We hear a lot about “fishability”, but frankly these days virtually all boats designed
for the purpose have decent “fishability.” What offshore fishermen need now are
boats that are good sea-keeping vessels that anglers can take offshore with confidence
– yet still be affordable. Combine Wellcraft’s Scarab race-proven construction
know-how with over 35 years of experience with center consoles and you have Wellcraft’s
new generation of offshore fishing boats. The all-new 210 Fisherman is not a warmed-over
bay boat designed to a low price-point. Rather, she has one of the highest freeboards
we have seen in a 21-footer with 29” of reassuring gunwale height in the cockpit,
bow flare to keep you dry, ss hand holds all over where they are needed, decent scuppers and a full-height
outboard well. The company has taken a good look at the competition and made sure
that when buyers go point-by-point they won’t find this 19-degree deadrise boat
wanting. Our Capt. Steve is no shrinking violet when it comes to testing boats and
he likes what he found in the 210. Join him for his video ride --
Bayliner’s 185 is their newest bowrider and represents a compilation of their customer’s
requests for more choice and more space; space for people and for storage. Maintaining
affordability, this model carries a suggested retail price of $16,341 which leaves
you room to add options and still keep the bottom line cost within reason.
Come aboard the Bayliner 185 Bowrider.
Four Winns SL 242
The SL 242 was released as a late 2008 entry. For 2009 Four Winns has added some
upgrades that should increase its popularity. Four Winns successfully combined attributes
from a deckboat, skiboat and sportboat to create a dry running, roomy interior that
still performs as well as a skiboat. Bow seating is a large U-shape complementing
the cockpit seating with wide Comfort-Ride Plus seating and soft bench seats. Learn more about the SL 242 from Four Winns.
Seaswirl 2305 Center Console
The new 2305 Center Console
from Seaswirl is not just a rehash from the ‘07; it’s new all the way around. The
fuel hatch is gone; they added diamond anti-skid surfaces, forward seating and more
room for electronics at the helm. This will be a weekend warrior that won’t raid
your bank account. This boat looks to be a good choice to move up to from the 18
to 21 foot range as the family grows or you desire to head further from shore.
See
test and video of the Seaswirl 2305 Center Console.
Tigé 22i
Uncompromising multi-sport
capability is the result of Tigé’s patented “Convex V" hull and the “TAPS” control
system. Starting there, the Tigé 22i adds loads of what you want and need in a sportboat.
In addition, the 22i offers the steering and handling characteristics one would
expect from a direct drive watersports boat. Capain John Wenz takes a look at the 22i.
Yamaha FZS
The FZ Series is a
new offering from Yamaha's WaveRunner line. The three-seat FZS and her two-seat
sister FZR were not intended for the luxury performance market. Yamaha’s got other
models to suit those needs. The FZS is all about solo, standup riding; going all-out,
hooking-up through the turns and having pulse-pounding acceleration! But in terms
of accommodating two or even three riders, the FZS makes very little in the way
of compromise.
See the new FZS from Yamaha.
PWC Basics
PWC Safety Instruction
Know Your Watercraft and Your Capabilities
Before you hit the water it’s important to follow these safety guidelines for PWC
use provided by the Personal Watercraft Industry Association (PWIA). Rules of the
water don’t just apply to boaters, they also apply to PWCs and you must remember
that you’re sharing the water with other boaters, swimmers, skiers and all manner
of water lovers
out there. These videos cover the basics of PWC use such as riding rules, what to
wear, how to operate defensively, and safety information. The more you know about
your watercraft and how it operates, the safer you are as a boater. Safe riding!
A special promotional program that provides rebates of up to $2000 on select boat
packages from Smoker Craft/Starcraft Marine will run through February 28, 2009.
The brands included in the program are Smoker Craft, Starcraft, Sylvan, and Vectra.
These brands cover the spectrum from bass boats to deckboats to pontoons, and with
so many segments of the market represented you have a great shot of finding just
the right boat for you! To read the press release and find out how to take advantage of
this program, move your mouse –
I’m amazed at how many experienced boaters are unsure of what to do with their “1-2-BOTH”
battery switch. It’s a very simple mechanism and, used properly, can save you time,
money, and stress. The vast majority of boaters I’ve asked say something like, “I’m
not really sure what to do with it, so I just leave it in the “BOTH” position.”
A little clarification here will go a long way –
Mother Nature is fickle, and weather is, or should be, on the mind of every boater.
What is it doing now? What is it likely to do in the future? Not only is this necessary
for an enjoyable experience, but it can be critical for the safety of your crew
and the boat. The key is to be vigilant yet still have a good time. One way to maintain
that balance is to access weather information on your mobile phone. The ability
to access high-quality weather information from any location adds greatly to this
utility, and most of the best weather sources are now catering to mobile users.
Are you curious to see which way the wind will blow --
Photo Test
Celestial Navigation Revisited
Now that GPS has replaced
the sextant and moon sights for determining one’s
nautical position, the galaxy
is a free-fire
zone for Photoshop.
Last week we ran the picture above as a test, folks -- just to find out if you were
paying attention, and had recovered from New Year’s Eve celebrations! Thankfully,
you were paying attention and we were inundated with reader mail. For the rest of
you: What was wrong with this picture? A few too many things for it to be real.
Savvy BoatTEST members picked up on the line, “an amazing photo and one not easily
duplicated.” The picture was submitted by our freelance photo contributor, Bill
Noble, who regular readers will recall works for payment in 6-packs of Coors Light.
Next week: Mars between the Moon and Earth. Several readers have asked where to get a print of this fantastic
astronomical anomaly, find out here.
Seven areas in Palm Beach County have been deemed as “high risk” in a recent study
being done by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. This has the
potential of reducing speeds along these areas to “Idle Speed." Could this be just
what it takes to save boaters from themselves, or is it another case of Big Brother
making more rules to legislate everything under the sun? Read on and decide for yourself --
The ingredients were simple enough -- two brothers, a PWC, an old inner tube, and
a sunny Ft. Lauderdale day. It doesn’t take rocket science to put it all together
and have a good time. What could go wrong? No prop strike, no towing into rocks,
no BUI, and no collision. What’s more, everyone involved was wearing a life jacket.
What did happen was what could only be described as a freak accident by everyone
investigating it. Get your freak on here --
Anyone who has visited the ruins of the 13th century Urquhart Castle on the shores
of Loch Ness knows that little boating is done on this placid lake which is 37 km
long. We have long wondered why. Of course, for years people thought that there
was the “Loch Ness Monster” but that fable has long since been disproved by experts
and that myth is now relegated to the dust bin of fantasy along with Big Foot and
the Abominable Snowman.
To see the recently discovered video explaining it all -- plunk your magic twanger.
This month’s USCG recall notice covers generator wiring on some Bayliners, possible defects
on some Evinrude tillers, and the sealing of fuel hoses on some Kawasaki products.
As always, BoatTEST.com commends these manufacturers for working with the USCG to
help insure consumer safety. For the details on this month’s USCG recalls -- fix this.
In this final lesson for Requirement for Recreational Boaters, Captain Steve goes
through essential (not required) supplies that every smart boater should have onboard.
He explains why these supplies are necessary and gives examples as to when they
will come in handy. The 12 videos presented this week are part of his USCG-approved
boating course called “Smart Boating.” Watch Captain Steve's video boating lessons
every week on BoatTEST.com.
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