Starcraft Limited 2119 RE Review

Story by Craig Ritchie Jun. 27, 2017

A sporty performer that does everything well

Specialization has been all the rage in boating over the past several years, as purpose-built craft of every variety reflect the wide range of activities that we all like to enjoy on the water. There are specialty bass boats and walleye boats, ski boats and wakeboarding boats, and now wake surfing models joining speed boats and deck boats and a whole bunch more. While specialization is nice, it’s leaving a lot of families wondering whatever happened to the simple family runabout?

Thankfully, boaters looking for some variety in their life don’t have to look very far. The new Starcraft Limited 2119 RE is an attractive, sporty and versatile family runabout that may not be the best of its kind at any one thing, but it does a whole lot of things really, really well, giving it tons of appeal as an all-round cottage runabout.

The cockpit is surrounded by the Limited RE’s low profile, elegantly curved walk-through windshield, which provides walk-through access to the bow.

The mid-sized model in the three-boat Limited lineup, the 21-foot, three-inch Limited 2119 I/O manages to squeeze a lot of boat into its neatly tailored dimensions. Like its larger 23-foot and 19-foot siblings, this boat features a surprisingly generous amount of interior space and plenty of room to handle all a family’s gear.

The RE in its name refers to the boat’s rear-entry floor plan, providing a clear transom pass-through between the cockpit with the oversized rear swim deck. Whether that access is for swim time or a turn being pulled on a tube, the easy access to the swim platform speaks volumes about this boat’s intentions. Fun in the sun is what it’s all about.

The swim platform features Marine Mat soft-touch decking, which provides a secure, cushioned grip while being comfortable on bare toes. To the starboard end of the platform, a recessed well provides a secure spot to store the four-step retractable boarding ladder. A ski eye is discreetly positioned central on the transom, while a huge, padded sun pad serves double-duty by providing a great place to get set up for water sports, and a perfect spot to dry off afterward.

The swim platform features Marine Mat soft-touch decking, which provides a secure, cushioned grip while being comfortable on bare toes.

Just ahead of the sun pad, a near full-width rear bench seat makes an ideal spot to relax and enjoy the day. Buttery-soft marine vinyl upholstery feels great against bare skin, while the seat cushions themselves offer the perfect balance between support and comfort.

The Starcraft Limited 2119 RE offers snap-in Sea Weave floor mat as an optional upgrade. Soft under foot, the durable Sea Weave mat provides extra traction on wet feet, and dries far more quickly than old-school carpet. And, it snaps in and out in a few seconds to make cleaning super easy.

Twin lounge seats with forward-facing seat backs on the front sides of the twin consoles invite you to stretch out in the spacious bow.

The cockpit is essentially surrounded by the Starcraft Limited 2119 RE’s low profile, elegantly curved walk-through windshield, which provides walk-through access to the bow. On the cockpit floor, a large storage locker provides a spacious place to store skis, wakeboards, fishing rods and other bulky items so they’re secure yet out of the way. The driver and companion ride on stylish sport bucket seats with an open-back design, that provides great support and all-day comfort. The passenger console offers a convenient beverage holder, a large locking glove box, and the controls for the standard AM/FM stereo with Bluetooth connectivity. There’s also a power point for keeping phones and other accessories charged, plus a convenient stainless steel grab handle.

The passenger console offers a convenient beverage holder, a large locking glove box, and the controls for the standard AM/FM stereo with Bluetooth connectivity.

The driver in the Limited gets spoiled with a similar sport bucket seat, this one on a sliding base so it adjusts to drivers of all builds. The automotive-style fiberglass console includes a beverage holder up top and all the critical gauges clustered in a crescent-shaped array on the upper dash. Classic black-on-white gauges with chrome bezels include a fuel gauge, speedometer, tach, oil pressure gauge, temperature gauge, trim gauge and a volt meter, with toggle switches for the engine compartment blower, lights and other electrical accessories in a neat row beneath. A sporty Torcello upholstered sport steering wheel provides a touch up class and gives the helm a decidedly upscale look and feel.

The automotive-style fiberglass console includes a beverage holder up top and all the critical gauges clustered in a crescent-shaped array on the upper dash.

Walk through that gracefully arcing windshield and you’ll find a surprisingly spacious bow seating area – remember, this is still a 21-foot boat. Twin lounge seats with forward-facing seat backs on the front sides of the twin consoles invite you to stretch out and look ahead, or kick back with friends and enjoy a semi-private area for conversations and drinks. A pair of stereo speakers and a pair of beverage holders complete the space.

While the standard feature list is extensive, a long option list allows owners to personalize this boat just the way they like. Beyond the aforementioned Sea Weave flooring, a wakeboard tower, a Bimini top and an extended swim platform are also available.

At wide open throttle, the 2119 RE can reach speeds of near 50 mph with its MerCruiser 4.5L V6.

With its reverse-chine hull design and fully integrated stringer system, the Limited 2119 RE is a joy to drive, being quick to plane and responsive at the wheel. At wide open throttle, the 2119 RE can reach speeds of near 50 mph with its MerCruiser 4.5L V6, which might just be the optimal power for this boat. Stepping up to a 300-horsepower V8 adds the potential for a few more mph at wide open throttle, but the snappy performance and better fuel economy of the 4.5L makes it a popular choice.

Fast, responsive, comfortable and capable, the Starcraft Limited 2119 RE is a delightful family runabout that does so many things well that it has to deserve consideration from any family looking for a versatile, enjoyable boat.