November/December 2018 - Boating World

REMEMBER to always observe all applicable boating laws. Never drink and drive. Dress properly with a USCG-approved personal floatation device and protective gear. Š 2018 Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. All rights reserved. 1-800-889-2624

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Contents

N ovem ber/Decem ber 201 8 • Vol u m e 39 N o. 9

MAGAZINE

VOLUME XXXIX NUMBER 9

pg. 42

4

Editor’s Letter

6

Currents

Boating is the best prescription Bits from the boating world

10 Trailering Give the trailer proper winter care 12 Watersports Communicate with hand signals 14 Bonehead Blunders Mistakes no boater should make 18 Fishing Do catch and release the right way 20 Engines Yamaha XTO Offshore 425

features

22 DIY Upgrade to a new stereo system

42 Gift Guide for Boaters Win the holiday season MVP award with help from our 35-item list of gifts for boaters.

24 Ask the Experts Our panel of experts answers your questions

BY BOATING WORLD STAFF

50 Pump it Up! When it’s time to upgrade a boat’s stereo, there’s a model out there for every budget and taste. BY ALAN JONES

54 10 Reasons to Become a Cat Person We break down a few of the surprising ways trailerable power catamarans are winning hearts and minds. BY ZUZANA PROCHAZKA

64 Contest: Name the Boat Win a 4-person inflatable lounge from Connelly

pg. 50

boats tested

30 Yamaha 210 FSH Sport Yamaha’s new 210 FSH is ready for whatever’s on the agenda.

34 Glastron GTD 200 After a five-year hiatus, Glastron is back in the deckboat business.

38 Sweetwater 2386 DT The 2386 DT exemplifies Sweetwater’s expansion into a more luxurious neighborhood.

• JUNE 2018 2 • 2 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER BOATINGWORLD.COM 2018 BOATINGWORLD.COM

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Editor’s Letter

by Ala n Jones

THE BOATING WORLD TEAM RESPONDS:

“

The turkey that comes up with the funniest Thanksgiving-themed parody song will be pardoned. What’s the winning song’s title?

PUBLISHER

Duncan McIntosh Jr.

Freed Bird

ASSOC . EDITOR/PUBLISHER Jeff Fleming

THE BEST PRESCRIPTION

Don’t Bogart That Drumstick

EXECUTIVE EDITOR Alan Jones

Maybe I’m A-Glazed

NOVEMBER IS WHEN many of us take time to give thanks. Looking back at 2018, it’s clear

MANAGING EDITOR Mike Werling

most of my best moments were spent on a boat, for which I’m thankful.

My 95-year-old father, Glenmore, and I don’t go boating as much as in the past, but this year we and his wife, Carolyn, went fishing on the St. John’s River in Jacksonville, Fla., and had a fantastic time.

I got to do more fishing this year and managed to land the biggest snook and redfish I’ve caught in decades. While fishing itself is fun, one of the best things about it is if you actually manage to catch a nice one, that’s a memory that lasts forever and gives you something to talk about when someone asks what you’ve been doing. The added benefit of endlessly retelling the story is the fish never stops growing.

This year I got on about 100 boats of all shapes and sizes and was thankful to avoid any embarrassing docking incidents or injuries. And in the process I got to meet lots of new people and watch a lot of sunsets while afloat.

I checked off a bucket list destination when I went to Lake Havasu in Arizona as part of a Sea-Doo event. The canyons there were even more gorgeous than I had imagined.

So why is it so many of our annual highlights happen while afloat? Dr. Wallace J. Nichols, a marine biologist and author of the book “Blue Mind,” says there’s a scientific explanation for it. According to Nichols, the highly technical, wired world we live and work in creates what he calls a “red mind,” which accumulates anxiety that desperately needs a pressure valve to release. Not surprisingly, his answer was not to listen to 24-hour news channels or spend one’s spare time endlessly connected to the web, wondering why social media posts don’t get more likes.

According to Nichols, the human brain needs a vacation, and boating provides a few elements other activities don’t. Just the act of being on a boat creates a meditative state he calls the “blue mind.” During our workweek, we tend to produce the hormone cortisol, which can be useful in small doses (e.g., providing the drive to meet deadlines), but during prolonged periods of stress it can build up and lead to depression. But the act of boating and bonding with family lowers cortisol and raises serotonin level, which is our “happy” hormone.

Discover Boating, an initiative designed to introduce more people to boating, has used Nichols’ findings to tout the many benefits of boating, the big one being that the human brain occasionally needs a vacay to reduce the negative noise that gathers in our head. After a boat outing, humans become more creative, relaxed and happier, according to Nichols.

Most of us didn’t need to be told this but it’s a good reminder of why we boat. BW

ASSISTANT EDITOR Stephanie Shibata

Super Beak

Tryptophan Jazzman

ART DIRECTOR Julie Hogan

For Those About to Flock, We Salute You PRODUCTION Mary Monge

I Love Drumsticks and Rolls

CIRCUL ATION MGR. Emily Wells-Horneff

All About that Baste

CIRCUL ATION ASSISTANT

Dustin Nguyen Eye of the Turkey

ADVERTISING SALES & MARKETING

Call (949) 660-6150

REGIONAL SALES MANAGERS

Annabelle Zabala Don’t Turkey, Be Happy

Felice Lineberry I Came In Like a Butterball MARKETPL ACE SALES MGR. Jon Sorenson

Another One Bites The Crust AD COORDINATORS

Jennifer Chen Birds Just Wanna Have Fun Lacee Garcia Turkeyz-n-the-Hood

TECHNOLOGY DIRECTOR Dave Kelsen

Jenny From the Flock

SUBSCRIPTIONS

Boating World – Subscriber Services P.O. Box 25859, Santa Ana, CA 92799 (888) 732-7323 circulation@boatingworld.com PUBLISHED BY DUNCAN MCINTOSH CO. INC .

Boatingworld.com 18475 Bandilier Circle, Fountain Valley, CA 92708 (949) 660-6150 • Fax (949) 660-6172 Duncan Mcintosh Co. is founded by Editor and Publisher Duncan McIntosh Jr. and Co-Publisher Teresa Ybarra McIntosh (1942-2011)

VOLUME 39 • NO. 9 Boating World Editorial and Advertising Offices, 18475 Bandilier Circle, Fountain Valley, CA 92708; (949) 660-6150. Boating World (ISSN 1059-5155, USPS 16200) is printed in the U.S.A. and published nine times a year in Jan., Feb., Mar., Apr., May, Jun., Jul./Aug., Sept./Oct. and Nov./Dec. at 18475 Bandilier Circle, Fountain Valley, CA 92708 by Duncan McIntosh Co. Inc. Periodicals Postage paid at Santa Ana, CA 92799 and at additional mailing offices. Editorial contributions are welcome. Please submit all contributions to the editor, accompanied by return postage. We assume no responsibility for loss or damage of unsolicited materials. Boating World retains reprint rights, via print and electronic media. Contributor retains all other rights for resale, publication, etc. POSTMASTER: Please send change of address to Boating World, P. O. Box 25859, Santa Ana, CA 92799-5859. CANADA POST: Publications Mail Agreement #40612608 Canada Returns to be sent to Bleuchip International, P.O. Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2. SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE: Please send all subscription correspondence to Boating World, P.O. Box 25859, Santa Ana, CA 92799-5859. Please allow at least six weeks for the change of address to become effective. Include both your old and your new address enclosing, if possible, an address label from a recent issue. SUBSCRIPTION PRICE: U.S. and its possessions, $11.00 per year. Additional postage for Canada is $15.00 per year and other foreign countries $30.00 per year. Single copy price $5.00; back issues, $8.50 (in the U.S. only) includes postage and handling. Boating World is a registered trademark of Duncan McIntosh Co. Inc. Copyright © 2018, all rights reserved. PERMISSIONS: MMaterial AG A Z I Nin E this publication may not be reproduced in any form without written permission.

M AG A Z I N E

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M AG A Z I N E

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sylvanmarine.com | 866-766-9698

Featuring:

Currents

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by Steph a n ie S h ibata

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BIGGER L E A D B O AT

B E N E T E A U A N ATA R E S 2 1

THAN IT LOOKS

Anatares 21 is a towable pocket cruiser that can sleep four.

C

ontinuing its expansion in the U.S. market, Beneteau brought another of its ranges to American shores. Called Anatares, the latest line to cross the Atlantic is composed of three models, the 21, 23 and 27, that are intended to be coastal cruisers. The smallest of the range, the Anatares 21 is powered by a Mercury outboard up to 175 hp and starts at $72,000 with that power.

Use of space defines the Anatares 21, both outdoors and in.

The cockpit includes a U-shaped settee that can convert to a multiperson sunpad, and the bow is covered by multiple cushions that create another sunning spot. Platformettes to either side of the outboard provide access to the water, and the one to starboard leads to the access gate and has a boarding ladder.

Through a sliding door is the salon, helm and small galley. The U-shaped dining settee to port converts to a berth, and its forward section’s backrest swings aft to make it a helm companion seat.

Aft and starboard is a galley that includes a sink, a single burner, a small worktop, and a 12-gallon refrigerator. Forward on the starboard side is the helm, which includes a bolster seat and a dash with room for an MFD of the buyer’s choosing. A window slides open to keep the operator cool.

Forward and down a step is a double berth and a separate wet head, so weekending is definitely on the to-do list.

Visibility from the helm and the dining settee is excellent through a one-piece windshield and glass down the wheelhouse sides. With the aft door open, sociability runs from the helm to the transom.

At 24 and a half feet long with an 8-foot, 2-inch beam, the Anatares 21 is easily trailerable, and the transom settee slides forward to clear room for the outboard to tilt up. To make docking easier, a bow thruster is an option. Beneteau, beneteau.com BOATINGWORLD.COM

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CURRENTS

name the boat To participate in this month’s contest, turn to page 64

JULY/AUGUST CONTEST WINNER: Marshmadness

Bill Bires from Bellflower, Calif., was the first to submit the winning name, Marshmadness. For giving our skier’s predicament a tournament feel, Bill receives a Dock King Lounge & Float from Connelly (connellyskis.com), valued at $199.99.

Rick Martin illustration

MORE OF JULY/AUGUST’S BEST ENTRIES:

Swamp Meat

Swamp Chomp

Tourist Trolling

David Wabakken, Oak Hills, CA

John Drahos, Bradley, CA

Mark Mongeau, Orlando, FL

Glade Runner

Skiing in the Chomp

Ski You Later, Alligator

Jim Rotan, Lakewood, CA

Donnie Holmes, Burgaw, NC

Douglas Stangler, Monroe, WA

Gator Bait

Dinner Cruise

Make it Snappy

Michael Baum, Blythewood, SC

Bob Tewell, Woodburn, OR

Bottoms Up

Tooth ’n Cheek

Rosemarie Sharadin, Yorktown, VA

Lisa Stovall, Mt. Sinai, NY

Jack Kriete, Harbor Beach, MI

Skifood Tester

Swamp & Circumstance

Gator Baiter

Corey Stone, Los Angeles

Joe Shane, Jacksonville Beach, FL

Mike Suhrheinrich, via BoatingWorld.com

Cuz Mom Said So… THE RECREATIONAL BOATING & Fishing

Foundation and its Take Me Fishing campaign conducted a nationwide search for the best places for a family to go boating and fishing. State fish and wildlife agencies nominated bodies of water and moms curated the top 50. Then 32,000 people voted for the top 10. Visit TakeMeFishing.org to see the full top 50. Here are the Top 10 Mom-Approved Places to Fish and Boat.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

Eklutna Tailrace, Alaska Lake Cumberland, Kentucky Lake Ogallala, Nebraska Lake Piney Z, Florida Little Beaver Lake, West Virginia Lake Havasu, Arizona Backbone State Park, Iowa Yosemite National Park, California Pôka’ï Bay, Hawaii Grand Isle State Park, Louisiana

FA S T FAC T

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Lynn Novakafski/USA Water Ski

Lake Havasu

Ageless Gold

TRIUMPHING OVER COMPETITORS less than half his age, 56-year-old Zenon Bilas — a regular contributor to Boating World — won a gold medal at the 2018 USA Barefoot Water Ski National Championships in Polk City, Fla. He took the prize in the Open Men’s Slalom division, a category where all ages compete against one another.

D I D YO U K N OW ?

Total U.S. boat registrations in 2017, up 0.7 percent from 2016. Source: NMMA

When it comes to keeping cardboard boats afloat, paper towels soaked in paint are the ultimate hull sealer. Color us surprised.

BOATINGWORLD.COM

10/3/18 1:54 PM

Enter Your Dog Now

WIN THIS Dog Vest

Ridin’ the Rivers

S A LT Y D O G OF THE MONTH

PASSENGERS AREN’T GOING to rub elbows with Samuel

Dog: Jetty Owner: Natalie Falcone, Osprey, Fla. For your chance to win a CWB Dog Vest (ridecwb.com), send a picture of your boat-loving dog to editor@boatingworld.com or Boating World, Salty Dog, 18475 Bandilier Circle, Fountain Valley, CA 92708. Please include a photo, along with your name and your dog’s name, your address and phone number

Clemens or James Garner’s Bret Maverick, but they can ride some of the U.S.’s most famous waterways aboard a fully modern — first of its kind, according to American Cruise Lines — riverboat. American Song passed its sea trials and has begun moving passengers, up to 184 of them, along the lower Mississippi River.

The Columbia and Snake rivers are other itineraries.

AmericanCruiseLines.com

BOY ARE HIS FINS TIRE D… Every year, the International Game Fish Association sponsors the IFGA Great Marlin Race, during which anglers in several tournaments around the world tag billfish with satellite tags that eventually release to the surface, so their stored information can be accessed.

BERMUDA

2,658 N.M.

• RIO GRANDE DO NORTE

A blue marlin tagged in July 2017 during the Bermuda Triple Crown Billfish Championship claimed the 2017-2018 IGMR crown with a total swim of 5,089 nautical miles, and a point-to-point distance of 2,658 n.m. — from Bermuda to 600 n.m. northeast of Rio Grande do Norte in Brazil.

San Francisco California

2,658 N.M.

Teaneck New Jersey

That’s like swimming the length of Interstate 80 and still needing to cover another 158 miles. igmr.igfa.org

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Trailering

Winter Chores

Trailer Lovin’ Care Whether you have an hour, an afternoon or a whole day, give your boat’s chariot the pre-winter care it deserves.

