A fun day boat for just £50,000

Glastron boats cater more for the budget end of the market, but the firm's new, twin-cabin GS289 model comes with an improved level of fit and finish, and is its "most luxurious boat yet", says Motorboats Monthly.

It'll cost you just £50,858. For that, you get a fairly generic design. But it is lifted out of the ordinary by some subtle and classy touches: the canopy has been given "real thought", with easy to use plastic fixings; the bathing platform leads you into a teak laid cockpit; and below decks kitchen and lounge areas make "impressive" use of the space available. There is stainless steel where rivals would skimp with plastic, says Boattest.com, and you'll have everything you'll need for a weekend onboard, from a refrigerator and microwave and TV to an 18-gallon water tank.

At speed, the GS289 feels like a small runabout, says Charles Plueddeman in Boating: it's "light, responsive, and fun to drive". If you're looking for "a fun day boat that can handle some cruising duty", you'll find it hard to beat the GS289 for the price.

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Glastron dealer Essex Boatyards has put together a 'recommended package', says Motorboats Monthly, that includes the radar arch, anchor windlass, seawater toilet and holding tank, 300hp MerCruiser engine, and a camper canvas option. This will cost you £65,000 in total, a "ready to go" package that "clearly represents value for money boating".

All in all, incredible performance from this "good all-round cruiser for those on a budget".

Price: from £50,858. Overall length: 28ft 10in. Beam: 10ft 9in. Engine (test model): single petrol MerCruiser, 300hp. Performance: 37 knots at 5,000 rpm.

Contact: 01702-258885, www.essexboatyards.com