Is FinCraft A
Game Changer?
We all know that the world is rapidly changing and while no one knows what it will
be like when we get on the other side of (whatever you want to call it), we all
know the world will be different. Now everyone, even the fat cats, are watching
every penny and are considering brands they never would have looked at before because
some of them have real value for money. For that reason, there couldn’t be a better
time for the launch of FinCraft, a new brand of freshwater multi-specie fiberglass
fishing boat with a price tag that makes aluminum boat builders apoplectic. The
new FinCraft 17, with 50-hp outboard and trailer, has an MSRP of $14k and the street
price is even less. The parent company, Genmar,
says that with $3k down, they estimate someone can get into the FinCraft 17 for
as little as $136 per month. Where we come from, that means we’ll have to give up
two large Dunkin' Donuts’ coffees a day, and brew it ourselves. Think about it. Smokers
could kick the habit and have enough extra monthly money to go for the big engine,
to say nothing of not dying of emphysema. There probably isn’t a working person
alive in the U.S. who couldn’t trade one of his little “luxuries” or vices for a
FinCraft, if he really wanted to go boating bad enough. That’s why we think these
two boats with three models – the 17 SC or 17 DC and the 1850 DC -- could be “game changers.” To find out more about the FinCraft 17 and 1850 and why we think
change might be afoot --
Visit the new FinCraft website
--
|
New Boat
The New Tahoe 215 Xi Can Do Most Anything
We don’t think there are any better pictures in this issue
that better capture what boating is all about than the two above. There is nothing
like being on that special body of water where family moments are locked into memory.
Because the folks who build Tahoe are affiliated with Bass Pro Shoppes, one of the
nation’s largest outdoor retail operations, it is as if the builder is in touch with
its customers every day. That’s why Tahoe knows what people want, what they do on
their boats, and how much they can afford to pay. That’s why they have made this
watersports platform not only beautiful, but also one of the most functional, versatile
deckboats we have ever seen. We asked Capt. Steve to check it out for us. Here’s his report--
Arrange a test drive
|
Ski/Wake News
Tigé RZ4 Flagship “Rocks” for Big Wake
Finding the right person to test a ski/wakeboard boat is
not easy. Most skiboat owners we know are pretty rabid fans of their brand, sort
of like Red Sox and Yankee baseball maniacs. Then, most of the brands have their
own peanut galleries nattering away on the Internet blowing smoke up one's dress and
throwing cold water on another. So we asked Capt. Rob Smith who does not own a ski/wake
board boat -- but who has tested most of them at one time or another in his long
career and knows a thing or two about boat design -- to take a good look at the
RZ4 and put her through her paces.
Here’s his independent 3rd party report --
Request a special demo
|
Comparison
Chaparral’s 236SSi or 236SSX --
Which Do YOU Prefer?
If you are in the market for a 24’ sportboat then you owe
it to yourself to take a look at both the Chaparral 236 SSi and 236 SSX. The two
most obvious differences are that the SSX model has a head in the port console and
“L”-shaped seating with a transom walk-thru gate and the SSi model is the more conventional
layout, sans head. But there are some other subtitle differences as well. To help
us sort them out, we have asked Capt. Steve to bring his critical eye to help us.
Both look good to us and Chaparral’s fit and finish
is among the best in the industry, but Capt. Steve can always be counted on to point
out the relative distinctions.
Check out his report here--
Visit Chaparral's website
|
Environment
Does Your Boat Have Cooties?
As much as we hate to admit it, once again the folks in
California are leading the rest of the country, and maybe the world, when it comes to protecting against invasive species spreading to freshwater locations. Ballast
water dumped by ships is picked up by trailerable small crafts which go from saltwater
to freshwater, then hop around. As they travel, the organisms in their bilge water
and attached to their hull and running gear drop off and find new homes. The zebra
muscles have been a prime example of this spreading eco-problem. More and more,
conservation authorities responsible for keeping lakes and streams from contamination
are requiring that trailerable boats visit “decontamination” stations. Inspection
and decontamination is now required on Lake Tahoe. Read all about it --
|
Second Look
Wellcraft’s 30 Tournament CC Has the Scarab Offshore Pedigree
Many years ago Wellcraft Scarabs battled it out on the offshore racing circuit with
Cigarettes, Magnums and Formulas. Then, over 25 years ago, Wellcraft was the first
to marry that offshore high-performance Scarab hull with a center console open deck to create a fast, comfortable, and roomy outboard-powered fishboat. Believe it or not,
at first the conservative fishing crowd was slow to embrace the concept, but once
it did, it changed how people fished offshore. It was a “game changer” but nobody
realized it at the time. Then companies such as Intrepid, Contender, Fountain,
Jupiter and many others all followed in Scarab’s wake. Today's Wellcraft 30’ Scarab
center console is not the same one manufactured 25 years ago,
but she is a refined, and updated descendent of that trail-blazing boat. Come aboard
with us and see if she’s the right boat for you. Bring your chum buckets and follow
us --
Request factory price quote
See
video of the 30 Tournament test --
Propeller Tips
Damaged Prop:
Repair or Replace?
