Содержание выпуска: October 2023 — Boating

Recently, a Southern California commercial passenger fishing boat pilot crashed into the shore rocks upon arriving at one of the Channel Islands. He fell asleep at the wheel. The nautical noctambulist blamed a lot of overtime shifts—overworked with a lack of sleep. If this can happen to a professional mariner supported by a sional crew, it can happen to one of us. Whether you’re the cruiser trying to make the end destination before the crowd grabs all the good moorings, the angler going from a half-night’s sleep and a day’s work right to running hard to reach a distant bite, or simply any boater who heads out in the middle of burning the candle at both ends, the risk of maritime misadventure rises in step with our lack of…

Q: Dear Doc, do I need an amplifier for the stereo in my boat? I bought a new stereo and speakers, and I’m being advised that I need an amplifier for the stereo to be any good. And how hard is it to install an amp? Gerry Fantry Newmark, Illinois A: No, you do not need an amplifier for your stereo to work. But an amplifier will provide overall better sound quality, improving things such as bass response. You’ll also be better able to tailor the sound to the challenging audio environment of a boat by making micro-adjustments to the frequencies’ output. As for installation, putting in an amp is not so much hard as it is painstaking. There will be multiple wire splices to make and, of course, you…

Propeller pitch is one of numerous key physical properties of your boat’s prop. Pitch is probably the characteristic most frequently changed by boaters looking to enhance performance. Propeller pitch is also one of the harder prop characteristics to understand. Because pitch changes along the length of a propeller blade, the stated pitch is an average. Diameter, blade area and other prop traits can be readily measured. While pitch and its effects cannot be described fully in a single-page magazine article, what I hope to provide is a solid foundation of the importance of propeller pitch to your engine’s, and thus your boat’s, performance. SCREW THEORY Pitch can be described by its effect on the prop instead of by directly measuring the prop. The above photo o shows that pitch is…

If you were to put clothes on the 400CC, it would wear a thin-lapelled tuxedo over boardshorts. Few center-consoles bring more style and comfort to the water while maintaining lethal fishability. Seabring Marine, parent of Monterey, relaunched the storied Blackfin brand six years ago, planning to elevate its reputation from raw fishability to posh-styled cruising and fishing while maintaining a midrange price. We think the company overshot that goal, providing luxury and style in a big center-console while managing to keep the price competitive. Seabring’s first step in bringing Blackfin’s design elements together was to make standard the highest tech propulsion, navigation, air-conditioning and house-power systems. It provides a package list of standard features, including dual navigation displays, a windlass, a bow thruster, Mercury engines with joystick steering and VesselView…

Kawasaki may have been slow to embrace modern trends like electronic reverse and deceleration systems, or even significantly update its Jet Ski lineup over the last decade, but change is in the wind. First came the midrange STX 160. The following year, a significantly upgraded Ultra 310LX flagship was introduced. For 2023, the company borrows a little of both craft to create the Ultra 160LX, which boasts virtually all the cool style and tech introduced on the 310LX last year, but with the STX’s tamer, supercharger-less engine below the saddle. The result is a premium-level machine that comes in at a far more affordable price while offering greatly increased range. Both the 310LX and 160LX are based on Kawasaki’s Ultra hull platform, a deep-V design with 22.5 degrees of deadrise…

Supersizing: It’s a uniquely American phenomenon. Burgers expand into triple-deckers. TVs stretch into expansive big screens. RVs transform into rolling mansions. And now bay boats—among America’s most iconic fishing craft—are growing to unprecedented sizes. Need proof? Look at the Boston Whaler 280 Dauntless, Caymas 281 HB, Everglades 273CC, Grady-White 281 CE, Pathfinder 2700 Open, Regulator 30XO, Scout 281 XSS, SeaVee 270Z or Solace 30HCS. All sport center consoles, and some even boast the availability of twin outboards, putting these relatively shallow-draft 27- to 30-footers in competition with many conventional offshore centerconsole fishing boats. More than one factor has spurred this supersize trend, including the evolution of bay-boat interiors. Traditionally, bay boats have sported layouts intended for fishing in the protected and shallow waters of bays, harbors and coastal rivers. Spacious,…

New bow-mount electric trolling motors for boating anglers continue to push the envelope of technology, efficiency, stealth, corrosion resistance and integration with onboard electronics. In the July 2023 issue, I highlighted the new Move brushless bow-mount trolling motors from Power-Pole (boatingmag.com/gear/move-trolling-motors-from-power-pole). And now Garmin and Minn Kota have also introduced new bow-mount trolling motors. RELEASE THE KRAKEN The Garmin Force Kraken is a brush-less saltwater trolling motor with an easy-to-deploy manual pivot mount. It operates at either 24 volts (80 pounds of thrust) or 36 volts (100 pounds of thrust). All components are corrosion-resistant, including a sturdy composite shaft. Easy-to-replace sacrificial anodes in the nose cone and under the prop fight corrosion. The Force Kraken is up to 37 percent more efficient than competitive brushed motors. It runs ultra-quiet and won’t…

