Having done our own refit of a 1986 Hatteras five years ago and knowing several other owners of vintage Hatteras yachts who have done the same, we applaud the builder’s announcement this week that the factory will now be in the re-hab business. In fact, Hatteras has been quietly re-working old boats all year and it is an important step and will be a positive move for the brand. For many years Hatteras’ biggest competitor was the used Hatteras market. And as we have pointed out on these pages from time to time, re-powering and re-habbing old Hatteras yachts (and Bertram’s, too) is a great way to get a large, well-built boat for a very low price indeed.
To find out more about this important development --
The Hargrave Custom Yachts 78 Flybridge Signature Series motoryacht Crab Pot was built for long-distance cruising in a variety of climates. Her owner spared no expense setting her up for maximum utility and maximum comfort. She has been to Alaska and is now bound for new horizons with a new owner (as yet to be found) at a price half
as much as new motoryachts her size on the market built in Europe or the U.S., or most anywhere else, for that matter. That price is $3,875,000. Hargrave tells us that it would have to charge $5.5 million today to replace it.
To find out more about Crab Pot, to see her 9-page specification list, and to find out why the owners liked the boat so much they decided to build an even bigger version --
One of the most popular brands of powerboat in Europe is Windy and it is now being distributed in the U.S. by a new dealer in Connecticut. These boats are well-built and meet the rigorous requirements of a country that takes recreational boating seriously. The Windy 42 Grand Bora express cruiser we recently looked at has 2 mid cabins, which is very unusual in this size boat. Obviously designed for cool climes, the Windy 42 comes with Helly Hanson cruising canvas that makes even a rainy day a cozy treat.
Join us as we take a video look --
The Ferretti 740—the builder’s replacement for its 731—is an aggressive, stylish answer to those who would lie low and go slow. The builder calls it “The Master of Elegance.” Not many would argue with that, but with a top speed in excess of 30 knots, she will be able to hit all of the hot spots along the Cote d’ Azure in a matter of a few hours. Perhaps just as important is the news that the financial bumps in the road that the builder experienced have been ironed out through a combination of debt restructuring and new investment, and the word we get from insiders is that all is steady as she goes with the company, slimmer than before, but selling boats. The new Ferretti 740 seems to be a sign of that new vigor.
To find out more about the Ferretti 740 --
First Look
The Sunseeker Predator 84:
For World-Class Players Only
Since the days of Lord Nelson the British have had what might be called a bit of an attitude about the ability of their ships to rule the waves. Sunseeker has carefully nurtured that notion while at the same time producing boats that are so Italian, one might wonder if perhaps they were built in Viareggio, the land of lovers not fighters. It is an interesting juxtaposition that Sunseeker has been able to pull off, and none of their boats demonstrate this melding of British grit and determination with Italian style and grace as well as the company’s Predator 84. Sunseeker modestly says that its boats “In many ways reflect the qualities of their owners—drive, stamina and a thinly disguised sense of power.” Very thinly disguised, we’d say by the looks of the Predator 84.
Let’s take a look --
New Boat Preview
New Grand Banks 53 Aleutian RP:
Affordable Long-Distance Cruiser
In the roller-coaster boating industry, Grand Banks, which was founded in 1956, has managed to survive and flourish by keeping a keen eye on the wants and needs of its target audience – people who want to do some serious cruising. While the first Grand Banks 53 Aleutian RP ( Raised Pilothouse) has yet to be launched, it appears to us as if they have cranked out another winner. We say that for a couple of reasons, but one of them is its size and price relationship which maximizes their market for this boat.
Read more about the Grand Banks 53 Aleutian RP --
The Regal 44 Sport Coupe is quite a package. Even without checking off every item on the options list, she’s a very well equipped and capable cruiser, and thanks to Regal’s business model of building to order, huge cost savings are passed directly to the customer. Even fully loaded, she’s priced well below the competition, and that’s with Volvo diesels and IPS drives for ultimate maneuverability. She’s also a great handling boat, not only at the dock, but on open water. See for yourself and check out Capt. Steve’s Regal 44 SC performance review.
