Wave-hopping over a 2- to 3-foot chop at highway-speeds, one thing was perfectly clear when I tested the Famous Craft 2100 XL: This boat is put together like a brick. The heavy seas did not deter it one bit, and as we leapt from whitecap to whitecap, the boat came down solid and rattle-free each and every time. No wonder, when you consider the way it is put together: All-composite construction includes a vinyl-ester skin coat over Divinycell-cored decks and a hull backed by foam-cored fiberglass stringers. Now, check out the hardware. Look behind every cleat, hatch, and fitting, and you will see aircraft-style Nylock locking nuts capping off the bolts.

One nifty feature found on the Famous Craft is the hull side push-pole holder. You can set the pole in the standard holder, just like the ones found on the decks of other boats, but if you are done cruising for the moment and decide you want to get that pole out of the way, just reach over the starboard gunwale and slide it into the outer hull side mount. Another unusual feature is the jack plate, because it comes as a standard item, whereas most builders charge extra; consider that when you sit down to do a price comparison between the Famous Craft and one of its competitors.

Surprise No. 3: The dash is designed with plenty of room for electronics, unlike many boats made to run through the skinny stuff. In fact, there is enough space that you could flush-mount two full-size LCD screens plus a VHF. Our test boat was also rigged with an optional poling platform, which comes with a pair of rod holders. Between them and the two holders mounted in the aft deck, this is one flats boat you can also troll from.

Performance is sporty, with a two-second hole-shot, seat-of-your-pants handling, and a chine design that throws water out and away from the boat effectively. In fact, we came in from our test cruise dry--a minor miracle, considering we were running a skinny water machine in big seas. Then again, maybe results like these that really do make a craft famous. -- Lenny Rudow

Picture and article courtesy of Texas Fish and Game Magazine.  Please visit them at http://www.fishgame.com