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Brief Summary
Luhrs has always specialized in affordable boats, and following in that tradition is the new 30 Open. Equipped with twin Yanmar 6BY2 260-hp diesels, a half tower, a 6 kW Kohler generator, A/C and a colored hull, among other things, the price of $269,000 should turn a lot heads. We got aboard this boat recently and gave her a good look-see.
Specifications
Length Overall | 31' 10'' / 9.70 m |
---|---|
Beam |
11' 6'' 3.51 m |
Dry Weight |
10,000 lbs. 4,540 kg |
Draft |
2' 8'' 0.81 m |
Deadrise/Transom | 19 deg. |
Max Headroom | N/A |
Bridge Clearance |
16' 0'' 4.87 m |
Fuel Capacity |
300 gal. 1,136 L |
Water Capacity |
55 gal. 208 L |
Engine Options
Tested Engine |
Currently no test numbers |
---|---|
Std. Power |
Not Available |
Opt. Power |
2 x 260-hp Yanmar 6BY2-260 |
Warranty
Deck Warranty Extended | Five Year |
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Hull Warranty Extended | Five Year |
Captain's Report
When getting aboard an affordable boat it is only natural to wonder "what did they leave out" and "where did they cut corners?" Some may even wonder if the boat is safe. So it was with these sorts of questions in mind -- the kind we get all of the time from our members -- that we boarded the new Luhrs 30 with an open mind and open eyes.
Comparing the Luhrs 30
This boat is 31'10" long when you count the bow pulpit and has an 11'6" beam, draws 2'8" and has a published displacement of 10,000 lbs. right on the nose. When we used BoatTEST.com's comparison feature with eight other 30' express fishboats (all with household names) we got some interesting results.
Among these nine boats, the new Luhrs 30 was the 2nd most beamy. Her displacement was about average for the other eight boats and all of the inboard-powered boats had about the same draft. The Luhrs ranked #1 in fuel capacity at 300 gallons.
The only basic measurement where the Luhrs 30 did not compare favorably with the other boats where data was available was in headroom. Most of the other boats had 6' headroom or more and the Luhrs reports that its boat has 5'10". We actually measured 5'11-1/4" right by the galley, but in the head we measured 5'10".
Standard Equipment Check
We also looked over the list of standard equipment that Luhrs offers on the new 30, and here again the boat was very much in the game, and in fact had a number of standard items which a number of the others did not have. A few standard items that caught our eye were an automatic high water alarm, bottom paint, automatic engine room fire extinguishing system, the hardtop, and a 22" flat screen TV/DVD/stereo with remote, anchor, chain and rode.
The Luhrs 30 also has Amitico wood on the cabin sole which looked attractive and UltraLeather on the interior seats which is as good as it gets.
A 30-Footer for Offshore
There is only so much you can get into a 30' boat and Luhrs has seemed to have used every bit of space efficiently. Essentially the base boat is set up for cruising and, with the addition of some seats in the cockpit would make a fine day boat for any number of activities at an affordable price -- around $200,000. That includes a hardtop which in our book is the only way to go in an express, both from a sun safety standpoint, but also to extend the season.
The boat that we show pictures of here was set up for basic sportfishing. For $269,000 with the twin 260-hp Yanmars, the gen set and all of the rest of it, the price is hard to beat.
Let's take a closer look--