BY CHRIS CASWELL

• FOR BOAT OWNERS in climates with a real winter season, this is a dreaded time of year — the end of boating season — and they hate it for two reasons. First, they don’t get to play with their boat for a few months; second, they know deep inside they should winterize their trailer, to protect it until next spring. Knowing and doing are two entirely different things, of course. Owners who conducted regular trailer maintenance during boating season are going to be well ahead of the game.

Yeah, me either.

It doesn’t have to be a painful project, and to make the task easier, we’ve divided it into time frames — call them commitment windows. Take one hour, do the absolute minimum and let it go. Take one afternoon, do a bunch of stuff and leave the remainder for next spring. Or invest an entire day, do everything and not think about the trailer for the rest of the winter.

Your call.

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ONE HOUR

Start by thoroughly washing the trailer, to get rid of the salt and gunk from the last outing. Even if you rinse off the trailer after each use, now is the time to get serious and really get it clean. A pressure washer is your best friend.

Next, protect the trailer’s tires from flat-spotting. If they sit in one spot all winter, jack up the trailer and put either jack stands or concrete blocks under the trailer frame. Don’t put the support under the springs, because you want to release their load as well.

The last chore in the 60-minute quick-anddirty routine is to inspect the trailer for rust, which is typically found where you dinged it, but be sure to check all the welds, joints and U-bolts. Give any rust a quick massage with a wire brush and then hit the spot with RustOleum spray (or a similar product), preferably the same color as the trailer.

Sixty minutes have passed. This should suffice until spring, when you’ll have more work to do.

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ONE AFTERNOON

With an afternoon to invest, do a better job of making sure the trailer is free of rust, so find every rust spot, use either a wire brush or sandpaper to take it to bare metal and follow that with a coat of protective paint/spray.

Start at the front of the trailer and give the hitch and its mechanism a good shot of lubricant such as WD-40 or Corrosion Block. Squirt the electrical plugs too, and while you’re there protect everything from winter grime with a tightly taped trash bag (buy the tough ones).

Still at the front, now is the time to look at the winch and give it a shot of lubricant. Pull out the winch wire or strap — all the way! — and inspect it for fraying. If you find a “meat hook,” put the wire aside for replacement.

Unless you’re parked on a really steep hill, you won’t need it until spring. Go ahead and tape a trash bag over the winch too.

During a circumnavigation of the trailer, inspect its wiring for worn spots that could short out its tail- and signal lights. Wires usually chafe under the spring clips that hold them in place or where they pass through a grommet in the frame. It seems obvious, but replace the bad wire now, because you might forget it over the winter.

With enough room in your garage or shed, you can protect the trailer’s tires from both sun and freezing water by removing them (also a good way to protect a boat from being stolen). Don’t stand the tires up, though, because that will flat-spot them. Stack them flat. Not removing the tires? Back off the lug nuts — not all at once! — and squirt some lubricant on the lug bolt threads.

Pop off the taillights’ plastic covers and take a look inside. Any corrosion means a leak has formed, which requires attention.

A new rubber seal for the light will likely do the trick, or you can replace the taillight for a few bucks, often by simply unplugging the old one and plugging in the new. For incandescent taillights, remove the bulb and squirt the socket with lubricant.

Be sure to inspect the trailer winch and its attendant straps and hooks for wear and tear.

Any frame rust needs to be sanded down and painted over, and frayed wires — usually at the grommets — should be replaced.

ONE DAY: DO IT RIGHT

In addition to the previously covered items, you’ll want to repack the wheel bearings or have the dealership do it. If it’s the latter, have them do it before you remove the tires, so you know the bearings are protected for the winter and the rig will be ready to roll on the first good boating day.

Top off the brake fluid reservoir, just to prevent any condensation from forming over the winter.

Using a grease gun, squirt lubricant into the springs and shackles for winter protection. They’ll be ready for spring, since the grease will remain for months.

Last, if the rims are getting rusty, take the wheels to a local tire store and let its people remove the tires. You can now repaint the rims at your leisure over the winter and have the tires reinstalled later.

One final word of advice (which I usually forget): Assemble all the necessary tools and parts beforehand. You don’t want to waste the hour, afternoon, or day going to Home Depot to buy rust protectant or chase down a spray can of lubricant. BW

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Watersports

H a n d Sig n a ls

How to Communicate with Hand Signals Verbal interaction isn’t always possible during a wake session. An understanding of visual cues can make all the difference.

BY TARAH MIKACICH

ONE OF MY favorite things about watersports is I get to do them with family and friends.

Recreational boarders and skiers can pack up the boat, a cooler, some sunscreen and hit the water for the day with people they enjoy. Everyone drives; everyone gets time behind the boat.

What always cracks me up is when someone tries to “talk” to the boat from 70 feet behind it. Most of us can’t yell that loud.

And if the boat is going about 20 mph, the engine and wind are going to drown out the yeller’s voice. Kids, especially, look like they’re trying to tell everyone a story from back there, but no one in the boat is

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catching a single word. That’s why hand signals are so important, and generally universal.

There tends to be a set number of things the rider may want to tell the driver, and vice versa. Those things have very simple signals that communicate silently. Nobody

needs to yell. The first couple pertain to speed. Riders can give a thumbs-up with a little upward motion if they want to go faster, and a thumbs-down with a little downward motion to go slower. If the speed is pretty close and the rider wants a small speed change, he should follow this motion with a pinching motion, indicating “just a little.” If the speed is way off, he should hold the thumbs-up/down motion for a longer time.

The next signal everyone should know pertains to stopping. To go back to the

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STOP

BACK TO SHORE

GRAB HANDLE

FASTER/SLOWER HEADS UP

Tell a rider to wait until the very top of the wake to jump by creating a “rooftop” with your fingers, to imitate a wake.

TWO HANDS ON HANDLE

dock, the rider should put her hand on her head — an open palm or a closed fist indicates the same thing. If the rider needs the driver to cut the motor, basically pull over and stop for a minute, she should wave a flat hand horizontally under her chin.

Sometimes the rider or spotter needs to signal that the boat is going to turn around. To do this, put an index finger straight up in the air and make circles pointed at the sky. The rider can point toward a shoreline, if he wants to have the boat drive over there. And someone in the boat can point to a side, telling the rider to cut out to that side. And of course, a rider who falls should raise an arm and wave, to let the boat driver know he’s OK. Otherwise, the boat crew will assume he is injured and rush back to save him.

Those are standard hand signals that everyone on the water needs to know. In a direct coach-to-student situation, the signals advance a bit. At Freedom Wake Park, we use a lot of body demonstration. For example, if I want someone to pull her shoulders back, I’ll stand up, hunch my shoulders over and then exaggerate rolling them back. The same is true for any body-position correction. We can imitate locked out knees, shake a finger, and then demonstrate a body position with knees bent for better stability. To get a rider to balance his weight, we stand with more weight obviously on one leg and then even out the stance.

When it comes to getting someone to ride with his head up, we have a couple of signals. I look straight down and then either tap under my chin to bring my head up. Or I motion with my fingers that her eye-line should go toward the horizon.

Other common hand signals we use are for learning tricks. When I put my hands up and make the shape of a rooftop, that is the signal for “wake.” I generally use it to tell riders to use the wake better, or that they’re going early. They need to wait until the very top of the wake to take off for the jump. I tap my fingertips together like the top of a triangle to emphasize “top of the wake.” Sometimes it’s important to tell someone to push longer through the wake. I take two fingers and straighten them out downward, like an upside-down peace symbol, to indicate “push.” Then I open my hands far apart from each other to indicate “longer.”

We tell students to keep their chest up by patting our chest and then sending that hand toward the sky. You can even follow this motion with the “wake” signal after it, to indicate they should keep their chest up at the wake. The combination of signals is really where the coaching can advance. For example, I can put my hands out in front of me, open and close my fists, then hold them closed like they’re on a handle. This tells the rider to keep two hands on the handle. Then I can follow this instruction with the signal for “longer” and “at the wake.”

Most of these are pretty universal and easy to understand. However, hand signals are like their own language, and every region may have its own slang.

I remember a friend trying to tell me that the water was shallow by pushing his hands together vertically.

I thought he was telling me to go smaller. It made no sense at all. But we had a good laugh after we figured out each other’s hand signal lingo. Knowing that, it’s always a good idea to go over any unique phrasing ahead of time, especially if the lake has unusual caution areas. BW

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STOP

PUSH

LOT/LITTLE

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Bonehead Blunders BONEHEAD SCALE:

By G rid M ich a l

1 Acceptably assinine

2 Slightly slow

A Righteous Jury Rig BONEHEAD BLUNDER: Getting snip happy THE BONEHEAD: An anonymous rigger BONEHEAD RATING: 5+ WHAT HAPPENED: This gentleman has a Suzuki with intermittent starting problems. The boat is a nice conversion from an I/O full-cabin to a single, adequately-powered 250 hp Suzuki, and for the last few years the Suzuki has started easily for me each time the owner, who travels a lot, claims there is “no conversation between the ignition switch and the starter.” One of the safety items Suzuki has is a separate micro-switch on the engine, which has to be depressed by the shifter at the same time the neutral

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3 Distinguished dunce

4 Massively moronic

5 Seek mental help

safety switch in the remote control box is depressed.

I assumed the usual: a sticky remote control cable wasn’t engaging the engine’s neutral switch concurrent with the control box’s, and his movement of the shift lever with the ignition on had confused the ECM. This time, though, was different. There was no communication.

Using my finger to depress the engine’s switch elicited a lot of quiet. I appointed the owner — one-third my size — to go below, remove the bulkhead and locate the control box, and together we’d remove it. A sweaty hour later we had it out, and the switch ohmed perfectly, right along with the engine. Hmmm…

Another little doodad on the Suzuki is the infamous “white wire,” which is engine-mounted and designed to run to the closest battery and give the ECM a full 12v for starting. Because it’s a pain in the backside to route through a rigging tube, most riggers cut it short and attach it to where the POS cable attaches to the starter Bendix. When the engine cranks, the voltage at that point normally drops to 9.5v; in most cases, since some voltage is better than none, I don’t yell too loudly about the idiot who rigged the white wire.

Since the gentleman had just changed out batteries, I assumed he had lost the white wire behind a battery being installed, as I couldn’t see anything in the engine’s harness. Wrong. No white wire. I removed the dash. There was a flash of white wire attached to a gray one that went in a loop and then was mounted on a post that was powered by an attachment to one of the dash switches.

The gray went into the harness toward the engine, normally a key-on source for 12v. At that point I assumed there was no way the ECM was getting 12v to help it.

Back at the engine I rooted around until I found the final stub where the rigger had chopped the white wire almost out of existence. The owner and his neighbor, a retired German engineer, spliced in a length of wire and attached it to where the POS attached to the starter solenoid.

Theoretically — and you know how fickle Theo is — the engine should have started, but no, it gave a short burst from the fuel pump and then veiled us in silence. Even my remote switch elicited the same response. I was faced with a wall: I couldn’t route a thin wire down the side of the boat not knowing the path it would take, which certainly didn’t include going through the rigging tube.

Could I splice 12v into the switch at the dash to make it function?

“Twelve volts won’t kill you,” I kept repeating. Testing the post where the gray was attached, I found 12v. I removed the gray wire and spliced in a white to the ignition switch’s white. Va-voom! The engine fired right up.

LESSON LEARNED: There were two ways of properly doing this job. One, decline to do it, take it back to the place that did it. Two, replace the wiring harness from the dash to the engine, and the wiring maze at the engine, thousands of dollars later. My way wasn’t proper, but I believe MacGyver would have approved. BW

BOATINGWORLD.COM

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You could get a discount when you combine your auto and boat policies.

geico.com | 1-800-865-4846 | Local Office 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. Multi-Policy Discount available to auto insureds that have purchased a boat policy through the GEICO Marine Insurance Company. GEICO is a registered service mark of Government Employees Insurance Company, Washington, D.C. 20076; a Berkshire Hathaway Inc. subsidiary. Š 2018 GEICO

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Relea se Tech n iq ues

Catch & Release: The Right Way Simply putting a fish back in the water isn’t enough. Know how to increase that fish’s chances of survival.

Stephen Ferrel

Fishing

BY DEAN TRAVIS CLARKE

• ARE YOU A masterful fish-catching and -keeping machine? Oh, you practice catch and release, you say? Well, you may be a fish killer without even knowing it! Releasing a fish and watching it swim away may make you feel better, but that fish might die anyway.

Why is that? You ask. Here are some reasons: • Dry hands remove some of the protective slime from the fish’s skin, making it susceptible to viruses or bacteria or parasites that can kill it.

• Bringing it aboard to remove the hook and take pictures can damage its internal organs.

• Holding it horizontally by the lower jaw for a photo op can break its jaw.

• A gut-hooked fish can die from both a difficult hook removal and the hook being left in its gut.

• Not reviving it after a long, hard fight can cause its demise.

• A fish can be too exhausted for well-intentioned revival efforts to work.

• Bringing a bottomfish up too fast forces its swim bladder to expand and protrude from its mouth, and not venting the bladder or getting the fish back down to depth can be fatal.

• You gaffed it, but then caught a larger one…

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Be sure to wet your hands before touching the fish.

Dehookers, special release nets, being as careful as possible during hook removal and keeping the fish in the water all increase a released fish’s chance of survival.

Anglers can avoid these needless transgressions and improve a fish’s chances of survival in several ways.

Circle hooks were invented by Neanderthals many thousands of years ago. Amazingly, their fishing hook design remains the most effective release hook to this day. Rather than snag in the throat of a fish, the rounded hook pulls back out of the throat until it catches in the corner of the fish’s mouth.

A hook is easier to remove if its barb is pinched down. A pinched barb makes it easier for a fish to throw the hook, so anglers practicing safe release techniques should remember to keep steady pressure on the line while fighting a fish when the barb is pinched.

Most predator fish bite or whack their prey and then turn it so as to swallow it headfirst. Anglers who practice giving a drop back or feeding the fish until it completely swallows the bait run a higher probability of gut-hooking a fish. They should set the hook immediately to help avoid this problem.

