With the 27' Raven freshly deposited from Essex Performance Boats' talented hatchery, the custom realm is presented with yet another opportunity from the edge-seeking boat-building outfit to savor sport boating at its absolute pinnacle levle. The Raven soars through the custom universe with fluid grace, and saturates the onboard experience with a fulfilling mix of style and controlled volatility.

Summoning the full measure of boldness that has distinguished their civilized, yet highly charged wake through family boating waters, Essex's latest pride exemplifies the company's elegant production signature, and then wraps it around a spectacular driving bottom and midcabin bowrider format. The resulting wheel experience is an undiluted rush that pushes full-sized lake boating firmly into hotrodding territory. It further solidifies Essex's evolving posture as a builder of highly satisfying sport boats. Adding another shade of flourish to a lake boat that already provokes a certain level of sensory intoxication, Essex brazenly tapped Mer- Cruiser's fire-breathing 600SC to propel the Raven's intro flight. Our first look at this outstanding new boat was reolete with an uncensored, full frontal view of its bottom dynamics, as only 600 rampant, blown horsepower can reveal.

Provocative styling not withstanding, Essex's new flagship will not be relegated to eye candy. Once we fully digested its compelling interior styling, and took full measure of its innovative approach, we were left to experience the core of the Raven experience. Just as its compelling styling found a highly receptive audience throughout our team's number, the response was universally similar among our ranks who embraced its wheel.

The Raven may be the most fun yet we've had in an Essex, which is no small milestone in a release history that lives and thrives at the high water mark. An 85-mile-an-hour dandy with the 600 on board, the 600/Essex was an efficient family performer that answered a particularly rude welcome from the elements, performing near peak levels. With assurances, the new Essex is easily one of the best boats we saw this year, and it further fortifies a line of boats that exudes excellence from top to bottom.