WE BUILD THE WORLDS LARGEST OUTBOARD

P.76

BOATING
W O R L D S L A R G E S T P O W E R B O A T M A G A Z I N E

P.42

PURSUIT S 408
SPORT
GOING FOR
IT ALL!

t
I
o
D
Yourself!

INSTALL THE
WAKESURF
SHAPER IN
5 EASY STEPS
P.40

CERTIFIED BOAT TESTS

P.46

PURSUIT S 408 SPORT

INVINCIBLE 42 CENTER CABIN
GALEON 380 FLY CONCEPT 39 OPEN
SEA RAY 310 SLX COBALT R5WSS SURF

P.18

P.62

Sea Ray wants to

help make this your
best summer ever
one thats truly
hashtag-worthy.
At participating dealers.

All season long, were hosting thrilling events at dealerships all across the country.
Enjoy demos of our most popular models, enter to win great prizes, and take advantage
of huge savings during the #SeaRaySummer promotion. Explore the award-winning
lineup and experience Sea Rays unrivaled blend of performance, craftsmanship and style.
Visit searay.com/searaysummer to nd an
event near you, and get started on an epic
#SeaRaySummer.

C50 COMMAND BRIDGE

C43 COUPE

C40 COMMAND BRIDGE

C37 COUPE

C34 COMMAND BRIDGE

CARVER VACUUM INFUSION

TECHNOLOGY MEANS LESS WEIGHT,
MORE STRENGTH, AND BETTER
PERFORMANCE.
The key to great performance and better fuel economy
 > }i L>  i ` >VwVi i} v
performance. To keep our boats lighter and stronger,
Carver uses a unique vacuum infused resin technology
that draws in a precise amount of resin to saturate the
wLi}>> >i>i>ii}
ii
processes can do.
This state-of-the-art technology eliminates voids and
iViwLi}>>`iL` >
}i>L
lighter and stronger. Thats why we use this technology
in the formation of our hulls and most other component
parts. Add it all up and we eliminate hundreds of pounds
of excess weight with a yacht thats stronger and ready
to take on the sea.
No wonder Carver is taking the marine industry by storm.
Sea trial one at your Carver Yachts dealer soon.

Vacuum resin infusion provides a

stronger, yet lighter hull for higher
speeds and greater fuel economy.
Carver Yachts transferable 2-5-10 Limited
Warranty includes 2-year stem-to-stern warranty
protection for all Carver systems, components and
workmanship, 5-year gelcoat blister warranty
protection, and 10-year structural warranty
protection for the hull and deck. Ask your Carver
dealer for warranty details and requirements.

CARVERYACHTS.COM

Advanced technology,
combined with traditional
craftsmanship, is the hallmark
of every Carver Yacht.

Vacuum infusion technology eliminates

excess resin build-up by delivering just the
right amount of resin to every inch of the
part making it stronger and lighter.

6HH7KH'LHUHQFH

PLATFORM SERIES

Engineered for performance

and styled for pure enjoyment.
>P[O[OL4HYRLY6ULWLYMVYTHUJLLUOHUJLKO\SSKLZPNUWV^LYLKI`[OLWYLJPZPVUWLYMVYTHUJLVM@HTHOH
HJJLSLYH[PVUPZMHZ[LYHUKM\LSJVUZ\TW[PVUPZTVYLLMJPLU[@HTHOHHSZVVMMLYZ[OLILZ[MHJ[VY`^HYYHU[`PU
[OLPUK\Z[Y`@HTHOHV\[IVHYKZWYV]PKLZTVV[OX\PL[VWLYH[PVUHUKL_JLW[PVUHSLJVUVT`+PZJV]LY[OL
HK]HUJLKLUNPULLYPUNPUH4HYRLY6ULWV^LYLKI`[OLWYV]LUWLYMVYTHUJLVM@HTHOH

The M27 comes from a full line of hand-crafted models, one of which is precisely matched to your wishes.

powered by
(KP]PZPVUVM*VIHS[)VH[Z33*5[O:[5LVKLZOH2:4HYRLY6ULJVT

BOATING
X JULY/AUGUST

2016

82

Departments
18

PAGE

FEATURES

32 The Boat Doctor

X Mick Hannock covers all your

midseason problems
X Install a Ronix Wakesurf Shaper
X Using drives and tabs at speed

64Black Magic

62 Motorhead

70King for a Day

82 Electronics

76Big Machine

84 BoatingLAB

Has Carbon Marine built the boat of the future? We nd out.

X Eight ways performance

engines are different

BY CHRIS CASWELL

Everyone can be a speed racer at the Lake of the Ozarks Shootout.

X 360 video
X Sioeye Iris4G POV camera
X Using the VHF hailer

BY ERIC COLBY

We build a Seven Marine outboard to learn the secrets of big horsepower.

X We rate soft supercoolers

BY CHARLES PLUEDDEMAN

Columns

Tests

16

Editorial
Will science change our boats?

ALSO:

X INVINCIBLE
42 CENTER CABIN
p. 54

X SEA RAY
310 SLX

30 Seamanship
Three tips for fast boating

98 Following Seas
We need more national holidays

p. 56

Pursuit

Concept

S 408 Sport

39 Open

A mega center console

with all the shing chops,
plus the interior layout to
rival a cruisers. p. 46

A sleek, sporty center

console built to turn
heads while reaching
blazing speeds. p. 50

10

B OAT I N G M AG .C O M

J U L Y/A U G U S T 2 0 1 6

X GALEON
380 FLY

WE BUILD THE WORLDS LARGEST OUTBOARD

BOATING

p. 58
Do It f!
Yoursel

X COBALT
R5WSS SURF
p. 60

INSTALL THE
WAKESURF
SHAPER IN
5 EASY STEPS

CERTIFIED BOAT TESTS

PURSUIT
INVINCIBLE
GALEON
SEA RAY

CONCEPT
COBALT

W O N T HE COVE R
The Pursuit S 408 Sport is an
all-new design with big ability.
Photo: Forest Johnson

PHOTOS: (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT) ANNE RUSS, COURTESY KODAK, COURTESY VSN MOBIL, COURTESY SPORT FISHING MAGAZINE, FOREST JOHNSON

76

Making Waves

X Meet the man who finds stolen

ships for a living
X Do you know performance
drives? Test yourself.
X Wakesurf boards for all abilities
X Formula past and present
X Five poor docking styles

PRESENTS

E D I TO R - I N - C H I E F
D E P U T Y E D I TO R
E L ECT RO N I C S A N D W E ST COA ST E D I TO R
M A N AG I N G E D I TO R
A RT D I R ECTO R

MISS
JULY/AUGUST

STA F F P H OTO G R A P H E R
CO PY E D I TO R
S E N I O R D I G I TA L E D I TO R
B OAT I N G L A B D I R ECTO R
E D I TO R - AT - L A RG E

ANDREA P./ PURSUIT S 408 SPORT

CO N T R I B U TO RS

I L LU ST R ATO RS

G RO U P P RO D U CT I O N D I R ECTO R
P RO D U CT I O N M A N AG E R
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
H U M A N R E S O U RC E S D I R ECTO R

Kevin Falvey
Pete McDonald
Jim Hendricks
Sue Whitney
Ryan Swanson
Bill Doster
Nicole Paskowsky
Brian Daugherty
Randy Vance
David Seidman
Chris Caswell, Eric Colby, Capt. Vincent Daniello,
George Denny Jr., Ken Englert, Michael Folkerts,
Joe Friedman, Steve Griffin, Michael Mick Hannock,
Jeff Hemmel, Forest Johnson, Tom King,
Craig Kotilinek, John Linn, Charles Plueddeman,
Capt. John N. Raguso, Anne Russ, Ed Sherman,
Heather Steinberger, John Tiger Jr.,
Capt. John Page Williams
Tim Barker, Tim Bower, Colin Hayes
Michelle Doster
Rick Andrews
Jennifer Remias
Sheri Bass

G RO U P P U B L I S H E R / B R A N D D I R ECTO R

Glenn Sandridge
407-571-4747; glenn.sandridge@bonniercorp.com
P U B L I S H E R / B R A N D M A N AG E R

John McEver
407-571-4682; john.mcever@bonniercorp.com
D I R ECTO R O F B R A N D ST R AT EGY

Rhonda Mock
407-571-4696; rhonda.mock@bonniercorp.com
N O RT H E A ST SA L E S M A N AG E R

Matt White
212-779-5405; matt.white@bonniercorp.com
M A R K E T P L AC E / ACCO U N T M A N AG E R

Brian Luke
407-571-4788; brian.luke@bonniercorp.com
D I G I TA L SA L E S M A N AG E R

Mike Staley
407-571-4803; mike.staley@bonniercorp.com
V I C E P R E S I D E N T , D I R ECTO R O F B R A N D ST R AT EG I E S
E D I TO R I A L D I R ECTO R
E D I TO R I A L D I R ECTO R , B OAT I N G
A N D WAT E RS P O RTS G RO U P
C R E AT I V E D I R ECTO R
CO N S U M E R M A R K E T I N G D I R ECTO R
G RO U P M A R K E T I N G D I R ECTO R
M A R K E T I N G D I R ECTO R
M A R K E T I N G M A N AG E R
B U S I N E S S M A N AG E R

CHAIRMAN
H E A D O F B U S I N E S S A R E A , M AG A Z I N E S
C H I E F E X EC U T I V E O F F I C E R
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
C H I E F O P E R AT I N G O F F I C E R
CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER
C H I E F D I G I TA L R E V E N U E O F F I C E R
V I C E P R E S I D E N T , I N T EG R AT E D SA L E S
V I C E P R E S I D E N T , CO N S U M E R M A R K E T I N G
V I C E P R E S I D E N T , D I G I TA L O P E R AT I O N S
V I C E P R E S I D E N T , P U B L I C R E L AT I O N S
G E N E R A L CO U N S E L

Matt Hickman
Shawn Bean
Kevin Falvey
Jerry Pomales
Leigh Bingham
Haley Bischof
Elaine Grime
Kelly MacDonald
David Erne

Tomas Franzn
Lars Dahmen
Eric Zinczenko
Joachim Jaginder
David Ritchie
Elizabeth Burnham Murphy
Sean Holzman
John Graney
John Reese
David Butler
Perri Dorset
Jeremy Thompson

PHOTO GALLERIES VIDEOS

Printed in the USA
For Reprints: Send an email to reprints@bonniercorp.com.

SCAN HERE TO VIEW ALL OUR

COVER GIRL PHOTOS AND VIDEOS
www.boatingmag.com/cover-girl

This product is
from sustainably
managed forests
and controlled
sources.

Occasionally, we make portions of our subscriber list available

to carefully screened companies that offer products and
services we think might be of interest to you. If you do not want
to receive these offers, please advise us at 515-237-3697.
All contents copyright 2016 Bonnier Corporation. No use may be made of materials contained herein without express written consent. For inquiries, please contact
us at Bonnier Corporation, 460 N. Orlando Ave., Suite 200, Winter Park, FL 32789.

FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE AND SUBSCRIPTION QUESTIONS,

such as renewals, address changes, email preferences, billing and account status, go to boatingmag.com/cs.
You can also email BGMcustserv@cdsfulfillment.com. In the U.S. call toll free 800-289-0399 (outside the U.S. call 515-237-3697) or
write to Boating Magazine, PO Box 6364, Harlan, IA 51593. Retail Single Copy Sales: ProCirc Retail Solutions Group, Tony DiBisceglie.

BRING
IT ON.
- Integrated GPS
- Built-in DSC
- 2.3 LCD Display
- 9+ Hour Battery Life
- IPX7 Waterproof

New M93D: Floating VHF Radio

Everything about this radio is professional, stylish and has an easy-to-use interface.
The M93Ds slender, 2-tone body is feature rich and smart. Enjoy Icoms continued
tradition of Floatn Flash, AquaQuake and Active Noise Cancelling. Keeping you
safe with integrated GPS - providing location, bearing and speed. And, meeting
ITU-R M493-13 Class D DSC with a dedicated built-in DSC receiver for CH 70.
Icoms new M93D - built for the serious boater.
www.icomamerica.com/marine

Editorial
By Kevin Falvey
The Transformative
Power of Water
WEVE KNOWN ABOUT IT ALL ALONG
Imagine a boat hull rifled with nano-size
n April, scientists at the United States
channels into which water would compress
Department of Energys Oak Ridge
as the boat accelerated at planing speeds.
National Laboratory announced a
(Were dealing in units of measurement called
startling discovery about water. The
angstroms, each one-tenth of a billionth of a
findings indicate that water behaves in ways
meter, so drag from the rifling shouldnt pose
heretofore never observed. What, I wonder,
a problem.) If the molecules that comprise
might the implications be for boaters? After
the water interfacing with the hull could
all, the interaction of water molecules with
be induced to tunnel like the molecules in
the fiberglass, wood or metal molecules of a
boat hull is the foundation upon
which we base our enjoyment.
Its important to note that
this new discovery about water
may suddenly be made to plane. Fuel
behavior falls in the realm
efficiency might attain unimagined
of quantum mechanics. Also
heights. All-day, high-speed run times
called quantum physics, QM is
a discipline that, among other
for electric boats might become possible.
things, sometimes proffers
evidence that a thing can be in
beryl crystals, each increasing its presence by
two places at the same time. Though often
sixfold, then the characteristics of lift, drag
controversial and little understood by most
and buoyancy might all change radically.
people, QM theory has resulted in tangible
Boats with minimal power may suddenly be
benefits, including lasers, microprocessors
made to plane. Fuel efficiency might attain
and LEDs just like the ones installed as
unimagined heights. All-day, high-speed
lights aboard many of our boats.
run times for electric-powered boats might
What the ORNL scientists found was
become possible.
that when compressed into channels within
In one sense, the hard-to-explain part
beryllium crystals, the hydrogen and oxygen
of this is not news. We boaters dont need
atoms that make up the water molecules
science to tell us about the transformative
would delocalize, allowing the molecules
properties of water. Every time we push
to be present in six different places at the
down the throttle and the bow rises at the
exact same time. They are calling this effect
start of a new day, we are changed in a
tunneling water. Needless to say, such
way, though challenging to describe, that is
tunneling has yet to be observed above the
tangibly evident in our quality of life. Thats
subatomic level. In fact, it is a behavior
that (in the absence of any unifying theory)
conflicts with the rules of classical physics.
However, what is possible for a single
molecule of a thing should, theoretically, be
possible for the entire thing.
Science fiction? Maybe. But lets not
forget the laser, the microprocessor and
Kevin Falvey, Editor-in-Chief
those snazzy LED courtesy lights.
editor@boatingmag.com

W Boats with minimal power

16

B OAT I N G M AG .C O M

J U L Y/A U G U S T 2 0 1 6

DONT HAVE DREAMS. MAKE PLANS.

The 328ss. A bowrider with greater expectations.

322 LOA with Swim Platform

Breathtaking style and heart-pounding performance
Loaded with storage and well-appointed amenities throughout
Packed with immense & rich seating options
Fully Enclosed Head
Luxurious day boat with overnight capabilities

w w w. M o n t e r e y B o a t s . c o m

Making Waves
ON BOARD WITH ...

Max
Hardberger
Marine Bounty
Hunter

Every year, thieves get

away with stealing tens of
thousands of vessels
worldwide. If you want
yours back, the go-to guy
has been Max Hardberger
of Vehicle Extractions LLC.
Hes been recovering ships
and boats since 1987.
Heres what he has to
share. Phil Scott

MORE
ONLINE!

To read the full interview, scan this tag or

go to boatingmag
.com/bountyhunter.

Lets say someone stole my rowboat. Would you take the case?
Most of the vessels weve recovered have
been cargo vessels and cruise ships.
Were not cheap. Ninety percent of the
time when we get a call, were able to
18

B OAT I N G M AG .C O M

resolve the situation in ways other than

sneaking in during the night.
Can it be dangerous?
Quite a few times, the extraction is
extensive. The most dangerous extraction was Maya Express in Haiti
during the 2004 revolution. My problem was I couldnt use any violence
against the guards on board its not
their fault they were hired by the bad
guy. In the past, Ive been able to bribe
them off or trick them off. These guys
were selling fuel off the ship to all comers. That night when I came with the

J U L Y/A U G U S T 2 0 1 6

tugboat, my fixer said, Theres this

guy who wants to buy the fuel on the
dock, so they left the ship, and I
sneaked aboard. Im still a nice guy,
so I gave them $300 each.
How many folks does it take to
pull off an extraction?
Normally, its a skeleton crew of six or
seven people. A couple of times I took a
full crew aboard because we were going
to cruise a distance. One time I took
12 people to sneak a ship out of Ciudad
del Carmen, Mexico. The tanker had run
over a wooden fishing boat at night.

One of the survivors testified they were

drifting without lights. It was an opportunity for the Mexican government to
get a ship for free, but they didnt get it.
Where is the best place for the
boat-repo business?
I only work in foreign countries without a
functional judicial system. One time I
had a client whose ship had been seized,
and I realized the lawyer who had
seized the ship had the same last name
as the judge. In the countries where
theres no law, people have to turn to
somebody like me.

PHOTO: COURTESY MAX HARDBERGER

How did you get into

the business?
I was a ship captain. Thieves tried to
snatch a ship from underneath me a
couple of times. I didnt want to see
it happen to owners and crews, so I
decided to take the thieves out. The
word got around.

WE BELIEVE
IN THE VALUE OF A JOB WELL DONE

To put our best into everything we design and build.

IN THE POWER OF OUR PEOPLE

In the strength and vision of our executive leadership.

In the dedication of our employees, sales professionals and the dealers who make us great.

IN KEEPING OUR PROMISES

To deliver boats of the highest quality, with the best features, for the most reasonable prices.
To provide the most comprehensive service and sales support in our industry.
To stand behind every pontoon we make 100%.

WE BELIEVE YOULL AGREE...

FOREST RIVER MARINE IS SECOND TO NONE.
SO COME ON BOARD AND LIVE THE GOOD LIFE!

Southbaypontoon.com | Berkshirepontoon.com | Trifectapontoon.com

Making Waves
 FOR
  
 


   

CANCELLED?
NON-RENEWED?
SKYROCKETING RATES?

C O M PA R I S O N S S A K E

Wakesurf Boards
Not all wakesurf boards are created equal. We talked to industry expert Mitch
Mann, vice president at boardco.com, to nd out the most popular boards for
every level of rider. Eric Colby

EST
THE BSERVICE
CLAIMIN THE
TRY!
INDUS

For over 48 years Total Dollar has

built a first-rate reputation,

providing ex pertise thats second
to none. Youll get custom-tailored
insurance agreed value hull,
liability and special coverage, plus
personalized service and rates that
wont gouge your pocket.

Call us 7 days a week at:

800-962-5659

BEGINNER

INTERMEDIATE

Hyperlite
Broadcast

Inland Surfer
Blue Lake

THE SHRED: Its

THE SHRED: This

inexpensive,
versatile, and has
a variety of fin configuration options
that change the
feel of the board
and the way it
rides. It can support a wide variety
of weight ranges
and comes in two
different sizes. Its
a great board for
learning how to get
up. Construction
is compressionmolded fiberglass
and foam.

board is built
like a true ocean
surfboard with
hand-shaped foam
in an epoxy-resin
shell. Its more
of a surf-style
board with longer,
deeper fins and can
have multiple fin
configurations with
either two or four
fins. It can handle
a rider up to 250
pounds. This is a
great choice for the
soul surfer.
THE WIPEOUT:

THE WIPEOUT:

A fu ll s ervice insura nce age ncy

SERVING YOUR INSURANCE NEEDS FOR OVER 48 YEARS
Member: Professional Insurance Agents Association
Better Business Bureau

One Pleasant Ave., Pt. Washington, NY 11050

Toll Free: 800-962-5659

Fax: 516-704-2285 www.totaldollar.com

E-mail: info@totaldollar.com

Sy Goldberg, NJ

John Posey, TX

856-767-8134

972-775-3523

Buzz Fyhrie, FL

888-327-8467

Even though its

reasonably priced,
its a plain-Jane
board that cant
do what advanced
models do.

Because of its surfstyle shape and

construction, its
not that durable. It
gets dinged up easily, and its on the
expensive side.

PRICE: $350;

hyperlite.com

ADVANCED
SKIM STYLE

ADVANCED
SURF STYLE

Phase 5
Danielo
Hammerhead

Phase 5
Wire

THE SHRED: Its one

of the most agile

and responsive
wakesurf boards.
It spins easily and
has a quick speed
line on the wave.
Because its significantly smaller than
other boards for
the same-size
rider, the Danielo
Hammerhead can
accelerate more
quickly. Constructed
with Kevlar and
carbon, its nearly
half the size of the
Blue Lake, so the
price makes sense.

THE SHRED: Also

built with full
Kevlar and carbon
construction, the
Phase 5 Wire is a
quick, responsive
surf-style board.
Its for riders looking for a board with
serious drive and
power. Its one of
the easiest boards
to pop off the lip of
the wake, but its
also rider-friendly
for how advanced
it is. This board is
more for carving
tricks than skimstyle tricks.
THE WIPEOUT:

THE WIPEOUT: Its

super sensitive and

would not be good
for beginners.

Well, it aint cheap,

and beginners
should stay away
from this board.

PRICE: $799;

PRICE: $789;

PRICE: $989;

inlandsurfer.com

phase5boards.com

phase5boards.com

MONTEREY 378 SE
In our test of the Monterey 378 SE (June), we incorrectly reported that the joystick system was
not responding properly. In actuality, the steering system setup had not yet been programmed.
Joystick systems need to be calibrated for each individual boats size, power and more prior to
initial use. There was no error with the Mercury Marine system aboard the test boat.