Humans are the only predator that constantly targets the biggest, strongest

and healthiest prey. All other predators help to maintain the health and genetic purity of stocks by targeting the small, weak and unhealthy. Many fishing enthusiasts feel it’s more sporting to fight big fish on ultra-light tackle. While that may be true for the human, the fish often gets more than it can handle. A prolonged fight on such gear causes exhaustion and a buildup of lactic acid in its muscle tissue, which ultimately causes that tissue to break down. It’s not uncommon for a big, exhausted fish to slowly swim down after release and die on the bottom. If it survives, it certainly has a harder time escaping other predators. Make sure to drag the fish gently, so seawater flows in its mouth and across its gills.

If that bottomfish you just caught looks like it has a huge tumor sticking out of its mouth, that is its swim bladder. You can either deflate the bladder using a venting tool — learn how to do this carefully or you can just as easily kill the fish instantly — or you can use one of the numerous weighted bits of terminal tackle designed to drag the bloated fish back to the bottom, where its bladder will be deflated by the return to

depth, and then automatically release the fish unharmed.

Whenever you handle a fish to remove a hook, attach a bottom-sender or swim it alongside, be sure to wet your hands before touching the fish, which helps preserve its skin’s protective slime layer. Better still is to not touch the fish at all. A dehooking tool makes quick, easy work of removing a hook without hurting the fish or needing to hold it. Some even safely remove a hook from a gut-hooked fish.

Netting a fish can also remove precious slime, so if you plan to release a noted fish, use special release nets that have soft, smooth, knotless mesh.

Smaller fish can be safely handled using a tool called a Boga grip, a pincerlike arrangement that holds the fish by the lower jaw and then drops it at the touch of a button. Obviously, dehookers, nets and grips cause less stress to the fish than a gaff.

On the subject of touch, many anglers lift fish by sliding their fingers inside the gill plates. Gills, which function as the fish’s lungs, are very delicate and should be avoided. Don’t damage them. BW

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Engines

Ya m a h a X TO Of fs hore 42 5

Big, Bad & Beautiful Yamaha’s new V-8 is an industrialstrength outboard designed for the next generation of boats.

BY ALAN JONES

• I WASN’T SURE what to expect. The huge new 425 hp 5.6L V-8 Yamaha was mounted on a Sportsman Masters 267 Bay Boat, which seemed to be a bit of a mismatch. At the dock the boat sat a little stern-heavy, owing to the heft of the outboard, which looked disproportionally large from the dock. Viewed from the helm, however, it looked like it belonged there thanks to its narrow forward profile. Soon enough, a shove of the drive-by-wire throttle caused the big V-8 to roar to life.

After our test boat reached plane, with a fair bit of bowrise, in four seconds, the velocity quickly picked up steam: GPS showed we reached 30 mph in 6.2 seconds.

After I trimmed it out, top speed reached 61.2 mph, nearly 10 mph quicker than this boat’s top speed with Yamaha’s F300. I was a bit confused, since the presentation we just heard indicated this outboard was designed for large offshore boats, but here it was, performing well on a bay boat.

Yamaha isn’t afraid to shock people with its bold designs, and the XTO Offshore (aka the XTO OS) is no exception. Mercury and Seven Marine have come out with high-horsepower outboards, but the 425 hp Yamaha is the most powerful non-supercharged outboard in the industry, and it’s big, weighing in at nearly 1,000 pounds for the 35-inch shaft and 952 pounds for the 25-inch shaft. While this seems to be at odds with the current lighter-is-better trend set by engines such as Yamaha’s own V MAX SHO 250 that

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Designed for larger offshore boats, the XTO OS 425 is sure to find its way onto midsize center consoles and 30-foot-plus pontoons.

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weighs 505 pounds, the mission is different. From the get-go this motor — like its big-boy predecessor, the F350 — was designed to push a new generation of outboard-powered boats that is now stretching past the 50-foot mark, as well as future boat designs. And while power-to-weight is a familiar yardstick for measuring outboards, Yamaha’s primary mission is reliability followed closely by performance in all parameters, whether going fast, slow or in reverse.

While it’s a huge engine, Yamaha designers cleverly packaged it so it still has a 28½-inch mounting center, which, amazingly, matches the F250, so it’s possible to repower on almost any flat transom that can handle 425 hp. Its slim forward profile allows it to tilt into most splashwells, and its increased 73-degree tilt range can raise its lower unit 5.4 inches higher than the F350, which should put it clear of the water — great news for owners who leave their boat in salt water. And the tilt pump shuts off when it reaches its maximum rather than continuing to run like on all other outboards.

The XTO OS is the first four-stroke to feature direct injection. Using a three-stage system with five fuel pumps (three electrical, two mechanical), this high-pressure system injects fuel directly into the combustion chamber at a staggering 2900 psi for extreme atomization. This far outpaces Yamaha’s discontinued HPDI two-strokes, which operated at only 1100 psi. Like high-performance sports car engines, the XTO OS uses an industryleading 12.2:1 compression ratio to help create its 425 hp, but it can run on 89 octane gas. High compression can lead to overheating, but it is averted by the cooling effect of the fine directinjection fuel mist.

Raw horsepower isn’t nearly as important as thrust, however, when it comes to moving mega-center console boats such as the GradyWhite 456, a 45-footer with a 22,500-pound hull.

To move more water, the XTO OS can swing up to a 171/8-inch prop, which is massive compared to a 15-inch prop an F300 might use. For context, visualize the difference between a large pizza and a medium.

To harness all the power, torque and abuse offshore outboards encounter, the XTO OS has a massive set of hardened gears and shafts, which contribute to its weight but add to its durability and longevity. The offshore bracket and wide-span powerhead mounting system work in conjunction with its long-span mounting system to minimize

vibration and provide a secure platform.

Another element that adds to its overall weight is the integrated first-of-its-kind electrical power steering system. It’s a real time saver for people who are used to rigging hydraulic steering systems and their attendant pumps, reservoirs and endless yards of hydraulic lines that must be run from the helm to the engines. Another advantage is that it only draws electrical power when the driver is turning it, unlike hydraulic pumps, which continually draw power, so its huge 90-amp alternator won’t be taxed as it keeps the batteries charged to provide power for the electronics, livewell, stereo, radar and more. The lack of hoses also makes the installation look really clean.

One of the reasons outboards don’t do so well in reverse is that the exhaust runs through the hub and creates turbulent, aerated water the prop must somehow gnaw its way through. The XTO OS features an innovative exhaust routing system that directs exhaust gases above the cavitation plate at less than 2500 rpm, which gives the prop clean water to spin through. It’s no gimmick. In reverse this motor romps, which is great news for anglers who back down while catching big fish.

Aboard a Grady-White 456 with quad XTO OS outboards — 1,700 hp for the math-challenged — the driver buried them and we rocketed rearward.

No doubt this is one of the reasons Yamaha went to great lengths to make the seven-piece cowling watertight, with all but the top panel, which opens easily when it’s time to check or add oil, dogged down by fasteners. In another nod to maintenance, owners can change the gear oil while the boat is in the water.

Despite a rigged weight of 35,454 pounds, the Grady-White Canyon 456 reached a top speed of 58 mph. The only downside I noted was the noise. I measured 96 dBA at wide-open throttle, which was a little surprising given that Yamaha outboards are noted for their quietude.

While we thought the F350 would be for big boats only, it wasn’t long before we saw them on virtually every kind of boat, and that will probably be the case with the XTO OS. In addition to large offshore boats, I expect to see them on 30-something pontoon boats and midsize center consoles that might usually have twin 225s. The price starts at $44,750, so it’s not inexpensive, but compared to the Seven Marine (now owned by Volvo Penta) 527’s price tag of $70K or to twin Yamaha F225s ($46,820), it looks more affordable. BW

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YA M A H A V- 8 S P E C I F I CATI O N S Type Normally aspirated V-8 four-stroke

Displacement 5.6L Full throttle range 5000-6000 rpm

Weight 952 lbs.

25-in./977 lbs.

30-in./999 lbs. 35-in.

Gear ratio 1.79:1 Price $44,750 (25-in.)

PERFORMANCE Tested with Sportsman Masters 267

Time to plane 4 sec.

0-30 mph 6.2 sec.

Top speed 61.2 mph Decibels @ idle 55 Cruise 44.5 mph/ 4500 rpm/88 dBA Peak 61.2 mph/ 6000 rpm/94 dBA Yamaha, yamahaoutboards.com

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018

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D.I.Y. I n sta ll Stereo System A lighted speaker setup delivers both great sound and an after-dark show.

A Tunes Tune-up Upgrading to a new stereo system isn’t too difficult.

BY AL AN JONES

• OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF years, my neighbor JK has been upgrading his 2005 Pro-Line

Express in a big way. He replaced a 7-inch MFD with a Simrad NSS12 evo2, repowered with new Yamaha F300s and most recently added a Simrad autopilot. The obvious next replacement was the stereo system.

JK doesn’t believe in half measures, so he went all-in with a new top-of-the-line Clarion stereo system that includes: • Head unit with radio: Clarion CMS4 • Amplifiers: Clarion XC2510 (for the speakers and subwoofer), XC2410 (for the tower speakers) • NMEA 2000 Interface: Clarion MW6

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• Interior Speakers: 2 sets of 6.5-inch CM1623RL • Tower speakers: 4 CM1624T • Subwoofer: 10-inch CM3013WL • Tower speaker covers: CM1624TPC • USB and AUX in-dash: CCAUSBAV

Total cost: $2,659

Clarion makes 8.8-inch coaxial speakers, but JK elected to go with 6.5-inch speakers for the cabin and helm, because that’s what was there originally and Pro-Line molded in the spaces for speakers that size. I “helped” JK with this project, and our first job was to remove the four old speakers.

The first three required us to remove six screws and use a little force to pull them from their mounting holes, where they’d been for 13 years. The fourth? First special tip: Always hold the speaker while unscrewing it. I failed to do this on number four, and as soon as we freed the last screw, the speaker fell and landed on JK’s iPhone, crushing its screen. I’m always glad to help.

The CM1623RL speakers are new this year and have built-in lighting that owners can activate or not. Enabling the lighting requires two more wires to be run from each speaker to a lighting controller unit, which we didn’t do for the cabin speakers.

The original speakers’ mounting holes were slightly too small, so we attached a grinder bit to a Dremel and enlarged the holes just enough to seat the new speakers securely (1). Then all we had to do was attach the two existing wires and secure the speakers with screws (2).

The old Jensen receiver was in the cabin, and it was wider but not as tall as the CMS4, which has a 3.5-inch TFT color screen, so we fabricated a piece of black Starboard to fill the gap (3), and we angled it for better visibility at the dash.

The Clarion CMS4 digital media receiver is both a source unit and multimedia hub and needs a black box attached to it.

We got lucky and had just enough space for the black box on a shelf beneath the Pro-Line’s crowded wiring harness (4). It only required a two-foot run to the NMEA 2000 backbone we installed when we added the new Simrad display. This bus system allows compatible electronics to “talk” to one another.

JK had been using a freestanding

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1

2

3

5

4

7

6

subwoofer box that ate up cockpit space and looked crude, so he upgraded to a built-in sub. We were lucky to find a location for the subwoofer. Not many options.

To port, however, was a tackle-management locker — it holds four Plano-style tackle boxes — that happened to be the perfect size for the 10-inch Clarion CM3013WL. All we had to do was unscrew the compartment, remove it, and screw in the Starboard mounting sectional we fabricated and mated to the sub before installing it (5).

Not having to cut a 10-inch hole in the fiberglass was a real bonus. The mounting location was adjacent to an unused area in the dry storage compartment under the portside settee, which is where we had room to install the combination subwoofer/stereo amp and the amp for the tower speakers.

Mounting and wiring the two amps was the easiest part of the install. We just screwed them down in the area beneath the portside storage area (6) and used

the existing wires from the being-replaced Pyle car amp to pull the new wires through to the helm where the NMEA backbone and power panel were located.

We removed the existing tower speakers, which were in a different location than where the four new Clarion CM1624TPC speakers would go. Again, using existing wires to pull the new wires through the hardtop tubing eliminated the need to snake the wiring long distances and around bends using a fish tape.

We had to snake the wiring only a few feet to the new location. Mounting the speakers was quick, since their clamshell clamps were easy to secure to the hardtop’s support tubes (7). We enabled the lights for these and the subwoofer and cockpit speakers and ran them to a controller we installed next to the amps.

Last, we installed a remote control for the swim platform. We had to make a small round cut with a hole bit and snake a wiring run under the starboard gunwale and to the receiver’s black box.

The tower speakers swivel, and since JK keeps his boat on a lift at a large dock, he can turn the speakers toward the dock for parties, so they pull double duty. With Bluetooth connectivity the system, with up to four zones, can be controlled by a smartphone. Check out page 53 for more details. BW

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Ask the Experts

Q

+A

BONDING

Chasing Down Corrosion

Q The bronze underwater components on my boat — rudders, struts, prop — are showing major corrosion. It looks like the bonding system is also attached to the motor block. Is that OK or a no-no?

H.T., via BoatingWorld.com

DRIVE CARE

Up or Down?

Q Last winter I started noticing lower units and outdrives tilted up or left down, depending on what boatyard I happened to be visiting. It made me think there was a mechanic’s preference, so now I wonder how to tilt the drive up for the winter?

Hendry F., via BoatingWorld.com

Most of the fears have centered around gearcases freezing and cracking. When you see one with a crack that starts just in front of the prop and works its way forward, that’s from corrosion buildup between the housing and the propshaft carrier, not freezing. Before the snow flies, changing the gear oil is mandatory. If the oil is watery or milky and the drive is tilted up, water will seep in and that will freeze and cause untold damage. Before that occurs, that’s the time to correct the problem. If there’s a leak under the water pump, that also will create a freeze-and-break situation, so you see that the same problem can occur whether the drive is up or down. Change the oil, correct any leaking problems, and tilt it up or leave it down — you’ll be just fine. — GM

While the terms are often used interchangeably, there are differences between grounding and bonding systems, both in their installation requirements and the goals they’re trying to address. Bonding is an attempt to prevent corrosion; grounding is an attempt to prevent electrocution and fire. The short version of all this hubbub is that each of the various systems — DC negative, AC safety ground and the bonding system — are required to be connected as one in order to be ABYC compliant. The disagreements arise, however, from exactly what components should be bonded or connected together.