Sooner or later it happens to all of us, even the most careful of navigators – the
prop gets dinged. Sometimes it’s a little more than a ding, yet all of the blades
are still there, more or less. Your boat dealer, local mechanic, and the local boatyard
will all tell you the same thing -- replace the prop! (They can’t fix it and
want to sell you a new screw.) But you wonder: “Can’t a good prop shop salvage this
with some creative metal working and make it almost as good as new?” If you’ve faced
that dilemma, you are not alone. Here is how to handle prop triage --
PowerTech Propellers website --
New Boat
Glastron DX 215 Deckboat
Has a Unique Layout
The deckboat is a relatively new specie of sportboat and we think that Glastron
has just given the type a nice evolution in the right direction. Its designers have
recently applied some outside the box thinking and created a deckboat that answers
the practical needs of a family watersports platform – privacy and ease of transom
egress. This boat has the largest changing room/head we’ve ever seen on a 21-footer.
Now the kids and Mom will have a comfortable and private space in which to change.
We think this boat has some of the more important advantages of a cuddy with all
of the advantages of a bowrider. It’s nice to see things get shaken up now and then,
and more often than not, new ideas become the norm. Come aboard for a look and see
if it works for you --
Schedule a test drive
|
 |
Second Look
Sylvan 8522 Pontoon Has an Executive Feel
Pontoons have long been the boat of choice for folks that do all their boating on
relatively protected waters. Not only can they allow you to experience all that
boating has to offer, they can do it in a more cost effective way. And thanks to
the inherent shallow draft that pontoons enjoy, operating in skinny water is little
concern. If you’re impressed with a fiberglass boat’s 5 year hull warranty, then
Sylvan’s lifetime pontoon warranty will be sure to please. We took a look at Sylvan’s
latest 22 footer, the 8522, and we didn’t come away disappointed. Check out the Captain's Report here --
|
Engine News
Volvo Penta's 5.0 GXi
BoatTEST.com has tested 20 boats with both single and twin Volvo Penta 5.0 GXi power
and the performance results are remarkably consistent in class among the boats we
checked. With 5.0 liter displacement and eight cylinders, this Volvo Penta engine
delivers over 250-ft. lbs. of torque at 1000 rpm up to 302-ft. lbs. at 4000 rpm.
This relatively flat and powerful torque curve makes the engine ideal for waterski
and wakeboard activities by delivering relatively constant torque throughout the
useful rpm range. To find out more about this workhorse “small-block” Volvo Penta
engine and how it performs in different boats -- start your mouse.
|
Featured Product
Get Rid of the Chamois
Drying your boat after washing can be a bit of a pain. Chamois are a big help, but
you still need to keep wringing them out all the time and can’t stick them on a handle. We gave
the Water Blade from Shurhold a workout and have to agree with their claims. The team at Shurhold tells us that because of the design and the materials
"It just wipes away water" and that it is "Safe on all boat surfaces." Well it did
make the drying process go much faster when we used it, and there were no signs
of marks or scratches on any of the surfaces we use it on. The Shurhold system has
a holder that the water blade simply slides
into. The holder clips onto their handle system with ease, and you can adjust the
angle any way you like. In our opinion,
another quality product that delivers what it promised. Learn more about the Water Blade and the entire Shurhold system--
|
Boat Test
Yamaha's Hot 212 SS
Compare similar boats to see what Yamaha provides as standard versus the competition.
The 212 SS uses Yamaha’s 21-foot hull and adds some aggressive styling to create
a functional and fun machine. The low-profile, tinted windscreen and the extreme
graphics scheme give this a sports car look to complement the outstanding acceleration
and handling.
Take a ride with us as test the 212 SS from Yamaha.
|
Watersports
Sailing Is Fun!
If you have ever wondered how much fun it would be to go offshore racing, then we
have a video for you. The folks who like this sport are certainly a breed apart –
most people don’t want to be wet and miserable, cold and clammy for days on end,
but offshore sailboat racers thrive on it. More power to them -- oops, that’s more
wind to them. The best thing about this sport is when you go off watch, you get
to take off your wet foul weather gear (it all leaks, of course) and climb into
a bunk still damp from the guy who just got out of it. Then there is the problem
of the boat being knocked on its ear every so often, dumping the crew out of their
bunks. Ah, the sailing life! As we said, it looks like fun to us. To see what it’s like, run the video, please-- douse the mouse.
Let’s have some reader comments about the great sport of offshore racing --
|
Correction
Is Pirate Leader Double-Hooked?