ALUMINUM THE DRAW: Aluminum anodes have been touted because they work in fresh and salt water. They are typically lighter than zinc anodes and do not release cadmium into the water as they corrode. Aluminum anodes also tend to cost less than zinc anodes and last longer. They are not pure aluminum but made of an alloy designed for use as a sacrificial anode. THE DRAWBACK: The quality of aluminum anodes can vary based on the alloy used to make them. Seek out the highest-quality aluminum anodes PRICE: $32; westmarine.com MAGNESIUM THE DRAW: If you boat in fresh water, you’ll definitely want to choose magnesium anodes over zinc because they work better in fresh water’s lower-conductivity environment. While aluminum anodes work well too, magnesium is the best choice for fresh…

BENETEAU ANTARES 12 Beneteau’s Antares 12 debut marks an elegant entry in the world of boating performance, functionality and onboard luxury. It is powered by triple Mercury V-10 Verados. With a stylishly modern look, the Antares 12 continues the line’s 45-year heritage of success. Large hull windows allow ample natural light inside. The iconic hardtop is the foundation for the large flybridge. The wheelhouse is a central living space with panoramic views. The fully fitted galley and broad table provide function and luxury while cooking and dining. The owner’s cabin is spacious and bright, and boasts its own en suite head, as does the VIP guest cabin. Everyone’s privacy is maintained. A highly modular third cabin can be used as a single or double berth, easily becoming extra storage. With…

Deaths from distracted driving of automobiles totaled 3,521 for 2021, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a division of the US Department of Transportation. The agency defines distracted driving as any activity that diverts attention, including talking or texting on the phone, eating and drinking, talking to people in the vehicle, or fiddling with the stereo, entertainment or navigation system—anything that takes attention away from the task of driving safely. Now, I acknowledge there is a great difference between driving on a city street and, say, trolling for tuna 50 miles offshore. The car-boat analogy remains problematic regardless of the applied issue. Still, there are plenty of congested boating scenarios, not to mention random logs and other flotsam and jetsam, that are better seen than unseen. Plus, many…

If you remember “The Girl from Ipanema” (RIP, Astrud Gilberto), then you’ll know the feeling I had when I first saw the Hanover 377. “When she passes, each one she passes goes aaaahh.” This new Brazilian beauty is 37-ish feet of delights, from the big cockpit that easily held nine of us on our test hop to the cabin as bright and airy as the beach at Copacabana. Stylish and sophisticated, this Latin beauty is a big bowrider marked by a rakish black hardtop with an opening sunroof and black hull slashes, which hide the windows that keep the cabin bright. Though the boat is clearly intended for day entertaining with the option to overnight in surprisingly luxurious comfort, one pervading question among all those who toured her at recent…

I tested Sea Pro’s 259 deep-V by running 147 miles from the Chesapeake Bay into Washington, D.C. The boat’s 22.5-degree bottom smoothly cleaved the chop I encountered, allowing me to keep the throttles pinned. The twin Suzuki DF 140s never missed a beat. Note that the 259 normally gets rigged with 150s or 200s, which have more displacement and turn larger propellers. You can read Boating’s review of the Sea Pro 259 with twin 150s at boatingmag.com. Credit the performance of these Suzuki 140 overachievers to not only their toughness, but also the EcoGen 90 fuel from VP Racing that they were burning. Suzuki Marine organized this 941.5-mile run from Jacksonville, Florida, to our nation’s capital to promote sustainable marine fuel. The DF140s’ cooling systems also carried Suzuki’s standard microplastic-collecting…

Raymarine’s Axiom multifunction displays can now integrate with Rhodan Marine’s bowmount saltwater trolling motor. Anglers can control their trolling motor from an Axiom just as they would from the Rhodan key fob. They can increase and decrease thrust, adjust the motor’s direction, and maintain a heading and adjust it in 1-degree increments. Boating anglers can also maintain position over a spot. Raymarine’s integration with Rhodan automatically detects if the trolling motor is stowed or deployed, enabling Axiom to steer the trolling motor when it is active and control a Raymarine Evolution autopilot when the motor is stowed. Integration requires upgrading to Raymarine’s LightHouse 4.5 operating system. To learn more, visit raymarine.com or rhodanmarine.com.…

The Sea Tow Foundation, which offers loaner life jackets at 1,300 places in all 50 states, recently got a lot more to offer thanks to Newell Brands, which donated 10,000 of its Stearns and Coleman life jackets and floating cushions to the organization. The Sea Tow Foundation is a nonprofit organization that promotes boating safety founded by the membership towing service Sea Tow. Along with programs such as Sober Skipper and Flare Education, the foundation seeks to make it easier for boaters to practice safety on the water. The Life Jacket Loaner program provides adult and youth life jackets that are free to borrow for a day on the water. So far, it has provided over 100,000 life jackets to participating businesses and organizations around the country. But this past…