When a boat owner says he has a bonding system, that generally is understood to mean that all of the underwater metal components — through-hulls, struts, rudders, propeller shafts — are interconnected to the grounding and bonding system, which normally includes the engine.

The first component I’d ask about are your sacrificial anodes (aka zincs). Are they installed and maintained? In other words, do you have them checked regularly to

MEET OUR EXPERTS

Frank Lanier

Capt. Lanier is an accredited marine surveyor with more than 30 years of experience in the marine industry and owner of Capt. FK Lanier & Associates, Marine Surveyors and Consultants.

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Grid Michal

With 50 years of experience as a marine tech, Michal is also American Suzuki and OMC/Bombardier (BRP) certified.

Zuzana Prochazka

Prochazka is a freelance writer and photographer. She holds a USCG 100-Ton Master license, is the editor of her boat and gear review website, TalkOfTheDock.com, and serves on the board of Boating Writers International.

BOATINGWORLD.COM

10/3/18 1:56 PM

Fish & Cruise While the 236CC was designed for use as a coastal fishing boat, it's really a multi-purpose boat that can be used for lots of activities — pulling kids on a tube, cruising to dinner, or just a leisurely ride along the waterways.

With seating for up to twelve passengers, rod holders and storage throughout, and a changing compartment that can be upgraded with an optional porta potti, the 236CC is ready for a full day of fun on the water with family and friends!

236CC Deck Boat 23’ 8” | 101” beam | 3648 lbs (w/ popular engine) | 68 gal fuel capacity | 12 ppl, 3250 lbs VISIT STINGRAYBOATS.COM /236CC FOR MORE INFORMATION

ASK THE EXPERTS

ensure the bronze components are always protected? If you installed zincs during a haulout three years ago and now find they are gone and corrosion is evident, that shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. As the name implies, sacrificial anodes waste away to protect a boat’s precious metals. It’s what they do.

You should have some idea of what the normal rate of wastage is for your vessel’s zincs and plan to renew them accordingly.

The goal is to replace them before they are used up and no longer provide protection.

Their rate of wastage will depend on a number of factors, not only with your boat but its surroundings as well. Issues such as faulty wiring on a neighboring boat or even the dock itself can greatly accelerate the rate of zinc wastage.

If you are unsure how long your zincs last, I’d recommend having new installations checked every 30, 60 and 90 days, to gauge the rate of wastage. This is also good advice if you move into a new slip or marina. Keep

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in mind that this rate can change if situations around your boat change (e.g., a new boat with a wiring issue moves nearby).

If you are burning through zincs at an unusually high rate, contact a marine surveyor to have a corrosion survey conducted on your boat. This will help determine where the problem originates — your boat, a neighbor, something else.

Finally, there is a lot of debate on the benefits of bonding in general. My personal opinion is to protect with anodes as required but not to bond together throughhulls, props, shafts or any other immersed metal that can be electrically isolated. — FL ENGINES

Service Now or Later

Q I just purchased a 2008 Glastron GT 185. The engine is a 4.3 Volvo Penta with six hours on it. The owner claims to have changed the oil a couple of times, replaced the impeller in 2016 and regularly ran the engine during the last 10

years. The surveyor said the compression was good, the engine started right up and ran smoothly, but he didn’t offer any suggestions on what services I should have done to ensure everything really is in good shape. The local Penta service shop suggested I have a 100-hour service done for about $800.

What service should I really get done?

Does the boat need the full 100-hour service at this time?

Sam Taylor, via BoatingWorld.com The good news is the outdrive should be stout enough to handle a few of Lizzie Borden’s whacks and not need dire repairs.

The flip side is that the outdrive is the most serviced item. If I owned it, I’d take it to the dealer for outdrive service only, and change the engine oils myself. The following year, take the boat in for a computer diagnosis to make certain you’re on the right track. After a few services, you’ll be at $800, but it won’t be so painful. — GM

BOATINGWORLD.COM

10/3/18 1:56 PM

THREE RELIABLE NEW TIRES FOR ONE TOUGH WORLD.

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Durable-Tread Technology™ for extreme loads. Available in larger sizes, and backed by a best-in-class mileage warranty of up to 60,000 miles.**

count on cooper.

An American Company Since 1914. coopertire.com ®

*Based on the warranty length of all-terrain tires from a leading consumer publication. Warranty terms and conditions apply. **Based on the warranty length of LT-denoted all-terrain tires from a leading consumer publication. Warranty terms and conditions apply.

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OVER 460 BOAT TEST VIDEOS...

468 Boat Tests and Over 3,684,000 Views Search ”Boating World’ on Youtube.com to access our video channel.

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... AND COUNTING!

We answer the questions that really matter to you - before you buy a boat.

Ride along with Boating World’s executive editor Alan Jones as he tests hundreds of makes and models, from ski boats to pontoons. Our boat test video vault includes over 460 clips — each with in-depth walk-throughs highlighting features and options, and running footage showing how the boat accelerates and corners (including the type of wake). We put ourselves in your shoes and deliver practical and objective opinions on how each boat measures up. ®

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5/4/17 2:09 PM

Tested

First Drive

YA M A H A 2 1 0 F S H S P O R T // B Y A L A N J O N E S

Go FiSH Yamaha’s new 210 FSH is ready for whatever’s on the agenda.

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compartment under the bow seat and is great for storing longer items. Under the starboard-side seat is a cooler for beverages, which leaves the one under the leaning post to store all the fish.

Yamaha makes great use of the large center console by including a front-opening door that lifts up to reveal a privacy curtain that hides a roomy head compartment/ changing room. At the helm is a stainless steel wheel with a spinner knob for fast, one-handed maneuvering, and at the dash is plenty of room for big-screen electronics. In addition to the analog speedometer

A tow eye at the transom facilitates skiing.

YAMAHA DESIGNERS MAY NOT have known it at the time, but when they created the Exciter in 1995, they had actually built a fishing boat. Anglers will fish on anything that floats and moves, and the fact this boat didn’t have an outboard engine to intrude on the swim platform only confirmed what they knew: Yamaha, over the years, has evolved a wide-open spaces concept at the stern to create a comfortable back porch and made it even cushier for folks who like to flip a frog.

In 2016, its designers finally created a dedicated center console hybrid fishing model called the 190 FSH. For 2018, Yamaha added three new 21-foot, 3-inch models to expand on what it started. The FSH isn’t a one-trick pony, either. It can easily handle watersports and entertaining.

UNIQUE FACTOR

A center-console jet boat definitely breaks 30

the twin-console mold used for most boats in this category, but that doesn’t pigeonhole it as a fishing-only vessel. Up front are twin bowrider lounges whose seat cushions can be removed to expose casting decks. Something that sets center-console recreational boats apart from dual consoles is the extensive use of gray Marine Mat. At the bow, the anchor hatch is covered in it, which makes it a great spot for tossing a cast net. And set into the deck at the centerline is a storage compartment with a round inset for a five-gallon bucket where most anglers keep their net.

More Marine Mat is used to form side bolsters, so anglers can lean against the gunwale in comfort during a fight. Just behind the bowrider seats, a pair of storage consoles are topped with more Marine Mat and make a great working surface for rigging rods or displaying snacks. The portside module storage is connected to the

and tach gauges, there’s a 4.3-inch Connext screen that displays information for all the boat’s systems.

On top of the console is yet more Marine Mat, which keeps items from sliding off.

One of the rocker switches next to the wheel is for the washdown hose; it diverts water from one of the TR-1’s pumps, which is a great idea, but I was disappointed by the feeble stream it produced.

PERFORMANCE

Yamaha’s first foray into the fishing hybrid niche, the 190 FSH, was a little weak on performance … something not normally associated with the brand. The 190 FSH we tested a couple of years ago was powered by a single normally aspirated 1.8L High Output motor, and we could only wring 38 mph and a relatively slow 9.8-second time to 30 mph out of it.

The 210 FSH has sportier performance than the 190 FSH. Instead of a single large engine, it has two smaller TR-1 High Output

(Clockwise from right) The big center console features plenty of room for electronics.

An insulated fishbox is under the portside bowrider seat. A snack display area is topped with Marine Mat.

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The fabric T-top has low-profile support tubes (far right) that keep the deck clear of footstubbing obstructions. Twin livewells keep live bait at the ready, and six in-gunwale rod holders (middle, bottom) make fishing easier.

Aft seating (below, right) is the boat’s signature feature.

YA M A H A 2 1 0 FSH SPORT Length 21 ft., 3 in.

Beam 8 ft., 6 in.

Deadrise 20 degrees Capacity 10 people

engines that each produce approximately 115 hp. The three-cylinder TR-1 is slightly larger than 1 liter in displacement (1049 cc) and replaces the MR-1, which had been a staple since 2002 for Yamaha’s lower-priced WaveRunners. The new TR-1 is 40 percent more compact and, at 160 pounds, weighs 20 percent less than the MR-1 but makes 13 percent more horsepower, so it has plenty of snap. A pair of these mini motors pushed the 210 FSH to plane in 2.8 seconds and to 30 mph in 6.9 seconds. Top speed reached a respectable 44.3 mph.

Dry Weight (hull) 3,003 lbs.

Fuel Capacity 50 gal.

Max HP 230 PERFORMANCE Peak 44.3 mph/ 8000 rpm/99 dBA Cruise 28.6 mph/ 6000 rpm/92 dBA Time to Plane 2.8 sec.

Time to 30 mph 6.9 sec.

POWER Test Twin Yamaha TR-1 Cylinders Inline 3

HANDLING

One of the issues for people new to a jet boat is how it handles, but Yamaha makes the transition for “regular” boat owners easier with an innovation called the Articulating Keel. Part of its Advanced Response Handling package, the Articulating Keel is a pronounced keel that runs the length of the wetted surface and terminates at the stern with a large rudder that’s tied to the jet drives. It not only helps with tracking during hard turns under power but also

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Displacement 1.0L Weight w/outdrive 160 lbs.

WOT Range 8000 rpm Base Price w/test power $46,499

Value-Added Standard Features: Dual-axle custom trailer, 7 popup cleats, in-floor storage, Clarion 4-speaker Bluetooth stereo, T-top, privacy curtain, washdown hose, 4.3-inch Connext screen, cruise control

Must-Have Options: Aluminum dual-axle trailer, Magma gas grill, Magma cleaning table, Yamaha two-person towable tube

Builder: Yamaha, yamahaboats.com Financing: $334/month w/15% down and 6% interest for 15 years

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The Articulating Keel runs the length of the wetted surface and helps the 210 FSH track better.

PURCHA SED BY ROBERT AND ARI BROCK, P L U S M A S O N A N D T A N N E R , 7, J A C O B A N D M E G A N , 1 4, A L I S O N , 1 8 , L A N D O ’ L A K E S ,

provides off-throttle turning capability. At the dock, the keel simplifies backing up.

Yamaha also provides Wake Assist to help dial in the perfect no-wake speed and a cruise control system that’s especially helpful for watersports. The Yamaha 210 FSH’s hull features 20 degrees of deadrise, which is great for slicing through choppy waters.

To promote side-to-side stability and create more passenger space, its full 8-foot, 6-inch beam is carried far forward, like on a deckboat.

BEST USES

The day after we tested it, I, Steve Banta (our videographer) and John Kiely (a former Boating World editor, circa 1996) got to use this boat for a day of fishing, and it was a pleasure to fish aboard. The leaning post had a sturdy flippable seatback, so we could face aft for leisurely fishing. Same goes for the roomy two-tiered stern lounge area. Our test boat was equipped with Minn Kota’s Riptide trolling motor with iPilot, which allows operators to control it with a remote fob. We had six in-gunwale rod holders and two more at the transom, six vertical holders, four under-gunwale racks and four rocket launchers in the T-top, for a total of 22.

A tow eye at the transom facilitates skiing and a four-step ladder that neatly retracts under the swim platform simplifies reboarding.

One problem with jet drives is they can suck up vegetation, and with other boat brands it takes a plunge into the water to clear them. Yamaha, however, has a stern storage hatch (for items such ropes) that

provides access to twin cleanout ports. For safety, built-in kill switches turn off the engines when anyone opens the hatch.

PREFERRED SETUP

Yamaha doesn’t play by the normal industry rules with its boat lines. Most builders offer a basic boat to keep the MSRP low and then leave it to the owner to add items to make it a proper boat. Instead, Yamaha offers three trim lines with different features and leaves few options for buyers to puzzle over.

Starting at $41,099, the 210 FSH has no top of any kind and has a leaning post with no backrest and no privacy curtain for the center console. The next step up is the 210 FSH Deluxe, which retails for $43,699 and features a Bimini top, a flippable seatback for the leaning post and a Slate Blue hull color (instead of white). The 210 FSH Sport is the model we tested. It’s the fanciest of the bunch and looks the part of a true fishing center console with a well-braced, weight-saving fabric cover T-top and four rocket launcher rod holders. This top-of-theline model is offered in a choice of two hull colors — Sky Blue or Black — for $46,499.

The two higher-end models have pre-wiring and a fixed mount for trolling motors.

All models come with a dual-axle painted steel trailer that can be upgraded to aluminum for better durability in salt water.

A four-speaker Bluetooth Clarion sound system enhances everyone’s listening pleasure. About the only other available options (called accessories) are the Magma cleaning table, a gas grill (also from Magma) and a Yamaha-branded towable tube. BW

FLA. PURCH A SED AT C YCL E SPRINGS P O W E R S P O R T S , C L E A R WA T E R , F L A .

W H AT W E L IK ED

Center console layout/Open stern section/Large center console storage/ Head compartment/Fit and finish/ No-prop jet drive W H AT W E WOUL D CH A NGE

We don’t like the fact the anchor locker hatch opens toward you.

WHY WE BOUGHT IT

We’ve had several different kinds of boats but really liked the Yamaha 210 FSH because of its open design, huge amount of storage and jet drive system that doesn’t have props, which is safer when you have small kids. Growing up I did a lot of fishing far offshore with my dad, but we found we could catch grouper and even mahi-mahi without going out more than 20 to 30 miles. My wife and kids really like to go to the sandbar at Anclote Key and hang out with other boaters. One of our favorite trips was an overnight stay at the Holiday Inn in Indian Rocks Beach. We do most of our boating around Tarpon Springs and hit restaurants such as Frenchie’s. The open stern makes it easy to go diving, and in scallop season we head to Hernando Beach. We find the Yamaha is really seaworthy and plan to go from Miami to Bimini when the conditions are right.

