Tabla de contenidos para January 2018 en WAKEBOARDING

My father and I purchased our first vessel, an 18-foot Bayliner with a 125 hp Mercury outboard, the Honda Civic of the boating world. We bought the boat in September and used it a couple of months before having to winterize (we live in New Jersey). We frantically tried grabbing the dock, somehow snagging the last pile by a fingernail. If not for that, we would have been up the river without a paddle. The next spring, the big weekend finally came, and it was time to put it in the water. The weather was not ideal, what with 15 to 20 mph winds and a threat of rain, but we put the boat in anyways. My uncle, a longtime boater and Coast Guard auxiliarist, met us at our place…

This helm-top stowage recess lacks drainage. The evening dewfall resulted in enough puddled water to kill a cellphone that might be placed there. A heavier source of water, such as rain or overspray from the hose, would cause the water level to rise to the level of the electrical receptacles, where it would hasten corrosion and possibly cause a short circuit or even a fire. Water is inevitable aboard boats. When shopping for a boat, always look for places that will hold water and be sure they can drain properly.…

In this issue’s What to Look For column on page 28, we offer guidance for purchasing LED lights for your boat. In this article, we’ll provide a quick study of things you need to know before installing them. NO PLUG AND PLAY There are LED lamps on the market with screw and bayonet bases, designed to replace conventional incandescent bulbs. These may be more energy-efficient but they won’t offer the waterproof dependability of an LED. More importantly for navigation lights, if you change the bulb to one not specified for the fixture, it will no longer be U.S. Coast Guard-approved. ELECTROMAGNETIC INTERFERENCE LEDs are not bulbs. They are semiconductors and can emit electromagnetic interference. EMI produces static on radios and hash on display screens. Ascertain that the LED lighting you…

Catamarans seem newfangled, but the Polynesians were crossing open oceans on multihulls when the rest of the “civilized” world was still gazing at the sea with fear. Cats have changed the texture of boating in many ways, not the least of which is offering immense space in a boat of reasonable length. A perfect example is the Leopard 43 PC. Built in South Africa and delivered on its own bottom to North America, the Leopard 43 PC can be found in charter fleets worldwide, where it has enjoyed a great reputation. The owners of our test boat were planning to live aboard in comfort. Let’s see why. Our test boat was the owner’s version, where the starboard hull is a palatial suite that features a queensize berth aft; a midship…

Kawasaki’s stand-up Jet Ski started the personal watercraft craze, but the boom in easier-to-ride sit-down models pushed stand-ups out of the spotlight. Later, stricter two-stroke emissions laws seemingly doomed the craft to extinction in 2011. Now the legend is reborn. The new Jet Ski SX-R resembles the craft that preceded it but looks like it’s been hitting the gym during its five-year hiatus. Now nearly 8 feet 9 inches in length and 30 inches wide, the craft is over a foot longer than the previous model, a stat that is exaggerated by a new, noticeably swollen nose area. There’s also considerably more hull depth below the bond line, and a wider 34-by-16-inch rider tray. The biggest news may be the four-stroke engine that ultimately facilitated the craft’s comeback. Borrowed directly…

So, what’s the scoop on this mega engine? To find out, we interviewed engineer Jens Bering, vice president of marine sales for Volvo Penta of the Americas. The D13 is offered in two configurations. The inboard version is labeled the D13 1000. It’s known as the D13-IPS 1350 when coupled to Volvo Penta’s IPS drive because the boat into which the IPS system is installed will experience the performance equivalent of a 1,350 hp diesel inboard. Boating’s tests corroborate this relationship. Inboard or IPS, the D13 is a 12.8-liter (781 cubic inches for you old-school motorheads) inline-six that produces 1,000 hp at the crankshaft. It boasts a 131 mm (5.1-inch) bore and a 158 mm (6.2-inch) stroke. The maximum-rated engine speed is 2,400 rpm. It weighs 3,605 pounds as a…

The winter sun rises late in Düsseldorf, and we worried that we might not see it at all. The Germans often call this northwestern Germany city “Drizzledorf,” and they’re not wrong — except for this particular week in January. When we arrived at the Messe Düsseldorf convention complex early one Saturday morning, we joined thousands of excited people waiting for the doors to open so they could get a longanticipated taste of summer. Turns out, January is absolutely the right time to visit this nearly 900-year-old city on the Rhine. It’s when Boot Düsseldorf, or simply Boot (pronounced “bote”), comes to town. The largest boat and watersports trade show in the world, Boot Düsseldorf attracts nearly 250,000 boat buyers and watersports enthusiasts each year. Not only is this a critical…