One of our eagle-eyed readers has discovered that there might be something amiss
with the Somali pirate leader who we pictured negotiating with Pres. Obama last
week. He seems to be double-hooked! That was not the only issue our trusty reader
had with this news scoop, he says we don’t know the USS Freedom’s schedule. Does
that mean it is not going to the Somali coast to catch pirates? Was the AP news
story we picked up just Pentagon dis-information? Perhaps it was a bit of Pentagon
dis-information being put out to scare the pirates! Anyway, according to our reader
-- who says he is a USN Lieutenant Commander on this very ship – we’re all wet.
So much for Navy security. To read his correction --
|
Boating Tips
6,302 (Ave.) Boat Thefts Per Year Nationwide
Among the 19,854 watercraft thefts in the last three years, July is the favorite month,
Florida is the leading state in this crime category, and Yamaha PWCs appear to be
the target of choice, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB). The
NICB says that the most expensive theft they recorded was $600,000 but the average
theft represented about a $15,000 loss. PWCs were the clear favorites of thieves,
followed by kayaks, jon boats, canoes and pontoon boats. To find out more about boat thefts and learn what you can do to hold
on to your floating property--cage the mouse.
|
Engine News
Catalytic Converters Are Coming Soon
If you cancelled your move to California to avoid having to buy catalytic converters
for your stern drive or inboard gas engines, then we have some bad news. If you
buy a new boat in 2010 – in any state -- you may have to convert. As we noted last year
when it happened, the EPA has formalized new exhaust emission standards for marine
“spark-ignition” engines and they will be fazed in next year. Based on what boat
builders are charging extra for products going into California (which required catalytic
converters in 2008) you will be paying anywhere from about $2,750 to $5,000
extra
for that new boat. (Most outboard engines comply with the new regs already and diesels
are not “spark-ignited”.) Find out more about the impact of this new rule on your future
new boat purchase --
|
Industry News
Business as Usual
At Genmar*
On Monday June 1, Genmar Holdings, Inc. filed for Chapter 11 Reorganization Protection.
The 14 brands owned by Genmar account for roughly 20% of the fiberglass boats built
in America by the major builders. Most of the company’s brands are major players
in their respective categories. Irwin Jacobs, CEO and the major stockholder in the
company, said in a corporate press release on Monday, “We believe that Genmar will
have access to sufficient cash and has current assets available to support our on-going
business to service and build dealer boat orders and pay our vendor suppliers on
future purchases promptly.” Jacobs also said, “It is important that every interested
party affected by Genmar’s situation knows that we plan on successfully reorganizing
and ultimately coming out of Chapter 11 as a stronger and better company with a
bright and stable future ahead in the recreational boating industry.” To find when Genmar plans on coming out of Chapter 11 protection
and what impact this will have on consumers, warranties, rebates, sales, and dealers,
read on --
*“Business as usual” in the current economic times should not be confused with the
way it was conducted a couple of years ago. However, the Genmar companies BoatTEST.com
deals with on a daily basis appear to be carrying on business pretty much like virtually
all of the other major boat builders in the industry these days. Times are
tough all over.
|
Discover Boating
Ice Fishermen Turn to Boating
Hey, you don’t need to spend all of that money buying a boat just to go fishing!
Simply wait until winter and the lake freezes over. Then go drive the family sedan
out on the ice, drill a hole for your line, and sit on a box in the sub-zero weather.
And, think of all the money you'll save on fuel! Well, this winter some of these
penny-pinching fishermen found out that using a boat might be the best way to go
out on the water – frozen or otherwise. A whole new crop of ice fishermen discovered
boating last winter. Find out why --
|
Capt. Steve's Lesson #39
How to Correctly Tie Up
Your Boat to a Dock
This week Capt. Steve goes over eight new lessons and guidelines on tying up to
a dock and how to correctly use lines in order to secure your boat. Capt. Steve
will explain what spring lines and breast lines are used for, and how to use them
to your advantage when leaving the dock. It’s important to learn how to properly
secure your boat to the dock so it won’t drift back into another boat or pull away
too much from the dock. These are basic procedures 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.
View this week’s lessons --
View past lessons --
|
Ducky Award Winner
First Place
"For the freshest seafood, I look for where the locals eat. " - M. Ross
Second Place
"This beats diving for lunch. 'Uh,may I have that tail piece you're cutting there?'"
- C. Madden
Honorable (Almost) Mention
"You know, I heard the service is slow here, but the food is outstanding."
- Perez
"A pelican walked into a crowed sushi bar and after eating told the bartender to
just put it on his bill." - R. Meiners
|
What's Going on Here?
You write the caption! Will you win the coveted "Ducky Award" for best caption?
Simply fill in your caption and you may get lucky -- quack
here.
Please send all submissions by 6/8/09.
We Need Reader HELP!
If you have a picture that you feel needs some explanation by our witty and clever
readers, please send it to: lis@boattest.com.
|
|