When water-skiers, wakeboarders and wakesurfers want to improve, they often think new equipment is the answer. And while new equipment can improve your performance, it is only part of your strategy for improvement. You can have the best equipment, but if your technique is lacking, you will hit a plateau when it comes to improving and endure many unneeded falls. Body position is crucial to success, but many often overlook it. Optimal body position will ensure faster progress and fewer awkward falls. When I coach, the first thing I observe is how the student positions their weight over his or her feet. Common mistakes include bending forward at the waist. This puts too much weight on the toes and balls of the feet, and leads to forward falls. Conversely, excess…

A roll-up inflatable dinghy ranks as one of the greatest inventions of all time for boaters who like to cruise. I own one myself. It’s light, easy to assemble and quick to inflate, even while aboard my 22-foot center-console. It’s great for venturing to town or a secluded island beach while the main boat is moored. A roll-up inflatable dinghy is also easy to deflate and stow out of the way when you’re ready to head back to the dock or when winter closes in, putting an end to the cruising season. Unfortunately, as with all inflatables, punctures can happen. In my case, I brushed against some oyster-encrusted shore rocks. A stream of small bubbles confirmed the worst: A razor-sharp oyster shell had sliced a small hole in the forward…

After a day on the water testing the new Cruisers Yachts 50 GLS, I realized why it seemed so familiar. It reminded me of the Porsche 356 coupe I owned decades ago. It was fast, it was fun, it was comfortable, and everyone looked when I blew past. I loved that car dearly and still regret selling it. GLS stands for Grand Luxury Sport and, as the flagship of the “adventuring” GLS series of Cruisers Yachts boats, the 50 is all that and more. This yacht is about fun and entertaining on the water. Once you get past using the words “Cruisers” and “outboards” in the same sentence, this is a quite spectacular yacht. Cruisers calls the 50 GLS “the ultimate dayboat,” which is accurate in one sense, but limiting…

It’s hard to turn heads in the go-fast ground zero of the West called Lake Havasu City, Arizona. But driving a neon Verde Lime green-and-black pontoon powered by twin Mercury V-10 Verado 400 outboards draws a lot of attention. The XP also features fiberglass pods and smooth vinyl side panels. XP is the latest line of pontoons from Godfrey Marine, and subtle they are not. Our test XP 2700 W Twin radiated coolness, though the choice of onyx black upholstery might be considered madness by some. My first tactile foray used the same method as testing a hot iron—a quick touch with an index finger to limit the damage, though I did not lick it first. Its surface was tepid and about the same to its name by using a…

Fisherman’s Channel was a washing machine of chop and bobble, a result of wind, tide, and the wakes from all the Miami Boat Show demo boats heading for the inlet. The torque provided by the Vision Marine Technologies 180e electric outboard allowed me to get the H2e on top steadily without the bashing that comes when you need to make the boat jump up before throttling back to get going. The good-riding 22-footer then settled into a comfortable 21 mph. That was no surprise. Four Winns’ vaunted Stable-Vee hull, designed by Tom Wenstatdt, features stepped and ventilated afterpods. These inhibit excessive bow rise. Also, the width from keel to chine is kept wide farther forward than on other hulls, which adds to stability and easy planing. Introduced in 1993, we’ve…

We interact with our print readers and digital audience through email, social media, and sometimes in person out on the water. The most common request from these fellow boaters? Besides asking for a job as a boat-test editor, the request we get most often is for more content about how to dock a boat. While new boaters make up a large percentage of those requesting docking content, it may surprise some to learn that many longtime boat owners also seek this information. Time dedicated to earning the money needed to own a boat, family responsibilities, weather, seasonal-only boating and other factors combine in varying amounts to make boat ownership a game of fits and starts. It’s hard to build and retain skill at the helm when you lack prolonged and…

The last time I visited Detroit, I got an up-close look at the iconic GM Renaissance Center, the tall collection of glass skyscrapers that dominates the downtown skyline. The towers gave off a beautiful shimmer as the sun’s rays reflected off the glass structure while they passed over Windsor, Canada, behind us. Among other things, the Renaissance Center houses some businesses, including General Motors, a Marriott hotel and a couple of fancy restaurants. But I wasn’t there to visit any of those, or take in a Tigers game at nearby Comerica Park, or dive into the city’s rich music history, from Motown to Eminem. I was there to fish. I connected with a local fishing guide named Joe Bauer, and at sunrise we set out from nearby St. Clair Shores…

I’m always curious about the psychology influencing the purchase of a boat. And because my good friend Chuck Larson perceives the world through a kaleidoscopic lens, I was especially intrigued when he whipped out his phone at the Lake View Inn bar after telling me and barkeep Wally he was going to look at a boat the next morning. Chuck was quite excited. “My wife found this cool Glastron on Marketplace,” Chuck said, holding up his cellphone. “Ah!” Wally said. “A GT-160. That’s a classic.” “With a 115 Johnson,” Chuck said. “I think this might be that James Bond boat.” I gave Wally my incredulous “How do you know this stuff?” look before I flicked through the boat photos on Chuck’s phone. This was a blue-and-white 1975 model with that…