PHOTOS: (FROM LEFT) COURTESY HYPERLITE, COURTESY INLAND SURFER, COURTESY PHASE 5 (2)

W E CAN HELP.
CALL TODAY!

Making Waves
App of
the Month

RaceLogic

HOW TO FLOAT
ON CLOUD NINE

FIND
YOUR
ESCAPE.
Boatings known for impressive test
gear, but trying to measure braking and
deceleration stats for a recent PWC
comparison taxed even our mighty
bag of tools. Enter RaceLogics Vbox
Sport. A spinoff of the Vbox that data
loggers commonly use in performance
auto testing, the Sport is a bright-blue,
water-resistant gadget about the size of
a deck of playing cards that samples GPS
readings at an impressive 20 times per
second. Controls are two-button simple
power it on, then toggle between record
and pause. Indicator lights monitor
power, GPS signal, Bluetooth, and

TTT SERIES

RT SERIES

SD-card activity. Data such as speed,

PHOTO: COURTESY RACELOGIC VBOX SPORT APP

acceleration and deceleration curves,

lap times and more is stored on the
included SD card and can be interpreted
by VBoxs Windows-based software or
displayed in real time via Bluetooth on
the companys free, simple-to-use apps
for iPhone or iPad. $429; racelogic.co.uk/
usastore Jeff Hemmel

LARSONESCAPE.COM

Making Waves
X

Captains Test

Performance Drives
The racing and poker-run tours are in full swing, and we all love to hear the sound of horsepower
rumbling from those big engines. This test is going to nd out how much you know about the drives
that put that power to the water. Eric Colby (Answers on page 26)

2 The Mercury Racing

M8 drive is used with the

1350 and 1650. How much

shorter is the M8s lower
unit than the NXT6s?
A. 1 inch
B. 2 inches
C. 3 inches
D. 4 inches
3 If a drive is designed
for the propeller to pierce
the surface, how much
of the blade is out of
the water?
A. One-quarter

Pull tubes, wakeboarders, waterskiers

virtually all water toys.
Corrosion resistant 316 stainless steel
tow bar elevates the tow rope clear of the
wake and prop wash
Improves vessel stability, fuel economy
and towing power

single or twins

B. One-half
C. Three-quarters
D. All of it
4 What is the maximum
horsepower that a Bravo
One drive is rated for?
A. 300
B. 400
C. 500
D. 600
5 Of the Bravo One drives,
which version is considered

the racing model?

A. Bravo One XR
B. Bravo One XR Sport
C. Bravo One XR Sport
Master
D. All of the above

PHOTO: COURTESY
MERCURY RACING

1 Regardless of the
brand, all racing drives are
designed for the propeller
to do the same thing.
What is it?
A. Rotate to the right
B. Rotate to the left
C. Pierce the waters
surface
D. Run when completely
out of the water

EVERY BOAT NEEDS A PROTECTOR.

1.800.PROGRESSIVE / PROGRESSIVE.COM

Making Waves

In Our Wake:
The Formula Feeling
Back in 1980, the U.S. hockey

Online This Month

Were celebrating speed and performance this month. If youre going to go

fast, learn how to drive safely at any
speed with tips from the Miss Geico crew
at boatingmag.com/drive-safely.

team brought home the Olympic

gold medal, and Formula was, as
now, building quality performance
PHOTOS: (FROM LEFT) BOATING ARCHIVES, COURTESY MISS GEICO RACING

boats. The big picture here shows

the 402 SRI, the forerunner to
todays Formula 382 FAS3Tech.
The ad copy reads: Inland water
or offshore racing, the unbelievable feeling of knifing the blue in
windswept elegance away from
the crowd. Sounds like an experience wed sign up for in 1980, 2016
or any year in between.
Pete McDonald

Europes leading inatable boat brand

BRIG USA stocks an extensive range of RIBs from 9ft to 33ft

www.brigusa.com
MD 603 Chinquapin Round Road, Annapolis MD 21401 T (410) 507 2241 E vince@siroccomarine.com
FL 1946 Tigertail Blvd, Dania Beach FL 33004 T (410) 212 3214 E boyd@siroccomarine.com
OH 5530 E Harbor Road, Lakeside Marblehead OH 43440 T (419) 732 0404 E islandermarine@yahoo.com

PELICAN ELITE COOLERS

M AD E I N

O ut d o o r /
O f f s ho r e T o ug h
LIFETIME GUARANTEE

2016 Pelican Products, Inc.

All trademarks are registered and/or unregistered trademarks of Pelican Products Inc., its affiliates and subsidiaries.
See Pelican.com for full warranty details.

PELICAN.COM

Making Waves

5 THINGS  FIVE DOCKING STYLES TO AVOID

Arguing
Spouse Team

Super
Stretcher

Mr. Distracted

(ANSWERS FROM PAGE 22)

Fender
Hoarder

1 C. Racing drives are called

4 D. From the factory, the big-

surface piercing.

gest engine the Bravo One was

2 B.
3 B. Most surfacing applica-

5 C. The Bravo One XR Sport

tions are designed to have half

Master is designed for boats

the blade in the water.

running 90 mph and up.

paired with was the HP600 SCi.

NEW MARINE FILTERS

Check out Bel-Rays complete line of marine products at belray.com

ILLUSTRATIONS: COLIN HAYES

Speed Docker

Captains Test

endless summer fun

turn your summer daydreams into reality with the boston whaler
dauntless. Incredibly versatile and comfortable, Dauntless is designed to empower
every on-water activity. Enjoy an array of purposeful amenities and, thanks to
Whalers unique hull design, count on a soft, safe, dry ride. Take it shing, take the
kids for a spin on the wakeboard or tube, or take a sunset cruise with Dauntless,
theres no limit to the fun you and your family can have.

BOSTONWHALER.COM

Twist & Shout...

Can you listen to your _____ where you want to?
They say it only takes 10,000 hours to become an expert. Try 18 years.
Roswell has been innovating the tow boat market since 1998.
#roswellelitevampspin

( FUN ) - CTION
we design it. we build it. you enjoy it.

PATENT
spin speakers

8,196,542
Date Issued 2012
Water sports foldable towing
apparatus and method
(Spin Speakers)

roswellmarine.com

Seamanship
By Pete McDonald

GOING FAST IN A BOAT REQUIRES

EXTRA ATTENTION TO DETAIL

he fastest Ive ever gone in a boat is 116 mph. I stood at the

helm of a 42-foot Cigarette next to a veteran speed merchant
named Bud Lorow. As he expertly worked the wheel and throttles, I turned to say something to him. The wind ripped my sunglasses
off my head and pulled all the saliva out of my mouth. Thankfully
nobody was standing directly behind me. During my turn at the wheel,
I clocked 108 on the GPS before losing my nerve and slowing down.
The two things I remember most vividly about that run are how the
channel markers that seemed far apart at regular speed passed by in
blindingly quick succession and how the slightest touch at the wheel
made the boat move more dramatically than expected.
Driving a boat at high speed is
just different. Most recreational
boats have an open helm, so
you can feel every bit of 50 mph
(the boat-speed gold standard)
on the water, while maintaining
that speed in a car will get you
honked at in the slow lane. But
theres more to it than that. Here
are three important things to
consider while driving your boat
at wide-open throttle.
30

B OAT I N G M AG .C O M

Connectivity
Unless youre Bo and Luke
Duke, you always have four tires
connected to the asphalt while
driving a car, no matter the
speed. In a boat, the faster you
push your vessel especially
with proper trim the less of it is
actually connected to the water.
In extreme cases, as with a bass
boat, only the prop and lower
unit remain in the water at speed.

J U L Y/A U G U S T 2 0 1 6

Speed Bumps

A pilot I know who ew ghter

jets for the Navy and jumbo jets
for a commercial airliner scoffs
at people who are afraid of
turbulence. Its just little speed
bumps, he likes to say. You only
feel it because youre hitting it
at 500 mph. I like to think of his
Reaction Time
words when Im
A few years ago, I
at the helm. The
spent time on the
faster you go, the
water with Mark
more impact you
Granet, driver of
feel while running
the famous Miss
QUICK
in waves or a rough
Geico race boat,
TIP
chop. The corollary
which hes pushed
to that is most
to speeds exceeding
boats have a sweet
200 mph. He menTo keep your
spot where they
tioned then that
sunglasses on
ride on top of a
when most regular
when boating
light chop or tightly
boaters go fast,
at high speed,
stacked waves,
they arent used to
invest in a pair
which can increase
the closure speeds
of sunglass
comfort for those
that come with
straps that you
can adjust to
on board. Someit something I ext tightly. That
times this occurs
perienced rsthand
way, theyll stay
at higher speeds.
when passing those
on your head
You can only gure
channel markers in
instead of ying
out where that is
the Cigarette. Trying
off into
with accumulated
to quantify Granets
the abyss.
knowledge, which
statement, I calcucircles back to the
lated that a boat
best advice Granet,
running at 50 mph
Lorow and other expert drivers
is traveling 73.3 feet per second,
have imparted: Before you try to
or mile every 20 seconds. That
go fast, spend a lot of time getting
means if you notice something in
to know your boat.
front of you, the boat will cover a

ILLUSTRATION: TIM BOWER

Speed Limits

In a typical planing deep-V, the

aft one-third to one-fth of the
boat will remain in contact with
the water. That means the boat
is going to feel more responsive
to minor adjustments at the
helm yet under less control at the
start of a turn. Be judicious while
at the wheel because overcorrecting, turning too hard, or taking
on waves at the wrong angle can
have serious consequences.

lot of ground before you are able

to react and respond. And boats,
of course, dont have brakes.
Even if you kill the throttle, the
boat is going to glide a certain
distance before falling off plane.
(Plus, because boats dont have
seatbelts, suddenly chopping the
throttles back will throw your
crew forward.)

GEICO and TowBoatU.S.

have teamed up
to help you on the water.
As a GEICO policyholder, youll receive outstanding coverage for your
boat at an outstanding price. Plus, when you add towing to your policy,
\RXOOKDYHWKHEHQHWVRIVHUYLFHVSURYLGHGE\7RZ%RDW86
WKHQDWLRQVODUJHVWHHW

geico.com/boat
800-865-4846

for your boat

Service provided by
Some discounts, coverages, payment plans and features are not available in all states or all GEICO companies. Boat and PWC coverages are underwritten by GEICO Marine Insurance Company.
GEICO is a registered service mark of Government Employees Insurance Company, Washington, D.C. 20076; a Berkshire Hathaway Inc. subsidiary. 2015 GEICO

The Boat Doctor

Q&A

By Michael Mick Hannock

ASK THE MASSES Go to boatingmag.com/forums to ask fellow boaters
your questions or to answer theirs.

Thin Lines
[ Q ] I own a 2001 Sea Ray 190 bowrider.
Last spring, I had a new Mercury Marine 350
crate engine installed by a Mercury dealer.
The engine has a Weber 750 cfm four-barrel
carburetor with a mechanical fuel pump and
the Thunderbolt V ignition.
The boat performs great in every way with
one exception. After the engine has run and is
warm, I can restart it instantly after about five
minutes. If the boat sits for 20 minutes or longer,
it cranks for approximately 10 seconds before
starting. I have insulated all the fuel lines and
installed an Edelbrock heat-sink gasket between
the carb and intake manifold. I even put a check
valve between the gas tank and the fuel pump,
but nothing has eliminated the problem.
WALLY NICOL

Derry, Pennsylvania

[ A ] You are dealing with a vapor-lock issue.

When the engine shuts off, whats taking
place is called heat soak. The engine actually
gets hotter; theres no cool air coming into
the engine compartment because the boat
isnt moving. I think theres something else
complicating things. You insulated the fuel
lines, but have you replaced them? Boats of
that age often have fuel lines that can
deteriorate when used with gas that contains
ethanol. If thats happening, your filters and
the primaries and secondaries in the carburetor
will get clogged. Update your fuel lines with
ethanol-resistant hoses that are 3/8 -inch
(minimum inside diameter) and install them
with as few bends in the system as possible.

Sticker Shock
[ Q ] Hi, Mick. I have been restoring a 1970
Starcraft 16-foot SuperSport V for the past
five years. Everything has been progressing
nicely. It has a new transom, seats, lights,
engine, steering, windshield, upholstery
and hardware, and new trailer tires, axle,
32

B OAT I N G M AG .C O M

J U L Y/A U G U S T 2 0 1 6

Rx

lights, wiring and winch. The only thing

I cant find is replacement emblems. I
need two Starcraft emblems and the
SuperSport V decals that go on the port
dashboard faceplate.
TOM MCJILTON

Liverpool, New York

Steven Shimp
wrote in this
great DIY method
for stowing his
electronic are
securely and at
the ready. He
simply mated a
length of PVC
that has the
same diameter as
his Weems and
Plath SOS C1001,
glued a cap on
the bottom, and
fastened it to the
inside of a cabinet
door at his
helm. A smaller
diameter section
of PVC protects
the lens. A similar
holder could be
made for any
electronic are.
Kevin Falvey

[ A ] Check out the Starcraft owners

forum at forums.iboats.com/forum/
owners-groups-by-manufacturer/s/
starcraft-boats.

Rattle and Hum

[ Q ] I have a 2010 40 hp Mercury
outboard. At the end of every trip, I screw
a plastic fitting supplied by Mercury
Marine into the back of the engine to flush
it. Lately, I hear a rattling noise while
flushing the motor. I have shifted the gear
lever, and it works fine, but I still hear this
rattling at idle. The engine runs fine in
the water for hours at a time. What could
be causing the rattle I hear while flushing
the engine?
JIM HOGAN

Stuart, Florida

[ A ] The rattling is actually normal.

Because the engine is in neutral, the
propeller and the flywheel are working
against each other, and that causes a rattle.
The only thing you might want to do is
change your lower-unit gear oil to make
sure its properly dampening the prop shaft.

Wheres My Oil Going?

[ Q ] I have a 1998 Rinker Captiva with
a MerCruiser 454 Magnum Bravo One.
When idling after coming off plane, I
notice that the drive oil is gone from the
reservoir, and the alarm is going off. If
I only idle, then it works properly. Ive
drained the outdrive, and it doesnt appear
there is any water in the oil. What could be
the issue?
ERIC HAMMOND

Indianapolis, Indiana

7LS[R[STXMSREPEGGIWWSVMIW

*VSQVWXPMKLXXSXLIPEWXGEWXSJXLIHE]8%,3)FSEXWEVIVIEH]XSKIX
]SYVJEQMP]SJJXLIWLSVIERHMRXSSRXLI[EXIVJYR7SGEWXSYXEPMRIERH
VIIPMRXLIQIQSVMIW8MISREXYFIERHVEGIEVSYRHXLIPEOIEW]SYVOMHW
PEYKLXIVPPWXLIEMV6IPE\ERHIRNS]XLIWSPMXYHISJ]SYVS[RTIVWSREPGSZI
%RHQSWXMQTSVXERXP]QEOI]SYVIWGETI[MXLXLSWI[LSQEXXIVQSWX

8%,3)&3%87'31
03'%8)=3962)%6)78()%0)6366)59)78%&63',96).
Photos may show optional or special edition equipment available at an additional cost. Local taxes, license, registration and doc fees vary by state and are in addition to prices shown. Prices are suggested and approved by the manufacturer. Details in pricing, savings, features
and promotions may vary by location and are subject to change without notice. Void where prohibited by law. Best efforts are used to ensure the accuracy of our advertising, however, errors may sometimes occur. See your local dealer for complete information. Prices shown do not
include dealer freight and prep charges, unless otherwise noted. F.O.B. Springfield, MO, USA. Prices shown are based on United States currency. 2016 Tracker Marine Group
TR161610

The Boat Doctor

15 or 20 minutes. After extensive
troubleshooting, I found that the
diaphragm in the oil-pressure sending
unit was leaking. The oil pressure
would slowly equalize on both sides
of the diaphragm and then drain
out after the engine was shut off.
Replacing it was a relatively quick
and easy fix.

[ A ] The oil is leaking past the propshaft seals, and youll never see it
because its happening when the boat
is running under load. Your drive has
a bad prop-shaft seal that needs to
be replaced.

Shine a Light
[ Q ] I have noticed colorful LED
accent lighting is a new trend. It is
becoming somewhat common to see
underwater lights causing a glow off
the hull or above the water, directly
onto the outboard engines. While
there is no doubt this provides an
awesome visual effect, I am curious to
know if the U.S. Coast Guard has an
opinion as to whether these additions
are cool or if they infringe on the red/
green/white light standards?

STEVE PALMER

Via email

[ A ] Thanks, Steve. That was some

great troubleshooting.
the placement and use of decorative,
mood or any non-navigational lighting
because such lighting can obscure your
boats nav lights and/or confuse other
boaters. Both scenarios can cause
safety hazards.

GREG GAMBEL

Yardley, Pennsylvania

An Alternative Answer

[ A ] Greg, the U.S. Coast Guard

recently published a safety alert that
addresses your concerns about the
growing use of ego lights aboard
boats. You can read what the Coast
Guard thinks in its entirety at
boatingmag.com/led-navigationlights-marine-safety-alert.
The short story is to use caution with

[ Q ] Hi, Mick. In the April issue,

you answered a question from Marc
Schwartz about the dropping oil
pressure on his 1998 Crusader 454
inboards. I had a 1997 Formula
with 7.4L MerCruisers (essentially
the same as the Crusader 454s) and
had a similar problem. I would start
the engine, and the oil pressure
would be fine initially. It would then
slowly drop to almost zero after

Another Culprit
[ Q ] Hi, Mick. In the April issue,
you answered a question from Rocky
Dehmlow about his 2012 Sea Ray
engine, which was running too cool.
I had a similar problem with my
MerCruiser sterndrive. It turned out
the problem was a cracked waterpump impeller. The engine would
warm up to normal temperature
at idle, but the needle would
immediately drop to the bottom
of the scale when the throttle
advanced. It took me several years
of troubleshooting to solve this. The
pump was a factory replacement for
a worn-out original. It came from a
defective batch delivered to MerCruiser.

NAUTICAL NO-NO

The onboard overhead point-of-view

camera captured a crew member in the act of rinsing the bilge
compartment with the raw-water
washdown hose. While all the fittings
and electrical connections below
deck are designed and built to be
corrosion-resistant, not all pumps are
waterproof. Spraying salt water can
lead to the premature failure of the
washdown, livewell, fish locker and,
yes, washdown pumps. If any crimpon terminals are not perfectly sealed,
they will also succumb to corrosion
when bathed in salt water.
If you need to rinse out the bilge for
any reason, use fresh water from either
an onboard freshwater supply or a

34

B OAT I N G M AG .C O M

J U L Y/A U G U S T 2 0 1 6

garden hose at the dock. In a pinch,

use bottled drinking water. With any
kind of water, use it judiciously when
rinsing the bilge. Avoid spraying it
haphazardly or directly on a pump,

electrical connection or terminal

block. A flood of water, be it fresh or
salt, can quickly take an unsealed
pump out of commission. All moisture
leads to corrosion. Jim Hendricks

PHOTOS: (FROM TOP) COURTESY LARSON ELECTRONICS, JIM HENDRICKS

A Salt Bath Bilge

Promotes Corrosion

INTRODUCING THE HARRIS V SERIES

INNOVATIVE. VERSATILE. ULTRA MODERN.

Contact your nearest dealer by using

the dealer locator at
harrisboats.com or calling

(866) 395-3052

The Boat Doctor

WE TEST STUFF

winter-grade ethanol. The fix is a

check valve in the water line. It is
a known problem that neither Sea Ray
nor MerCruiser publicize, but you can
find information about it on the Sea
Ray owners website.

Accon Folding Cleats

Boaters whove stubbed toes or snagged
lines may be interested in folding cleats from
Accon Marine. The 316-cast stainless-steel
construction is substantial, and the finish is
strikingly beautiful.
I installed the 8-inch 332-8 model ($152)
alongside our side deck to use with spring
lines. Installation involved drilling two
3
/8-inch-diameter holes for the stainlesssteel machine screws, which I bedded in
sealant and secured with fender washers
and locknuts. The cleats have performed
well, holding up to storm service and

JIM OLIVER

Marble Falls, Texas

operating smoothly. Be aware that the

cleat needs to be flipped up so be sure to
warn new crew members before they assist
with docking.
Accon folding cleats range from
31/2 inches up to 8 inches. $51 to $152;
acconmarine.com Joe Friedman

Otherwise, the boat ran fine.

Hot Blooded Too

WILLIAM COLEMAN

[ Q ] Ronald Petersons problem

[Hot Blooded, May] is most likely
caused by hot water draining back
into the cooling line between the
thermostat and the fuel pump
when the engine is shut off. This
causes the fuel to vaporize, particularly

Via email

[ A ] Thanks, William. Im glad things

finally worked out for you. I am sure
many fellow boaters appreciate you
passing on this experience.

[ A ] A good friend who worked for

MerCruiser for decades remembered
the company issuing a bulletin to
dealers, so I dont think they were
trying to hide anything. The valve you
are referring to is called a Brady valve,
and its installed on the port side of
the engine to keep the hot water from
backing up through the system. Nice
research, Jim.

ASK THE DOCTOR

Send questions with your name and address
to: boatdr@boatingmag.com or The Boat
Doctor, Boating, 460 N. Orlando Ave., Suite
200, Winter Park, FL 32789.

Wanderlust just
got a lot more
appealing.
Belzona Marines smart engineering, and crossover design means you have more room
for exploration. The islands on the horizon just got a little closer. Experience a boat that
helps make your dream adventure a reality. Boats built for the way you live.