Step
aboard here --
Second Look
Hydra-Sports 4100 Vector SF:
King of the Center Consoles
On test day, everywhere we took the Hydra-Sports 4100 it was the undisputed center of attention. And with good reason, it’s flat-out the largest in its class. And no matter what you may have heard -- yes, size matters. Even more so in the unforgiving world of offshore tournament fishing. But that aside, with so many amenities and features, it’s hard not to be impressed with the Hydra-Sports 4100 SF. Hydra-Sports built her to give their brand loyal customers a place to go when they wanted to trade up. What they ended up building was a boat that, as it turns out, is also an attractive trade down from larger, and less efficient convertible sportfish boats, that gives the same performance at half the price. And according to Capt. Steve, if you think being the center of attention in the marina was cool, wait till you get behind the wheel and hit the throttles. Check it out for yourself.
His video is right this way --
Who doesn’t want to cruise off into the sunset for weeks at a time with friends and family? The trouble is that very few of us can afford a boat large enough, or to take enough time off to live that dream. But a 32’ cruiser for a couple with a single engine, a 500 nautical mile range and an MSRP of $281,600 is within the reach of many. As we cruise up and down the ICW each year we see more and more Nordic Tugs on the waterways, and we have to admit that they look shippy, practical, and – just plain fun. So why put off some serious cruising with your honey any longer? We asked our resident former trawler operator, Capt. Steve, to take a look at the Nordic Tug 32.
Read his report --
The little red box below could be the doorway to very important information for you when considering a new, or used, boat to buy. It is your portal to the unedited comments of hundreds and hundreds of BoatTEST.com members explaining what they like and don’t like about the models they owned of the indicated brand. Chips fall where they may. Most owners have been frank but fair in their reports. Just one phrase in one of our reader’s reports could make all of the difference and steer you to the right boat, or away from the wrong one -- or, steer you to the right dealer, or away from the wrong one. We thank all of the generous owners who have taken the time to file an “Owner’s Report” so that the rest of the boat buying world could have the benefit of their experience. Look for the little red box to the right of each boat test.
To fill out
your report --
For the last several months we have been highlighting many products from the Shurhold company, America’s leader in boat maintenance products. But, frankly, they have far, far too many products for us to describe them all. If you care about maintaining your boat in bristol fashion, then we suggest that you download the Shurhold pfd catalog of all of their products, so you can see what we have missed that you really need. In many cases, you’ll probably find just the thing you have been searching for.
Shurhold full product brochure pfd file --
Battlewagons
Bertram 700:
Classy Enough to
Forget
It’s a Fishing Boat
We know that fishing battlewagons are great cruisers, but Bertram has really made a temptress with their beautiful 700. Packed with muscle for the offshore fight, and still holding a graceful presence for elegant affairs, the line between fishing and formal is getting harder to distinguish. But one thing’s for sure, this flagship of the Bertram lineup has something for everyone, all wrapped up in a package that is built to take on whatever you can handle throwing at it. But since her pedigree is for offshore fishing, let’s take a look at Capt. Rob’s overview of the business aspect of the Bertram 700.
Check out Capt. Rob’s video of the Bertram 700 here --
There are about 15 brands today building express fishboats in the 35 to 38 foot range. We break these builders down into three groups: 1)“big boat offshore” builders which have a 36 as their smallest boat, 2) “center console” builders who have a 36 express as their biggest boat, and 3) “express fishboat only” builders. Albemarle is one of three companies whose single mission in life is specializing exclusively in this fishy express niche. Life is tough for these three builders because they do not have a large customer base feeding them as the center console builders do with their trade-up owners, or even the big boat companies do with their trade-down owners. So the three companies who have survived building only express fishboats must have a lot going for them.
Look at the Albemarle 360 XF --
The current Great Recession is not only creating some fantastic buying opportunities for new boats, it has also depressed the used boat market creating some terrific opportunities there as well. One of this most interesting that has caught our eye lately is the opportunity to buy a 20-year old something on the cheap with gas engines, repower with diesel, and have a fuel-efficient boat that will pay dividends every time the boat is used as compared with gas engines. The examples above are “real world.”
To find out what it will cost to have the boat of your dreams at an affordable price --
For most boaters the electrical system of a large boat is the most incomprehensible aspect of their vessel. It is also the system that can cause the biggest problems and is often the toughest to sort out. The key to having a smooth running electrical system is by simply buying a boat brand that has been building boats for a long, long time and is at the top of the learning curve. In other words, the electrical system in a boat has to be done right in the first place. This week Capt. Forrest explains what an Isolation Transformer does and why every large boat should have one.
