The really key change between this new boat and the old 190 Sport is in the beam. At 2.54 metres, the SPX is 33cm broader than its predecessor, and while that might not sound like a radical change, it makes a massive difference on a boat of this scale. For instance, the cockpit is radically uprated with 20% more space than that of the outgoing 190 Sport, and because the SPX carries that beam further forward, the newly designed bow, with its blunt nose, is also that bit more spacious.

Plainly, that’s a great start, but the SPX is about more than just the expansion of its internal footprint; it’s also about making that space work much harder. The old 190 arranged its cockpit, rather complacently, around a pair of helm seats ahead of a full-beam aft bench. We’ve seen it a million times before, and while it works well enough, it means you’re limited to five fixed cockpit seats and a swim platform that can only be accessed by vaulting the aft bench and making your way over the engine bay. The SPX circumvents this tired formula by employing an asymmetrical layout.

Instead of leading directly aft, the cockpit walkway leads back from the step-through screen to the port side of the aft bench. Here, the extra beam is used to generate a stepped, walk-through transom, creating not just better access fore and aft but also extra room on the port side of the cockpit for the inclusion of a convertible two-man seating unit. With its forward infill and removable aft backrest, this clever section can be rigged as a pair of inward-facing seats, a single forward-facing seat or a long, aft-facing lounger. It’s a much more useful feature than a conventional co-pilot seat, particularly for those who want to face aft and keep an eye on a wakeboarder. And while the removable infill was unworkably flimsy on the debut boat, our test boat for the day exhibited a reinforced panel, making this port section much more practical and user-friendly than it was at its launch.