Made in the USA

Model shown: 327 Walk Around
Contact Belzona Marine today to take advantage of our factory direct pricing.

Now Selling Factory Direct

tel. 305.512.3200
www.BelzonaMarine.com

PHOTOS: COURTESY ACCON MARINE

LOG ON. LEARN MORE.

STARCRAFTMARINE.COM

HERITAGE. RECREATION.

The brand new SCX 231 Surf Edition deckboat from Starcraft lets you have it all. This surfable
crossover deckboat equipped with a quick ll and empty ballast system, speed control and wave
tuning gives you the surf capabilities that will have you shredding the waves in no time. Roomy
swim decks and deep, spacious seating for up to 13 of your friends ensure you can take
everyone out for the day comfortably, all with the capabilities of an inboard and the
versatility of an I/O. So go ahead, surf over to www.starcraftmarine.com and see
what all the talk is about.

SINCE

The Boat Doctor



B OAT D O C S P EC I A L

Addition by Subtraction
WHY POWER-TO-WEIGHT RATIO IS
IMPORTANT FOR SPEED AND EFFICIENCY

TS A TOPIC THAT MANY KEYBOARD THROTTLEMEN LOVE TO DEBATE ON MESSAGE BOARDS AND
performance-boat forums. Sometimes theyre right. Other times? Well, you know, but power-toweight ratio is a legitimate number, and knowing the gure for your boat can help you increase its
efciency or speed, depending on what youre looking for.

38

B OAT I N G M AG .C O M

scales at 910 pounds. The single

300 has the advantage over the
twin 150s at 2.1 pounds per hp
compared to 3.03 pounds per hp.
Engine weight is just the
beginning. Dont forget that
you also need to double the
rigging and add a battery, which
would probably add another
100 pounds to the equation. If
youre considering two-stroke
outboards, remember to factor
in the weight of the extra oil
reservoir and its contents.
Oil weighs approximately
8 pounds per gallon.
Last fall, Grant Bruggemann
at Grants Signature Rigging
in Sarasota, Florida, put the
power-to-weight ratio to a realworld test in a 32-foot Skater
catamaran. It was originally
powered by triple 300 hp
Mercury Racing 300XS twostroke outboards that weigh
approximately 505 pounds

J U L Y/A U G U S T 2 0 1 6

each. The owner wanted to rerig

the boat with a pair of Mercury
Racings new 400 hp Verado
400Rs that weigh 648 pounds
each. The numbers show that the

HEAVY LOAD

LIGHT LOAD

3,500 RPM
25.7 mph
14.7 gph
1.75 mpg

3,500 RPM
29.3 mph
12.2 gph
2.40 mpg

Passengers: 1,400 lb.

Fuel: 100 gal. (600 lb.)
Water: 64 gal. (512 lb.)
5,500 RPM
44.8 mph
34.8 gph
1.28 mpg

Passengers: 600 lb.

Fuel: 20 gal. (120 lb.)
Water: 0 gal.
5,500 RPM
51.5 mph
34.8 gph
1.48 mpg

SAVINGS = 27% at cruise speed

13% at full speed

SCAN
ME!

Scan this tag or visit

boating.mg/fuelsavetips
to learn how much faster
we made a boat go by
removing weight.

PHOTO: MILLER RACE PHOTOS

Its a straightforward
calculation that can be done in
horsepower per pound or vice
versa. For example, lets take a
5,000-pound boat powered by
a 300 hp engine. The powerto-weight ratio is calculated by
dividing 300 by 5,000 for 0.06 hp
per pound. Or, swap the formula,
divide 5,000 by 300, and it would
be 16.6 pounds per hp.
Power-to-weight ratio
most often comes into play
when deciding how many
motors one wants on a new
boat or when repowering. For
example, if youre looking at
a center console rated for a
maximum of 300 hp, should
you go with a single or twins?
Lets look at the numbers. A
single 300 hp Mercury Verado
weighs 635 pounds. A 150 hp
Mercury FourStroke 150 weighs
455 pounds. Double the weight
and the twins would tip the

triple 300 hp engines (900 hp

total) have a power-to-weight
ratio of 1.68 pounds per hp, while
the twin 400s (800 hp total)
calculate to 1.62 pounds per hp.
With the triple 300XS
outboards, the boat ran a top
speed of 103 mph. With the twin
Verado 400Rs turning a pair
of 32-inch modified Bravo One
propellers, the Skater 32 ran the
exact same speed with engines
on the rev limiters. Certainly,
the reduced drag of one less
gear case in the water played a
role, but for those who want to
optimize speed (and efficiency),
power-to-weight is a key
factor. With extra prop tuning,
Bruggemann figured the boat
would run at least 110 mph.
Converting from the triples
to twins saved the boat about
345 pounds thanks to the
subtraction of fuel and trim
pumps, a battery and required
rigging. Switching from the
temperamental two-strokes
to the smooth-running fourstrokes with digital shifting
also made the boat much more
manageable. Think of it as
addition by subtraction.
Eric Colby

The Boat Doctor



WEEKEND WORKBOOK

Install the Ronix

Wakesurf Shaper
in Minutes
TURN JET BOATS, SKI BOATS AND MORE
INTO WAKESURFING BOATS

Wakesurng seems to have taken over the watersports

world. Wakesurfers both young and young at heart are
grabbing their boards and catching curls as boats plow the
water to create tasty waves.
Boat companies such as Malibu and MasterCraft have
developed V-drive models with advanced, optional wavegenerating systems especially for wakesurng. If you dont
currently own such a machine, take heart. Theres a product
that lets you quickly transform a V-drive wakeboard boat,
midengine inboard water-ski boat or forward-drive runabout
into a wakesurng machine and its affordable.
Ronix Eight.3 has introduced the Wakesurf Shaper, a
19-inch-long wedge that temporarily attaches to either side
of your boats hull with heavy-duty hook-and-loop fasteners.
The device causes the boat to crab slightly at speeds of 10
to 15 mph and generates an asymmetrical wake with a tasty
(and customizable) wave that develops on the side opposite
the Shaper. Heres how to install it on a V-drive wakeboard
boat thats on a trailer or boat lift. Jim Hendricks

CLEAN THE HULL The Wakesurf Shaper

is designed to install on either side of your
boats hull as far aft and as low as possible
with peel-and-stick adhesive hook-and-loop
strips. Wash this area on both sides of your boat
with soap and water to remove any deposits
or scum, and rinse and dry with a clean towel
to avoid water spots. Spray the areas with a
70-percent isopropyl alcohol solution (available
at drug stores such as CVS) and wipe down with
a clean microber towel to remove any wax from
the application surface.
40

B OAT I N G M AG .C O M

J U L Y/A U G U S T 2 0 1 6

POSITION THE LOWER FASTENER

Remove the adhesive backing from one

of the supplied 25-inch-long hook-andloop fastener strips and apply it to the lowest
horizontal at surface as close to the transom
edge as possible, even if there is a recess or style
line above creating a step-in. (Supplied shims will
ll in, see step 4.) Make sure the strip is parallel
to the chine at the bottom of the hull. Apply rm
pressure to help ensure proper bonding to the hull
surface. Repeat this procedure on the opposite
side of the boat.

POSITION THE UPPER FASTENER Use

the supplied template and printed instructions to identify where to place the upper
adhesive hook-and-loop fastener. Then remove
the adhesive backing from one of the supplied
strips and apply in the position indicated by the
template, making sure its aligned vertically and
is perfectly parallel with the lower fastener strip
that you applied earlier. Repeat this procedure
on the opposite side of the boat and then let the
adhesive cure for 24 hours before placing the
boat in the water.

GETTING
STARTED
SKILL LEVEL

TIME TO COMPLETE

0.5 HOURS
TOOLS AND SUPPLIES
X Ronix Eight.3 Wakesurf

Shaper ($600 with fasteners,

shims and carrying case;
ronixwake.com)
X Boat soap
X 70-percent isopropyl alcohol
X Clean terry towel
X Clean microfiber towels

Pick a Side
The Wakesurf Shaper is designed to be placed
on either side of your boats hull and, thus,
generates a wave on one side or the other.
Putting the Shaper on the port side creates a
surfable wave on the starboard side. When the
wakesurfer gets bored, move the Shaper to
starboard and create portside curl.

ILLUSTRATIONS: TIM BARKER

ATTACH THE SHAPER After the adhesive

cures, mate the hook-and-loop fasteners
on the Wakesurf Shaper with the strips on
the hull. If the lower fastener is positioned on a
step-in due to a style line, or the side of the boat
tapers sharply inward as it approaches the chine,
use one of the supplied shims (which come with
hook-and-loop fasteners) between the Shaper
and the lower fastener to plumb the wedge.
Shims 1 and 2 inches wide are supplied, and you
can stack them to compensate for deep step-ins.
Water pressure keeps the device from dislodging.

FINE-TUNE THE WAKE The fasteners

are 6 inches longer than the Shaper. This
allows for adjustment fore and aft, which
alters the shape of the wake. Each boat will
respond differently but, generally, when the
Shaper is closer to the stern, the wave (on the
opposite side) becomes steeper and deeper. As
you move the Shaper forward, the wave becomes
longer and wider what wakesurfers describe as
rampier. With fasteners on both sides, you can
move the Shaper to create tasty waves on either
side of your boat.

Steering Difference
and Precautions
Because the Wakesurf Shaper
dramatically affects the yaw
of the boat while underway,
wait until youre ready to go
wakesurfing to attach it and
remove it
before you pick
up speed again.
At wakesurfing
speeds of 10
to 15 mph, the
boat tends to
crab to the
side on which
the Shaper
is attached.
Thats what
creates the
asymmetrical
wake and a
nice wave, but
it also forces
the helmsman
to pay close
attention to the
wheel to keep
the boat on
course. Also, Eight.3 promotes
using this product with
inboards and forward-drive
boats but advises against use
with conventional sterndrivepowered boats due to the
propellers proximity to
the wakesurfer. J.H.

B OAT I N G M AG .C O M

J U L Y/A U G U S T

2016

41

The Boat Doctor



QUICK STUDY

Size Chart
Mercury Racing made the
original K-Plane trim tabs
that set the standard for all
other performance models.
Here is Merc Racings size
chart so you know what size
tab you need for your boat.

Most of us know the basics of trimming our outboard motors or sterndrives. Apply positive trim
to raise the bow and make the boat go faster. Tuck
things back in when the going gets rough. When
it comes to using drive or outboard trim and tabs
to get more speed out of your performance boat,
theres a little more to it. Eric Colby

Up and Down

Tabs Dont Increase Speed

Virtually every performance boat
has trim tabs. Lowering them
improves your boats ride in rough
seas because they force down the
bow, keeping more running surface
in the water. Raising them in calm
water reduces drag, but using tabs
doesnt make your boat faster. In
other words, if you put two identical
models with the same power side
by side, one wouldnt be faster than
the other because it was equipped
with trim tabs and they were
trimmed up. Actually, the added
weight could slow the boat by a few
miles per hour.

Aft, Not Up
Regardless of the hull design, a
boat will run most efciently when
the prop thrust is directed straight
aft as much as possible instead of
up. On an outboard or sterndrive,
this means trimming the drive so
the front of the lower unit points
forward. When the drive or motor is
42

B OAT I N G M AG .C O M

trimmed out, the front of the lower

unit points down, and the propeller
thrust is directed up. That reduces
efciency. When the propeller
thrust is directed aft, it pushes the
boat forward more efciently. This
thrust angle is relative to the running angle of the boat.

Mark Your Indicators

Most performance boats have
mechanical trim indicators to show
the position of the drives and tabs.
Using a straight edge, set your

When running in rough water in a

boat equipped with twin or triple
sterndrives and trim tabs, use the
tabs to settle the ride and trim out
the drives to go as fast as safely
possible. Set the tabs to neutral/
zero or just below to keep as much
boat in the water as you can. Trim
out the drives to try to get the boat
running on top of the waves.

Trimming a Nonstepped Hull

When trying to go fast in a nonstepped hull in calm conditions, use
whatever positive drive trim necessary to get as much boat out of the
water to reduce the wetted surface
area. This cuts down on drag. When
turning, trim the drives in to set
the boat in the water. Seasoned
pros even lower the outside tab in

Looki
Looking
L
Astern
IN JULY 2004, DEPUTY EDITOR PETE MCDONALD STRAPPED ON

bio-feedback sensors and took the controls of an aerobatic

airplane, a race car and a high-performance boat (Cigarette
46 Rider XP) to find out objectively which one
delivered the biggest adrenaline rush. Kevin Falvey

J U L Y/A U G U S T 2 0 1 6

MODEL

BOAT LENGTH

150S

21 FT. (6.4 M) TO 30 FT. (9.1 M)

280S

31 FT. (9.4 M) TO 40 FT. (12.2 M)

380S

31 FT. (9.4 M) TO 40 FT. (12.2 M)

a turn to help the boat lean into

the maneuver. If youre turning left,
drop the starboard tab.

Trimming a Stepped Hull

Many have learned the hard way
that stepped hulls are different.
Because the running surface literally
steps up as it runs fore to aft, the
boat doesnt need as much positive
drive trim to run its fastest speed.
A stepped V-bottom runs faster at
a more level attitude because the
steps aerate the bottom and prop
thrust is directed aft. When turning,
leave the drives and tabs trimmed
out and pull back a little on the
throttles to let the boat settle. Trimming in the drives forces the bow
down, and the boat could spin out.

PHOTOS: (FROM TOP) MILLER RACE PHOTOS, BOATING ARCHIVES

Using Drives and

Tabs for Speed

tabs and drives to where they are

even with the bottom of the boat.
Mark this as neutral or zero on your
indicators to give you a baseline.

Genies grant 3 wishes.

Amateurs.
No other powerboat company so carefully and proudly reflects the unique desires of each
individual owner in every boat. Because at Intrepid, you call the shots. And its why we can,
and will, personalize your Intrepid powerboat any way you want it. Its all about building a
boat the way it should be. Not the way it could be. ONE OF A KIND. ONE AT A TIME.

intrepidpowerboats.com Call us at 954-922-7544 805 N.E. Third St., Dania Beach, FL 33004

The Boat Doctor

CHARGED UP
Charge 12-volt
batteries to
14.2 to 14.4 volts;
maintain them
at 13.2 to
13.4 volts.

4
5

QUICK
TIP
Cold cranking
amps are rated

Marine Batteries

An amp hour (Ah) is the

amount of energy charge in
a battery that will allow one
ampere of current to
ow for one hour. This is
important for gauging the
ability to power electrical
equipment without the
engine or generator running. A battery rated for
100 Ah at 20 hours can
discharge for 20 hours
with a 5-amp load.

Should boaters
use an automotive
battery in a marine
The batteries for a performance boat undergo more punishment
amps are
application? We recomthan those used aboard many other craft. The high speeds and oftenmeasured at
mend not doing this,
rough water combine to foreshorten battery life. Heres what to look
primarily due to the
32 degrees F.
for in a performance-boat battery or really any marine battery from
excess pounding and
which you want the utmost reliability and safety. Kevin Falvey
vibration experienced
aboard a boat. A marine
Boat batteries need sufcient
Absorbed glass mat (AGM)
AGM batteries provide more
batterys threaded terminals more
cranking amps (CA) to start the
batteries, such as Optima
power per pound and dimensecurely hold cables than the
engine or engines. Your engines
Blue Top batteries (pictured),
sional size than traditional
smooth posts of an auto battery.
manual, dealer or manufacturer
contain the electrolyte (aka acid)
ooded electrolyte batteries, and
Also, marine batteries feature
can supply this information. The
in a spongelike roll of berglass. The
their internal construction allows
more durable plate construction,
cranking amp is the discharge load
electrolyte is almost completely
them to withstand the pounding
so they are less likely to suffer an
a fully charged battery can deliver
prevented from spilling or splashing,
of high seas and high speeds better
internal short.
in 30 seconds. There is no need to
even if the battery cracks or gets
too. AGMs also do not
purchase more CA than you need.
turned upside down.
require added wat

at 0 degrees F.

Marine cranking

Secure That Battery!

Batteries aboard fast boats or boats that ply rough water need to be held
down tight. Billet aluminum boxes, such as this Diamond Performance
model, do the job with threaded rods and locknuts, and good looks. The
cover ($56) is optional. $112 to $114; diamondperformanceparts.com K.F.

44

B OAT I N G M AG .C O M

J U L Y/A U G U S T 2 0 1 6

PHOTOS: (FROM TOP) COURTESY OPTIMA BATTERIES, COURTESY DIAMOND PERFORMANCE PARTS

Reserve capacity (RC) is the

number of minutes a fully
charged battery at 80 degrees
F is discharged at 25 amps before
the voltage falls below 10.5 volts. To
onvert RC into amp hours at the 25amp rate, multiply RC by 0.4167.

Tests

( #2958 )

Pursuit
S 408 Sport

ANY BIG CENTER CONSOLE BOATS ARE

simply supersize versions of existing layouts. Not
so with Pursuits new S 408 Sport. The companys
design team took a clean-slate approach. The result is an
interior that you might mistake for a cruiser.
A 13-foot beam is fundamental to the interior. While other
40-foot-plus center consoles can claim similar dimensions,
the S 408 Sport carries this width from shoulders to
transom, rather than narrowing at the hips. This makes
possible one of the most spacious cabins youll see in a center
console. You step down through a wide pocket door on the
port side of the helm deck to find a cabin you might expect
aboard a cruiser. Its appointed with touches of exquisite
wood-veneer paneling. In the forward portion is a V-lounge,
which converts into a
NOTEWORTHY
berth. We had expected
to see a removable
dinette table, but this
feature is not available. A
skylight illuminates, and
a 28-inch TV entertains.
A galley on the
starboard side with a
refrigerator lets you prep
meals. A standard 8 kW
diesel generator powers
appliances when youre
away from shore power.
The enclosed head to
starboard features a
VacuFlush porcelain
marine toilet, sink with
freshwater faucet, Corian
countertop and a shower.
A laminated-glass
windshield melds with the hardtop to shield the superwide helm. An electrically operated vent at the top lets in
a breeze. Louvered vents at the helm and on the seating
module direct air conditioning to the crew on deck. A row
of three comfortable helm seats features lumbar supports,
flip-up bolsters and fold-down armrests. For extra height
while standing, the footrest panel folds down to add 6 inches
of elevation. Under the seat pod on the starboard side is a
refrigerator for stashing cold drinks and snacks.
Our test boat came with a Yamaha electronic throttle and
shift to control the triple Yamaha F350 outboards. It also
featured a joystick for a standard bow thruster for docking in

A stowage
locker located

at the foot of the

three-person
lounger on the
forward console
features cleats to
hang dock lines or
fenders and a rack
to secure a pair of
5-gallon buckets.

Comfort is the watchword for the S 408 Sport, whether youre knifing smoothly
through the waves, retreating to the spacious cabin or seated at the helm.
46

B OAT I N G M AG .C O M

J U L Y/A U G U S T 2 0 1 6

PHOTOS: (FROM TOP) FOREST JOHNSON, COURTESY PURSUIT BOATS (3)

B OAT I N G M AG .C O M

J U L Y/A U G U S T 2 0 1 6

47

 Pursuit S 408 Sport

boat also handled marvelously as we quartered down-sea
at speeds in the high 40s. Cornering with the deep-V hull at
speed proved predictable and uneventful. The boat felt
solid and free of creaks or rattles. Pursuit ensures durability
with its reinforced, infused one-piece stringer grid and
patent-pending transom reinforcement grid, as well as a
mechanically fastened hull-to-deck joint.
This boat is built for comfortable cruising, not high
velocity, yet it still jumped to 30 mph from a standing start
in 8 seconds and reached 51.4 mph at 6,000 rpm. The most
efficient cruising speed came at 4,000 rpm and 32.7 mph
where the triple F350s burned 39.1 gph for 0.84 mpg.
For boatbuilders, it takes time, talent and dedication
to create a boat thats truly different. The Pursuit S 408
Sport is just that. This model brings together the best in
center console and cruiser features in ways any boater can
appreciate. Jim Hendricks

48

B OAT I N G M AG .C O M

J U L Y/A U G U S T 2 0 1 6

SCAN
ME!

Check out our gallery of the Pursuit

S 408 Sport. Scan this tag or visit
boatingmag.com/2958.

AVA I L A B L E P O W E R :
OUTBOARDS

High Points
X Center console cabin is worthy of an express cruiser and perfect
for overnighting.
X Two refrigerators and two fridge/freezer lockers offer beaucoup
cold storage.
X Thirteen-foot beam provides outstanding stability in rough seas.