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Tested

First Drive

in 1956, and from the get-go it was a futuristic company, using a new material called fiberglass that would revolutionize boat building. Its first model, the Fireflite, came in a choice of four colors, unlike the usual one-color “option.”

Fast forward to 2018 and the Glastron GTD 200 carries on the builder’s tradition of innovation and user-friendliness.

aluminum struts. The new deckboat line also includes an 18- and 22-footer.

The first eye-catching feature is on the portside gunwale. At first, I thought it was a tuna door for landing big fish, but it’s actually a flip-up section that allows passengers easy access in and out of the boat. The GTD 200 features fairly high gunwales for better safety, which normally would mean the only practical options for boarding are the swim platform or foredeck, but Glastron engineers cleverly created this mid-boat entry that’s easier for guests to negotiate. The flip-over gunwale section reduces its height and gives passengers a flat nonskid section to step on.

Then there’s an intermediate step-down into the cockpit, which can fold flat against the interior hull side when not in use or be padded for use as seating.

Guests boarding aft can easily enter the cockpit without stepping on the upholstery thanks to the starboard side entry.

UNIQUE FACTOR

PERFORMANCE

Deckboats can look pretty boxy, but Glastron’s reemergence into the deckboat business with the GTD 200 — sleek profile and modified signature “sweep spear” hullside styling cue — indicates right away it hasn’t strayed too far from its sporty runabout herd. Our test boat featured dual consoles with highly raked individual windshields braced by stylish billet

Our test boat was powered to its maximum rating with an Evinrude E-TEC G2 200, a direct-injected two-stroke whose sound transported me back to Glastron’s

G L A S T R O N G T D 2 0 0 // B Y A L A N J O N E S

Back on Deck After a five-year hiatus, Glastron is back in the deckboat business with a stylish do-it-all model.

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early days when the legend began. The G2 is more muted than earlier two-strokes and doesn’t emit the smoke and smell, but all the good parts remain, including the kick-inthe-seat-of-the-pants acceleration, which pushed the GTD 200 on plane in just 2.7 seconds, with minimal bowrise. The G2 has a lively midrange power band that allowed the GTD to reach 30 mph in 6.6 seconds, and despite choppy conditions on Lake Cadillac,

Glastron’s reemergence into the deckboat business with the GTD 200 indicates right away it hasn’t strayed too far from its sporty runabout herd. near where Glastron builds, it cracked the 50 mph mark.

We had a chance to test its sister deckboat, the GTD 205, which featured a MerCruiser 4.5L 250 hp sterndrive. Despite 50 more horsepower, it was slightly slower to plane (3.2 seconds) and to 30 mph (7.1 seconds).

I was surprised by how much faster the outboard version was (50.4 mph vs. 44.5 mph). Usually, horsepower rules for top speed but not in this particular instance.

Besides Evinrude, Glastron offers a choice of Mercury and Yamaha power at the 115, 150 and 200 hp levels. The Evinrude G2 200 is the priciest of the bunch by a fair amount

(From top to bottom) The captain’s chair has side cutouts, so the driver can turn sideways without pivoting the seat. The bow seat bottoms remove to reveal storage, and there’s a removable trash can in the walkthrough alcove. Despite having an outboard, the swim platform is roomy. To port is a sink with a spigot, and the portside console conceals a cooler.

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PURCHA SED BY NICK AND NIKKI C ARDINAL, P L U S Z A C K , 1 2, C A D E N , 1 3 , S A L E M , O H I O P U R C H A S E D A T R AV E N N A M A R I N E , R AV E N N A , O H I O W H AT W E L IK ED

Made-by-Glastron trailer/Sporty handling/Powerful and quiet Mercury 150 FourStroke/Open layout with plenty of seating/Large amount of storage W H AT W E WOUL D CH A NGE

We would have liked for there to be a small enclosed compartment for cellphones and wallets, etc.

WHY WE BOUGHT IT

We bought a used 2006 Glastron years ago and really liked it, but it was starting to show its age and we were starting to spend more on upkeep, so we went to Ravenna Marine to buy a new one. When I met the owner, Gary, he looked familiar.

After chatting with him, we discovered he was my former boss at a grocery store in Alliance, Ohio, where I worked when I was in high school. Small world. He and James made the buying experience a real pleasure and have given us great, personalized service since the purchase. When we took it to Lake Milton the first time, it pulled like a dream. I like to fish but mostly I tow the boys around on a tube and cruise around the lake. They are just learning to ski and the Glastron is well suited for watersports.

Even though the GTD 200 is smaller than our last boat, the open layout makes it feel like a bigger boat.

B OAT N A M E Length 20 ft., 3 in.

Beam 8 ft., 6 in.

Deadrise 17 degrees Capacity 11 people Dry Weight (hull) 3,000 lbs.

Fuel Capacity 40 gal.

Max HP 200 PERFORMANCE

The cognac interior looks great and wraparound seating yields plenty of passenger capacity.

Peak 50.4 mph/ 6000 rpm/94 dBA Cruise 30 mph/ 4000 rpm/86 dBA Time to Plane 2.7 sec.

Time to 30 mph 6.6 sec.

POWER Test Evinrude E-TEC G2 200

Cylinders V-6 Displacement 2.7L Weight w/outdrive 433 lbs.

WOT Range 5000-6000 rpm

Base Price w/test power $50,700

— $6,233 more than the Yamaha F200 — and with it the cost of the GTD 200 reaches $50,700, but there are a few advantages, such as built-in power steering and the clean, one-hose rigging tube that maximizes space on the roomy swim platform.

From a price standpoint, buyers might be tempted by the 115s but probably won’t be happy with the performance. During Yamaha testing, the boat only managed to reach 37 mph with the F115, which is pretty pokey by Glastron standards. Going with the F115 does drop the price to $36,733, but it’s not worth the hit in performance.

To shave the bottom line, a 150 is a better option. All three engine options in this range put the bottom line near $40K and still deliver a top speed in the mid-40s, which is fast enough for any watersport.

Because the engine is mounted on a bracket behind the splashwell, there’s more usable swim platform space than on most other outboard-powered boats.

Value-Added Standard Features: Single-axle custom trailer, Kicker 4-speaker Bluetooth stereo, hydraulic tilt steering, courtesy lights, ski locker, cooler, captain’s chairs w/flip-up bolsters

Must-Have Options: Dual-axle trailer, Bimini top, ski tow, wakeboard tower, premium stereo w/subwoofer, bow boarding ladder, bow filler cushion, fishing package, upgraded wheel

Builder: Groupe Beneteau, glastron.com Financing: $364/month w/15% down and 6% interest for 15 years

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HANDLING

The GTD 200 employs Glastron’s Super Stable Vee (SSV) hull, which uses wide reverse chines to help it get on plane quickly and minimize bowrise. The chines extend farther forward than on most other boats and limits lateral rock ‘n’ roll, which queasier guests will love. In hard corners, the GTD carves a beautiful arc with little slip and doesn’t heel hard over, in part thanks to its moderate 17 degrees of deadrise.

On test day, the wind exceeded 20 mph and Lake Cadillac had a nasty chop. Heading out from the relatively quiet cove where we ran our performance numbers, we got a good feel for how it handles less-than-perfect conditions. I appreciated the fact it ran slightly bow-high, even without trimming the engine up all the way, which gave the GTD plenty of freeboard up front, unlike some deckboats we’ve run in the past. And even with the non-deep-V hull, it still rode comfortably over the chop when I kept the speed around 30 mph.

BEST USES

The GTD 200 handles a number of roles really well.

The GTD 200 handles a number of roles really well. For watersports, a ski pylon is a $200 option and a watersports tower costs $1,967. Board racks for the tower are an extra $600, and the boat includes a standard centerline storage compartment for skis and boards. It throws a decent wakeboard wake at 20 mph — more for folks just getting into the sport — and its flattish deadrise encourages slalom skiing at 30 mph.

One interesting feature is the rear storage locker. It features a mesh hammock that promotes drainage when storing items such as wet ropes. For changing out of wet swimsuits, there’s a dropdown privacy curtain on the optional Bimini top ($953).

The GTD easily converts into a fishing boat with the addition of the Fishing Package ($3,467), which includes a baitwell, a bow casting platform, fishing seats, a fishfinder and a pre-rig for a 24v trolling motor. The trolling motor itself is a $1,267 add-on.

PREFERRED SETUP

(From top) For easy dockside boarding, a gunwale section swings out.

Analog gauges at the helm add a retro touch. A huge ski locker is set into the deck.

Standard features abound, including a single-axle trailer, but for better towing a twin-axle trailer is a $1,067 option. For entertainment, the GTD 200 comes with an upscale Kicker four-speaker Bluetooth stereo, but a $1,233 premium stereo package features a subwoofer, an upgraded stereo, a stereo remote and a lighting package. And for snack display, the cockpit table option, with mounts, costs $467.

For a boat that’s only 3 inches longer than 20 feet, it has a generous passenger rating of 11 — two more than its pointy-nosed GT 200 stable mate — and there’s room for all of its occupants on U-shaped seating groups fore and aft. Glastron also offers the GTDX 200 model, which eliminates the port console and adds even more seating, although its capacity is also 11 passengers.

For better protection, the GTD has a full windshield option ($967).

For additional reclining options, removable seatbacks can be added for $480. Adding a bow filler cushion delivers more posterior resting space, for $313. A removable bow boarding ladder ($433) enhances beach access. BW BOATINGWORLD.COM NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018

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First Drive

S W E E T WAT E R 2 3 8 6 D T // B Y A L A N J O N E S

Movin’ On Up The 2386 DT exemplifies Sweetwater’s expansion into a more luxurious neighborhood.

• hierarchy, Sweetwater has historically been the least expensive line, and in the past it showed. Compared to the high-end Sanpan models, a Sweetwater looked less luxurious. But for 2018, the builder ramped up the luxe level — models such as the 2386 DT look downright elegant but maintain a budget-friendly bottom line — and expanded the line to include many new floor plans, so matching layout to lifestyle has never been easier.

IN THE GODFREY PONTOON

UNIQUE FACTOR

The DT in model name 2386 DT stands for dinette table, and while Sweetwater has offered them before, they’ve been nothing like this one. The large, rectangular table is sturdily supported by twin pedestals, so stability won’t be an issue. But what about storing it, which on a pontoon can be problematic? Sweetwater designers solved this problem by adding a specialized compartment behind the rearmost bench seat. And clamps hold the legs securely underneath the table to reduce clanking.

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Once the table is removed, another clever innovation can be revealed: a double-duty module that saves cockpit space. For dining, it forms twin facing benches with flip-flop seatbacks that can seat four adults. For tanning, just flip the seatbacks toward the middle to form a sunpad with plenty of acreage. This floor plan doesn’t need a static stern sunpad like on many other models.

PERFORMANCE

Not many pontoon boats offer consumers as wide a variety of engine choices as the Sweetwater 2386 DT, since it can be rigged with any major outboard, 20- or 25-inch shaft, from 50 to 200 hp. I counted 147 in all. The base boat comes with twin 23-inch pontoons and is priced at $32,260 with Yamaha’s T50, which is fine for owners on a really small body of water who aren’t into watersports. But boaters who have a more active lifestyle and want to feel their hair actually move need more. The first step to great performance is to get the 25-inch Triple Tube Package, which increases the

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bottom line by $3,867 but is necessary to get the most out of this model.

Our test boat had maximum power in the form of a Yamaha F200XCA, which is the 25-inch version. The 20-inch shaft

and a third tube with a Launch Pad for quicker planing. Boat owners who tend to carry close to the maximum of 11 passengers or do their pontooning on a large body of water should check out the 27-inch-tube

Models such as the 2386 DT look downright elegant but maintain a budget-friendly bottom line (F200LCA) saves $1,107, but having the powerhead higher off the water, especially in salt water, is well worth the extra expense. Using the max power by Yamaha, the 2386 DT got on plane in 2.5 seconds, reached 30 mph in 7.7 seconds and topped out at 43 mph.

package. It costs only $427 more, noticeably raises the deck off the water for better seakeeping, gives it a four-wheel drive feel and carries 45 gallons of fuel, 10 more than the 25-inchers.

The triple tubes have lifting strakes on both sides of the center tube and on the

inside of the outside tubes, which is the most common configuration. The combo allows it to lean in during hard turns and still ride on top rather than plow through the water.

BEST USES

With the Triple Tube Package, the 2386 DT makes a good pontoon for watersports, especially with a ski tow ($367) or a TurboSwing Giant engine hoop ($1,234).

Buyers can upgrade the boarding ladder to stainless steel for $220, but Sweetwater offers a black Easy Climb ladder ($167) that, like its name suggests, makes the extraction process a slice of Bavarian chocolate thanks to large, angled steps and fat grabrails.

Fishing becomes a viable activity with a few options, including a $200 livewell and a $760 Simrad G05 XSE that has a 5-inch

HANDLING

Our test 2386 DT had the Triple Tube Package, which includes an aluminum underskin, inside skirting, lifting strakes, heavy-duty channels, a GPS speedometer

(Clockwise from top right) Extra-long bow couches feature pillow-top upholstery. The dinette seats have reversible seatbacks. A Yamaha F200 pushes this three-tube pontoon really well.

Watersports are enhanced by a tall ski tow and reboarding made easier by a four-step stainless steel ladder. A sporty wheel accentuates the new-for-2018 helm.

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S W E E E T WAT E R 2 3 8 6 DT Length 23 ft., 9 in.

Beam 8 ft., 6 in.

Pontoon Diameter 23/25/27 in.

Capacity 11 people Dry Weight (hull) 2,670 lbs.

Fuel Capacity 35 gal.

Max HP 200 PERFORMANCE Peak 43.0 mph/ 6000 rpm/93 dBA Cruise 29.7 mph/ 4500 rpm/86 dBA Time to Plane 2.5 sec.

Time to 30 mph 7.7 sec.

POWER Test Yamaha F200 Cylinders Inline 4

A compact wash-up and food-prep station keeps social spaces open and improves traffic flow. Sweetwater offers a grill here as an option.

touchscreen and can be flush-mounted in the center of the dash. The second captain’s chair is a decent portside fishing spot, but if angling is a primary passion, a better model option would be the 2386 CC, which has a center console and fishing seats in all corners.

