easily arrange delivery throughout the UK, Ireland and Europe.
To get the full low down on this boat you should watch our long video review at GulfStreamBoatSales.com. It goes into more detail than you can imagine, but it’s intended to give you almost as good a look at this boat as you’d have if you came to see it in person.
Features:
- 2007 Rinker 230 Atlantic Cuddy Cabin Sports Cruiser with Volvo Penta 5.0 GXi 270HP SX Sterndrive
- Only 194 hrs on the clock
- Full Camper Canvas Covers
- Tonneau Cover – New in 2016
- Garmin 55dv Combination Chart Plotter and Fishfinder – New in 2017
- Lewmar Electric Anchor Windlass – New in 2017
- Double Axle Galvanised SBS UK Spec Road Trailer – with Recent Overhaul including New Hitch and Jockey Wheel, New Wheels & Tyres, New Snub Rollers, Winch Strap and Mud Guards.
- Digital depth sounder
- Lenco Trim Tabs with Digital LED Indicators at Helm
- Bucket Helm and Passenger Seats – Fully Adjustable with Flip Up Bolsters
- Very High Quality Finish Throughout
- Single level, open plan cockpit floor
- Bluetooth Stereo
- Twin Battery System
- Snap In removable cockpit carpets
- Cockpit Wetbar with Corian Counter, Sink and Tap, Integrated Rubbish Bin
- Removable Igloo Cooler
- Spacious Cabin with Convertible V-Berth
- Portable Camping Gas Stove
- Pump-out toilet / Porta Potti – designed to be emptied at a waste pump out station
- Transom Shower
- Huge Extended Swim Platform
- Central Ski Tow Point on Transom
- Comprehensive Service History & Ownership File
- CE Category C Rated
- VAT Paid
- Shipping Available throughout UK, Ireland and Europe
- Part Exchange Possible
- Offers Invited
- Virtual Shopping Available…
- We can organise a virtual viewing for you – via Facetime, Whatsapp, Facebook etc
- We can organise a virtual sea trial for you – via Facetime, Whatsapp, Facebook etc
- We can put you in touch with independent surveyors and help you to arrange a 3rd party condition survey
- We can put you in touch with our trusted transport providers and arrange all the logistics of getting the boat delivered to your home or marina – please contact us for a shipping quote
- Our aim is to make the whole buying process as smooth and as enjoyable as possible, allowing you to buy the boat of your dreams without having to leave home (if you so wish)
- In person viewings are of course possible by appointment
- Sign up for VIP Access at GulfStreamBoatSales.com to see the full length video tour
For more information or to arrange a viewing please contact us on 028 7136 8779 or e-mail sales@gulfstreamshop.com