The Checkmate Pulsare 2400 BRX looks great while pulling ­water toys and offering a ­good-size group a thrill ride.

Overview

By adding a bow lounge to its closed-deck Pulsare 2400, Checkmate offers great performance, plus more seating, in the Pulsare 2400 BRX. 

Engine

During testing, noted throttleman and ­Checkmate general manager Billy Moore  wheeled the BRX to a 67.1 mph top speed. The BRX went zero to 30 mph in a respectable 6.3 seconds. Need more speed? Checkmate rigged a few BRXs with a Mercury Racing 500R that reportedly hit 90-plus mph.

The 22-degree deadrise hull with a narrow, V-shaped running pad and multiple lifting strakes makes driving the BRX exciting without creating that nervous ­V-­bottom feel present in many performance boats. While there are faster hulls, the BRX pulls ­water toys and gives a ­good-size group a thrill ride.

The Pulsare 2400 BRX feels stable even at high speeds. Courtesy Checkmate Powerboats

Checkmate also builds it rugged. “We’d rather sacrifice a few miles per hour in exchange for taking a pounding year after year, with no stress cracking and no warranty claims,” Moore says.

Toward that end, each BRX utilizes hand-laid cloth with composite core, stringer grid, transom and liner. Beefy 1 ½-inch-thick ­Coosa transom knees take wave pounding, with the outboard hanging on a T-H Marine jack plate a foot off the transom. The dazzling white gelcoat features swooping red and black graphic accents applied in PPG paint, wet-sanded, and overlaid with clearcoat. There are no paint lines to feel.

The dash features single custom Livorsi throttle and shift sticks, along with Lenco tabs. Courtesy Checkmate Powerboats

Interior And Accessories

The bow’s twin extra-long lounges can fit four, though it’s intended for two, stretched out and lounging. In the aft cockpit, formfitting buckets envelop the pilot and co-­pilot. A wide and deep aft bench accommodates more people. SeaDek flooring, custom-cut with red contrasting Checkmate logos in the black ­matting, makes for a clean look that’s easy on the feet.

Long, plush bow lounges feature diamond-stitched upholstery. Courtesy Checkmate Powerboats

The dash features single custom Livorsi throttle and shift sticks, along with Lenco tabs. The stereo is a six-speaker system with subwoofer and amplifier, with two control heads. Rigging under the dash, under the splashwell, and at the transom was executed with a clean, race-boat touch.

Want to enjoy speed, performance and handling with a crowd? Check out Checkmate’s Pulsare 2400 BRX.

Read Next: Checkmate Pulsare 2400 CD

Cavernous compartments offer ample storage space. Courtesy Checkmate Powerboats

How We Tested

• Engine: Mercury Racing 300R
• Drive/Prop: Outboard/Mercury Racing Bravo 1 FS 15.25″ x 24″ 4-blade stainless steel
• Gear Ratio: 1.75:1 Fuel Load: 45 gal. Crew Weight: 550 lb.

High Points

• Long, plush bow lounges with diamond-stitched upholstery in a boat with racy performance and handling. 
• Its cavernous compartments will swallow all but the largest water toys and safety gear.
• The dark, smoked windscreens are made in the Checkmate plant. They look and work great.

Low Points 

• While the windshields are beautiful, they do cause glare on the dash when the sun’s at the right angle. Fine-tuning might help minimize that. 
• Unfinished compartment edges found aboard hull No. 1, which Checkmate assured us have been addressed. 

Toughest Competitor

Currently, there isn’t a high-performance bowrider that competes head-to-head with the Checkmate, speed- and performance-wise. However,  Stingray’s 3,360-pound 230SX ($106,614 with a 300 hp Yamaha) comes close, clocking speeds of over 60 mph with its optional 300 hp Yamaha outboard. 

Pricing And Specs

Price:	$135,210 (as tested)
LOA:	24’0″
Beam:	8’3″
Draft:	1’6″
Displacement:	2,200 lb.
Transom Deadrise:	22 degrees
Bridge Clearance:	4’0″
Fuel Capacity:	60 gal.
Max Horsepower:	500
Available Power:	Single outboard motors to 500 hp

Speed, Efficiency, Operation

Checkmate Pulsare 2400 BRX Certified Test Results Boating Magazine