It would be embarrassing if it wasn’t so funny. Sea Ray misspelled the name of its new yacht! You see, the new 35-foot triple-outboard-powered Sea Ray is called the SLX 350 Outboard. One look at this 56 mph rocket ship, however, and you’ll know it should be the SEX 350 Outboard. And that one look will turn you into a pillar of lust. It is what would happen if you fed a Sea Ray bowrider oodles of ster oids. The SLX 350 Outboard is big, fast, spacious, multipurpose, luxurious, and the first triple for Sea Ray. Standard power is a trio of 300 hp Mercury Verado outboards, which add up to a top speed exceeding 60 mph. You can see the essence of the SLX 350 Outboard in the pictures,…

Chaparral’s new 191 Sun- Coast outboard joins a movement that might make 2018 remembered as the year outboards shouldered past sterndrive runabouts. We think the 191 will be remembered among the many cool, value-priced family runabouts from top brands. On a blustery day on Biscayne Bay we slipped into the Intracoastal Waterway channel between large cruisers and center consoles. Wakes rocked us as we slid over them at a respectful angle, but they didn’t rattle us, the hatch hinges or anything else as we took our place in the parade. We buzzed past some of them, and realized it doesn’t take V-8 horsepower to have a good time. Outboards bring more than green fuel efficiency to boaters — they bring simpler maintenance, shallower draft and, when needed, the ability to…

Boating’s Boat of the Year is the most prestigious honor awarded to recreational boatbuilders. For 2017, the Sea Ray SLX 400 joins the pantheon of great boats that can claim the title of Boat of the Year. Congratulations! Boating’s Boat of the Year is not decided by favorites — advertising dollars spent do not equate to qualification points for the award. Nor does favoritism among boaters play a role; a boat (or anything, really) could be sold in great numbers without being great. No, it’s not as simple as that. Just as a box-office smash film may not win an Oscar, and just as a Heisman-trophywinning player may not make it to the championship, the title of Boat of the Year is earned by merits deeper than simply economics and…

Before changing the Hook series, Lowrance asked anglers what they really want in these units. Turns out, they want less — less futzing with controls, cables and add-on modules. And they want combo units that are affordable. Lowrance delivered. The new Hook2 series serves as a prime example of how less can be more. For example, the auto-tuning feature actively corrects the sonar setting for the clearest underwater view. That means less time spent adjusting the sensitivity and more time finding fish. The Hook2 series comes in 12-, 9-, 7-, 5- and 4-inch display sizes, and most include full navigational capability and pre-loaded, high-detail mapping with 1-foot contours. A wide-beam-angle broadband sounder and chirp fish finder have more than double the sonar coverage of most other models. The Hook2 series…

Fish often concentrate in a specific stratum of the water column, held there by food, temperature, and other conditions they find to their liking. This can challenge anglers who want to keep their trolling baits or lures in the zone. While lead-core line is one way to get offerings to run deep, downriggers are a more precise and controlled way to troll when fish are holding at a specific depth. FOLLOW YOUR FISH FINDER Use your fish finder to look for schools of bait and fish, as well as thermoclines that often mark as a steady line between the surface and the bottom. Any of these can signal the depth to set your lines. Monitor the screen to make sure your downrigger weights are far enough above structure, trees or…

DEEP OCEAN APPAREL BOAT-TO-BAR SHORTS THE DRY: They are the most current in terms of styling, equally at home in the surf and country-club sets, and have a rugged four-way-stretch material that is stain-resistant with anti-microbial properties. They definitely got the most questions on where to buy them. They come in gray, black, marine and khaki. THE WET: Of the three pairs we tested, these took the longest to dry after wearing them during a full swim. PRICE: $65; shopdeep.com PARKER DUSSEAU ALL-AROUND SHORTS THE DRY: The pockets drain water, so they don’t fill up during swimming. A side pocket lets you securely stash your cellphone. The four-way-stretch flexible nylon fabric dries quickly after a turn in the water. They’re available in midnight, charcoal and olive. THE WET: This pair…

MORE THAN 5 See many more dumb things at boatingmag.com/five-things. CAPTAIN’S TEST (Answers from page 13) 1. A. A smart dealer will have the service manager on hand to answer questions. 2. D. Depending upon the purchase amount. 3. C. Know your budget and don’t exceed it. 4. C. According to lendingtree.com. 5. A. If you want to haul a crowd, don’t buy an 18-foot cuddy. CAPTAIN’S TESTS ONLINE Test your knowledge of boating with more Captain’s Tests at boatingmag.com/captains-test.…

