Just what is the perfect sized boat for fishing rockfish the Chesapeake tributaries, multispecies angling at the CBBT, and everything in-between? Something that can take you everywhere from creeks and marshes to open water, and maybe even out into the ocean when conditions are right? Truth be told there’s no one answer to this question because everyone has their own priorities and limitations—this is a judgment call and the best call will change from person to person. That said, an awful lot of anglers out there would land on something between 21 and 26 feet long. Something like the Parker 230 Coastal Elite.
Anyone who pays attention to the world of fishing boats will know that Parkers have undergone a lot of evolution in recent years, and the 230 Coastal Elite is certainly a good example. The interior is significantly upgraded from old-school Parker center consoles, with more comfortable cushions available in a slew of colors and patterns, coaming bolsters all around, powder-coating on the T-top, and a longer list of standard features (including goodies like a Garmin GPSMAP 1242xsv, a console pad with a wireless cell phone charger, and a six-speaker Wet Sounds stereo system). But the boat’s construction has been brought up a notch, too, with touches like Coose core in the transom and gunwales of the full fiberglass liner. Note that this boat now comes with a lifetime limited hull warranty that’s transferrable to a second owner.
The hull design of the 230 Coastal Elite is that of the Parker Mod Vs, which minimizes draft, maximizes stability, and gives you an edge when it comes to accessing shallow water hotspots. Opt for the 75” Garmin Force Kraken trolling motor on the bow, and you’ll soon be sneaking through 15” of water while you toss those poppers and chuggers. The bow has flanking seats that do double duty as elevated casting positions (there’s an option for a full forward platform), and unlike many boats of this nature the gunwales and forepeak are wide enough to stand up on and cast, too.
Rod holder placement is an angling highlight, with eight standard-issue flush-mounts in the gunwales, four fore and four aft. The T-top sports four rocket launchers plus a pair of kingfish holders. There are a couple of options for the leaning post, and while the stock model has four rocket launchers with a cooler spot underneath the one we like best sports five rocket launchers, a 30-gallon insulated livewell, plus tackle stowage. Additional angling goodies include under-gunwale racks (for rods up to 7’6”), spreader and courtesy lights, and options for dual Power Poles.
The 230 Coastal Elite is available with Yamaha power up to 300 horses, the stock motor being an F200. With the F200 you’ll be cruising in the low 30s and topping out at around 40 mph. Up the ante and enjoy speeds in the mid- to upper-40s. As you do so be sure to find some waves and see how the boat feels underfoot. While some old-school Mod V models had a reputation for getting bumpy when running fast in choppy waters, the modern construction methods and materials now used by Parker changes the dynamic. Also be sure to jump from side to side and stand up on a gunwale to get a feel for just how stable a platform it provides.
Of course, a boat’s size, how fishable it is, or how much you might want it is irrelevant if the price tag is out of your ballpark. And when looking at the numbers we found that the 2300 Coastal Elite is actually a nice surprise. Despite delivering a good number of high-end perks the boat is priced a lot more reasonably than many in this day and age. We eschew putting numbers down in ink on these pages because so many variables are involved and boat pricing changes so much, but if you look at the current MSRP on the website you’ll be looking at a real-world number for a well-rigged boat. And if you judge a 23-footer to be ideal for your purposes, the 2300 Coastal Elite is definitely a boat you’ll want to check out.
Parker 230 Coastal Elite Specifications
- LOA – 23’2”
- Beam – 8’6”
- Draft (min) – 1’3”
- Displacement – 4200 lbs.
- Transom Deadrise – 16 degrees
- Fuel Capacity – 109 gal.
- Water Capacity – 10 gal.
- Max. Power – 300 hp
Area anglers can check this boat out at FishTalk supporters Legasea Marine, Yorktown, VA (757) 898-3000, or Tri-State Marine, Deale, Middle River, and Annapolis, MD (410) 867-1447.