The recent loss of three fishermen 38 miles off Clearwater, Florida might not have
garnered headlines across the country were it not for the fact that two of them
men were NFL football players. In fact, accidents like this one happen all of the
time and are rarely reported beyond the local community. The good that can come
from this tragedy is to bring basic aspects of the sea, seamanship, and boating safety
to a larger audience. We think this accident could have been avoided in a number
of ways, and rescue could have been effected far more rapidly had the men been properly
prepared for an offshore trip. What did they do wrong? Could they have saved themselves
and if so, how? BoatTEST wades in on a subject that is not much discussed and definitely
cries out for more public attention among boaters --
Boat Tests & Reviews
Larson Senza 206
The Senza line from Larson traces its heritage back to 2005 and the traditional
sportboat design. The Senza offers an edgier look with interior treatments that
have a hint of the color schemes I have seen on high end sports cars, certainly not
the bland white interiors you might expect. Color schemes for the hull are coordinated
with a simple graphic, Sport Paint and the really cool looking Adrenaline.
See complete test and video of Larson's Senza 206.
Four Winns H200
The terms "hybrid"
and "cross-over" are being used in many connections these days. Wakeboarding has overtaken waterskiing
in popularity and now people are wake surfing. Leave it to Four Winns to put together a boat that meets
the demands of the consumer for
all of these sports in one, versatile 20' boat. The H200
Frenzy Edition has all
the features you need for fun on the water. Come aboard the H200 from Four Winns.
Ranger 208 VX
Ranger stays
tuned to the market and hears many in the fishing community talking about the downturn
in the economy and how they really would like to upgrade their rigs. Many weekend
warriors lusted for a 520VX but it was out of reach. Ranger now has an answer
that should help keen anglers make that move.
It’s not the 520VX Lite, it is the all-new 208VX which is built on the same hull
and sports many of the same fishing features, ride and comfort of the 520VX. What
it doesn’t carry over is the hefty payments.
Captain Smith takes a look at Ranger's 208 VX.
Wellcraft 210 Sportsman
For 2009 Wellcraft
has added another model to their growing Sportsman line. Much like the versatile
180 Sportsman the new 210 Sportsman features amenities that appeal to the multi-purpose
boater. The 21' Sportsman has a beam of 8’6’’ and is available with nine power options.
The utility of this boat will surprise you, so take a look at Capt. Steve's video.
See complete test and video of the Wellcraft 210 Sportsman.
As you read this hull #1 of Formula’s all-new 290 Sun Sport
is hitting the water for the first time in Miami. The boating press is so impressed
with Formula’s latest creation that Boating, Motor Boating, and Boating World magazines will all
have writers and paparazzi on hand to record the event. Formula is probably the
closest brand built in America that captures the essence of a luxury sports car
on the water – and the 290 Sun Sport has lots of parallels with the Aston Martin
V12 Vantage and the 599 GTB Ferrari – but is far less expensive! And like those
vaunted sports cars, there will not be many of this new 290 built, so if you are
interested, you’d best get your name on the waiting list quick because it takes
the Formula factory about three weeks to turn one out. To find out why this new
boat is so special -- cut in line.
Hydra-Sports’ reputation has been built up over the years
because of their SOTA fishing features and quality construction. Each new model
starts with a clean sheet of paper where designers (who are anglers) draw what fishermen
have been asking for and need. Then, men in the factory (who are anglers) assemble
the boats as if they were for their own use. Hydra-Sports has strong shop-floor
management (who are anglers) to oversee every detail of construction to make sure
each boat comes out with Tiffany quality. Take a video look at how Hydra-Sports
boats come together with some of the best construction videos we have ever seen.
We like what Glastron is doing: They are making public their factory rebate program
and giving the same deal to everyone. (Some companies keep their rebate secret until
you break a dealer’s arm or walk out the door, so some of their customers get it
and some don’t.) The Glastron factory is giving $750 to $4000 rebates depending on the
model. That works out to about 5% to 6% of the MSRP, which means you may well do
even better than that! Glastron’s program runs through March 31st, so if you are serious, now is the time to get off the dime. The builder in all likelihood will
schedule his orders for April and May delivery, so March is probably the last time
you can custom order a boat anyway, so you might as well get the extra discount.
Like a lot of things in life, a “Ditch Bag” is something most powerboaters don’t
think about until they need it. Capt. Steve explains what goes into it and why you
should have one. In case there is any doubt in your mind, read this week’s lead
story. The good captain also explains how to use a fire extinguisher like a pro.
It flabbergasts us that only about 30% of the people who have boats have boat insurance.
Like a “Ditch Bag” boat insurance is something that obviously many boaters don’t
think about -- but they will when they need it. See Capt. Steve’s latest video explaining how to get ahead of the
safety
curve --
Everyone has to start somewhere. When it comes to moving from a skiboat or a runabout
into an entry-level trailerable weekend cruiser, historically Bayliner has always
been on almost everyone’s “short list.” The reason for that was price. But a few
years ago the folks at Bayliner decided that they would upgrade quality and materials
and offset increased costs with innovative new production efficiencies – and hold
the line on retail prices. They have done an admirable job of price control and
the MSRP on the new Bayliner 265 Cruiser is just $46,841 with a standard 220-hp
MerCruiser engine. But as we all know, MSRP is just the “suggested” retail price,
and chances are that buyers this spring can do better. To find out our take on the Bayliner 265 --
Which is the Best Deal:
The $52k Wake or $45k Challenger?