Watch Capt. Forrest --
As the boating seasons in the northern areas of the world begin to get chilly, it’s time to start thinking about winterizing. Protecting engines should be a top priority and one element of winterization that all experts agree upon is that engine oil and oil filters should be changed before the layup, no matter how many hours were put on the engine. Our friends at Royal Purple tell us this is a great time for you to switch to their synthetic motor oil. Learn more about how this oil change can help protect your engine and improve fuel economy next season --
This time the Midnight Killer, George Canni, 65, a life-long boater who had driven
the area of the accident “a hundred times” and who was “careful”, according to a
friend, not only killed his wife and a friend, but also himself. The accident occurred
at Goose Creek, Seaford, Long Island, New York. Capt. Joe Fronhnhoefer, president
of Sea Tow, said that the captain of one of his boats, which was the first rescue
vessel on the scene, found the throttles “wide open” on the boat which came to rest
in the marsh grass. More --
Last week we received a letter from a reader who seems to have an affiliation with
Revere Life Rafts, asking if the Givens Life Raft company had paid us for the recommendation
of their product that we published two weeks ago. Since we test boats and other
products and charge for our service, we thought the question was a legitimate one
and we are happy to answer it. The answer is no. We don’t sell endorsements or recommendations;
we sell testing, sponsorships, and information distribution services. We’d like
to have Givens as a sponsor because we hold its product in such high regard, but
in fact we’ve never received a dime from them. On the contrary, we have spent our
money buying their product. To find out why we endorse the Givens Buoy Life Raft --
The “Catch-22” for Bottom Feeders is that they never are quite sure of where the bottom actually is. Pathologically obsessed with getting the best deal they wait and wait while other people “pay too much” because they are sure that a good thing will get even better. Having seen boat prices drop for the last 12 months we can understand why Bottom Feeders may think prices are going still farther south, but we’re here to tell you that we think we are now at the bottom, or very close to it.
To find out why -- feed here
‘Tis the Season
BoatTEST’s Boating Course
Makes a Great Christmas Present
Okay, it may be a bit early for this sort of thing, but we want to warm you up to the idea of what we think is absolutely the best Christmas or Holiday gift you can give to a loved one who is a boater or wants to be. BoatTEST.com has joined with Capt. Steve to present you with an 8 CD-ROM boating course that comes in a handsome plastic box. This course covers everything your spouse, kids, or friends need to know to be competent, safe boaters. It costs only $69.95, plus shipping and handling. If that is over your budget, then why not choose from one of five individual subject-area courses for only $19.95, plus shipping and handling. And, if you were really smart, you’d simply order a bunch of these courses and give them out to every boater on your gift list, and make it one-stop shopping and be done with it. Order here --
Around the BoatTEST offices we just call it the “library.” Type in any marine subject and our software instantly searches through the thousands of articles and tests that BoatTEST has published over the last 10 years and displays that material on your screen. At the same time our software hands off your “keyword search” to Google’s monster computers which instantly search everything on the Internet – including hundreds of boating magazines and even marine books -- related to the words you typed in, and we display those links on your screen, as well. How cool is that? Why go anywhere else? Try it, you'll like it!
If you have tried wakeboard boats, high-performance speedsters, and even megayachts and have yet to score babes in numbers appropriate to your cash outlay, let us suggest you consider the new Python made by WaterCar.
The new Python, has a price tag of just $170,000, and the builder is now ramping up production because “orders are rapidly building,” and the company is advising prospects to get their $5k deposit in to reserve their slot in a "highly limited production schedule" -- BUT WAIT, WaterCar is also looking for international distributors because it knows that men all over the world need more effective babe magnets. You could have an exclusive territory, so long as you meet certain stringent requirements -- and order two Pythons.
To find out more and to order now, while there is still time --
This week Capt. Steve goes over nine new lessons and guidelines on preventive boat maintenance and simple steps to keep your boat in tip top shape year round. Besides keeping your boat clean Capt. Steve will go over information on flushing your outdrive to help prevent corrosion, keeping the bilge clean, regularly checking on belts, hoses, and thru-hull fittings. Try and have a hands-on attitude when it comes to preventive care so you can catch any issues or problems early on. If you keep up on the maintenance of your boat on a regular basis it won’t feel like an overwhelming task. Make it a habit to check your engine, cover your boat with a good canvas every time you leave it, and rinse the boat of any saltwater when you return home. 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.
To view this week's lesson --
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