Affordable & Fun-- Vectra 1940 O/B
By Capt. Bob Smith
I had the pleasure of testing some of Smoker Craft’s family of boats at Lake Wawasee in Syracuse, Indiana recently. I had no idea they had such a wide variety of boats to offer. The Vectra 1940 Outboard was one of the two fiberglass deckboats tested. This boat is a great example of making the best use of space and footprint with a keen eye on the budget.
Warranty
The planing hull on the Vectra 1940 carries a 5-year warranty and has a composite transom reinforcement and a one-piece composite stringer system, but the sturdy construction does not stop there. Vectra uses an injected foam system for better flotation and elimination of voids and has a full fiberglass inner liner.
At the bow are docking lights to make it easy to see the trailer on approach at night or to see the slip as you are roll in from a day on the water. The bow platform takes full advantage of the deckboat bow design and has a beach boarding ladder to easy climb back on board. There is storage in a bow step that could be used as an anchor well or even as a short-term cooler. Lounging spaces in the bow is comfortable and there is plenty of room beneath the seats to store your gear or the boat covers while you play. Upholstery is heavy-duty marine grade and it comes with a 3-year warranty. If you really like to lounge in the sun and work on the tan, opt for the bow filler cushions and make a large sun lounge out of it. In the floor up front is a large compartment to store water toys.
Functional Helm
The helm offers excellent leg room, even for a big guy like me. The layout is functional with a fixed position 3-spoke wheel (which can be upgraded to a tilt hydraulic wheel). The gauges are positioned high and are easy to see, and power is controlled with aircraft style paddle switches with lighted tips. Great tunes are onboard with a stereo mounted low and to the left of the wheel. If you like to be your own DJ, an MP3 jack is on the side of the helm for plugging in your IPod or other MP3 player. On top of the helm is a pump action sink for rinsing off the sand before picking up the snacks.
Stern Features
Keep your snacks and drinks cool and pack them to carry on board in the cooler that fits neatly under the port side of the bench. There are grab bars are on either side of the stern bench seat and beneath the seat on the starboard side is a conveniently located battery switch. A courtesy light next to it illuminates the switch and the floor to make moving around at night safer.
When you are ready to take a dip out in the lake, access to the ladder is via walkthrough safety gate. A really smart feature is the fender holders in the engine well which will keep the fenders right where you need them. Across to starboard is a large locker easily reached from the stern for water toys and storing the docking lines.
Specifications
The Vectra 1940 O/B can handle up to a 200-hp engine and carries 10 people or a total of 2250 lbs. She weighs 2,250 lbs dry without the engine and has a 51 gallon fuel capacity. She measures 19’0” length overall and is 102” across the beam. The interior depth is a very kid-friendly and safe 30”.
Performance
Testing on an inland lake, I found the 1940 Vectra easy to handle. The ride was responsive, smooth, and dry. She was on plane in just 3.5 seconds and up to 30 mph in only 7.2 seconds. She is at cruise around 24.7 mph and 3500 rpm while she reaches top speed at 5600 rpm doing 43.5 mph. At cruise she will deliver 277 miles of fun and entertainment on a full tank of fuel and at top speed she will still give you as much as 144 miles. We tested the 1940 with a Honda 150-hp Four Stroke outboard on her stern.
If you like the thrill of speed boating and skiing yet have a need to be able to safely and comfortably carry a larger crowd with you, deckboating is likely in your future.