The folks at Sea-Doo tell us that they have
built in over $20k of options and up-grades into their 230 Wake vs. the 230 Challenger
SE, yet charge only $7k more in the Wake package.
It is always a tough decision to make: Do you go top of the line with all of the
bells and whistles, or do you go with a more basic model? The same dilemma exists
for cars, trucks, lawn mowers, house insurance or most any complicated product one
buys. Sea-Doo’s 230 Wake has lots of cool options built into its base price, such
as a wake tower, ballast tank with push-button fill and release, a heater, a PA
system, the “Perfect Pass Wakeboard Pro” that lets you set up to 8 individual speed
settings, and more. But it costs $52k MSRP vs. $45k MSRP for the 230 Challenger
SE. We like the Wake package, but maybe the Challenger will suit you just fine.
Check out
our test videos of both of these boats and decide for yourself --
If you have ever wondered if a single engine could drive
two propellers, you are not alone. The answer is yes. Have you ever wondered if
a mid-size diesel with tremendous torque would beat twin, hopped-up gas engines
at best cruise? (You’ll have to make the jump to find out.) Have you ever wondered
what would happen to the range and ride of a center console if all that weight hanging
off the stern were placed forward and low, where it ought to be? Several years ago
Mastry Engine Center in Tampa, Florida, a large distributor for Yanmar diesels,
began experimenting with 90-degree gear boxes and made some fascinating discoveries
that have been kept secret until now. To explore the intriguing possibilities of
one diesel engine and two props --
If you have decided on a specific boat to buy, but you are unsure if you're getting
the best deal, let us help you. Sign up for our Member Services program and we will
leverage our relationships in your favor. Free --
As hard as it is to believe, there are some people who would not give the right
of way to the second largest military vessel in the North Atlantic. When you see
a boogie on your radar scope at night, how do you respond? Have you been keeping
up on Capt. Steve’s weekly boating lessons? Take a look at this short video and
see how the U.S. Navy does it -- now hear this.
The Mahindra Group, one of India’s industrial giants, last month announced that it
plans to build a line of fiberglass recreational powerboats from 20’ to 40’ in varying
“fit out levels to suit customer requirements.” The brand will be called Odyssea.
The company’s second phase could “potentially” include cabin cruisers and catamarans
says the company. To read the complete news release --
A used 32’ Uniflite cabin cruiser for only $4,000 sounded like a good deal when
its new owner bought it. Uniflite had a good reputation for building strong, safe
boats, but unfortunately it hasn’t been in business for 26 years. After the explosion
the boat was cut loose and drifted into a moored 64’ motoryacht causing $30k of damage. There was one injury and one good lesson for us all. To read all about it -- inspect your mouse.
A few months after a Pentagon spokesman said that catching Somali pirates was not
the U.S. Navy’s job, and ship owners should hire their own on-board security, the
U.S. Navy has decided to follow in the tradition of Stephen Decatur. We might add
that both the French and British had shown the way several months ago by capturing
boatloads of the brigands and delivering them to dungeons in Kenya. The Indian navy
even sunk a pirate mother ship, or at least a vessel that looked like one. To find out what was behind the Americans’ brave reversal of policy
-- hang your mouse.
Our trusty reader Bill Noble is currently doing research on the Internet for his
annual fishing trip to the north country. He came across this picture and will be
enjoying his usual Coors Light payment as you read this. We’re told that it was a record
for the lake where it was caught. Those fussy people at the IGFA (International
Game Fish Association) would probably take exception to the bait used, but no matter,
in fact bigger ones have been recorded. Now is the time for you to plan your summer
fishing trip, so go where the big ones are. To find out where and how this beauty was caught -- bait your minnow.
Last fall one of our testing captains discovered a
gate valve installed on a new
offshore fishing boat built by a famous name. We were appalled! Gate valves are essentially what you have
behind your house for the garden hose, and above you see what happens to them on
boats. Good boat builders stopped using them in the 1950s and ‘60s. The ABYC forbids
them in all NMMA-Certified boats, and frankly we thought they were a thing of the
past until our discovery last fall. (You won’t see that boat builder here!) Seacocks must be
not only marine-grade ball valves
but they must also be installed properly. They
are the single most important item on your boat. Capt. Pauley of thevirtualboatyard.com has been kind enough to send
us a fine tutorial on the subject -- read or sink.
This week Capt. Steve goes over sixteen new lessons and
guidelines on fog signals
and navigation lights. It’s important to know what to do when fog suddenly comes
rolling in and you’re cruising along in pea soup or simply a restricted visibility
scenario. Capt. Steve also goes over the basics on navigation lights, what they
mean, and what’s required when running at night, and at anchor. You’ll learn about requirements for boats over 12 meters, or 39 ½ feet, and what’s required for boats
less than 7 meters, or 23 feet. These are basic rules which all recreational
boaters should be aware of. The videos
presented this week are part of Capt.
Steve’s USCG-approved boating course called “Smart Boating.”
Watch Capt. Steve's video boating lessons every week on BoatTEST.com.
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