Although it can handle just about anything, the 2386 is optimized for entertaining and cruising. At 23 feet, 9 inches long, it has plenty of seating on twin bow chaise lounges and aft dinette seats. During parties, most people stand, and the 2386 has lots of wide-open spaces thanks to an abbreviated wash-up and food-prep station behind the captain’s chair. Abbreviated fore and aft outside-the-fence decks help

Displacement 2.8L Weight w/outdrive 489 lbs.

WOT Range 5000-6000 rpm

Base Price w/test power $48,581

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Value-Added Standard Features: Bluetooth 2-speaker stereo, Bimini top, entertainment center, dinette table, interior courtesy lighting, four stainless steel cleats, sliding captain’s chair

Must-Have Options: Ski tow, electronics, changing room, bow filler cushion, premium Polk 4-speaker stereo, upgraded captain’s chair, stainless steel boarding ladder, entertainment center w/grill

Builder: Godfrey Pontoons, godfreypontoonboats.com Financing: $348/month w/15% down and 6% interest for 15 years

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P U R C H A S E D B Y S H A R O N A N D K E L LY C ALL AHAN, ISLE OF C APRI, FL A. PURCH A SED AT T HE BOAT HOUSE, N A PL ES, FLA. W H AT W E L IK ED

The Triple Tube Package delivers sporty handling.

maximize interior space.

An entertainment center upgrade ($2,374) amps up the hospitality quotient and adds a built-in grill for wowing guests with freshly cooked food. For more food display area in the bow, a portable cooler table is a $634 option, or a dinette table up front is $380. The upgraded stereo doubles

a choice of 15 vinyl flooring material options that range from a pair of standard choices to more deluxe woven alternatives that cost up to $1,527. Our boat had the Metro Tannery choice, which was an extra $847.

The helm is all new for 2018 and features an all-fiberglass design with an angled footrest and expansive dash. Our boat had the

Although it can handle just about anything, the 2386 is optimized for entertaining and cruising. the speakers to a four-speaker Turn It Up II Polk system, for $467, but buyers who want to add a subwoofer will have to go to the aftermarket.

PREFERRED SETUP

Sweetwater offers a huge number of options that will push the 2386 DT solidly into the luxury pontoon boat ranks. There are a whopping 13 upholstery options, and our boat had the top-of-the-line Sahara Tan Surluxe Pillowtop ($3,867). It had Black Cherry accents, which matched the new fencing color of the same name. Sweetwater has moved away from carpet and instead offers

upgraded Evolution captain’s chair ($500) and tilt wheel ($80), which helped give it a more luxurious feel. A useful option is a changing room ($380) that can be equipped with a portable toilet for $140. An in-floor compartment ($1,147) is perfect for storing skis and tubes, and for quick rinses there’s a hose up front ($367) set into the recessed kickplate.

Often, a bow filler cushion can get in the way of boarding, but the shortish bow deck on the 2386 probably won’t get used as frequently as the port gate, so adding the sectional ($487) is a great way to expand seating capacity. BW

Rear dinette table/Excellent craftsmanship/Quiet Yamaha F150 outboard/ Triple-tube performance and superior seakeeping/Ample storage/Value W H AT W E WOUL D CH A NGE

We would like a large trash can somewhere on the boat that is readily accessible.

WHY WE BOUGHT IT

My husband, Kelly, and I operate Cool Beans Cruises (coolbeanscruises.com) and we bought the Sweetwater to take out small groups in the waters between Naples and Marco Island. Most of our cruises are for sightseeing, to see the abundant wildlife such as dolphins, manatees and birds on the southwest coast of Florida, but we also like to pull up on sandbars such as Sand Dollar Island for some world-class shelling.

Although we have larger catamarans for bigger charters, the Sweetwater 2386 RT is the perfect size for smaller, more intimate charters where we restaurant hop to places such as the Snook Inn on Marco Island. We really love its comfort and roominess in addition to the smooth ride. Jeremy at The Boat House was very professional during the buying process.

He answered all our questions promptly and put no pressure on us. We will definitely buy our next boat there.

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Win the holiday season MVP award with help from our 35-item list of gifts for boaters.

B Boatin  Worl  Staf  The holidays are going to be here soon.

Don’t let them sneak up on you like they have every year until now. Be prepared.

Be well armed with ideas. Be the giftgiver everyone remembers next year and the year after and … you get the idea.

We sta rted compiling this array of potential joy-bringing items in June(!!) and arrived at nearly three dozen suggestions for gifts that will make boaters, anglers and watersports enthusiasts happy. And our ideas are sure to spark countless other ideas that will have you tied up online for hours and hours. Beats working, so search away and find the perfect gifts for the boaters in your life.

The first and most important item, of course, is a subscription to Boating World. At only $10 for a two-year, 18-issue subscription (boatingworld. com/subscription-services), it’s the kind of gift at the kind of price point that could make several people happy.

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LESS THAN $50

1

4

5

6

Fishing Tracker

PWC Fenders

Pontoon Corner Bumper

No-Knot Cleat

Anglr.com, $29.99 Bullseye from Anglr is a Bluetooth-enabled button anglers can wear or affix to the boat.

When it’s synced with a free app, a push of the button records data such as weather, water temp, and location. Two clicks creates a waypoint. Data can later be accessed through the app.

SportsStuff.com, $20.99 Hull Hugr is a PWC fender that hinges in the center and secures under the rub rail with a hook to protect the PWC’s body. The adjustable strap and vinyl-dipped steel hook attach to a cleat or ski eye. A rubber block provides an anchor for the strap if a cleat isn’t available.

2 Ratchet Transom Tie-down Straps

WestMarine.com, $29.99/set of 2 For a little extra security during trailering, Heavy Duty Boat Buckle Ratchet Transom Tie-down straps provide a breaking strength of 2,500 pounds and a safe working load of 833 pounds. The 2-inchwide straps are 2 feet long and have a vinyl-coated top hook and protective pads.

WestMarine.com, $29.99 Keep the pontoon corners on somebody’s boat pristine by giving him a Taylor Made Pontoon Corner Bumper (or two). Made of heavy-gauge PVC and designed to secure, via stainless fasteners, to radius-style or 90-degree corners, the bumpers deliver air-cushioned impact protection.

Quick-Cleat.com, $22.95 Inflatable toys are nice to have on a trailerable boat, but securing them can be a problem. For someone in that, ahem, boat, a No-Knot Cleat for Inflatables could be a welcome gift. A superstrong adhesive adheres the cleat to inflatable PVC boats, kayaks and paddleboards, and a rotating cam eliminates the need for a knot in the line.

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3 Ratcheting Tie-down Straps

HarborFreight.com, $21.99/ set of 4 With ratchet handles that make it easy to adjust strap length and handle levers that cinch straps tight, Haul Master Ratcheting Tie-down Straps are a welcome addition to a boater’s trailer accessories. Each has 1,000 pounds of capacity, is one-halfinch wide and is 10 feet long.

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$51 TO $150

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women’s hoodie is sure to find a place in your favorite boating gal’s onboard wardrobe. Its stylish looks are apparent, but its long sleeves and kangaroo pocket will be what she appreciates.

Headland Sunglasses Sunski.com, $48 With a lightweight frame and polarized lenses, Headland sunglasses from Sunski are a good fit for men and women.

The frames are made of recycled plastic, and the frames and lenses come in four color combinations.

9 Fishing Gloves

FishMonkeyGloves.com, $29.95 Whether someone is a hand model like George Costanza or just likes to protect his palms, he will appreciate a pair of Fish Monkey Guide Gloves. With a soft, slightly tacky grip, finger holes, UPF 50 sun protection and a breathable fabric, Guide Gloves shield and protect.

8 Catch of the Day Hoodie

WestMarine.com, $45 Made of lightweight cotton/ polyester blend fleece and featuring a full zipper and a cinchable hood, the Roxy Catch of the Day

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Ultra Adventure Storm Hat

Fin H2O Slip On Boat Shoe

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Polar Fleece

Folding Anchor System

SundayAfternoons.com, $54 Protection from the sun’s rays should be foremost in boaters’ and anglers’ minds, and the Ultra Adventure Storm hat from Sunday Afternoons provides full head coverage, a 6-inch neck cape, a 3.25-inch clamshell brim and an integrated wicking mesh liner. And it’s waterproof.

GillMarine.com, $125 For the man or woman who likes to be on the water before and after the heat of the day, a Polar Fleece from Gill provides versatile warmth in a breathable, soft jacket. It comes in graphite and navy for men, and navy and light gray for women.

SoftScience.com, $89.95 Aimed at paddlesports and PWC enthusiasts, Fin H2O men’s boat shoes from SoftScience feature a mesh upper, a neoprene collar and a non-marking slip-resistant Trileon outsole. They’re breathable and use a forefoot water flow system to dry quickly.

Airhead.com, $59.99 Complete with a 5.5-pound anchor, a four-fluke folding anchor, 25 feet of marine-grade line and a nylon storage case, the Airhead Complete Folder Anchor System is a handy temporary anchoring solution for smaller boats and PWCs.

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Dog Vest

Aerator Kit

ConnellySkis.com, $29.99 The four-legged crew need flotation safety too, and Neo Vests from Connelly deliver. Made of thin-profile Neoprene and featuring a grab strap and reflective tape, the vests come in Otis and Bella styles.

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THMarineSupplies.com, $99.99 Help an angler on your list keep her bait alive longer with a T-H Marine Pro-Air System Complete Aerator Kit. Battery operated, the system works with fixed and portable tanks, and its 12v DC pump is potted and waterproof. The kit includes a pump, two air stone mounts, two air stones, a switch panel and 20 feet of air-line tubing.

6 Type IV Lifering

Datrex.com, $89.95 Datrex has a correctly sized and priced life ring for trailerable boats. Its 20-inch Orange Type IV ring with reflective tape meets U.S. Coast Guard standards and is constructed of high-quality polyethylene.

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10 Chris-Craft Boats: An American Classic

RizzoliUSA.com, $65 (Rizzoli, June 2018) Since 1874, Chris-Craft has been synonymous with quality, craftsmanship and beauty. A new book

by Nick Voulgaris, “Chris-Craft Boats: An American Classic,” details the story with well-researched narrative and 200 images. Ralph Lauren wrote the foreword.

7 Float Coat

Ruffwear.com, $79.95 With a cushioned neck strap, a convenient grab handle, two underbelly straps and reflective features, the Float Coat from Ruffwear keeps dogs safe and allows plenty of freedom of movement

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11 Tackle Backpack

PlanoMolding.com, $79.99 Is storage short on a favorite angler’s boat? If so, maybe a Plano Z-Series Tackle Backpack can help. It includes four 3700 series stowaway utility boxes, a zipperless design, two exterior side pockets with buckles, two tool holders and two mesh pockets.

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Adjustable Drink Holder

AcconMarine.com, $80.92 Designed to fit into pre-existing cupholders, the Accon Adjustable Drink Holder fits everything from a two-liter bottle to a long-stem wine glass. The unit extends 2.5 inches vertically and its arm span adjusts from 2.25 inches to 4 inches.

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$151 TO $300

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Two-Way Satellite Messenger

Life Vest 4-Pack

FineMeSpot.com, $249.99 (subscription required) If you worry about a boater who makes long runs offshore for fishing or just recreation, giving him a Spot X 2-Way Satellite Messenger can deliver a little peace of mind.

Able to send text messages and an SOS from virtually anywhere, Spot X is a handheld safety solution.

2 F2 Trailer Jack

FultonPerformance.com, $169.99 Available in bolt-on and weld-on and in twin- and wide-track versions, the F2 Trailer Jack from Fulton is rated for 1,600 pounds.

Corrosion-resistant coatings cover the components inside and out, and Fulton claims the jack is maintenance free.

3 Portable Charger MyWeego.com, $199.99 Batteries lose juice, whether it’s the boat battery or device batteries, so portable power on the water is a big asset. The Weego Jump Starter 66 can jump gas engines to 10L and diesels to 5L, can act as a flashlight, and can charge phones, tablets and laptops.

ConnellySkis.com, $159.99 With stretchable side panels, three adjustable belts and freedom of movement in the shoulders, Neo life vests from Connelly are Coast Guard-approved options for keeping passengers safe on the water. The four-pack comes with two S/M and two L/ XL vests.

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5 Pescador Sunglasses

CostaDelMar.com, $219 The styles in the Untangled Collection from Costa are part of a mission between Costa and Bureo to prevent discarded fishing nets from polluting the oceans. Untangled frames, such as the Pescador style, are made from fishing nets that are recycled into pellets by Bureo and molded into frames by Costa.

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PelagicGear.com, $249 Featuring Pelagic’s polarized mineral glass (PMG) and using marine-grade polarized optics, Shark Bite sunglasses will save anglers’ eyes during a day on the water, and they’re designed to fit a wide range of facial sizes.

Several frame/lens color combos are available .

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$301 TO $500

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2 1 Quatix 3 Watch

Buy.Garmin.com, $449.99 Equipped with cruising, sailing and fishing capabilities — in addition to telling the time — the Quatix 3 watch from Garmin is built for the water. It can interact with NMEA 2000 electronics, read barometric pressure, act as a compass and control Fusion stereos.

Satellite Communicator

Garmin.com, $349.99 (subscription required) Able to pair with Apple and Android phones, water rated to IPX7, and able to send texts and SOS alerts, the inReach Mini from Garmin is a gift that provides peace of mind. It uses the Iridium satellite network to stay connected from anywhere and gives SAR crews information they need to effect a rescue.

3 110-Quart Cooler

KongCoolers.com, $399 Able to hold up to 82 12-ounce cans and 48 pounds of ice, the Kong 110 cooler from Kong Coolers can extend a day on the water, and it’s designed for harsh marine environments. Divided storage can keep food and beverages separate, and a combo of gaskets and latches create an insulated seal.

1 Parkit360

$500+

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Parkit360.com, $1,200+ Know someone — maybe yourself — who has pretty limited space to park a boat at home and whose vehicle doesn’t have a tight enough turning radius? Force 5K from Parkit360 is a battery-powered trailer dolly that can be maneuvered by one person and moves around tight corners. It can handle 5,000 pounds.

