Índex per January 2017 a Boating

Deep Ocean Apparel sent a pair of boardshorts my way, and after one wearing, they quickly became a go-to pair for all of my preferred water-related activities. Why? They are not straight-up surf britches, the kind that dry quickly after a boarding session or clean easily after fishing. These do that too, but they also look presentable enough to wear with a clean shirt to the reputable dining establishments closest to the marina. The boardshorts I received fit the Deep Ocean mission statement of designing clothes “that allowed us to wear the same outfit from the boat to the bar.” They are actually called the Boat to Bar Grey. They are made from quick-drying, stainresistant material in a surf style, but they also have front and back pockets to hold…

NOTEWORTHY The threetiered transom fishing area gave uncluttered footing to work fishing lines around and beneath the motor when fighting fish. THE LINES BETWEEN FISHING AND LUXURY cruising are blurred in boats today. Hardcore fishability and family comfort need to exist on the same platform to coax open the wallet of even the most avid angler. You begin to wonder if the boat is a showboat or a fish boat. But moments after we’d dropped hooks and baited lines, a yank on mine reminded us we were fishing. My quarry dashed for the dual outboards, and I braced against the starboard coaming pad amidships. I lurched aft, following the fish, stabbing the stiff, spinning rod deep in the water. The fish was going to port at a high rate of…

EXTRA POINT Order the optional Classic Edition to get a deluxe helm seat and steering wheel, LEDs under the console, graphics package, monochrome upholstery treatment and chrome docking lights. IF YOUR IDEA OF A GREAT DAY IS TAKING IT slow while enjoying a meal with family and friends on the water, Princecraft’s Vectra 25 LT might be the perfect boat for you. With a layout built around a lunch table in the aft deck that will seat five people (the captain’s chair swivels to become part of the ensemble), this affordable pontoon is all about relaxing and socializing afloat. Don’t expect blazing speed — powered by a Mercury 115 FourStroke, our boat posted a top speed slightly more than 29 mph. But do expect roomy accommodations for up to 12…

A s a boating journalist, my primary job had been to gather information for print articles. But the job description has changed: I’m often asked to shoot photos and video, too. I take pride in what I’ve learned about working with action cameras to get the shot. Still, to push the envelope of my own capabilities, I borrowed five Virb XE cameras from Garmin and incorporated them into my photo sessions. I also solicited tips and tricks from four imaging pros who shoot boats and watersports. Follow their advice and, with just a little effort and persistence, you can use action cameras to add stunning angles to videos and catch spectacular still images on the water. JOIN THE ACTION WHY USE AN ACTION CAMERA LIKE A Virb or a GoPro?…

Since the late 1990s, Capt. Rick Savage has offered custom-designed day trips for families and other groups who want to explore the waters around Mount Desert Island. Examples include whale- and bird-watching, lobster and clambakes on remote beaches, and sunset cruises for wedding parties. Asticou (asticoucharters.com) is U.S. Coast Guard-inspected for up to 49 passengers, but “we do a lot of 30s.” Classically finished off, it is a yacht for people who don’t want the hassles of ownership and maintenance. Here is how Asticou, powered by a 660-hp CAT deisel , performed on sea trial. BOATING Certified Test Results LOA: 42'3" Beam: 14'6" Draft: 4'11" Displacement: 27,000 lb. Fuel: 480 gal. Water: 30 gal. Waste: 20 gal. HOW WE TESTED ENGINE: Caterpillar 3196B (2003 model, 2,260 hours) PROP: 32" x…

1A chain and padlock run through the vents of the wheel and around the trailer frame are relatively effective. Remember, even a healthy preteen can cut ¼-diameter chain with bolt cutters. We recommend using chain with links made from at least ½-diameter wire. 2 A wheel boot, like those used by parking-enforcement agencies, can be an effective way to deter trailer thieves. We like models that cover the wheel lugs, such as the Fat Boy (from $630; universalboot.com), preventing a thief from simply removing the booted wheel and replacing it with that conveniently mounted spare on your trailer’s tongue. 3 Preventative parking can be an effective theft deterrent. If the tow vehicle is secure, back the trailer tight up against a tree, fence or retaining wall if one is handy…

NOTEWORTHY A selling point for a waterjetpowered boat is the lack of a propeller, which gives some boaters cause for worry. FOR MANY OF US, THE MOST MEMORABLE part of Miami Vice was the flashy 38-foot Scarab that Crockett and Tubbs used to zoom their way around Biscayne Bay. The new Scarab 195 Open isn’t anything like that boat. It’s better. Way better This new waterjet-powered Scarab 195 Open is exactly the reason that sports-car sales are down and sport-ute sales are up: It does everything. Once Crockett and Tubbs had chased down the drug lord at 69 mph, well, they couldn’t do much else with their Scarab. The 195 Open, on the other hand, is great for wakeboarding, diving, tubing, fishing, water skiing and family outings. Scarab admits they…

WE SAY The Albury Brothers 33 center console boasts modern all-composite construction, but its design is rooted in a Bahamian family’s century of workboat design. Two characteristics reflect the company slogan, “Nobody beats our bottom!” First, the hull’s running surface is laid up with mat and woven roving, plus a foam-filled stringer grid that positions the weight of 350 gallons of fuel and three Group 31 AGM batteries amidships to “keep it light in the bow and the stern.” Meanwhile, the topsides, liner and deck are laid up using light but strong Core-Cell A500 structural core encased in knitted fabric, with dense Coosa Bluewater 26 composite core in the transom. That weight distribution keeps the boat balanced fore and aft. Second, the hull combines a keel and lifting strakes with…