Low Points
X Watch your step aside the console while moving fore and aft; teak inserts
warn of a change in deck level.
X Three helm seats are abundantly supportive, but the portside crew
member doesnt get a forward footrest due to the cabin door.
XLOA: 42'10" (without engines) XBeam: 13'0" XDraft: 2'11" (motors up) XDisplacement
(approx.): 19,000 lb. (dry) XTransom Deadrise: 20 degrees XBridge Clearance: 9'3" (top
with no tower) XMax Cabin Headroom: 6'9" XFuel Capacity: 435 gal. XMax Horsepower:
1,050 XAvailable Power: Triple Yamaha outboards to 1,050 hp total

Price: $643,940 (base with triple Yamaha F350s)

T BOATING Certified Test Results
SPEED
rpm

knots

mph

gph

1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
4000
4500
5000
5500
6000

5.39
7.56
9.21
10.43
17.21
23.29
28.42
33.11
37.19
41.10
44.67

6.20
8.70
10.60
12.00
19.80
26.80
32.70
38.10
42.80
47.30
51.40

4.30
7.70
13.20
19.40
24.10
31.40
39.10
49.40
58.70
78.30
101.00

EFFICIENCY
naut. stat. n. mi.
mpg
mpg range
1.25
0.98
0.70
0.54
0.71
0.74
0.73
0.67
0.63
0.52
0.44

1.44
1.13
0.80
0.62
0.82
0.85
0.84
0.77
0.73
0.60
0.51

491
384
273
210
280
290
285
262
248
206
173

OPERATION
sound
level

s. mi.
range

angle

564
442
314
242
322
334
327
302
285
237
199

0
0
0
5
5
4
4
3
2
2
2

67
68
71
79
80
85
87
83
86
88
91

MOST ECONOMICAL CRUISING SPEED

HOW WE TESTED
ENGINES: Triple 350 hp Yamaha F350 outboards PROPS: Yamaha XL SDS 16" x 17"
3-blade stainless steel GEAR RATIO: 1.73:1 FUEL LOAD: 370 gal. CREW WEIGHT: 880 lb.
Pursuit Boats Fort Pierce, Florida; 800-947-8778; pursuitboats.com

PHOTO: COURTESY PURSUIT BOATS

tight quarters. This was in addition to the optional Yamaha

Helm Master joystick control system ($34,030).
Twin Garmin GPSMap 7616 multifunction displays filled
the 44-inch dash panel, offering views and control of the
networked electronics. Atop the console is a handy glove box
with a USB-charging port for your mobile devices.
Theres a 44-gallon transom livewell in the starboard
quarter with a self-latching lid. In the center of the transom,
a covered 47-gallon insulated locker with refrigerator/freezer
coils stows frozen bait or cold provisions. The transom
also includes a sink with fresh water, an electric grill, and
a Corian cutting board. A pair of 61-gallon insulated insole
fish lockers flanks the aft deck; the starboard locker features
fridge/freezer coils.
Follow a hooked fish around the boat without bruising
your thighs thanks to padded coaming bolsters. Be careful
not to trip on the slight step up on each side of the console.
Teak inserts here serve as visual warnings.
A transom door in the port quarter leads to the stern
platform, which extends well aft on each side of the motors.
A boarding ladder telescopes from the port platform.
In the cockpit, a beefy, inward-opening dive door on the
starboard side lets you pull aboard big tuna or swordfish,
board from a floating dock or take a dip. A foldout boarding
ladder makes it easy to climb back aboard.
You can watch the fishing action from the aft-facing
mezzanine bench-style seat. Extend the electrically operated
SureShade from the aft edge of the top to escape the sun.
An inviting three-person lounge atop the forward console
features sculpted backrests and fold-down armrests. If youre
shopping for a comparison model, the quad-powered Boston
Whaler 420 Outrage ($744,561 with four Mercury Verado
300s) is a good example. It too combines cruising comforts
and fishing features in a center console layout. However, the
aft hardtop supports rest on the gunwales, eliminating the
full fish-around capability.
U-shaped seating wraps around the bow with a dualpedestal, teak table in the middle, turning the forward
cockpit into a social center. You can convert each side of the
seating into a lounger with tilt-and-lock angled backrests.
The S 408 knifed smoothly through 3-foot head seas. The

EASY

ON & OFF
DRIVE-ON PORTS
KEEP YOUR BOAT HIGH & DRY
Made in the USA
The simplest drive-on, push-off method of dry-docking
Drive-on ports for PWCs, Boats and Pontoons

CONTACT YOUR LOCAL DEALER

EZ-DOCK.COM

800-654-8168

b j

EZ Dock is a division of PlayPower, Inc. . Copyright 2016 by PlayPower, Inc. All rights reserved.

a r

Tests

( #2959 )

Concept
39 Open

ONCEPTS 39 OPEN BLURS THE LINES

between go-fast boats, luxury-laden cruising boats
and offshore fishing boats and its surprisingly
adept at all three. Standard rod holders in the gunwales along
with trolling rod holders and four fish boxes make the 39 Open
look like a fishing boat, but a double berth with over 6 feet of
headroom in the entry area makes it feel like a pleasure boat.
Its easy to see how the 39 Open becomes a shifting Venn
diagram because each Concept is made to order. Essentially,
you take the base boat and apply upgrades or special
requests to make it your own and tailor it to whatever your
end goal will be. Custom means custom, and buyers regularly
ask for special additions that make their final product a
truly unique experience. (You want leopard-skin seats? You
got em.) The majority of the boats bells and whistles (think
remote-controlled
searchlight, digital
NOTEWORTHY
chart plotter,
hardtop, etc.) are
options, so buyers
can scale the
Concept 39 up or
down based on the
components they
will actually use.
This scalable pricing
is a breath of fresh
air for some valueminded customers
or those who want
more control over
the final product.
The 39s deck plan is uncluttered to the point that some
might consider it sparse, but a quick glance beneath hatches
reveals the intelligent and inventive ways Concept carved out
space. For example, a forward compartment with access to
the available bow thruster doubles as a fairly sizable stowage
compartment. Gunwales accommodate recessed rod holders
and flush-mount compartments that use otherwise wasted
space. The removable cooler underneath the center console
is on rails for quick and easy access to what can otherwise
be a cumbersome piece of equipment. Theres also a wet
storage compartment under the helm bench that can be used
as a redundant cooler or stowage. The 39s clean layout also
allows for unencumbered movement fore to aft, and the high
freeboard and resulting gunwale height make boaters of all
ages feel safe and secure.

Custom means
custom at Concept
Boats. We tested the
39 Open and the 44
Open at the same
time and noted
distinct features
aboard each boat.

The 39 Open is a customizable boat that rides smooth on its stepped hull.
Theres seating galore, the helm keeps control at hand, and the lounge is huge.
50

B OAT I N G M AG .C O M

J U L Y/A U G U S T 2 0 1 6

PHOTOS: COURTESY CONCEPT BOATS

B OAT I N G M AG .C O M

J U L Y/A U G U S T 2 0 1 6

51

 Concept 39 Open
The Concept 39 Open was clearly designed with input
from techs who have toiled through bad service layouts
because everything was easily accessible. Fuel shut-offs for
all three motors are a hatch lift away, with everything aft of
that accessed by flipping forward the rear seat back. A small
bone we would pick is the lack of a second fuel fill point,
something commonplace in smaller boat markets.
While its difficult to compare Concepts made-to-order
business model to other boats, the Concept 39 we tested
compares adequately to the Nor-Tech 390 Sport Open. The
Nor-Tech 390 with quadruple 400 hp Mercury Racing 400R
outboards tops out at 93.1 mph and costs $585,785. The
manufacturer says the Concept 39 will top out at 85 mph
with quad 400s, and the base boat will cost $444,000.
Craig Kotilinek

SCAN
ME!

To view more photos of the Concept

39 Open, scan this tag or visit
boatingmag.com/2959.

AVA I L A B L E P O W E R :
OUTBOARD

High Points

52

B OAT I N G M AG .C O M

J U L Y/A U G U S T 2 0 1 6

X Base boat can be customized in myriad ways.

X Berth and head with plenty of headroom keep the family happy.
X High gunwales thwart spray and make everyone on board feel safer and
more comfortable.
X Boat proved it has an exceptionally smooth ride in the open ocean during
our test.

Low Points
X Front cushions on the boat we tested flapped in the wind like sea gulls
taking off, and the pop-up seat backs were on a substandard base that
didnt fit the quality of the rest of the boat.
X Its more difficult than it should be to access forward stowage because of
a snap-in cushion that has to be lifted in tandem.
XLOA: 39'0" XBeam: 11'0" XDraft (max): 2'6" XDisplacement (approx.): 10,500 lb.
XTransom Deadrise: 24 degrees XBridge Clearance: 11'0" XMax. Cabin Headroom: 6'2"
XFuel Capacity: 300 gal. XMax Horsepower: 1,600 XAvailable Power: Twin, triple or quad

outboard engines to 1,600 hp total

Price: $431,249 (as tested); $338,646 (base)

T BOATING Certified Test Results
SPEED
rpm
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
4000
4500
5000
5500
6400

knots
7.1
8.7
10.0
14.3
20.2
24.8
35.6
42.1
46.1
51.1
59.1

mph
8.2
10.0
11.5
16.5
23.3
28.5
41.0
48.5
53.0
58.8
68.0

gph
3.60
6.60
11.70
16.20
23.10
24.00
30.90
36.00
51.30
61.80
89.00

EFFICIENCY
naut. stat. n. mi.
mpg
mpg range

s. mi.
range

angle

1.98
1.32
0.85
0.89
0.88
1.03
1.15
1.17
0.90
0.83
0.66

615.0
409.1
265.4
275.0
272.3
320.6
358.3
363.8
278.9
256.9
206.3

0
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
2

2.28
1.52
0.98
1.02
1.01
1.19
1.33
1.35
1.03
0.95
0.76

534.4
355.5
230.6
239.0
236.7
278.6
311.3
316.1
242.4
223.2
179.3

OPERATION
sound
level
84
91
92
94
94
96
97
98
98
99
88

MOST ECONOMICAL CRUISING SPEED

HOW WE TESTED
ENGINES: Triple Mercury Verado 300s DRIVE/PROP: Outboard/14" x 24" 4-blade
stainless steel GEAR RATIO: 1.75:1 FUEL LOAD: 117 gal. WATER ON BOARD: 3 gal.
CREW WEIGHT: 750 lb.
Concept Boats Opa Locka, Florida; 305-635-8712; conceptboats.com

PHOTO: COURTESY CONCEPT BOATS

The Concept 39 Open is a beamy boat with a foot more at

the waist than the Nor-Tech 390 Sport Open. This massive
beam translates directly into comfort on the water. The
berth is roomier, the walkways from fore to aft have enough
space to comfortably fit one person without shuffling, and
three people can sit at the center console without wedging
themselves in. The 39 Opens helm is so negotiable that its
hard to review. The base boat has analog gauges and a barebones instrument panel, but with hardly a stock Concept
sold, youre typically looking at a loaded instrument panel.
Thankfully, the beam comes into play again and nothing
feels overly crowded. Everything is custom, so whereas the
39 Open we tested sported a steering wheel mounted on
the port side, the Concept 44 Open we tested had a centermounted steering wheel.
We tested the 39 Open on Biscayne Bay in 3- to 4-foot seas
at speeds of almost 70 mph and could see heads turning on
other boaters who were not only envious of this new boats
sleek lines but also its noticeably smooth ride. Bow rise is
almost nonexistent, which meant unimpeded visibility, even
on our 0 to 30 mph speed-test starts. The stepped hull is
blended with a deep-V by Concepts design team to give the
39 Open a nice balance with nimble performance in flat
water and a smooth ride in choppy water. They had no fancy
marketing name for this hybrid design, but it produced
reliable handling, even in tight turns, as well as consistent
speed that didnt need much monitoring in medium chop.
We tested the 44-foot Concept on the same day in similar
conditions, and admittedly, the 39-footer is not as smooth
as its bigger sister, but it performed smoother than other
comparable boats of similar length overall. The bow thruster
is an option, but for most captains its going to be closer to
a necessity in the event a current or stiff wind influences
your approach.

ITS YOUR
WATERLIFE.

WE OUTFIT IT.

Josh M.
West Marine Associate
Josh is wearing Quiksilver Sediment Shorts
and Hyperlite Indy CGA Life Jacket.

westmarine.com
Plus more than 260 stores nationwide

Tests

( #2960 )

seating in the bow. In the forepeak, a cavernous anchor locker

contains a horizontal windlass and an in-stem anchor chute.
At the helm, three-across Llebroc helm seats feature
flip-up bolsters and fold-down armrests. A wraparound
polycarbonate windshield extends from console to hardtop.
The 51-inch-wide helm panel easily accepted the pair of
Garmin 15-inch multifunction displays.
Jump seats in each stern quarter are not only great for
cruising but also fold away quickly when its time to get serious
about fishing. An outward-opening dive door on the port side
with a foldout boarding ladder will prove handy when the crew
wants to snorkel or just take a dip.
It seems that size does matter when it comes adding
an honest-to-goodness cabin to a center console without
detracting from the boats fishin mission, and the new
Invincible 42 Center Cabin proves it. Jim Hendricks

Invincible
42 Center Cabin
S THE LENGTH AND BREADTH OF CENTER
console boats expand, so do the number of new
elements, such as legitimate cabins within the
console, and one of the latest examples of this trend is the
Invincible 42 Center Cabin.
Riding on a Michael Peters-designed twin-step hull and
powered by triple Yamaha F350 outboards, our test boat
reached a top speed of 69.3 mph, and it did so with a soft
ride and predictable handling.
A molded grid stringer system unites bulkheads and
stringers into a single, unified piece. The deck and liner are
bonded using methacrylate adhesive.
Invincibles 42 Center Cabin is focused on fishing
with features that include a 53-gallon transom livewell,
64-gallon well under
the aft cockpit sole, and
EXTRA POINT
five insole fish lockers.
A covered tackle-rigging
station behind the helm
seats sports features
such as a sink with fresh
let you
and raw water, a cutting
comfortably brace
board, racks for leader
yourself while fishline and other fishing
tools, tackle drawers and
ing or keeping an
a 105-quart slide-out
eye on kite baits.
Frigid Rigid cooler.
For overnighting or
ducking out of the weather, the step-down cabin offers a
forward berth measuring 7 feet long by 4 feet wide with
a 17-inch TV. With more than 6 feet of headroom, the
aft galley includes a microwave and refrigerator/freezer,
stainless-steel sink with freshwater faucet, and a Corian
countertop. The head-compartment door swings through
the galley space and into the main cabin for access and
latches halfway back to create a private space for the galley/
head area. The door swings back to conceal the head.
Comfort continues topside with a two-person lounger
with fold-down armrests on the forward console. Theres

Padded recesses
in each stern
quarter

54

B OAT I N G M AG .C O M

J U L Y/A U G U S T 2 0 1 6

MORE ONLINE

To watch a video of the Invincible 42 Center

Cabin, visit boatingmag.com/2960.

AVA I L A B L E P O W E R :
OUTBOARD

High Points
X Twin-step hull offers outstanding lift with virtually no bow rise during the

hole shot.
X With 107 gallons of livewell capacity, you shouldnt run out of live bait.
X Center cabin offers a place to catch a nap or duck out of the weather.

Low Points
X If you are not used to docking a big boat, this 42-footer might be a handful.
X Blue upholstery that covers the cabin-berth mattress is a bit plain; wed like

to see a designer fabric here.

Toughest Competitor
X The Everglades 435cc ($774,917 with quad Yamaha F350s) boasts a

well-appointed cabin in the console but forgoes the step-hull in favor of

a conventional deep-V.
XLOA: 42'9" XBeam: 11'7" XDraft: 2'4" XDisplacement (approx.): 14,000 lb. (without
power) XTransom Deadrise: 22 degrees XBridge Clearance: 10'6" XFuel Capacity: 600
gal. XMax Horsepower: 1,600 XAvailable Power: Triple or quad Mercury, Seven Marine
or Yamaha outboards to 1,600 hp

Price: $470,000 (with triple Yamaha F350s)

T BOATING Certified Test Results
SPEED
rpm

knots

mph

gph

1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
4000
4500
5000
5500
6000

6.17
8.26
11.04
16.08
20.68
30.94
36.84
44.23
49.97
54.92
60.22

7.10
9.50
12.70
18.50
23.80
35.60
42.40
50.90
57.50
63.20
69.30

4.80
9.80
15.50
19.20
24.50
32.80
41.60
53.70
69.20
50.00
101.30

EFFICIENCY
naut. stat. n. mi.
mpg
mpg range
1.29
0.84
0.71
0.84
0.84
0.94
0.89
0.82
0.72
0.61
0.59

1.48
0.97
0.82
0.96
0.97
1.09
1.02
0.95
0.83
0.70
0.68

694
455
384
452
456
509
478
445
390
327
321

s. mi.
range
799
523
442
520
525
586
550
512
449
376
369

OPERATION
sound
angle level
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA

NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA

MOST ECONOMICAL CRUISING SPEED

HOW WE TESTED
ENGINES: Three 350 hp Yamaha F350s DRIVE/PROP: Outboard/14.625" x 23" Mercury
Revolution 4 4-blade stainless steel GEAR RATIO: 1.73:1 FUEL LOAD: 400 gal. CREW
WEIGHT: 825 lb.
Invincible Boats Opa Locka, Florida; 305-685-2704; invincibleboats.com

PHOTO: COURTESY SPORT FISHING MAGAZINE

I d o n t n e e d i t . I c a n s w i m .

84% of fatal drowning victims are

reported as not wearing a life jacket.

YO U R N E X T E XC U S E ,
C O U L D B E YO U R L A S T.

BOATINGMAG.COM/BOATINGSAFETY

Tests

( #2961 )

tabs adjust to reduce bow rise, improve acceleration, find the

most efficient running angle, or even shape and size wakes for
wakeboarding and skiing. Manual override keeps things sane
for captains who prefer total control.
Our test boat was powered by a pair of Mercurys newest
250 hp MerCruiser 4.5-liter engines, matched to Bravo Three
drives. The pair powered the 310 onto plane in 5.3 seconds
and reached 30 mph in 11.5 seconds. Activating the rideenhancing, wake-shaping Dynamic Running Surface, we
bested our time to 30 mph by a second. Underway, Sea
Rays Quiet Ride technology, a system of acoustic insulation,
vibration-dampening materials and careful design choices,
kept noise levels to 80 decibels at an economical 28 mph
cruise, never drowning out the guests. Jeff Hemmel

Sea Ray
310 SLX

STERNDRIVES

The optional
fiberglass
hardtop

B OAT I N G M AG .C O M

To see a photo gallery of the Sea Ray 310 SLX,

visit boatingmag.com/2961.

AVA I L A B L E P O W E R :

UPERSIZE BOWRIDERS ARE FOR SOCIAL

butterflies, a fact Sea Ray clearly emphasizes
aboard the crowd-friendly 310 SLX. Split the party
between the adult-proportioned bow cockpit, doublewide
helm and passenger seats, L-shaped cockpit bench and
one more perch behind the helm. Nose up to the sandbar
and the stern competes for attention with a 5-foot-4-inch
by 3-foot-2-inch sun pad with a full backrest, inviting
swim platform and optional yacht-style, submersible swim
platform. Seating is decidedly upscale, covered in rich
three-tone vinyl with exquisite detail stitching and
flanked by leather-wrapped stainless-steel grab handles.
The starboard wet bar comes standard. A generous
port-console head compartment with 4 feet 6 inches of
headroom, stainless-steel
EXTRA POINT
sink and standard VacuFlush
toilet is ready for those who
need to make use of the
facilities before the clock
strikes midnight.
utilizes
Behind the big, comfycouch trappings, Sea Ray
an integral carembraces plenty of tech. Turn
bon-fiber beam
the key and the seemingly
to eliminate the
barren dash comes alive
with Sea Rays Dynamic
stainless-steel
Display, a pair of 12- and
pipe work that
7-inch Medallion-designed
often clutters
color touchscreens that
provide navigation and vessel
sightlines.
data and eliminate nearly
all switches from the dash. SmartCraft Digital Throttle
and Shift (DTS) offers precision control of engines and
shifting, and the optional Axius joystick control makes
virtually anyone an old salt at docking. Even the hull can
be tech-enhanced. The optional Dynamic Running Surface
features two large, triangular trim plates flush-mounted
into the aft corners of the hull. Using a combination of
GPS data, gyroscopes, accelerometers and software, the
56

MORE ONLINE

J U L Y/A U G U S T 2 0 1 6

High Points
X User-friendly touchscreen is backed up with manual switches for critical

functions, such as the blower, bilge pump and horn.

X Five-position seat back rises from within the sun pad for those who prefer

a more traditional bench or to accommodate those gearing up for a

watersports session.
X Standard tower lowers at the touch of a switch and includes an articu-

lating Bimini for shade.

Low Points
X Port console door impacts the helm console when fully open and would

benefit from a hinge stop.