2 Electronics Pedestal

NavPod.com, $649.99+ For anglers who fish from the bow, having a pedestal that raises a display 12 inches off the deck and tilts it to a 70-degree angle would be valuable. PedestalPods from NavPods do just that.

As housing for 12- and 16-inch displays, PedestalPod is watertight and precut to a display’s dimensions.

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VARIABLE

1 Inflatable Tubes

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Available from manufacturers such as Airhead, Connelly, Full Throttle, HO Sports, Hydroslide, O’Brien, Rave Sports, SportsStuff, WOW and others, inflatable tubes will have the kids dreaming of summer.

2 Boards Manufacturers such as Liquid Force, Hyperlite, Ronix, CWB, Slingshot, Evo, Byerly and more create wake- and wakesurf boards that fit most any rider.

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MinnKotaMotors.com, Varies by motor package Really impress the angler on your list by gifting a Minn Kota trolling motor with built-in Humminbird MEGA Down Imaging capability.

Yep, Ulterra, Terrova, Ultrex and Fortex motors can be sonar-capable thanks to a transducer in the lower unit of the motor. You’ll be popular. BW

Down Imaging Trolling Motor

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>

When it’s time to upgrade a boat’s stereo, there’s a model out there for every budget and taste.

By Alan Jones

Almost nothing improves the ambiance and fun factor on a boat more than a killer stereo system. Boating and music go so well together because they stimulate the part of our brain that provides pleasure.

Doing both at the same time takes on-water relaxation to a higher level and gives the human brain a super vacation, recharging one’s batteries more completely and making the pain of going to work Monday more bearable.

PUMP IT UP! (Clockwise from top right) caption tk console.

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PUMP IT UP!

People on boats tend to move around more, so they need more extensive audio coverage, which means choosing the right equipment is critical. Boat stereos have a more difficult task than car stereos or home stereos, because they operate in an open environment and are often battling ambient noise from the wind or loud engines. Fortunately, advances in modern stereo technology make it possible for everyone to enjoy quality sound.

Basic to Ballistic

A basic boat stereo consists of a head unit and either two or four speakers. Most receivers have built-in amplifiers, so putting together a sound system like this entails finding a mounting location for the amp and adding power to it, and then finding a location for the speakers and wiring them to the amp. Even budget boats usually have some sort of stereo, so owners often simply need to upgrade components or add another pair of speakers. Some of these basic systems can sound really good, but without a subwoofer they typically lack depth.

The ultimate setup for boats almost always includes a separate amp; if the system has tower speakers and a subwoofer, it needs at least two amps. Better head units have volume controls for different zones, to keep everyone on the boat happy. Any system needs enough speakers to provide coverage for every area on the boat, and a mix of tower speakers, subwoofers and coaxial speakers will get the job done.

Speaker 101

Obviously, speakers are a critical component, but too often the most basic aspect is overlooked: placement. I see a lot of boats — especially pontoons — whose speakers point straight out at ankle level, which is great … for people lying on the deck. Almost every marine speaker is a coaxial 2- or 3-way model that has a built-in tweeter and a midrange cone, and they are largely unidirectional. So if it isn’t pointed at the listener’s ear, she’s not getting the best sound.

Higher frequencies, such as on tweeters, are the most directional. Subwoofers, due to their low frequencies, are more omnidirectional, so their placement is more forgiving.

Amplifier 101

Many head units are all-in-one units that

feature a radio, Bluetooth compatibility for wirelessly docking with a smartphone, and an amplifier. No slot for CDs, which have gone the way of the buggy whip. Smaller boats can usually get by with modest power, but when it comes to comparing units, look for their RMS wattage, which is what the amp is capable of producing for a sustained period of time. Peak power is always the higher number and refers to an amp’s ability to reach such a level for brief periods of time.

When it comes to power, the more the merrier, as it will typically provide the cleanest sound, even at high volume.

An amp’s RMS power should exceed the speakers’ wattage capability by at least 25 percent. Any less and it’s liable to have to work too hard, which can cause distortion and is harder on the speaker.

If an amp is a lot larger than the system’s speakers are rated for, that’s not a problem, but the amp should have a limiter so it doesn’t accidentally fry the speakers.

Car Components?

Few environments are crueler to electronic components than on the water. Being on the ocean is the worst, because a boat pounding through salt water creates a fine mist that can invade any cranny, not to mention nooks. Marine stereo equipment’s water-worthiness is classed by an IPX rating. Most marine stereo equipment ranges between IPX-4, which means it can withstand a splash of water for five minutes, to IPX-7, which means it can be submerged up to a meter for 30 minutes. Even though a component, such as an amplifier, rates high, most people place them where they aren’t exposed to water, to further their longevity. Having marine speakers is critical, because they will definitely get rained on or sprayed by a hose, and because they are often exposed to the sun, UV protection for the frame and cone is really important.

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PUMP IT UP! K LI P SCH

Klipsch

Growing up, most audiophiles fantasized about owning a high-end home stereo from exotic Scandinavian company Klipsch. (Actually, it’s an American company based in Indianapolis, but why ruin the fantasy?) This year, Klipsch branched out in the marine stereo market and is providing stereo systems for MasterCraft Boats and Yellowfin. Recognizing the difficulties in making a boat stereo sound good at rest and underway, Klipsch partnered with Bongiovi Acoustics to integrate the latter’s Digital Power Station technology (DPS) with Klipsch’s quality components.

Klipsch introduced twin-speaker tower coffee cans to its speaker lineup, and they make a visually appealing addition to a well-rounded audio system.

Fusion

A relative newcomer to the boating stereo industry, New Zealand-based Fusion is rapidly gaining traction due, in part, to the fact it only makes stereos for marine use and they are designed from the get-go for the harshest duty.

This year Fusion, in a first during my 22 years in the industry, invited the marine press for a multiday event to unveil its new Apollo stereo systems. And after listening to several systems on different boats, I understood why. The wow factor with these new stereo units is they are the first to be able to receive a Wi-Fi signal, which has a faster data transfer rate than industry-standard Bluetooth. In addition to streaming from a Wi-Fi source, it can link multiple amps without wires via Wi-Fi on larger boats or trailerable ones with elaborate setups.

Fusion introduced two Apollo head units, the RA770 and SRX400 [3], which are top-of-the-line units but surprisingly affordable. The RA770 ($649) has the ability to power up to four zones and has a 3.4-inch touchscreen display, so it’s geared more for yachts. The SRX400 ($349) is ideal for smaller boats. Both receivers use Digital Signal Processing (DSP) to create better instrument separation. At the press event, we mostly listened to ultimate setups with huge amounts of power, but perhaps the most impressive setup was on a Sea Ray 210 with a single SRX400 and a single pair of 6.5-inch Signature Series speakers [1] (also available in 7.7-inch and 8.8-inch models that all have large-diameter voice coils and start at $350 a pair). The sound quality in all frequencies was startlingly good.

Also new this year is Fusion Link [2]. It’s an app users download that allows them to take total control of the stereo with a smartphone or an MFD — and not just volume or play selection but also more intricate tasks such as setting separate EQ levels for each zone.

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FU S IO N

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Doing so created a tunable system that allows drivers to choose a mode — Drive, Tow and Chill — so they get the best sound at all times.

Last year I tested a MasterCraft XT23 with a maxed-out Klipsch system. It included the Advanced Audio System, a $10,460 bundle with twin helm screens, a GoPro camera setup, an eight-channel amp, four 8.5-inch coaxial speakers, two 7-inch speakers, two 10-inch subs and a pair of unique twin-speaker tower coffee cans. This system had it all: clarity, depth and thump.

Wet Sounds

Many of the highest-end stereos I saw this year featured Wet Sounds components.

The manufacturer has some really extreme gear, including the legendary REV 10 series tower speakers ($1,560 a pair). For the ultimate boat subwoofer, Wet Sounds unveiled a 15-inch REVO 15 XXX V4-B [4]. It lists for $900 and is rated for a mind-blowing 2,000 watts RMS. Of course, not everyone has the budget or space for such high-end items. Earlier this year, I tested a boat with a Wet Sounds Stealth 6 Ultra Sound Bar [5] ($590),

K I CK E R

CL AR IO N

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which is a really compact all-in-one stereo unit that mounts on a T-top. Don’t have a T-top? No worries, because Wet Sounds just came out with the Stealth SHIVR55 High Output Audio Cooler Speaker System [6] ($800). This high-end cooler can keep drinks cold for days and deliver incredible sound from the built-in 200-watt Bluetooth stereo.

Kicker

This year, Kicker introduced four new KM series amps that provide lots of power without busting the budget. To kick the bass into the next county, check out the 600.1 amp [9], which can deliver 600 watts to the subwoofer, for $300. Pair it with a KMA300.4 amp [8] ($250), which can deliver 75 watts of power to four channels and has a KickerEQ Variable 12dB bass boost, for some extra low-end thump. Thanks to a 12dB crossover, users can tune their system to dial in big sound for any boat.

Kicker also unveiled new 6.5- and 8.8-inch LED-lighted KM Series speakers [7], which start at $200 a pair and are built to take abuse. A UV-treated polypropylene woofer is suspended with Santoprene, which has the properties of rubber but is far more durable. They meet or exceed rigorous ASTM standards for UV and salt/fog abuse.

Clarion

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To the Web Clarion.com FusionEntertainment.com Kicker.com Klipsch.com WetSounds.com

My neighbor’s stereo upgrade project (page 22) featured some new gear from Clarion, including the CM1624TS 6.5-inch tower speakers ($449 for the pair). We installed four of them and really loved the full, rich sound. Usually tower speakers are fixed but these swivel 360 degrees and can be aimed so all guests get the best sound possible.

Like the tower speakers, the CM1623RL 6.5-inch speakers [10] ($200 a pair) we installed in the cabin and cockpit feature lighting, as does the 10-inch CM23013WL subwoofer ($300).

The receiver we installed was Clarion’s top-ofthe-line model that costs $500 and features a 3.5-inch color TFT screen. It has four zones and a high- and low-pass filter to help tune the sounds to each boat’s specific environment. Clarion also features a less expensive CMS20 receiver [11] ($300) that has a black box and a Commander controller with a dot matrix LED screen. It comes with the ability to control the sound on six channels and is rated IPX6 for excellent resistance against the elements. BW

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10 REASONS TO BECOME A

Catamarans have better natural stability, which means a day of fishing is less rolly and less fatiguing for passengers.

We break down a few of the surprising ways trailerable power catamarans are winning hearts and minds.

BY ZUZ A NA PROCH A ZK A

here’s a unique breed of cat on the prowl. It’s the trailerable power catamaran, and it’s gaining territory and mindshare with boaters in the coastal and inland waters of the U.S. Lighter, stronger, shallower and better equipped than cats of yore, these towable felines can go where others fear to venture, and they can get there at high speeds by water. And by land.

Boaters who haven’t considered a catamaran lately may be surprised at how well they can cruise, fish, pull boarders and skiers, and head offshore, all with economic engines, sophisticated features and improved accommodations.

DOW N THE HIGH WAY

A discussion about trailerable cats isn’t complete without addressing the issue of trailer­ ing. In general, towing width limits (without a permit) are 8 feet, 6 inches, but some states allow loads up to 10 feet wide before owners have to file paperwork. That leaves buyers with lots of options, such as the Twin Vee OceanCat 260 Exuma center console (8 feet, 6 inches) or the World Cat 295 Dual Console (9 feet, 6 inches) whose open bow seating is a fit for family fun.

For easy loading and unloading, cat trailers have tracking pads for both hulls to get them on straight without much fuss. Also, some people argue there’s less windage forward with cats, and the lower air resistance while traveling 70 mph down the freeway may translate to less work and greater fuel efficiency for the tow vehicle.

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10TOREASONS BECOME A A cat such as the ArrowCat 320 is easily trailerable (left) and can be highly powered while still maintaining a sizable cockpit (right). Models such as the World Cat 250 DCX (below, left) and the Aspen L90 LX (below, right) provide bow seating, easy handling and fishability. Looking like a deckboat, the Splendor Platinum 240 actually uses a catamaran hull.

FU EL ECONOM Y & SPEED

Speaking of fuel economy. By design, cats have shallow hulls and less wetted surface to drag through the water.

That translates to better fuel efficiency. Some of this is inherent to the twin-hull concept and some of it is due to better, lighter construction methods, including closed-cell foam coring and vacuum infusion. Today, a 28-foot cat with a 10-foot beam can weigh less than 8,000 pounds and cruise in the mid-teens while burning only three to five gph. Also, cats are speed demons that tend to squat less and have good holeshot times. The 24-foot Splendor takes only three to four seconds to get on plane and reaches 30 mph in six or seven seconds. Freeman Boatworks in South Carolina offers the 29 VH, which cruises at 45 mph and burns 1.6 mpg (dependent on sea conditions), so owners can get to the fish first. Most cats can plane on one engine and retain surprisingly good handling, and that adds peace of mind when it’s time to get home.

E A SY H A N DLING

Speaking of handling, cats have gotten a bad rap in the past for their motion in a seaway, but that’s changed.

With wave-slicing hull shapes — that in some cases are

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vented — and new tunnel designs that compress air to create a sort of air cushion, power cats slap less into head seas and provide a softer high-speed ride than they used to. There are fewer thumps, shudders and rattles, even in short choppy seas. These narrower cats are also responsive in turns and have little to no lean. Learning to drive a cat is relatively easy, because the twin engines are set wider apart for better control, especially in reverse.

Add to that advanced features such as SeaStar hydraulic steering with PowerAssist for fingertip handling without the need for bow or stern thrusters, even during close-quarters maneuvering.

GR E ATER STA BILIT Y

Perhaps the greatest advantage of a cat is its stability both at speed and at rest. Two wide-set hulls create a naturally stable platform regardless of the conditions. That means the crew can go farther and fish longer without the usual fatigue, and sleep comes more easily, even in a rolly anchorage, without the need for flopper stoppers or gyrostabilizers. As World Cat said, “You’ll come back with more energy and fewer bruises.”

POW ER CHOICES

Propulsion on smaller cats is usually provided by outboards, but not necessarily. Some of these diminutive cats offer inboards, which make for a clearer aft deck that’s suitable for fishing and family water access. Due to modern construction techniques and materials, these cats can carry larger, heavier engines. On the opposite front, a single engine saves weight and space and will deliver better economy. Take Washington-based Aspen. It places a single engine in the wider starboard hull, which also has a fixed keel and rudder. The other hull on the proa design is 35 percent thinner and has no underwater appendage, resulting in 50 percent less drag. With asymmetric hulls, the boat is balanced and tracks straight. One engine will always use less fuel than two, and with only one shaft, prop and rudder, there’s less to maintain or damage.

