The Mako 212, with its slimmer profile, gave a more comfortable ride than the Key West 2300.

Readers have been pressing us to test a Mako (our last review appeared in the December 1994 issue), so when we had a chance to wring out Mako’s newly designed 212 center console, we pounced on it.

Purely by happenstance, we found out Suzuki Marine was using a Mako 212 center console as a demonstrator for one of its new V-6 four-strokes at the Suzuki dealer meeting in July. Since we knew this function was meant to showcase the Suzuki 225- and 250-hp, we suspected there’d be several other boats available with comparable power for testing. A head-to-head immediately popped up for discussion. …