Toughest Competitor
X Cobalts R30 ($199,703 with twin MerCruiser 6.2L MPI ECT/Bravo Three/

DTS) is 10 inches shorter and carries 8 inches less beam but features a
similar 17-passenger layout. Sea Ray includes the wet bar, electric tower
and VacuFlush toilet as standard (rather than a pump-out portable potty).
Cobalt offers greater twin-engine base horsepower and a standard
hydraulic, submersible swim platform.
XLOA: 31'6" XBeam: 10'2" XDraft: 3'2" XDisplacement: 10,787 lb. XTransom
Deadrise: 21 degrees XBridge Clearance: 8'2" XFuel Capacity: 130 gal. XMax
Horsepower: 700 XAvailable Power: Twin MerCruiser gasoline sterndrives to 350 hp,
diesel sterndrives to 260 hp

Price: $215,054 (with test power)

T BOATING Certified Test Results
SPEED
rpm

knots

mph

gph

1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
4000
4500
5000

5.56
6.91
8.47
11.86
19.94
24.55
31.28
34.41
38.97

6.40
7.95
9.75
13.65
22.95
28.25
36.00
39.60
44.85

2.80
4.10
7.00
10.20
13.80
16.00
25.00
30.00
36.90

EFFICIENCY
naut. stat. n. mi.
mpg
mpg range
1.99
1.68
1.21
1.16
1.45
1.53
1.25
1.15
1.06

2.29
1.94
1.39
1.34
1.66
1.77
1.44
1.32
1.22

232
197
142
136
169
180
146
134
124

OPERATION
sound
level

s. mi.
range

angle

267
227
163
157
195
207
168
154
142

0
0
3
5
3
3
3
2
2

67
67
69
77
79
80
82
85
86

MOST ECONOMICAL CRUISING SPEED

HOW WE TESTED
ENGINE: Twin MerCruiser 4.5L MPI ECT Bravo Three sterndrives with DTS DRIVE/PROP:
Bravo Three/22.5" pitch stainless-steel propsets GEAR RATIO: 2.2:1 FUEL LOAD: 24 gal.
CREW WEIGHT: 350 lb.
Sea Ray Boats Vonore, Tennessee; 423-884-6631; searay.com

PHOTO: COURTESY SEA RAY BOATS

SUZUKI
ULTIMATE
FOUR-STROKE

POWER

Suzuki 4-stroke outboards deliver

everything youre looking for in an engine.
Great acceleration out of the hole, blazing
top speed, proven reliability, impressive fuel
economy. Even a choice of shadow black
metallic, cool white or matte black paint jobs.
Whether youre looking at a new boat or
thinking about repowering, go with a new
Suzuki 4-stroke outboard and stand out from
the pack next time youre on the water.
For detailed information on our
outboards and latest promotions,
visit www.suzukimarine.com

DIGITAL
<DEALS>

2016 Suzuki Motor of America, Inc. Suzuki, the Suzuki S logo and Suzuki model names are Suzuki trademarks or . Dont drink and drive.
Always wear a USCG-approved life jacket and read your owners manual.

Tests

( #2962 )

Galeon
380 Fly
Galeon has managed to fit
a host of amenities into a family-size
package, from two pleasant staterooms
with a separate head and stall shower
to a comfy entertainment area in the
salon, plus a great flybridge. The salon
has twin couches and a table next to
large windows. Triple sliding doors
really open the cockpit. The cockpit

WE SAY

settee cleverly morphs into a sun pad or

a dining area with table and that slides
aft, effectively mimicking the space
aboard a 40-footer. The helm features
a one-piece windshield and a tidy dash
with a Raymarine monitor and two
rows of clearly marked rocker switches.
The galley abeam the helm includes
everything needed for meals afloat.
Below, a small foyer has four
doors: one to the master stateroom
forward, one to the separate shower
stall, one to a head with vanity, and one
to a cabin tucked under the raised helm.
Easy steps lead to the flybridge
that features sturdy, stainless-steel
handrails, and its worth noting that the
Polish builders are masters at stainless
welding. The rails, grab bars and step
supports are like jewelry. A settee with
backrest, leaving room for a double
helm seat forward, encircles the bridge.
Twin 370 hp Volvo Penta D6 diesels
topped out near 28 knots. Even better,
the ride was calm and unruffled, even in
a lumpy Gulf Stream. Chris Caswell

StarGazer Wake Edition

GPS Speed Control

Turn your inboard/outboard into a true water sports machine.
Driving a stern drive at a steady 20 mph is almost impossible!
Let PerfectPass take the stress out of driving and enjoy your
boat like never before. Available for 90% of Mercruiser and
Volvo engines produced over the last 15 years.
GPS Based (No Paddle Wheel required)
No Calibration required
Speed accuracy to within 1 mph

Upgrade Today

perfectpass.com or contact us at
sales@perfectpass.com or call

1 902 468-2150

ITS EASY! Any customer

with an existing
PerfectPass System can
easily upgrade to Star
Gazer-Wake Edition. In
most cases it is a simple
5 minute Plug & Play
installation. For more
details, contact one of
our customer service
specialists.

WHOD WANT ONE Families looking for

a well-built cruiser with several clever
and thoughtful touches at a moderate
purchase price.

The Absolute 40 Fly

($750,000) offers twin staterooms, a
single head and a galley-down plan
the favored arrangement in Europe.

ANOTHER CHOICE

$619,000 (with test

power); marinemax.com
BOTTOM LINE

T BOATING Certified Test Results

SPEED
rpm
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
3950

knots mph
6.08
8.21
9.69
12.17
20.20
26.63
27.50

EFFICIENCY
OPERATION
naut. stat. n. mi. s. mi.
sound
gph mpg mpg range range angle level

7.00
7.40 0.82 0.95
9.45
18.00 0.46 0.53
11.15
44.60 0.22 0.25
14.00
72.50 0.17 0.19
23.25 113.90 0.18 0.20
30.65 144.30 0.18 0.21
31.65 158.80 0.17 0.20

38 4
21
10
8
8
9
8

4
25
12
9
10
10
9

0
0
1
4
3
3
3

68
70
72
76
76
77
79

MOST ECONOMICAL CRUISING SPEED

XLOA: 39'4" XBeam: 12'3" XDraft (max): 3'11" XDisplacement (approx.): 29,432 lb. (full load) XFuel Capacity: 264 gal.

HOW WE TESTED
ENGINE: Twin Volvo Penta D6-370s DRIVE/PROP: ZF transmission/21" x 25" pitch 4-blade GEAR RATIO: 1.96:1 FUEL LOAD:
264 gal. WATER ON BOARD: 132 gal. CREW WEIGHT: 750 lb.

PHOTO: COURTESY GALEON YACHTS

WATCH

VIDEO

Tests

( #2963 )

Cobalt
R5WSS Surf
Cobalt has been outfitting its
R Series runabouts for watersports duty
with its WSS line, which stands for
Water Sports Series. With the R5WSS
Surf, you can wakesurf too. How? The
Forward Drive places the props forward
rather than aft of the gear case so they
pull the boat through the water rather
than push it. In doing so, Volvo Penta
moved the props 21 inches farther

WE SAY

forward where they are safely tucked

under the platform and away from the
surfer. Steering in reverse is excellent.
The R5WSS Surf has other amenities
to make it surfable such as the Zero
Off GPS speed control, which can set
the speed to create the desired wake.
Activate the surf tabs and fill the ballast
tanks to port, center and starboard
to sculpt the wake. A flip-down swim
step on the swim platform makes it
easy for surfers to get in and out of the
water. The sport arch features Samson
swiveling board racks and stereo
speakers to rock your surf sessions.
On board, Cobalts Free Space
Reclamation process creates a roomy
cockpit. The high freeboard means no
splash on quick pickup turnarounds,
and you can actually walk through
instead of crawl to the bow. When
its time to run, the R5WSS Surf bests
many inboards, climbing onto plane
in 4.2 seconds and hitting 30 mph in
9.6 seconds. Top speed is 46 mph.
Pete McDonald

WHOD WANT ONE Families looking for

a versatile runabout that easily converts
for surf duty.

The Regal 2300 RX

Surf ($93,510) is also equipped with
Forward Drive and a surf package.

ANOTHER CHOICE

$132,915 (with test

power); cobaltboats.com
BOTTOM LINE

T BOATING Certified Test Results

SPEED
rpm
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
4000
4500
5000
5500

knots mph
4.43
6.52
7.65
10.17
15.38
23.90
28.15
33.02
36.76
39.97

5.10
7.50
8.80
11.70
17.70
27.50
32.40
38.00
42.30
46.00

EFFICIENCY
OPERATION
naut. stat. n. mi. s. mi.
sound
gph mpg mpg range range angle level
1.50
2.40
3.80
6.50
8.00
10.40
11.90
14.80
21.80
28.60

2.95
2.72
2.01
1.56
1.92
2.30
2.37
2.23
1.69
1.40

3.40 133
3.13 122
2.32 91
1.80 70
2.21 87
2.64 103
2.72 106
2.57 100
1.94 76
1.61 63

153
141
104
81
100
119
123
116
87
72

1
3
4
5
3
2
2
2
2
2

66
67
71
72
76
80
83
84
85
87

MOST ECONOMICAL CRUISING SPEED

XLOA: 25'8" XBeam: 8'6" XDisplacement: 4,880 lb. XFuel

Capacity: 50 gal.

HOW WE TESTED
ENGINE: Volvo Penta V8-300 sterndrive DRIVE/PROP: Forward
Drive/K4 stainless-steel propset GEAR RATIO: 2.14:1 FUEL
LOAD: 8 gal. CREW WEIGHT: 380 lb.

Underwater LED
Boat Lights
S tarting A t

$179.00

www.abysslite.com

CALL: 954-772-2 02 2

PHOTO: COURTESY COBALT BOATS

Essex Credit, a division of Bank of the West,

has affordable boat loan options that can
help you get out on the water quickly. Our

Loan Amount

APR* as low as

$50,000+

3.99%

$25,000$49,999

4.29%

experienced consultants make getting

your loan easy and stress-free, so you can
look forward to whats really important
enjoying your boat. Changing market
conditions can affect rates, so act now to
take advantage of our low APRs.

New or Used Purchase

From a Dealer or Individual Seller

Purchase Locally or Cross-Country

Renance

APR is fixed for the life of the loan. Other rates and loan terms available. Rates are
accurate as of May 13, 2016. See our website for current rates and terms, as well as
financing for Live-Aboards, older boats and loan amounts below $25,000.

Apply online today.

www.essexcredit.com/boating
(866) 377-3948

NEW - USED - REFINANCE

WE ALSO OFFER: Live-Aboard nancing I Loans for older boats (19191995) I Loans for part- and full-time charters
*Estimated APR (Annual Percentage Rate). Subject to consumer loan program requirements and credit approval. Certain fees, closing costs, and restrictions may
apply. APR applied to the loan is the APR in effect on the date the application is received and is valid until 30 days after the loan is approved. APRs may vary with
loan term. Boat must be 1996 model year or newer; for boat model year 1996 to 2005, add .25% to above rate. 90% maximum loan to value. Maximum loan term
based on model year, loan amount, loan type, and lender guidelines. Other rates with different loan terms are available. Example of a recreational use Boat loan:
A 10 year fixed-rate $55,000 loan. Based on an APR of 3.99%, this loan has 120 monthly payments of $556.59 each.

Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender.

2016 Bank of the West. NMLS ID# 19116.

Motorhead
Breed Apart
EIGHT WAYS HIGH-PERFORMANCE
ENGINES ARE DIFFERENT

IGH-PERFORMANCE MARINE ENGINES COMMAND HIGH PRICES.

Take the 400ROS outboard from Mercury Racings race lineup,
for example. It retails for more than $49,000. Mercury Racings
new 1550 sterndrive, which abides in the divisions consumer stable, goes
for an astounding $230,200.
We asked Rick Mackie, senior marketing manager for Mercury Racing,
to outline elements that dene high-performance power plants, aside
from the price tag.

BEEFY INTERNALS To

ensure high-performance
durability, internal components are strengthened. The design,
development, manufacture and
hand-assembly of super-strong
components are among the major
reasons for the run-up in costs for
high-performance marine engines.

CHOICE OF DRIVES Engines

and drives are sold separately,
and the buyer has a choice of
drives. Merc Racings 1100 engine, for
example, can mate with two differ-

which drive system best matches his

performance needs, Mackie points
out. These drives are designed with
heavy-duty gears to withstand the
incredible torque generated by
high-performance engines.

STRONGER TRIM SYSTEMS

BORN TO RACE
Merc Racings
400ROS is built
from the bottom
up as an offshore
racing engine.

High-performance sterndrives
and outboards feature
heavy-duty trim and tilt systems.
Mercury Racings OptiMax 300XS,
for instance, comes with a more
robust swivel and clamp bracket,
Mackie points out. It also has one
big single trim ram with a separate,
heavy-duty trim pump.

Buyers of high-performance
packages be it outboard or
sterndrive usually opt for handworked (aka lab-nished) propellers
to maximize the delivery of power to
the water.

SOLID MOUNTS Production

outboards feature cushioned
mounts to isolate engine
vibration and minimize noise.
Cushioned mounts are good until
you reach about 90 mph, Mackie
says. After that, the softer mounts

LAB-FINISHED PROPS

INDIVIDUALLY DYNOD

Each Mercury Racing engine

(except the Verado 400R)
is tested on a dynamometer to
ensure it meets its horsepower
rating before it is sold, Mackie says.
After dyno testing, technicians pull
the spark plugs and look inside the
cylinders with a small video camera
to make sure the engines are worn
in correctly.

This meticulous procedure,

which is impossible to pull off with
production engines due to the
distribution volume, also serves to
break in the motor.

LIMITED WARRANTY Dont

count on a long warranty
when you buy a highperformance package. While
warranty levels vary in the Mercury
Racing line, terms are not as good
as those for recreational motors. For
instance, the Verado 400R carries a
two-year limited warranty for recreational boating, with a three-year
limited corrosion warranty. Yet thats
better than the 400ROS, which has
no warranty. Jim Hendricks

PHOTOS: (FROM TOP) COURTESY MERCURY RACING, COURTESY SUZUKI MARINE

MAXED-OUT MOTORS We
turn up the output and press rpm
to the upper limit, says Mackie,
citing the Verado 400R . The 400R
is based on the Verado 350 production outboard, Mackie says. While
the 350 is rated to 6,400 rpm and
generates 350 hp, the 400R turns
7,000 rpm.

An Innovative Parking Solution

Move any trailer with our powerful, compact dolly.*

With Stablelock technology, our dolly wont tip, tilt or pivot and is easily controlled with
a simple thumb control switch. Our units have the ability to freewheel and smart trailer
brakes are an available option for added control.

1-888-926-5517 | www.parkit360.com
*Some restrictions may apply.

Will carbon ber spur a boatbuilding revolution?

We test a Paragon Super Sport 28 from Carbon Marine to nd out.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: COURTESY CARBON MARINE

WITH SHUTTERSTOCK

BY CHRIS CASWELL

64

B OAT I N G M AG .C O M

J U L Y/A U G U S T 2 0 1 6

Like the word stealth, carbon ber

has crept into our modern language,
and youll nd its distinctive black diamond pattern
on everything from clipboards to refrigerators. It is an
absolutely crucial material in the F-22 Raptor ghter
aircraft, but probably not so essential in the glove-box
door of your SUV. Carbon ber has become a trendy
decorating item.
Fiberglass was once heralded as the miracle material for boats, and it did, indeed, take a bite out of
wooden-boat construction. Though it revolutionized
boat construction, it didnt quite prove to be the nomaintenance material originally promised (laughter in
the wings), but it was a major step forward. There was
a time, more recently, when Kevlar was touted as the
be-all and end-all for composite boat construction.

B OAT I N G M AG .C O M

J U L Y/A U G U S T 2 0 1 6

65

oday, the magic words

are carbon fiber. Youre
going to see them
bandied around by
builders and dealers
(and a few snakeoil salesmen) as the
material hastening a
new revolution. But is it
really one?
Well, the absolute
definitive answer is yes
and no. Carbon fiber
has some wonderful
properties, but it also
brings higher costs and
a few downsides. We got to
experience it firsthand aboard
the Paragon Super Sport 28

66

B OAT I N G M AG .C O M

J U L Y/A U G U S T 2 0 1 6

from Carbon Marine. Heres

what we found.

THE CARBON UPSIDES

We all know that fiberglass
is a composite made from
strands of glass that are
woven into fabrics and
reinforced with resin to create
hulls and decks. Carbon
fiber simply replaces those
glass strands with filaments
of carbon. On the chemical
side, carbon crystals are
shaped like honeycombs, and
they align naturally into long,
flat ribbons, which are then
woven into a matrix much like
a coarse fiberglass cloth is.

In the case of the Paragon

Super Sport 28, the carbonfiber matrix is bonded with
high-quality vinylester resin,
which is essentially what
aircraft (Boeing) and car
(Lamborghini) manufacturers
are using in their highperformance products, as do
high-end boatbuilders such as
Viking Yachts.
Why carbon fiber? This
is a three-word answer:
lighter, stronger, stiffer. These
are the qualities that have
endeared carbon fiber to the
aerospace, automotive and
military industries. Heres a
breakdown of those attributes.

PHOTO: COURTESY CARBON MARINE

In the mold, Carbon

Marine replaces
typical fiberglass
matting with woven
carbon filaments.

LIGHTER: In simple terms,

if you can build an object in
carbon fiber whether a
boat, car or airplane that
is lighter than a similar
object in fiberglass, youll get
more speed and better fuel
efficiency. Carbon fiber has a
strength-to-weight ratio about
twice that of the S-glass used
in most boats. That translates
into the same strength at half
the weight of fiberglass, or
twice the strength at the
same weight.
STRONGER: Carbon fiber

PHOTOS: COURTESY GENERAL MOTORS, COURTESY BOEING, COURTESY ORACLE TEAM USA

is stronger than fiberglass,

so it adds extra strength
to the equation, which is
why the driver of the first
McLaren carbon-fiber
Formula One race car walked
away from a major crash when
the cars surrounding tub
saved him. A material that is
stronger also allows builders
to use less of it to achieve the
original strength, and once
again, lighter is faster and
more efficient.
If you build a boat that is
lighter with equal strength,
youll spend less time at the
gas dock and more time
fishing or doing whatever it is
you like to do while boating.
Running the Super Sport 28,
we saw 2 mpg at 51 mph, so
Paragon owners shouldnt
count on Christmas cards
from their fuel suppliers.

CARS,
PLANES
AND BOATS
Carbon fiber is not new
to performance vehicles.
Check out some of its
uses in other forms of
exotic transportation.

STIFFER: Stiffness is the last

trait of carbon fiber, which has

a modulus of stiffness about
six times that of E-glass, an
upgraded fiberglass used in
boatbuilding. In real-world
boating use, that stiffness
translates into a hull that
doesnt oil can (flex at high
speeds) or warp when it sits
on a trailer.
Strength is obviously
desirable, especially when it
comes with the bonuses of
lightness and stiffness. All
these features are valuable
assets when building a boat
and make carbon fiber the

material, but he adds:

Carbon fiber outriggers
are an easy choice
theyre lighter, stiffer and
stronger. We dont need to
use spreaders to support
them, and with the growth
of electric reels and big
teasers, fishermen put a
bigger load than ever on
the riggers, and they handle
it easily. Taco makes 16and 20-foot outriggers but,
due to the spiral wrapping
design, Chao adds, We have
to educate our clients as to
what proper carbon fiber
looks like.

STRENGTH
Carbon ber has
a strength-toweight ratio about
twice that of
typical berglass.

If you build a boat that is lighter with equal

strength, youll spend less time at the gas dock
and more time shing or doing whatever it is
you like to do while boating.
new buzzword. You already
see it in accessories.
Taco Marine launched
a new line of carbon-fiber
sport-fishing outriggers,
which promptly won an
Innovation Award at the 2016
Miami International Boat
Show. Product development
manager Jose Chao notes
there was a learning process
to take advantage of the

CARS: Carbon fiber has been

used in exotic cars since 1981
when McLaren built the first
carbon-fiber Formula One
racer that rendered the
competition obsolete. One
modern-day example: The
2016 Corvette Z06 is 60
percent stiffer because of
its carbon-fiber structures.

THE DOWNSIDES
Every silver lining has a dark
cloud, and carbon fiber has a
few, the first being higher cost.
One manufacturer estimated
the price of commercial-grade
carbon-fiber composites to
range from $5 to $20 per
pound, depending on the
variables, while fiberglass
ran from $1.50 to $3. Some
of that cost differential is

PLANES: Boeing bet its company on carbon fiber when it

built the 787 Dreamliner that
uses 77,000 pounds in the
fuselage and tail. The company acquired $6 billion worth
of carbon fiber in a quest for
longer range and better fuel
efficiency, the dream of every
aircraft builder.

BOATS: When the American

Oracle team won the Americas
Cup in San Francisco, it introduced the sailing world to
carbon fiber. On 72-foot catamarans with 135-foot-tall wing
masts, the lightweight and
exceptionally strong carbon
fiber allowed these spindly
multihulls to sail over 50 mph.
C.C.

B OAT I N G M AG .C O M

J U L Y/A U G U S T 2 0 1 6

67

Carbon ber has

a stiffness about
six times that of
E-glass, so
it wont ex
or warp.