SCAN ME! Check out the full test results by scanning this tag or visiting boatingmag.com/2977. It was telling that we could not find a comparison boat when producing the boat test for Regal’s 29 OBX. After all, Boating’s Boat of the Year is the boat that impresses more in its category than any other boat impresses in any other category. The 29 OBX exceeded almost every measure by which one might judge a bowrider or day boat. Scan the tag to get the details for yourself. We just couldn’t find a directly comparable boat to suggest to you as an alternative if you were considering buying the 29 OBX. What we did find was this boat meets or exceeds American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC) standards. Whether it’s to assess…

Like fast food chains and theater snack bars, today’s builders of center console boats have found that if you give customers the option to supersize, they’ll take it. Twenty years ago, few could conceive of a 40-foot center console. Yet today, more than a dozen companies offer models of 40 feet or more, most equipped with quadruple outboard engines of at least 350 hp each. Big center consoles not only offer big seaworthy hulls and plenty of deck space for the crew, but also superb performance with top-end speeds in excess of 60 mph. Part of the attraction lies in the versatility of the center console design when it comes to two different, but extremely popular, boating activities: fishing and entertaining. To maximize the comfort factor, many big center consoles…

Geared toward small- to medium-size boats, BEP Marine’s CZone Combination Output Interface (COI) streamlines the conversion to digital switching, allowing you to do so with just one module. With an overall 150-amp rating, the compact 30-channel unit replaces as many as five separate digital-switching modules, making it a more cost-effective solution for digital switching. It can also serve as a building block for systems on larger boats. The COI features waterproof Deutsch connectors and has an IPx5 water-resistance rating. It has 12 low-current (10-amp) switched outputs, four highcurrent (25-amp) outputs, eight analog inputs and six digitalswitch inputs. A USB port allows configurations to be loaded by the owner with a USB stick at the touch of a button. The CZone module seamlessly integrates with MFDs from Furuno, Garmin, Lowrance and…

MY WIFE AND I WERE DOCKED AT A FAVORITE WATERING hole. It was a busy Sunday afternoon and the dock hands were already committed to helping other boats, so when a 30-something go-fast came rumbling in across from us without waiting for assistance or instructions, another boater and I got up to help. The lady on board passed a bow line to the other guy, at which point the driver shut down the engines. The stern was still about 5 feet off the dock. There was a slight breeze blowing him off, so by the time the driver got up and found another dock line, the stern was about 10 feet off the dock. His line looked to be 15 feet long, at best. He tried to toss one end…

Cleats Flush deck cleats are available in three styles: pop-up, pull-up and folding. When properly installed, any one of them is equal in strength and reliability to standard deckmount hardware. Which is best? From a working prospective, they are all equal. These are arranged using the coolness factor. POP-UP This is probably the most popular style. With the push of a button, the concealed springactivated cleat snaps up into its working position. Stowing it is just as easy — simply push it down into its recessed base. One drawback: This cleat requires a serious hole in the deck to accommodate the base. Occasional flflushing of the base with fresh water will help keep the mechanism in good working order. PULL-UP Similar to the pop-up, but not quite as cool. To…

WE SAY The Carolina Skiff 24 Ultra is a coastal fishing boat with enough creature comforts to make it more than family-friendly. Evidence of the 24 Ultra’s multipurpose nature can be seen in the bow, where cushion fillers convert the elevated casting platform into a full-on sun pad. Twin forward-facing backrests can be inserted on either side to create lounges. There’s also a padded bench seat on the front of the console, which lifts on gas struts to reveal a head with a portable potty and privacy shade inside. Need more seating? The aft casting platform houses three flip-up backrests that hide cushioned seats underneath. Ready to fish? Remove the cushions in the bow on the casting deck. Hatches on both sides lift to show the U-shaped stowage compartment underneath.…

Beneteau Swift Trawler 30 This boat impressed Boating’s Tech Team by combining the seaworthiness and voluminous accommodations of a top-notch trawler with the performance and high-style luxury of an express cruiser. Standout Features: An emergency tiller steering system; transom gates; retractable dinghy davits. Carbon Marine Paragon Super Sport 28 The first-ever boat constructed of fully exposed carbon fiber, this boat is light and strong; as a result, it boasted phenomenal fuel economy, delivering over 2 mpg at 51 mph. Standout Features: The carbon laminate possesses twice the strength-to-weight ratio of fiberglass boats; every fitting and fixture is top-of-the-line and gorgeous. Monterey 378 SE The 378 SE likely has the most livable berths and head in any open-bow day cruiser available today. Yet, this 9-ton beauty proved quick and nimble under…

FROM CLOTH TO IRON Downeast hulls originally evolved from sailboat hulls, with sailors converting to power looking for semi-displacement hulls that could handle 150 to 225 hp diesel inboards. The boats originally attained speeds in the mid-teens and served primarily as workboats, fishing boats and, eventually, leisurely recreation. A direct line can be traced from these early hulls to the modern lobsterboats of today — boats that have become both the workhorses of the Northeast and mid-Atlantic coasts as well as comfortable, even ornate “picnic boats” spotted up and down the coast. Whether for lobstering or a wine and cheese cruise, the Downeast hull has the pedigree to fulfill its owner’s mission. DOWNEASTERS, AKA LOBSTERBOATS, ARE RENOWNED FOR their seakeeping ability and classic, thrifty, Yankee good looks. Bred in Maine…