While some outboardpowered boats come equipped with ski pylons, retrofitting a pylon is quite complicated. However, we’ve tested the TurboSwing aboard two outboard boats and found that it is not only easy to install, but it also does a much better job of distributing the force of a skier, wakeboarder or tube rider than many pylon setups. Even better, it serves to help keep the line clear of the prop and even offers “bumper” protection around the dock. Increasingly, TurboSwings are found on service workboats to tow disabled vessels. Sizes range to accommodate outboards ranging from 30 to 350 hp, with the larger sizes available for both single- and twin-engine configurations. Prices range from $485 to $1,199. We used the size XXL for our single 115 outboard. Here’s how we…

Look up boarding ladders in a marine catalog and you’ll find a bewildering array of models, some made from stainless steel, others from aluminum. The choice in metals is not limited to boarding ladders. A wide range of boat accessories come in either aluminum or stainless steel, including window frames, rod holders, grab rails, drink holders, table and seat pedestals, and more. In addition, you might need to decide between aluminum and stainless for a custom-built T-top or wakeboard tower. How do you choose? Jose Chao, strategic product category manager for Taco Marine, offers these tips. ALUMINUM HIGHS AND LOWS “Aluminum excels where there is a need for high strength-toweight ratio,” says Chao. Aluminum weighs 66 percent less than stainless steel, which can be critical if you’re keeping weight to…

Following the success of the C37 Coupe, Carver’s new C34 Coupe emphasizes comfort, convenience and space management. It’s evident the moment you step aboard the nearly 4-foot-long swim platform. Activities begin with an optional Kenyon electric grill concealed within a fiberglass console with a small sink and freshwater faucet, but a closer look reveals Carver’s attention to more important details like grippy molded nonslip, built-in stowage compartments, a hot-and-cold transom shower, stainless-steel grab rails, and toe-snub-free recessed cleats in the platform corners for tying up a dinghy. Up the steps and through the gate into the cockpit, I discovered that the L-shaped lounge converts to a sun pad, that its base conceals stowage, and an optional electric cold box in the bench keeps drinks handy. A high-low table creates an…

Scout’s compact dualconsole 175 Sport Dorado, rigged with a 90 hp Yamaha four-stroke outboard, jumped on plane and reached 30 mph in 9.2 seconds. Our tester hit a maximum speed of 40 mph at 5,700 rpm twisting a 131/8 -by- 16-inch Yamaha Reliance stainless-steel three-blade propeller. That’s with two crew members aboard (400 pounds) plus about 14 gallons of fuel. Though powerful and responsive, the Sport Dorado- Yamaha combination sipped that fuel miserly. We noted the most economical and comfortable cruise speed for the 175 Sport Dorado was 29 mph at 4,500 rpm, where we barely ticked over the fuel consumption gauge at 5.2 gph, calculating to nearly 5.6 mpg. Even at full pedal, it achieved 4.4 mpg. At cruise speed, range in this little rig is over 225 miles,…

Why does everybody seem to want to put outboards on big boats these days? It looks crazy to hang a bracket with a pair of outboards on the transom of a goodlooking, sturdy 36-foot hull designed for work or play. The little propellers on those outboards will never produce the grip on the water of a proper largediameter wheel on an inboard shaft driven by a modern electronic commonrail diesel. The outboards will burn way more fuel, they’ll blow up driving that big hull, and they’ll ruin the balance. Won’t they? Well, when semicustom boatbuilder Bill Judge (judgeyachts.com) showed up in one of his 36-foot Chesapeakes for the Annapolis Fish for a Cure tournament a couple of years ago, it was powered by a pair of 300 hp Suzuki outboards…

Rest assured that no sea lions were harmed in the development of this story. But that’s not by choice. It’s the law, and therein lies one big problem with California sea lions: You can’t get rid of them. T h eir numbers are exploding. And they can harm you. Just ask Don Carlin. In April 2015, Carlin was posing for a photo with a proud catch while on his boat in Mission Bay, California. As his wife, Trish, snapped a shot, a sea lion leaped into the boat and bit into the hand with which Carlin was cradling the fish. T he sea lion dragged Carlin overboard and held him underwater for 15 seconds before relinquishing its grip. T hen as the angler swam back to his boat, the sea…