In the mold, Carbon

Marine bonds its
carbon fiber matrix
with high-quality
vinylester resin.

used by Yellowfin Yachts on

its carbon-fiber models), you
need to look places, such as
under the gunwale, or in the
bilge or engine bay, to see
the black-fiber pattern.
Carbon fiber is also fairly
inflexible, which makes it
unsuitable for products that
need to flex such as skis and
helicopter blades. Baseball
bats and boat bottoms are
another thing, however, and
you want these to be rigid.
That inflexibility leads to one
issue: Fiberglass will often
warn of an impending failure
by fracturing, whereas carbon

Hook a battery to the stern of a

carbon-ber boat, wire up a
lightbulb at the bow, and the bulb
will light without wires.
fiber has a reputation for what
engineers call catastrophic
failure. That means that
everything is fine right up to
the instant when it breaks.
That, of course, is not as much
of an issue in a well-designed
boat, but its still something
to consider.
Another surprising
downside to carbon fiber
in boats is that it conducts
electricity. Hook a battery to
the stern of a carbon-fiber
boat, wire up a lightbulb
at the bow, and the bulb
will light without wires.
That makes construction
more complex for builders
because they need to insulate
everything from the carbonfiber structure.
Its an issue also faced
with steel yachts, so its
easily manageable, and the
American Boat and Yacht
Council addresses carbon
fiber in a technical bulletin
(E-11) that essentially says

68

B OAT I N G M AG .C O M

J U L Y/A U G U S T 2 0 1 6

to insulate anything that

has power coming or going.
Insulation should be used
with everything, from
electronics to something as
simple as a switch panel,
to prevent electricity from
reaching the carbon fiber.
That includes special care
around through-hull fittings
in salt water because salt
water becomes an electrolyte
that can lead to damaging
corrosion and electrolysis.
Communication is another
thing. While fiberglass is
transparent to wireless
signals, carbon fiber (like
steel and aluminum) can
reduce a Wi-Fi signal by up
to 95 percent, according to
Raymarine, which suggests
taking care to separate
electronics from carbon
fiber by at least 4 inches to
eliminate any ground effect
that would inhibit the signals.
It also recommends testing
each area before drilling holes

PHOTOS: COURTESY CARBON MARINE

STIFFNESS

mitigated by the fact that

you use less carbon fiber
(by weight) than fiberglass
to build a boat, but the
hard reality is that carbon
fiber is a considerably more
expensive material.
Do you need that extra
cost? For a Formula One
car, speed is measured in
ounces saved, so it clearly
makes sense for a boat
to take your family on an
afternoon outing, perhaps not
so much. However, you cant
disregard the cool factor.
Those thousand-dollar rims
on your SUV dont make one
iota of difference in speed
but they look great, and so
does a carbon-fiber hull, as
long as the builder uses clear
gelcoat like Carbon Marine
does. With colored gelcoat (as

(which is good advice to

heed anytime).
Carbon fiber also
requires more skill in
craftsmanship simply
because of its color. Carbon
fiber is black, so when a
crew lays up carbon fiber,

they have to be alert to

spot any bubbles as the
resin wets out, which can
easily be seen in white
fiberglass materials.
So there you have a
look at carbon fiber. With
it, youll get a boat that is

faster, more economical,

stiffer and lighter, plus has a
better cruising range. And,
if Carbon Marine is the new
standard, an all-carbonfiber boat also gives you an
edge in having the newest
and coolest boat around.

X Grab rails are everywhere for

safety, along with padded
coamings, bolstered seats
and SeaDek flooring for
comfort underfoot.

X Super-strong Armstrong

outboard bracket is perfectly

braced on the transom.

The Paragon Super Sport 28 from Carbon Marine is fast (high 70s in mph), superstrong, light (4,500 pounds with fuel) and drop-dead gorgeous. At the launch
ramp, two men in a hot Tahoe stopped to take pictures, a guy in a new Corvette
pulled in to scope it out, and even the Fish and Wildlife guys came over.

PHOTO: COURTESY CARBON MARINE

X Drop-dead gorgeous from the

carbon fiber visible in the hull
and console, plus the silver
shavings in the gelcoat that
added sparkle.

X Incredibly fuel-efficient
even flat out, it gets better
than 1 mpg.

THE CARBON MARINE

PARAGON SUPER SPORT 28

But heres the thing: With the carbon-fiber

fabric plainly visible under the clear gelcoat,
everyone had to run their fingers along the
hull. Owners of hot offshore powerboats with
$30,000 paint jobs will be mightily irked that
a Paragon gets more attention.
Pushed by a Seven Marine 627 hp supercharged outboard that looks like Darth
Vaders helmet, we hit 74 mph in early tests,
even though we were seeing lots of propeller
slippage despite changing props. This boat
is so light and strong that no one knew how
much prop bite was needed. Dialed in, Id
expect this boat to hit the low 80s.
A beautifully handcrafted center console,
the Paragon is spare-no-expense first class,
from the electric head in the spacious helm
console to the gorgeous bright-red upholstery
and more JL speakers than I could count.
Where the gelcoat isnt transparent to show

HIGH POINTS

the carbon fibers, it glitters silver from the

aluminum powder in the gelcoat, and
the SeaDek flooring provides traction and a
cushy surface.
Underway, this is a waterborne rocket
ship with impeccable manners. A touch of
engine trim (on the Uflex wheel with paddle
controls), and the boat runs fast and hot. We
found a big trawler digging a hole and ran
through its tall wake at 70-plus mph. Nothing
happened no slamming, noise nor sore
knees. We went back and turned in the wake
without chine-walking or control issues. We
threw it sideways off the wake. The Paragon
landed flat and soft and arrowed away. Even
better, we were getting an astounding 2 mpg
at 51 mph. At 74 mph, we recorded 1.2 mpg.
This boat aint cheap, but neither is a
Lamborghini. This is about speed, looks and
uncompromising quality. I loved it. C.C.

LOW POINTS
X Trim tabs are too high for
good bite. (The builder is
moving them.)
X Expensive, although much of

the price is the $100,000

Seven Marine outboard.
XLOA: 28'4" XBeam: 8'4"
XDraft (max): 2'6"
XDisplacement (approx.): 4,500 lb.

(full fuel/water)
XTransom Deadrise: 24 degrees
XBridge Clearance: 7' (with

radar arch)
XFuel Capacity: 130 gal.
XMax Horsepower: 627
XAvailable Power: Seven Marine 627

Price: $345,000

HOW WE TESTED
ENGINE: Seven Marine V-8 627 hp
DRIVE/PROP: ZF transmission 5-blade
Maximus 15" x 30" GEAR RATIO:
1.75:1 FUEL LOAD: 95 gal.
Carbon Marine Toronto, Canada;
416-432-6300; carbonmarine.ca

B OAT I N G M AG .C O M

J U L Y/A U G U S T 2 0 1 6

69

KING FOR A DAY

The Lake of the Ozarks Shootout lets just about anyone be a powerboat racer.
BY ERIC COLBY

LAST AUGUST,

a 51-foot Mystic catamaran race

boat, American Ethanol, sat idling
in preparation for its run in the
2015 Lake of the Ozarks (LOTO)
Shootout. Myrick Coil, a local
offshore racer, manned the helm
while John Cosker, president of
Mystic Powerboats, worked the
throttles. As Don Onken Sr.,
the boats owner, looked on, the duo
revved up to take its pass. When
they were finished, they recorded a

70

B OAT I N G M AG .C O M

J U L Y/A U G U S T 2 0 1 6

PHOTOS BY GEORGE DENNY JR.

top speed of 208 mph, good enough

to take home the events Top Gun
trophy. Meanwhile, Debbie Bull
drove her husband Bobs 52-foot
MTI catamaran, CMS Racing, to
a top speed of 181 mph, with MTI
President Randy Scism on the
throttles, to become the fastest
woman in the history of the Shootout.
These accomplishments are
impressive for sure, but surprisingly,
other drivers in other boats stole
the show. Thats the beauty of the
LOTO Shootout, which has been

taking place annually at the central

Missouri boating hot spot since 1988.
It started as a challenge for local
boats and evolved into a fundraiser
for area fire departments. Today,
its a weeklong festival that includes
a poker run, stereo shootout and
other attractions. Last years event
saw 94 competitors make 229 runs
in 64 classes. Anyone can enter,
motivated only by the desire to drive
a boat as fast as possible. Here are
seven stories of regular people who
came to get their speed on.

LAKE OF THE
OZARKS
The Lake of the Ozarks is actually a water impoundment of
the Osage River and three of
its tributaries. In 1931, power
authorities nished a dam to
generate hydroelectric power
for the region. The resulting lake
is over 54,000 acres, and it has
become a prime boating spot.
B OAT I N G M AG .C O M

J U L Y/A U G U S T 2 0 1 6

71

THE DENTIST

ennis Parvey is a mildmannered dentist

from Minnesota. Hes a
personable, soft-spoken
guy, but for one weekend a
year, hes the driver of the
fastest offshore V-bottom in
performance boating.
At the LOTO Shootout
last August, Dennis and his
son, Jason, ran 145 mph in
their 43-foot Black Thunder
twin-stepped V-bottom,
powered by two 1,675 hp
engines that Dennis built.
Yes, Dennis Parvey
builds his own engines,
which have 572-cubic-inch
Dart blocks with Dart Pro
cylinder heads, Holley
electronic fuel injection
and PSI superchargers. He
has two sets of propellers

72

B OAT I N G M AG .C O M

and no spare engines. Since

starting with a 32-foot
Black Thunder in 1992, the
Parveys have participated in
the Shootout every year and
started with their 43-footer
in 2000.
We bought the boat with
the idea of overnighting in it,
Dennis says. Im just sucked
into the technology of seeing
how far I can go with this
project. Dennis boat, which
still has a full cabin, beat
entries from better-known
performance V-bottom
manufacturers, including
Outerlimits and Fountain.
You meet a lot of great
people, you have fun, and
you get to have organized
pickup racing, Dennis says.
We get a little kick out of
being the giant killer.

J U L Y/A U G U S T 2 0 1 6

THE DECK BOATER

eorge Ogden attended

his first LOTO Shootout
in 2015 with his 2008
E-Ticket 29-foot deck boat.
He thought the poker run
on Friday was a little rough,
but when the time came for
the 61-year-old Lake Havasu
City, Arizona, resident to
make his radar pass on
Saturday, conditions couldnt
have been better. He wound
up his twin Teague Custom
Marine supercharged 985 hp
engines with IMCO SCX IV
drives in his performance
catamaran and clocked a
pass of 146 mph.
Ogden has competed at
the Desert Storm Shootout on
his home lake, but he prefers
the layout of the course at
Lake of the Ozarks because

its lined with buoys that help

him stay on course. But he
also says theres a lot going
on in an open boat at those
speeds. Youre worried about
rpm, vacuum and rev limiters,
and youre trying to watch all
that at once while running
down the track, he says.
In the past, the LOTO
Shootout employed a standing
start. The switch to the
rolling start came when
the number of high-speed
catamarans participating
increased. Ogden would
love to take on the big cats
in a standing start. With
a hole shot, Id beat half of
them, he says. I still think
I have some more to get out
of this boat. If I had my 39s
on there, I think I could run
150-plus. Hell be back.

THE FLYING PONTOONER

n 2002, Brad Rowland

shocked the crowd at the
Shootout by showing up in
a South Bay pontoon boat
with triple toons powered
by three Mercury Racing
300X outboards. He ran over
100 mph, thrilling the crowd.
Interestingly, a competing
Merc Racing sterndrivepowered PlayCraft pontoon
tied Rowland for the top spot
in the category.
Since then, Rowland has
run the fastest pontoon at
the Shootout every year,
and in 2014, he even hit 114
mph. For this years event,
South Bay built him a new
boat. Still running the 300X
outboards, he hit 109 mph.
Even though he calls
the Shootout the most

nerve-wracking week of
his life, Rowland enjoys the
seven days because it brings
together his family and
friends. The family loves
it, and weve got a load of
friends who come down.
Hell keep coming back

because, of course, he wants

to go faster. My goal is
120 mph. I ran this new
boat two times before the
Shootout on my home lake,
and it hit 117 mph.

THE LAST-MINUTE
ENTRY

n the evening of
Wednesday, August 26,
Ryan McClay was standing
at a car-racing track in
southern Ontario, Canada,
when he and his friends
decided they should go to the
Shootout. They hooked up
his 39-foot Nor-Tech center
consoles trailer and drove
15 hours straight, arriving in
Missouri on Friday.
I was just going to go
down and check it out,
McClay laughs. We found
some helmets and life
jackets and ran it.
McClay has owned
a number of highperformance boats from
Nor-Tech, including a

high-speed catamaran. But

when he idled up to the start
at the Shootout and looked at
the crowd, he couldnt
believe how nervous he was.
My buddy, Matt, told
me, You gotta calm down,
McClay recalls. I was
looking at the start, and
I could feel the pre-race
anxiety of wanting not to do
something stupid.
To the contrary, he made
a perfect pass with his four
Mercury Racing 400R
outboards in sync. His
Nor-Tech 39-footer hit
93 mph, earning him the
Center Console Top Gun
award, much to the delight of
his friends, along with Trond
Schou, Nor-Tech Powerboats
president, and Terry Sobo,
vice president of sales.
Im going back, McClay
says. We definitely could go
faster. We had a barbecue on
there. The cooler was full.
We even had propane tanks
on board.

B OAT I N G M AG .C O M

J U L Y/A U G U S T 2 0 1 6

73

THE EQUAL
OPPORTUNIST

arrie Sixkiller of
Oklahoma has been
driving her 1993 Baja
24-foot Outlaw in the
LOTO Shootout since 2007.
She and her husband, Ron
Jones, had attended the
event for years prior, and
Sixkiller always had it in the
back of her mind that she
wanted to participate.
The two went to
Cottonwood, Nebraska, for a
shootout, and Sixkiller drove
the boat in the Powder
Puff class, finishing third.
The following year, Jones
noticed that the organizers
of the LOTO Shootout had
moved the events no-wake
zone and made other safety
improvements. He told his
wife, I feel comfortable
with you doing it.
In 2007, Sixkiller ran
79 mph, winning her class.
I came through the finish
line and did the classic girl
thing and cried, she laughs.
It was a lot of adrenaline.
The following year, she
made a 52 mph pass, but
it was good enough to win.
Since 2011, she has come
out on top in her 24-foot
boat powered by a Mercury
Racing HP 525SC. This
year, a 66 mph pass was
good enough to take home a

74

B OAT I N G M AG .C O M

winners plaque.
One thing she doesnt
want anymore: a Powder
Puff or all-female class.
Thats what I love about
the Shootout. I get to run
with those guys for one
day, and Im like, holy crap,
I got to run with all these
professional racers.

THE FAMILY AFFAIR

im Dorris, president
of PlayCraft Boats
(playcraftboats.com) of
Richland, Missouri, has
been using the LOTO
Shootout to promote the
capabilities of pontoon
boats since his debut at the
event in 1995. He started
with a 26-foot pontoon
powered by a MerCruiser
350 Mag MPI and hit
46 mph.
Everybody kind of
chuckled because there was
a pontoon out there with
all those hot shots, says
Jim, now 71. At last years
Shootout, he ran a 30-foot
PlayCraft X-Treme with twin
Mercury Remanufacturing
383 Mag Strokers with
Whipple superchargers
burning 110-octane fuel. He
only hit 88 mph because of
a problem with one of the
superchargers, but the boat
has seen 94 mph.
Jims family has also

J U L Y/A U G U S T 2 0 1 6

gotten in on the action.

His wife, Carolyn, has been
running since 1998, and this
year she ran 67 mph in a
27-foot PlayCraft X-Treme
powered by a Mercury
Racing 520 sterndrive.
David Dorris, Jims oldest
son, skipped the Shootout

last year to go hunting,

which made space for a
third-generation driver.
J.T. Dorris, 20, is Jims
grandson. He ran a 25-foot
PlayCraft with a twinstepped pontoon design
powered by a 350 hp
Mercury Verado four-stroke
outboard. I took him out
for about 20 minutes to
learn the boat, and I was
confident enough to turn
him loose and let him go,
Jim says. J.T. ran 66 mph in
his first Shootout effort.
I want to sell boats
that anyone can get in and
drive, Jim explains. Ive
always looked at it from the
standpoint of its not who
wins or loses, its showing
people what pontoons are
capable of. And when you
watch them at the Shootout,

its pretty clear theyre

capable of more than most
people realize.

THE LOCALS

ason Zolecki, 39, and his

brother, Joel, 41, grew
up boating on Lake of the
Ozarks, and theyve had a
marine service business in
the area since 1997. They
started selling Velocity
powerboats and had a
32-footer that they ran in the
shootout from 1997 to 1999.
That was back when the
Shootout was cool, Jason
says. You had competition.
The class thing has changed
so much. Theyve added a
class for everybody basically.
Last year was the Zolecki
brothers first time back
to the event since 2008.
They restored and ran a

1989 22-foot Velocity to

remind participants and
spectators of the days when
the Shootout benefitted
local firefighters. The boat
is powered by a 200 hp
Evinrude outboard, painted
red and white, and has a
firemans Maltese cross

on the deck. Its named

Lil Squirt.
I assumed wed have
the smallest and slowest
boat with the least
horsepower, Jason says.
Based on the crowds
reaction, they also had
one of the most popular.

I stayed close to the crowd

so they could see the little
boat come through.
Thats the beauty of the
Lake of the Ozarks Shootout.
It doesnt matter what size
boat you have. Pay the entry
fee, and youre a racer for
a day.

B OAT I N G M AG .C O M

J U L Y/A U G U S T 2 0 1 6

75

We build a Seven Marine outboard,

the largest power plant ever to hang
from a transom.

PHOTO: COURTESY SEVEN MARINE (627S)

B OAT I N G M AG .C O M

J U L Y/A U G U S T 2 0 1 6

77

obody really needs a $100,000,

626 hp supercharged V-8
outboard motor. But a few people
really want one or four.
Credit Seven Marine five years ago
for presuming there was a market for
just such an outboard and figuring
out how to create what may be the
most perfect, wonderfully irrational
marine mega-motor to ever hang
from a transom. Weve been dying to see
how Seven Marine converts a 6.2-liter,
467-pound Cadillac V-8 into an outboard
motor and, after a year of cajoling, we
were finally granted a day in the Seven
Marine assembly facility in suburban
Milwaukee. Heres what we found.

7 UP

The Seven Marine 557 outboard

prototype debuted at the 2011 Miami
International Boat Show. Its imposing

a beast. The company splashed another

Seven 557 prototype at Miami in 2012,
and production started later that year.
Boating magazine was, in fact, the
first media outlet to gather performance
data on these engines during an exclusive
test of a Midnight Express 39 with triple
557s that appeared in the June 2013 issue
(boatingmag.com/boats/seven-marines557-outboards).
At the 2016 Miami show, 46 Seven
Marine motors were installed on demo
and display boats, and Seven says
several hundred have been sold to date.
Naysayers be damned.
Seven Marine assembles its outboards
in an industrial park building that also
houses its office space. Its an assembly
shop unlike Mercury Marine or
Yamaha, Seven doesnt manufacture
any of the components it designs for its
outboards. It does not have the scale to

THE VALUE WE OFFER OUR CUSTOMERS

IS THE DESIGN AND ENGINEERING
OF THE OUTBOARD, THE TESTING,
THE CALIBRATION AND THE SERVICE.
78

B OAT I N G M AG .C O M

J U L Y/A U G U S T 2 0 1 6

PHOTOS: COURTESY GENERAL MOTORS (CADILLAC CTS-V), COURTESY SEVEN MARINE (557)

machine cells or even a paint booth.

Thats all outsourced, and southeastern
Wisconsin is sprinkled with world-class
suppliers for those services who also
support a cluster of heavy hitters located
in the region, including Mercury Marine,
BRP Evinrude, Harley-Davidson, and
Briggs and Stratton. Seven says it sources
parts and services from 30 Wisconsinbased suppliers.
The value we offer our customers
is the design and engineering of the
outboard, the testing, the calibration and
the service, says Seven Marine President
Rick Davis. For the rest, well leverage
the talents and capabilities of suppliers,
and there are plenty of good ones out
there worldwide.
A Seven outboard includes about
1,200 parts in addition to the engine
and the ZF transmission. Some parts
are easy. The engines serpentine belt
is off the shelf from NAPA. Some are
adapted. Seven uses locally machined
and drilled Corvette motor mounts to
mate to its bracket. Some are clever. The
steering tube bushing is also used on
the pivots of earthmover buckets. Some
are more exotic. Seven contracts with
Selva Marine in Tirano, Italy, an expert
in high-volume sand-casting, to create its
twin-pinion gear cases and the transfercase casting that mates the engine to
the transmission.
The actual process of building a Seven
outboard usually begins many months
before a single bolt turns in the shop.
These are bespoke motors that often
power bespoke boats and custom and
semicustom craft, like the HydraSports
53 Sueos powered by four Seven 627
outboards. These boats are created in
close collaboration with the customer, and
Seven is part of that planning. Production
of the outboards, rigging and controls
must coincide with boat production, and
the color scheme on the motors often
complements the styling of the boat.

SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED

The heart of the Seven outboard is

an LSA 6.2L SC V-8 engine built by
General Motors Global Propulsion
Systems in Silao, Mexico. This aluminum
supercharged engine also powers Cadillac
CTS-V and Camaro ZL1 automobiles and
is attractive for the Seven application
because of its outstanding power

density a lot of torque in a compact,

lightweight package.
The chain hoist thats used to lift an
engine from its steel shipping cradle is
a good place to start the Seven assembly
story. The first assembly station is actually
devoted to partially disassembling the V-8
so it can be sent out for paint, a task that
takes about three hours. To create a 557,
this entails removing all the parts that
wont be painted and then masking over
spots where you dont want paint, like the

CTS-V
Under every cowling in a Seven
engine sits a General Motors LSA
6.2L V-8, the same engine that
powers a Cadillac CTS-V or a
new Camaro ZL1. It packs a lot of
torque into a small, lightweight
power package.

A BIG IDEA
Why not build a 1,000 hp outboard? That was the idea Eric
Davis tossed out to his father, Rick, in 2009. The pair had
formed the consulting firm Davis Engineering and was working
on an ATV concept and other projects after Rick retired as chief
technology officer at Mercury Marine and a 32-year career in
the marine-engine industry.
Eric looked at boats running quad
outboards and thought that two really
powerful outboards would be a better
solution, says Rick, 64. His original idea
combined a big-block Mercury Racing
engine with the transmission from a Zeus
pod drive and a Merc Racing Six gear case.
He actually created a CAD drawing. He had
a why-not attitude and an answer for every
yeah, but problem I could identify.
A fortunate confluence of circumstances
made it possible. First, internal debate
over future engine designs at General
Motors pitted supporters of the dualoverhead cam Northstar V-8 series against
proponents of the pushrod small blocks.
The small-block faction won, and we
have this very compact, lightweight and
powerful Gen IV V-8 for our outboard,
Rick says.
The ZF transmission used by Seven was
originally designed for a downsized pod
drive that never made it to production.
I was aware of the transmission when I
was at Mercury, Rick says. Theres no way
that we could finance the creation of that
transmission ourselves, but here ZF had it
all engineered and ready to go.
Erics younger brother, Brian, 38 and also
an engineer, joined the Seven team to
handle marketing and sales.
I set up meetings with boatbuilders
at the 2010 Miami boat show just to
present the idea, Brian says. A few
thought we were nuts, but we had enough
interest to move forward.
A year later, the Seven Marine 557 was on
display at Miami. C.P.

B OAT I N G M AG .C O M

J U L Y/A U G U S T 2 0 1 6

79

opening of the throttle body and the

pulley runs. Dozens of bolts are screwed
into the block and heads to keep paint
out of those threaded holes. In building
this engine, we opened the intake plenum
chamber on top of the engine and
replaced the aluminum GM charge air
cooler with a Seven-designed cooler thats
about 30 percent larger and made of a
copper-and-nickel alloy that can tolerate
raw water.
The 627 engine requires more work.
The cylinder heads are removed and
exchanged for a set with combustion
chambers machined at Lingenfelter
Performance Engineering. The LSA
camshaft is swapped for the cam from
the LS9 engine that powers the Corvette
ZR1. The masked-off engine is sent
out for a multistep painting process
applied at Calibre Inc. in Grafton,
Wisconsin. Calibre also executes all the
cowl paintwork for Seven, which can be
insanely complex. The Calibre pedigree is
impeccable the shop paints most of the

80

B OAT I N G M AG .C O M

J U L Y/A U G U S T 2 0 1 6

custom sheet metal for Harley-Davidson.

Paint turnaround on the engines can be
several weeks.
Next, we move to a workstation devoted
to the assembly of the transfer case. The
transmission is located directly below
the engine. Power from the horizontal
engine crankshaft moves through a set of
five vertical gears in the transfer case to
the horizontal transmission input shaft.
The sand-cast housing for the transfer
case is a key, multifunction component
Seven engineered for the outboard. It
supports the rear of the engine, transfers
torque to the transmission, houses a
dual-impeller direct-drive water pump,
manages the flow in and out of the pump,
and forms part of the exhaust housing.
Davis gushes over the craftsmanship.
The folks at Selva are real artisans of
sand-casting, he says, holding the casting
up to the light and moving his fingers over
the surface. Each part is hand-finished to
perfection, and they machine to our spec
and perfectly match our paint.
Davis shows us how to assemble the
gears and shafts in the case, using a press
to set bearings. Another crane hoist is
used to lift a black ZF transmission from
its shipping crate. Set in a fixture, the
transmission is bolted to the transfercase assembly, and the correct-length
midsection is bolted to the bottom of
the transmission.
Back in the engine area, we work on
a V-8 that has returned from the paint
shop, removing the masking bands, tape

PHOTOS: COURTESY SEVEN MARINE (627S COWLING, 557, 627, SPECTRABLADE)

and bolts while the engine is on a hoist.

Then its time to dress the engine using
some OEM parts and others specific
to Seven. We start with an aluminum
cowling plate that fits around the oil pan
and prevents water that migrates under
cowl from reaching the engine. The
routine is to finger-start each bolt, snug
it with a power driver, and then finish
each with a digital torque wrench. The
engines oil-filter mount is covered with
a black aluminum cone-shaped witches
cap. We reinstall the OEM coils on
the valve covers using Sevens polished
stainless-steel brackets.
The transfer case and transmission
assembly, including the clamp bracket
and midsection, are joined to the
semidressed engine. The Seven mounting
system is a typical outboard design
with a pair of clamp brackets and a

swivel bracket, but every component is

supersize. Were handed the stainlesssteel steering tube and head, which has a
1.75-inch diameter shaft and must weigh
30 pounds.
Next, we get to install the sexy
stainless-steel exhaust headers, created
by Custom Marine of Neenah, Wisconsin.
A peek into the headers reveals the
skilled welding and design required to
create the water jacket. It takes a Seven
tech three to four hours to completely
dress the painted engine.
Next, the trusty chain hoist lifts the
engine-transmission assembly onto a
water-filled test tank. After rigging fuel
and electrical lines, we start the engine
to check water and oil pressure and look
for leaks. The gear case, shipped as a
complete pretested assembly from Selva,
is attached after the test-tank session.
The biggest workstation is devoted to
assembly of the cowl parts, which, for our
motors, return from Calibre with brilliant
blue and gold finishes. Working on a
carpet-covered bench, we add mounting
hardware and seals and snap in the
SpectraBlade LED strips before joining
the side panels to the top cowl piece.
The cowl gets a test fit and is removed
before securing the completed motor to
a wooden shipping pallet. Then the cowl
is placed on the motor and wrapped in
a protective cover. A cardboard lid
fits over the motor, and its ready
for shipment.
Seven plays a consulting role in
the rigging and testing of its motors,
a hands-on approach thats perfectly
aligned with its hand-built assembly
system. Its the only way to create the

THE BIGGEST
WORKSTATION
IN THE SHOP IS
DEVOTED TO
ASSEMBLY
OF THE COWL
PARTS,
WHICH, FOR
OUR MOTORS,
RETURN FROM
CALIBRE WITH

many totally want.

WHATS
IT COST?

As the saying goes,

if you have to ask,
you likely cant
afford one.

THE GOLD STANDARD

Each cowling can be custom painted to
match or accentuate the graphics package
the owner has on his boat.

RIGGING
$10,000 to
$20,000

SEVEN 557

SEVEN 627

$79,900

$89,900

OPTIONAL

per outboard
(higher with
digital controls
and a joystick)

$3,761

Priced to order

CUSTOM PAINT

360 Video
Why is the camera always pointed the wrong
way when the action happens? Thats the
dilemma solved by 360-degree video coverage
in affordable new cameras priced like GoPro.
Once only available to professional shooters
using multiple linked camera mounts, these
new pocket-size systems are easy to use and
require no outside software beyond a couple
of handy iOS or Android apps. The best news
is all the cameras listed sell for $300 to $400.
Randy Vance
and a buddy angler trying
to catch the schoolies that
followed. Playback proved easy
on a smartphone or computer.
Dome video shoots the hemisphere around you from sky to
water and horizon to horizon.
You can swipe up, down, side
to side and around to see the
action, the people watching
the action, or the sky or ground
below. Kodaks SP360 4K (left)
uses one 180-degree upwardfacing lens on its splashproof
cubic camera. You can display
the image through a cylinder or
window on an app. A threaded
tripod mount gives lots of
positioning options, and a dive
housing makes the camera
waterproof. Kodak also now
packages two systems together
to create full spherical video.
The newest dome is the

Sioeye Iris4G Live-Stream POV

While POV cams lately are yawn-worthy, the Sioeye Iris4G
crushes other ho-hum products with its 4G LTE cellular
connectivity that lets you stream crystal-clear sound and
video live right to your Facebook or Twitter feed. After the
live stream is over, the video is stored on your free Sioeye
cloud account. The app-based system makes it easy to
manage your video stream and link it to social accounts.
A touchscreen on the back of the camera makes operation
incredibly easy, and the water-resistant camera comes
with a dive housing. Weve streamed via T-Mobile (it
works with AT&T as well), and the quality of video and
audio was astonishing. $429; sioeye.com R.V.

82

B O A T I N G M A G . C O M J U L Y/A U G U S T 2 0 1 6

Q
A

How can I make use of

the hail function on my
VHF radio?

360y 4K. It is waterproof;

however, while most of these
devices shoot in high denition, the stretch format does
degrade the image some.
Spherical video joins an upper
and lower dome or hemisphere
to put the viewer in a complete
video sphere, and the video
screen is a window into it. You
can swipe up, down and around.
The Ricoh Theta S is an excellent
example. The device is about
the size of a mobile phone and
has back-to-back, 180-degree
lenses. Its coolest online video
was shot from the cockpit of the
center airplane of an aerobatic
ight team. Wed like to see it
mounted on the helmet of a
wakeboard rider doing inverts.

Connect a length of
18- or 16-gauge, twoconductor cable from the
hailer or PA terminals on
your radio. Run the cable
to a marine loudhailer
speaker/horn such as the
Standard Horizon 240
SW ($45, westmarine
.com), which can be
mounted in a forward
section of the boat,
hardtop or arch.
Before mounting,
test the speaker to be
sure it is positioned an
adequate distance from
the radio to prevent
feedback or a screeching
sound when speaking
into the microphone.
On larger boats, a
second speaker facing
aft can be useful to
communicate to boats
approaching from behind
as well as to anyone in the
cockpit. A toggle switch
lets you select between
the forward- or aftfacing speaker.
Some sets have a
listen feature that can
amplify the voices of
those shouting to you
from other boats or even
crew working on the bow.
Ken Englert

ASK KEN ONLINE

For more exclusive
electronics content, visit
boatingmag.com/askken.

PHOTOS: (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP CENTER) COURTESY VSN MOBIL (2), CRAIG HASHIMOTO, COURTESY SIOEYE, COURTESY KODAK

VSN Mobils V.360 (top, center)

shoots a cylinder-style image,
capturing everything around
you on a relatively horizontal
plane. When playing it, you
can swipe or mouse to the left
or right to see all the action
front, back and side to side. We
mounted ours to the cockpit
hardtop and captured not only
the mahimahi ght but also the
skipper maneuvering the boat

Ask
K
Ken

New Soft
Supercoolers
Are the
Hot Ticket
Once upon a time, companies such as Coleman
and Igloo dominated the world of keeping
things cold outdoors. In terms of volume
of units sold, they probably remain the
800-pound gorillas. But Yeti, Engel and a few
other brands took the game up a notch with
bearproof, crushproof, bash-up-and-downon-the-deck-proof coolers, which caused
traditional cooler makers to develop similar
competitive products.
Just when Coleman (with its Esky) and
Igloo (with its Sportsman) were getting their
game on, the Yeti Hopper and Engel Backpack
coolers moved the playing field altogether
again. These new, soft supercoolers have reenergized the marketplace with easier-to-pack,
stuffable sidewalls and watertight-zippered,
colder coolers. Now its game on again.

Engel
Soft-Sided Backpack
Size: 23 quarts

$159.99; AMAZON.COM

ZIPPERS AND CLOSURES: The gasketed,

84

B O A T I N G M A G . C O M J U L Y/A U G U S T 2 0 1 6

dual-pull zipper is not completely

watertight but closes left, right or
in the middle, giving easy access to
the contents.
PORTABILITY FEATURES: This was the
most conveniently portable in our test
thanks to the wide, padded shoulder
straps. A top grab handle adds convenience, and dual hand straps with
padding provide a third way to carry it
comfortably and securely.

exterior dry quarts; 21 interior dry quarts

INSULATION: inch on sides; inch on

bottom; none on top

EXTERIOR CLEANUP: The white laminated fabric exterior rinses well of grime
and mud, but more tenacious grime, such
as grease, required detergent.
INTERIOR CLEANUP: The removable liner
wipes out easily and dries quickly when
removed from the cooler.

SPECIAL FEATURES: A zippered side compartment keeps sandwiches cool and dry.

Stays Cold: 3.5 days

EXTERIOR DIMENSIONS: 1.3 cubic feet; 33

Leakage: 1 cup in 15 seconds

Ratio of Capacity to Footprint: 68%

PHOTO: BILL DOSTER

The three-layer insulation system

sandwiches thermal-insulating foam
between two reflective foil liners protected by the tough 500-by-500 denier
nylon with a thermoplastic polyurethane
coating. Surfaces are Microban-treated
to kill bacteria and mildew. The main ice
compartment features a removable inner
liner for easy cleaning or inexpensive replacement should a puncture occur. Four
handy D-rings are positioned to secure
the cooler to the deck. The dual-direction
zipper is leak-resistant, limiting drainage
should the cooler tip.

Laser Measured

FloorLiner

See what else we have for your

Car, Truck or SUV at WeatherTech.com

Roll Up Truck Bed Cover

WaterBlade

No-Drill MudFlaps

Helps Quickly Dry Your Vehicle

Accessories Available for

Order Now: 800-441-6287

BumpStep
Hitch Mounted Bumper Protection

Acura Audi BMW Buick Cadillac Chevrolet Chrysler Dodge Ferrari Ford GMC Honda Hummer Hyundai Inniti
Isuzu Jeep Kia Land Rover Lexus Lincoln Maserati Mazda Mercedes-Benz Mercury Mini Mitsubishi Nissan
Oldsmobile Plymouth Pontiac Porsche Saab Saturn Scion Subaru Suzuki Toyota Volkswagen Volvo and more!

American Customers
WeatherTech.com

Canadian Customers
WeatherTech.ca

European Customers
WeatherTechEurope.com
2016 by MacNeil IP LLC

To see our hard-cooler tests, visit boatingmag.com.

Yeti

Igloo

Igloo

Hopper 40

Marine Ultra Square 36

Marine Ultra 36-Can Snap Down

$399.99; YETICOOLERS.COM

$44.86; WALMART.COM

$56.28; WALMART.COM

This trendsetter combines a rubberized

ballistic 840 denier-nylon fabric laminated inside and out with thermoplastic
polyurethane, a tough, watertight, oiland puncture-resistant plastic used in
white-water and life rafts. The welded
interior is food-grade, antimicrobial,
mildew-resistant plastic formed to
perfectly fit the exterior walls in a
wrinkle-free manner. Its good at
keeping things cold and looks great.

This is the more rigid of our soft-sided

models with 1 inch of firm but flexible foam insulation inside. The top is
notched to fit snugly to the sides, even
when not zipped a great design that
locks out heat. Igloo says the exterior
tarp material is UV-protected, and
the interior is heat-welded vinyl cut
to fit snugly inside the compartment,
minimizing wrinkly flaps. Its semirigid
construction makes it compressible in
tight spots but lets it stand securely
on its own when required. Two nonskid
bottom rails keep it in place.

This is the more traditional soft-cooler

design and will stuff easily into oddshaped compartments. It has the same
sharp-looking and tough UV-protected
tarp exterior and heat-welded interior as
the Ultra Square cooler. The insulation
is about -inch thick. The snap-down
design allows the cooler to be left open
like an ice tub. When its zipped up with
the ends snapped down, its rectangular
shape is compact, convenient to carry and
it can also stand up, keeping liquid inside
from spilling.

ZIPPERS AND CLOSURES: Heavy-duty

is lighter than the Ultra Square, but

we like the way it folds up square
like an origami sculpture for a
compact footprint.

ZIPPERS AND CLOSURES: The Hydrolock

zipper is airtight, and seams are radiofrequency welded.

PORTABILITY FEATURES: The end han-

dles, carry straps and shoulder-strap

buckles are stitched and reinforced on
nylon panels that, in turn, are radiofrequency welded to the shell.
SPECIAL FEATURES: The tough EVA
foam bottom is radio-frequency
welded for strength and firm enough for
stand-up stability. D-rings allow it to be
lashed to a boat deck.
EXTERIOR/INTERIOR SIZE: 2.3 cubic

feet; 60 exterior dry quarts; 41 interior

dry quarts
INSULATION: 1 inch on sides; 1 inches
on bottom; none on top
EXTERIOR CLEANUP: The exterior surface
is tough and seams are welded. Using a
brush and soapy water, mud and dirt came
off easily. Grease required detergent.

Size: 36 quarts

zippers are not watertight, but the

interlocking feature between the lid
and sides, plus the zippered flap, minimized leakage in our test and helped
keep this cooler cold.
PORTABILITY FEATURES: Foam-padded
handles on the ends, plus a double
strap with a neoprene closure to bind
them, make the cooler convenient
to transport.
SPECIAL FEATURES: Mesh pockets on
the sides keep gear handy, a bungee
cord on top keeps a beach towel in
place, and a zippered pocket on the
front is great for a smartphone.
EXTERIOR/INTERIOR SIZE: 1.8 cubic feet;

46 exterior dry quarts; 28 interior

dry quarts

INTERIOR CLEANUP: The interior is a

INSULATION: 1 inch each on sides,

bottom and top

smooth-faced, food-grade bucket impervious to stains and easily wiped dry.

EXTERIOR CLEANUP: The tarp exterior

Stays Cold: 3 days

Ratio of Capacity to Footprint: 68%
Leakage: We turned the Hopper upside
down and the zipper dripped an insignificant, barely noticeable amount of water
in 15 seconds. We rezipped and retested
with equal results.

86

B O A T I N G M A G . C O M J U L Y/A U G U S T 2 0 1 6

Size: 36 cans

ZIPPERS AND CLOSURES: The zipper

PORTABILITY FEATURES: Web straps

wrap around the bottom from side to
side and are sewn in place to cradle the
cooler for secure transport. A shoulder
strap eases the load.
SPECIAL FEATURES: A wallet and phone
compartment on the front keeps gear
organized and secure.
EXTERIOR/INTERIOR SIZE: 1 cubic foot;

26 exterior dry quarts; 18 interior

dry quarts
INSULATION: inch each on sides,
bottom and top
EXTERIOR CLEANUP: The tarp material
hosed off easily and resisted both mud
and oily grime.

INTERIOR CLEANUP: The form-fitted

liner eases cleaning and drying.

INTERIOR CLEANUP: The heat-welded

inner liner is tough and easy to clean,
but the loose-fitting material has
wrinkles and flaps that require care in
cleaning beneath them.

Stays Cold: 2.5 days

Stays Cold: 2.5 days

Ratio of Capacity to Footprint: 64%

Ratio of Capacity to Footprint: 66%

Leakage: Excess water easily drained

through the closed zipper.

Leakage: Excess water easily drained

through the closed zipper.

sheds mud and dirt, cleaning easily.

PHOTOS: BILL DOSTER

Size: 40 quarts

CANCER
SURVIVOR
POWERS
UP FOR
CURES
KIM ROGAN WEITZEL (RIGHT) WITH HER HUSBAND JAY,
MASCOT GADGET AND NEIGHBOR CHARLOTTE

sailing to make someday today

JOIN US:
LEUKEMIACUP.ORG

Kimberly Rogan Weitzel helped create a Power Boat Poker Run as part of The Leukemia &
/\PSKRPD6RFLHW\V//6/HXNHPLD&XS5HJDWWDVHULHV9ROXQWHHULQJDQGSRZHUERDWLQJ
IRU//6ZDVDSHUIHFWILWIRU.LPHVSHFLDOO\VLQFHVKHLVDFDQFHUVXUYLYRU
7KLVZLOOEH.LPVWK\HDUZLWK//6DQGVKHKDVUDLVHGQHDUO\DWWKHHYHQWKRVWHG
E\WKH2OG'RPLQLRQ%RDW&OXELQ$OH[DQGULD9$
5HJLVWHUWRKHOSILQGFXUHV)LQGRXWPRUHDERXWWKH/HXNHPLD&XS5HJDWWDDQGXSFRPLQJ
powerboat events at www.leukemiacup.org

Upcoming Events

National Supporters

Chicago Corinthian Yacht Club$XJXVW&KLFDJR,/ZZZOHXNHPLDFXSRUJLO

Cleveland Yachting Club$XJXVW&OHYHODQG2+ZZZOHXNHPLDFXSRUJQRK
Old Dominion Boat Club$XJXVW$OH[DQGULD9$ZZZOHXNHPLDFXSRUJQFD
Savannah Yacht Club6HSWHPEHU6DYDQQDK*$ZZZOHXNHPLDFXSRUJJD

To see our hard-cooler tests, visit boatingmag.com.

HOW WE TESTED

Coleman

Large Collapsible Sport

Backpack

$54.99; WALMART.COM

$34.99; DICKSSPORTINGGOODS.COM

We liked this one right away for its

fold-flat-as-a-book design (its 4 inches
thick, flattened), but it did come at the
expense of insulation (just inch on
the sides), translating to a high capacity for its footprint. Its top and bottom
are semirigid, ballistic nylon-covered
panels. The top and sides meet snugly
to keep cold in, and the four cup holders
on top are Coleman trademarks. Folding
panels on the side and bottom Velcro
into place to keep it standing tall under
load. It is definitely a day cooler for
carrying on the boat, and its soft sides
wont mar finishes. It held the most ice
in our test, giving it an advantage in our
thaw test.

For some people, feather-light portability gives a cooler premium status,

and thats the target customer of this
18-can cooler from Coleman. Its heatwelded interior liner made of reflective
polymer sheeting is antimicrobial
and mildew-resistant. The exterior
is smartly accented with durable
stitching and tightly woven stain- and
mildew-resistant nylon. The back has
added padding to carry easily with the
shoulder straps. The firm nonskid bottom gives the cooler a solid footprint
to keep it standing. Mesh side pockets
hold water bottles or other gear, and a
zippered front pocket keeps a phone or
wallet secure.

ZIPPERS AND CLOSURES: The heavy-

ZIPPERS AND CLOSURES: The zipper isnt

duty zipper opens right or left, and a

bottle opener is hitched to the pull.

watertight, but it strains and drains the

contents and opens from either side.

PORTABILITY FEATURES: Rubber pads

on the end handles make standard
cooler transport easy.

PORTABILITY FEATURES: Heavily padded shoulder straps let it live up to its

name admirably, and a top-center lift
handle is convenient to grab and lift it
from a compartment.

Size: 75 cans

Size: 18 cans

SPECIAL FEATURES: There is a front

mesh pocket for sunscreen and a large
snack pouch inside the lid.
EXTERIOR/INTERIOR SIZE: 2.3 cubic

feet; 59 exterior dry quarts; 48 measured capacity dry quarts

3

INSULATION: /8 inch on sides; /2 inch

each on bottom and top
EXTERIOR CLEANUP: The lid and bottom

are tough nylon denier laminated to

a semirigid clamshell. Dirt was more
tenacious there, but a hose nozzle narrowed to a hard spray removed the dirt.

SPECIAL FEATURES: Keep a sandwich

cool and dry in the lid pocket. A bottle

opener is permanently attached.
EXTERIOR/INTERIOR SIZE: 0.7 cubic

feet; 17 exterior dry quarts; 13 measured

capacity dry quarts
INSULATION: 1/2 inch each on sides,
bottom and top
EXTERIOR CLEANUP: The combination of
reflective mylar and tightly woven denier
nylon make it a hose-and-go cooler, and
grease came off with little resistance.

INTERIOR CLEANUP: The vinyl liner fits

well, eliminating slack and flaps for
easy wipe down and complete drying.

wiped out easily.

Stays Cold: 2.5 days

Stays Cold: 1.5 days

Ratio of Capacity to Footprint: 83%

Ratio of Capacity to Footprint: 74%

Leakage: Zipper is not watertight.

Leakage: Zipper is not watertight.

88

B O A T I N G M A G . C O M J U L Y/A U G U S T 2 0 1 6

INTERIOR CLEANUP: The fexible foil liner

ICE RETENTION We filled the coolers,

placed them in equal sunlight and
drained them each day. Each coolers
test ended when the ice was less than
15 percent of capacity.
LEAKAGE All our test coolers leaked

from the zipper even a drop or two

escaped the Yeti Hopper. Others werent
designed to be waterproof. We tipped
them up and noted the water flow. Some
zippers served as drain strainers, some
had to be opened to drain effectively or,
in the case of the Yeti, to drain at all.
CLEANUP We evaluated each cooler

on ease of cleanup by dabbing some

swampy muck on the lids and letting it
dry before we hosed them off. We noted
the effort required to clean them and
whether they hosed off easily or required
brushing or detergent.
INTERIOR CLEANUP We mucked up the

coolers on the inside too, then rinsed and

wiped them dry. Some liners were snug
fits inside, leaving no wrinkles or flaps to
hold dirt a desirable trait. If they
required extra effort to wipe out the
water in multiple folds, we noted it.
These traits are also important when air
drying to prevent interior mildew.

PHOTOS: BILL DOSTER

Coleman

We filled each cooler to capacity with

ice to the level that just barely let us zip
them up tightly. We pre-chilled them
overnight, then drained and topped
them off. Next, we placed them outdoors
where theyd receive equal sun and
shade. Each day we drained the water
and resealed them. We soon realized
each cooler was designed for a different
objective, and an arbitrary ice retention test wasnt a fair measure of their
capabilities. One small cooler was ideal
for day tripping, so waiting three days
to measure the remaining ice wouldnt
suffice. Instead, we checked each day to
see when the cooler lost enough ice and
when it could no longer keep its contents
cold enough.

650+ Stores
Nationwide
R
PE ON
SU UP
CO

3 GALLON, 100 PSI

OILLESS PANCAKE
AIR COMPRESSOR

SAVE
43%

LOT 60637
61615
95275 shown

Customer Rating

4999

comp at

$89

Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling

800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior
purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt.
Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be
presented. Valid through 10/21/16. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

R
PE
SU

AUTOMATIC
CHARGER

SAVE
82%

LOT 69594
69955
42292 shown

Customer Rating

$ 99 $34comp.99at

SUPER COUPON

20%
OFF

ANY
SINGLE
ITEM

Limit 1 coupon per customer per day. Save 20% on any 1 item
purchased. *Cannot be used with other discount, coupon or any of the
following items or brands: Inside Track Club membership, extended
service plan, gift card, open box item, 3 day parking lot sale item,
compressors, oor jacks, saw mills, storage cabinets, chests or carts,
trailers, trenchers, welders, Admiral, Badland, CoverPro, Daytona,
Diablo, Franklin, Hercules, Holt, Jupiter, Predator, Stik-Tek, StormCat,
Union, Vanguard, Viking.Not valid on prior purchases. Non-transferable.
Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 10/21/16.

WOW

SUPER
COUPON

4000 PEAK/3200 RUNNING WATTS

Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling
800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior
purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt.
Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be

WOW

SUPER
QUIET

SUPER COUPON

RAPID PUMP
DUTY
VY
HEA
TON
3
K
FLOOR JAC
STEEL7/62
116/62584

SAVE
$179

comp at

Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling

800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior
purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt.
Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be
presented. Valid through 10/21/16. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

72" x 80"
MOVING BLANKET

10" SLIDING COMPOUND

MITER SAW

Customer Rating

LOT 61971/61972
98199 shown

Customer Rating

LOT 69505
62418
66537 shown

$ 99
comp at

60", 4 DRAWER
HARDWOOD WORKBENCH
LOT 93454/69054/62603 shown

Customer Rating

SAVE
$235

$ 98
VALUE

LIMIT 1 - Cannot be used with other discount, coupon or prior

purchase. Coupon good at our stores, HarborFreight.com or by
calling 800-423-2567. Offer good while supplies last. Shipping
& Handling charges may apply if not picked up in-store. Nontransferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through
10/21/16. Limit one FREE GIFT coupon per customer per day.

R
PE ON
SU UP
CO

SAVE
57%

7" VARIABLE SPEED

POLISHER/SANDER
LOT 60626 shown
92623/62861/69474

Customer Rating

SAVE
71%

$ 99
comp at

Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling

800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior
purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt.
Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be
presented. Valid through 10/21/16. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

R
PE ON
SU UP
26", 4 DRAWER
CO
Customer Rating

Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling

800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior
purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt.
Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be
presented. Valid through 10/21/16. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

SUPER COUPON
W3 OW
WATT LED RECHARGEABLE

CORDLESS SPOTLIGHT

TOOL CART

SAVE
$230

LOT 95659 shown

61634/61952

Customer Rating

580 lb.
capacity

8999 $11999
comp at

$34.95

$199

comp at

$1099

LOT 61777 shown comp at

69286/61960

$349.99

$34.40

$17.97

Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling

800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior
purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt.
Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be
presented. Valid through 10/21/16. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

Tools sold separately.

62570 shown

comp at

with original receipt.

from original purchase
be
purchases after 30 dayss last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must day.
Offer good while supplie10/21/16. Limit one coupon per customer per
presented. Valid through

R
PE
SU

LOT 63100
69626/62517
69925 shown

6 PIECE
SCREWDRIVER
LOT 61313/62583
SET
62728/47770

$469

Weighs
74 lbs.

SAVE
66%

12 VOLT
MAGNETIC
TOWING
Customer Rating LIGHT KIT

WITH ANY PURCHASE

$28999

$155.95

R
PE ON
SU UP
CO

R
PE ON
SU UP
CO

SUPER COUPON

LOT 69675/69728/63090/63089
CALIFORNIA ONLY
70 dB

LOT 6922
62590/68048 shown Customer Rating

$7999

We have invested millions

of dollars in our own
state-of-the-art quality test
labs and millions more in
our factories, so our tools
will go toe-to-toe with the
top professional brands.
And we can sell them for a
fraction of the price because
we cut out the middle man
and pass the savings on to
you. Its just that simple!
Come visit one of our
650+ Stores Nationwide.

LOT 63079/69729/63080/69676 shown

Noise
Level

SAVE
$75

How Does Harbor Freight

Sell GREAT QUALITY Tools
at the LOWEST Prices?

13999

comp at

$375

Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling

800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior
purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt.
Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be
presented. Valid through 10/21/16. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling

800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior
purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt.
Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be
presented. Valid through 10/21/16. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

R
PE ON
SU UP
CO

Customer Rating

SAVE
68%
Item
62429
shown

Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling

800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior
purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt.
Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be
presented. Valid through 10/21/16. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

WOW130SUPPIEERCECOTOOUPONCAL KITSE

MECHANIC'S
GLOVES
SIZE
MED
LG
X-LG

LOT
62434/62426
62433/62428
62432/62429

Customer Rating

SAVE
54%

LOT 69331
63091/63248
68998 shown

$32

YOUR CHOICE

99

comp at

comp at
$ 99 $11.99
Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling
800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior
purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt.
Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be
presented. Valid through 10/21/16. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

WITH

$72.89

with original receipt.

from original purchase
be
purchases after 30 dayss last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must day.
Offer good while supplie10/21/16. Limit one coupon per customer per
presented. Valid through

100% Satisfaction Guaranteed

Over 30 Million Satised Customers

with original receipt.

from original purchase
be
purchases after 30 dayss last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must day.
Offer good while supplie10/21/16. Limit one coupon per customer per
presented. Valid through

R
PE ON
SU UP
CO 1.3 GPM

1650 PSI
PRESSURE
WASHER
Customer Rating
LOT 68333/69523
69488 shown

SAVE
$70

7999

comp at

$149.99

Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling

800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior
purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt.
Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be
presented. Valid through 10/21/16. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

No Hassle Return Policy

Lifetime Warranty On All Hand Tools

HarborFreight.com
800-423-2567

Marketplace
ii Protect your Boat, Trailer, Hitch,
etc. against moisture and corrosion.
MC-300 waterproofs and forms a exible,
protective coating on all surfaces.

After 28 days of Salt Spray

90

B OAT I N G M AG .C O M

J U L Y/A U G U S T 2 0 1 6

Marketplace

B OAT I N G M AG .C O M

J U L Y/A U G U S T 2 0 1 6

91

Marketplace

remium grade 316L solid stainless steel is

the starting point for our magnificent Daniel
Steiger Diamond Steel Bracelet & Quattro Ring
collection. The stylish bracelet features a plaited
leather strap, 18k yellow gold plated accents
and 4 genuine sparkling diamonds, the perfect
balance of casual yet luxurious. The multi
layered Quattro ring is lavishly plated in 18k
yellow gold and the middle band is set with
4 genuine diamonds. Each piece is dispatched
in one of our magnificent presentation cases.

ORDER YOURS
TODAY! TOLL
FREE 24/7 ON
1-877 550 9876

Diamonds & Steel

AND QUOTE PROMO CODE:

OA66QU

At this price it is a steal

OR order online at
www.timepiecesusa.com/oa66
And Enter Promo Code OA66QU

Bracelet: $149 Ring: $139 Set Price: $249

Timepieces International Inc, 12800 N.W. South River Drive, Medley, FL 33178

(Save An Extra $39) - Excluding Shipping.

Only $29.99
CIGAR.com/CGSA688
Enter full web address for offer

CALL 800.357.9800
Mention CGSA688

Offer expires 9/15/16

40-Capacity

For this special introductory offer we put together our favorite

cigars and cut the price over 73% off MSRP. It gets better. You will
also receive a premium Spanish cedar-lined, mahogany finished
40-capacity humidor. This deal is only available for a limited time
and you wont find these cigars discounted this much anywhere,
so act now! Sampler includes a free humidor and one each of
the following: Rocky Patel Decade, Montecristo Media Noche,
Casa Magna, CAO Brazilia, Oliva Serie O, Alec Bradley Prensado,
Cohiba Red Dot, Macanudo, Gurkha Centurian, and
Romeo y Julieta Vintage. A $203 value!

(10x8.5x4.25)

*Please add $6.99 s/h. Taxes on orders shipped outside of PA are the responsibility of the purchaser; PA residents add 6% tax. Available to new customers only.
One per customer. From time to time substitutions may occur. CIGAR.com does not sell products to anyone under the age of 21.

CIGAR.com | 1911 Spillman Drive | Dept. #26 | Bethlehem, PA 18015

92

B OAT I N G M AG .C O M

J U L Y/A U G U S T 2 0 1 6

Marketplace

New &
Improved
NOW WITH AN EVEN
STRONGER 3M
ADHESIVE
KeelGuard.com

1.800.292.9835

High Speed

Made in USA

#1 Selling
Jack Plate!

POWER LIFT

Twice As Fast!
U ii``ii*iv-Vi
>iv>ii`i v
V>i``> V>V>
U-iViw i`iViV>vy`]ii`

> >L ix

]
nE-i
>V

800.654.3697

cook-mfg.com

Call for your nearest dealer

CMC Marine, Inc., 3920 S. 13th St., Duncan, OK

The Best Solution for Fresh or Saltwater Boating!

B OAT I N G M AG .C O M

J U L Y/A U G U S T 2 0 1 6

93

Marketplace

7+(/($'(5
,15(&21',7,21('(1*,1(6
3$576$1'$&&(6625,(6

0267&203/(7(
,19(1725<
,11257+$0(5,&$

9701 S, 58th st.,

Franklin, Wisconsin,
53132-9107

&</,1'(5%25,1*
SLEEVE

5(3/$&(0(17
&5$1.6+$)7 
6+257%/2&.

5(&21',7,21,1*

Fax : 1 (866) 418-4786

1 (866) 802-2404

:::&97(&+$$%&20

94

B OAT I N G M AG .C O M

J U L Y/A U G U S T 2 0 1 6

Marketplace

NO MORE DIRTY WINDOWS

Before

After

The Venco Clear X Window Polish & Stain Remover Kit is

an inexpensive and effective way to keep your windows looking
clean and new. Rid your windows of impossible to remove
watermarks, rust and mineral deposits. Even restore the shine
to faded windows!
In this kit, you will also get our invisible Clear Guard Glass
Protector polymer treatment, which protects windows from
dirt and salt water, making cleaning much easier!

Purchase Venco ClearX now...

@www.vencoclearx.com or call 1-888-650-2585

Defender

Most orders placed by 4:30pm ET ship the same day!

Premium Leaning
Post with
Fiberglass Storage

15%*
OFF

t
3FNPWBCMF
CFSHMBTT
TUPSBHF
USBZ
t
'PVS
VTINPVOUFE
"MVNJOVN
SPE
IPMEFST
t
'PMEJOH
GPPU
SFTU
$
*UFN


Only 999.99


&OUFS
$PVQPO
$PEF
5"$0
BU
$IFDLPVU
0FS
FYQJSFT


www.defender.com
800-628-8225

FREE

g!

Catalo g!
THE BRANDS YOU WANT AND TRUST IN STOCK FOR LESS!
We are not required to collect sales tax on orders shipped outside of CT!
B OAT I N G M AG .C O M

J U L Y/A U G U S T 2 0 1 6

95

Classieds
AUCTION
June 30th

PRIVATE 1.68 ACRE

WATERFRONT COMPOUND
7 Bedrooms plus Guest Suite
Private Beach, Incredible Views
644 Water Frontage, 200 of Dock Space
Oversized Six Bay Garage
Spacious Patio & Pool
125 ROUTE 35 SOUTH,
MANTOLOKING (BRICK TWP), NJ
A Licensed NJ Real Estate Broker

Property Previews 12-2PM June 5, 12 & 18

888.299.1438 / maxspann.com

SERIOUS
CORROSION
PROTECTION
 Fishing Tackle
 Deck Hardware
 Electrical
 Engines
VISIT OUR NEW WEBSITE AT:

boeshield.com

800.962.1732

A U T H O R I Z E D
POWER CENTER
GASOLINE/DIESEL

619 Canal St.,

San Rafael, CA 94901
USA
Ph: 415-453-1001
Fax: 415-463-8460
www.helmutsmarine.com

1-800-326-5135

thatsforthebirds.com
96

B OAT I N G M AG .C O M

J U L Y/A U G U S T 2 0 1 6

Classieds

MUSEUM QUALIT Y INTRICATE DETAIL

YOUR BOAT IN MINIATURE EXOTIC WOODS

builderofships.com

ASTROslip
The Ultimate Coiled Bunk Covers
Gloss and durability
redened, setting the
new standard in boat
polishes & waxes

toll free 1-855-303-5402

local 772-934-6562

www.reelshine.net

1 Piece Total Coverage

Extremely Durable
Makes Trailering and Launch a Breeze
Easy to Install
No Water or Salt Retention
No Splices

Dealer Inquiries
Welcome

www.astroplastics.com

14101 Industrial Park Blvd. N.E. Covington, GA 30014

Toll Free: 1-800-334-4474 770-786-2703

No More Wet,
Dirty, Damaging
Carpet Bunks
High Performance
Custom blended

SYNTHETIC BUNK COVERS MADE

SPECIALLY FOR FIBERGLASS BOATS
gg Prevent Hull damage during trailering
gg Eliminates Evasive Species Transfer

www.Gatorbak.com
Visit our
digital
marketplace
for more great
products!
boatingmag.com/
boating-marketplace

Year Warranty

CALLING
ALL BOATS

BOAT-HOIST LOCATOR

www.caboats.com

gg Center your boat over your lift

in about 2 minutes by yourself.

A marketplace of
For-Sale-By-Owner
Power, Sail and PWC
No sales commissions.
Buyers/Sellers.

gg Fold the two units out

(one for each side) to hold the
boat in place before raising it.
Fold out of the way after the
boat is located on the lift.

Call 1-800-546-8457

Price:

$220.00

For more information call

314-241-7337 or 314-750-2527

B OAT I N G M AG .C O M

J U L Y/A U G U S T 2 0 1 6

97

Following
Seas
By David Seidman

W If Flipper sticks his head out

of the water and sees his shadow,

You Deserve a Break

AN ATTEMPT TO GET MORE DAYS OFF FOR YOU AND ME
UGUST HAS NO REAL HOLIDAYS. OH, ON THE 5th THERES
National Mustard Day, and theres National Spongecake Day on the
23rd. But just try getting off work with those excuses. Youre still going
to have to put up with the same paltry four weekends, which is not fair
and why Id like to propose an official holiday so you can take an extra day off. In
fact, Ive got some additional holidays that Id like to give to the other holiday-free
months such as March, April and June and one more just for the hell of it.
For August, Id like to put Sea Hog Day on the last Friday of the month
might as well get a long weekend out of it. This is like Groundhog Day but with a
porpoise. Porpoises, by the way, used to be called sea hogs (from the Middle English
word porpeis, derived from porc for pig and peis for fish). If Flipper sticks his head
out of the water and sees his shadow, we get six more weeks of summer. Yay!
In March, Id make the first day of spring the date of which varies from year
to year the Wearing of the Red Day. This dates back to when druids painted
themselves. For boaters, it is a rite of spring wherein, after applying bottom paint
for the new season, they find themselves covered in red copper-based paint. A
male pagan festival, it is joyously celebrated in boatyards worldwide, although
participants now have a lot more colors and chemistry to choose from.
April lends itself nicely to Heaving Day. Not a particularly joyous holiday but
one that should be observed at the beginning of each season. Think of it as a day
of atonement wherein you must choose and then chuck overboard all the useless
junk you accumulated the previous season. This holiday came about when boat

designers discovered the two most

important factors in a planing boats
speed and efficiency: weight and
horsepower. They also found that
removing weight is almost always
better (and cheaper) than adding
power. Gains in speed require
geometrical increases in power, while
the effect of weight reduction is linear.
So give that useless ballast the old
heave-ho now.
If its late June, Delivery Day is
right around the corner along with
your sanity. The boat you ordered last
fall was supposed to be ready and in
the water by April 1. What a fool you
were to believe that one. Delivery Day
is always June 30, the last day of the
month. No one knows why, it just is.
I know September has Labor Day,
but thats at the beginning of the
month when the weather is still like
August. What we need is to extend
the long season that was (hopefully)
predicted on Sea Hog Day, so Id like
to have St. Danforths Day on the last
Wednesday of the month. It has a
good religious sound to it, and no boss
would dare keep you from worshipping
at the church of your choice even if
you have to take your boat to it. The
holiday acknowledges the Danforth
anchor. God bless it. Richard Danforth
patented his stockless masterpiece in
1939. When youre given a good heavy
chain of at least 8 feet and more than
7-to-1 scope to go with it, your prayers
will be answered.
So until the next time I see you
outside the inlet, remember that as
long as youre on the water, lifes a
holiday. Now go out and celebrate.

BOATING (ISSN 0006-5374) (USPS 504-810), July/August 2016, Volume 89, No. 7. 2016. Boating is published monthly, except July/August and November/December, by Bonnier Corp., 460 N. Orlando Ave., Suite 200, Winter
Park, FL 32789. Subscription rates for one year (10 issues): $15.00 in the U.S., $25.00 in Canada, $35.00 for other international. Orders outside the U.S. must be prepaid in U.S. funds. Periodicals postage paid at Winter Park,
Florida, and additional mailing offices. Authorized periodicals postage by the Post Office Department, Ottawa, Canada, and for payment in cash. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to BOATING, PO Box 6364, Harlan, IA
51593-1864; BGMcustserv@cdsfulfillment.com; boatingmag.com/cs. Canada Post: Publications Mail Agreement No. 40612608 Canada. Returns to be sent to IMEX Global Solutions, PO Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2
Canada. If the postal service alerts us that your magazine is undeliverable, we have no further obligation unless we receive a corrected address within one year.

98

B OAT I N G M AG .C O M

J U L Y/A U G U S T 2 0 1 6

ILLUSTRATION: TIM BOWER

we get six more weeks of summer.

Does home insurance cover your boat when youre not at home?

You might not be sure, so let an Allstate Agent help.

Allstate Agents can help you understand where your home insurance ends
and your boat insurance begins. You can trust them to help you tailor your
Allstate protection to make sure you avoid coverage gaps. Call today to
see what the personal service of an Allstate Agent can do for you.

Local Agent

Auto

Home

Motorcycle

Boat

ATV

RV

Snowmobile

Savings vary. Based on coverage selected. Subject to terms, conditions, availability and qualications. Allstate Indemnity Co., Allstate Property and Casualty Insurance Co. and their affiliates: Northbrook, IL. 2015 Allstate Insurance Co.