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OFFSHOR E CA PA BLE

Today’s small power cats are built strong and fast, and they’re more sophisticated. To increase their versatility, they can go offshore thanks to big-boat features such as advanced electronics packages, large tankage, full galleys with plenty of refrigeration and good sleeping accommodations. For example, the 32-foot Aspen C105 Expedition model has two cabins and a full head below, a complete suite of navigation and communication electronics, and a galley with a threeburner stove. With up to 120 gallons of fuel, the boat’s range is 300 to 400 miles at 18 mph and 1,000 to 1,600 miles at trolling speeds in a wide variety of conditions.

The C105 and Florida-based ArrowCat’s 320 also have more covered outdoor space, so passengers can enjoy the environment and still be protected from rain or the punishing sun. Excellent stowage, greater load capacity and options such as integrated 100-quart or bigger coolers and solar panels also make cats more cruise-worthy, so boat owners don’t have to go big to go far.

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10TOREASONS BECOME A

HER E FISH Y FISH Y

A fish-cat is not an oxymoron. In fact, cats get high marks for fishability. As mentioned before, they’re stable, so it’s easy for anglers to focus on the fish and not their balance as they reel one in, and a day of angling won’t result in as much knee/back/ stomach muscle strain. Second, they have plenty of room for all the necessities of fishing, including rod holders, rocket launchers, fishboxes and livewells. Now the crew can’t say they had to let the big ones go because they didn’t have room to bring them home.

Finally, a cat allows people to fish from multiple angles, including from the side and from the usually expansive foredeck.

Take the Calcutta 26. It has a center console walkaround design and a double-level foredeck for two or more anglers to cast from.

Fishability depends on the manufacturer’s focus and priorities. For example, while World Cat and Glacier Bay share the same owner, the former is a fishing boat that can cruise, while the latter is a cruising boat that can fish.

DIFFER EN T ST Y LES FOR DIFFER EN T MILES

Regardless of whether owners want to fish or cruise, there are lots of different styles to choose from, including cuddy cabin and center-, single- and dual-console models. There are even cats that look like 58

To the Web › ArrowCat.com › AspenPowerCatamarans.com › CalcuttaBoats.com › FreemanBoatworks.com › SplendorBoats.com › TwinVee.com › WorldCat.com (Carolina Cat, Glacier Bay) deckboats. Indiana-based Splendor builds deck and cuddy cabin models on twin hulls. The foredeck of its 24- and 25-footers can serve as casting platforms but below is a cabin, and that means the crew can go farther and stay overnight in more comfort. Additionally, with a 12-inch draft, these (and other cats) can run in shallower water, allowing owners to visit and/or fish in locations that other boats can’t reach.

THE R IGHT FIT

Fishing features abound on trailerable catamarans.

Look at (clockwise from left) the cockpit on the Aspen C100, the casting deck on the Splendor Platinum 240 and the indeck fishbox on the Glacier Bay 2770.

Arguments have been made in the past that it’s difficult to find slips for cats due to their beam and, of course, end ties are few and far between.

But consider the trend that monohull power and sailboats are getting beamier. For example, Beneteau’s Oceanis 31 sailboat has a beam of 11 feet, 1 inch, and Yellowfin’s 32 Offshore center console is 9 feet, 9 inches wide.

Meanwhile, the 32-foot Aspen C100 power cat has a 10-foot beam. To accommodate this design evolution, slips have become wider too, so owners won’t need to find and pay for a 40-foot slip for a 30-foot cat, if they decide to ditch the trailer and keep the boat in the water for the season.

WA LLET-FR IEN DLY R ESA LE

When power cats were new, some industry folks argued that they were a waste of money because surely “there would be no market for used cats.” Oh, the irony. At least a dozen top-name trailerable power cat manufacturers are producing hulls now, so the “newfangled” is no longer “weird.” The designs have gained in popularity and acceptability. But there are still few small(ish) power cats on the secondary market as compared with mono­ hulls, and given their high-quality construction and advanced features, they’re holding their value. An investment in a cat is no different than in any other boat, and in some cases, their relative rarity will actually make a seller’s wallet happy. BW

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018 BOATINGWORLD.COM

•

+BW feature trailer cats.indd 58

10/3/18 1:45 PM

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hft_boatingworld_1118_M-REG157424.indd 1

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At Harbor Freight Tools, the “Compare to” price means that the specified comparison, which is an item with the same or similar function, was advertised for sale at or above the “Compare to” price by another national retailer in the U.S. within the past 90 days. Prices advertised by others may vary by location. No other meaning of “Compare to” should be implied. For more information, go to HarborFreight.com or see store associate.

9/25/18 9:21 AM

marketplace

C A LL 949/660 - 6150

Got An Old Boat?

DONATE IT TODAY!

Call Us At 800-227-2643 www.boatangel.com STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP, MANAGEMENT AND CIRCULATION · 1. Publication Title “Boating World” · 2. Publication Number “1059-5155” · 3. Filing Date “10/1/18” · 4. Issue Frequency 9 Times A Year “Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul/Aug, Sep/Oct, Nov/ Dec.” · 5. Number of issues Published Annually “9” · 6. Annual Subscription Price “$11.00” · 7. Complete Mailing Address of Known Office of Publication (Not Printer) (Street, City, County, State, and Zip + 4) “18475 BANDILIER CIRCLE, FOUNTAIN VALLEY, ORANGE, CALIFORNIA 92708-7000” ° Contact Person “E. WELLS” ° Telephone “949-660-6150-225” · 8. Complete Mailing Address of Headquarters or General Business Office of Publisher (Not Printer) “18475 BANDILIER CIRCLE, FOUNTAIN VALLEY, ORANGE, CALIFORNIA 92708-7000” · 9. Full Names and Complete Mailing Addresses of Publisher, Editor, and Managing Editor (Do not leave blank) ° Publisher (Name and complete mailing address) “DUNCAN McINTOSH JR., 18475 BANDILIER CIRCLE, FOUNTAIN VALLEY, ORANGE, CALIFORNIA 92708-7000” ° Editor (Name and complete mailing address) “JEFFREY FLEMING, 18475 BANDILIER CIRCLE, FOUNTAIN VALLEY, ORANGE, CALIFORNIA 92708-7000” ° Managing Editor (Name and complete mailing address) “MIKE WERLING, 18475 BANDILIER CIRCLE, FOUNTAIN VALLEY, ORANGE, CALIFORNIA 92708-7000” · 10. Owner (Do not leave blank. If the publication is owned by a corporation, give the name and address of the corporation immediately followed by the names and addresses of all stockholders owning or holding 1 percent or more of the total amount of stock. If not owned by a corporation, give the names and addresses of the individual owners. If owned by a partnership or other unincorporated firm, give its name and address as well as those of each individual owner. If the publication is published by a nonprofit organization, give its name and address. ° Full Name “Duncan McIntosh Company, Inc.” “Duncan McIntosh Jr.” ° Complete Mailing Address “18475 Bandilier Circle Fountain Valley CA 92708-7000” · 11. Known Bondholders, Mortgagees, and Other Security Holders Owning or Holding 1 Percent or more of Total Amount of Bonds, Mortgages, or Other Securities. If none, check box ⊠ None ° Full Name ° Complete Mailing Address · 12. Tax Status (For completion by nonprofit organizations authorized to mail at nonprofit rates)(Check one) ° The purpose, function, and nonprofit status of this organization and the exempt status for federal income tax purposes: ° ⊠ Has Not Changed During Preceding 12 Months ° Has Changed During Preceding 12 Months (Publisher must submit explanation of change with this statement) · 3526-R, July 2014 · 13. Publication Title “Boating World” · 14. Issue Date for Circulation Data Below “September/October” · 15. Extent and Nature of Circulation ° Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months ° No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date · a. Total Number of Copies (Net press run) “47,748” “50,580” · b. Legitimate Paid and/or Requested Distribution (By Mail and outside the mail) ° (1) Outside County Paid/Requested Mail Subscriptions stated on PS Form 3541. (Include direct written request from recipient, telemarketing and internet request from recipient, paid subscriptions including nominal rate subscriptions, employer requests, advertiser’s proof copies and exchange copies.) “22,392” “26,312” ° (2) In-County Paid/Requested Mail subscriptions stated on PS Form 3541 (Include direct written request from recipient, paid subscriptions including nominal rate subscriptions, employer requests, advertiser’s proof copies and exchange copies) ° (3) Sales Through Dealers and Carriers, Street Vendors, Counter Sales and Other Paid or Requested Distribution Outside USPS “2,157” “2,315” ° (4) Requested Copies Distributed by Other Mail Classes Through the USPS (e.g. First-Class Mail) ° c. “Total Paid Distribution and/or Requested Circulation (Sum of 15b. (1), (2), (3), and (4)) “24,549” “28,627” · d. Non-requested Distribution (By mail and outside the mail) ° (1) Outside-County Nonrequested Copies Stated on PS Form 3541 (include samples copies, requests over 3 years old, requests induced by a premium, bulk sales and requests including association requests, names obtained from business directories, lists and other sources) “22,814” “21,662” ° (2) In-County Nonrequested copies stated on PS Form 3541(include sample copies, requests over 3 years old, requests induced by a premium bulk sales and requests including association requests, names obtained from business directories, lists and other sources ° (3) Nonrequested Copies Distributed Through the USPS

by Other Classes of Mail (e.g. First-Class Mail, nonrequested copies mailed in excess of 10% limited mailed at Standard Mail or Package Services Rates). ° (4) Non-requested Copies Distributed Outside the Mail (include pickup stands, trade shows, showrooms and other sources) “0” “0” · e. Total Nonrequested Distribution (Sum of 15d (1), (2), (3), and (4) “22,814” “21,662” · f.

Total Distribution (Sum of 15c and e) “47,363” “50,289” · g. Copies Not Distributed (See Instructions to Publishers #4, (page #3)) “384” “291” · h. Total (sum of 15f and g) “47,748” “50,580” · i. Percent Paid and/or Requested Circulation (15c divided by f times 100) “51.83%” “56.92%” · 16. Publication of Statement of Ownership ° ⊠ Publication required. Will be printed in the Nov/Dec, 2018 issue of this publication. Publication not required · 17. Signature and Title of Editor, Publisher, Business Manager, or Owner ° ° Date 10/01/18 · I certify that all information furnished on this form is true and complete. I understand that anyone who furnishes false or misleading information on this form or who omits material or information requested on the form may be subject to criminal sanction (including fines and imprisonment) and/or civil sanctions (including civil penalties).

62

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+ BW Marketplace2.indd 62

10/3/18 2:08 PM

marketplace

advertiser index PR O D U C T I N FO R M ATI O N A N D PH O N E N U M B E R S

BOATS Apex Marine (989) 681-4300.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CV4 SmokerCraft, Inc./Starcraft (866) 719-7873.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Splendor Boats (260) 352-2835.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 Stingray (843) 383-4507.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 ENGINES SternDrive Engineering (813) 925-7127. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Suzuki Marine (800) 247-4704.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CV3 800-88-YAMAHA (800)889-2624.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CV2-1

Enter your pooch in our Salty Dog of the Month contest.

Email your pet’s photo, name, your name, address and phone number to bobby@boatingworld.com, or snail mail to Boating World Salty Dog Contest, 17782 Cowan, Suite C, Irvine, CA 92614. Your pet could win a cool PFD from CWB.

Los Angeles Boat Show (949) 757-5959.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-17 GEAR & ACCESSORIES

C A LL 949/660 - 6150

HAS YOUR DOG GOT THE SALT?

EVENTS

Aquatic AV (408) 559-1668.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 Cooper Tires 1(800) 854-6288.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Harbor Freight Tools (800) 423-2567.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 NuShield, Inc (215) 500-6426.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 West System Inc. / Gougeon Brothers, Inc. (989) 684-728.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 SERVICES Boat Angel (800) 227-2643. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 GEICO Insurance (800) 865-4846.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 1-800-PROGRESSIVE (800)776-4737.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

*Shown above is our current prize, a CWB Dog Vest valued at $24.95. Prizes are subject to change.

BOATINGWORLD.COM NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018

+ BW Marketplace2.indd 63

63

•

10/3/18 2:08 PM

Reader Contest

Rick Martin illustration

Name the Boat

See the winning entry and the best of the rest from the July/August contest on page 10.

Jimbo didn’t tell Zeke he’d be riding along for the first episode of Jimbo’s new web insult series, “Trolling in the Deep.” Send us your name for our boat. If it wins, we will give you a Dock King Lounge & Float, valued at $199.99, from Connelly, and your name will appear in the February 2019 issue of Boating World.

Win This!

YOURS FREE

64

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018

•

+ BW NTB2.indd 64

The first person to turn in the best boat name will receive a Dock King Lounge & Float from Connelly (connellyskis. com), valued at $199.99.

How to enter: We’ll reprint the cartoon with the winning boat name in the February 2019 issue. Submissions are due by December 10.

Email editor@boatingworld.com with “Name the Boat” in the subject line, or send snail mail to Boating World Magazine/Name

Dock King is a four-person lounge with a center

the Boat, 18475 Bandilier Circle, Fountain Valley, CA 92708. Please

cutout for feet or a Dock King Bartender (not

include your full name, address and phone number, along with

included). Four molded cupholders ensure drinks

your entry. Duncan McIntosh Co. and Connelly employees and

stay upright and connection grommets allow the

their families are prohibited from entering. Prizewinners are

lounge to be tied to other lounges during raft-ups.

responsible for any applicable taxes. Decisions of the judges and

A one-person float is also included.

the editor are final.

BOATINGWORLD.COM

10/4/18 9:05 AM

ULTIMATE

PERFORMANCE FAST? OF COURSE. BUT YOU’VE ALSO GOT TO HAVE FORCE, AGILITY, RESPONSIVENESS – AND NO FEAR. WE BUILD OUTBOARDS TO HANDLE THE BIG LIFT. We describe performance the way you might describe a fighter. When a world class boxer plants his right foot for a jab, he’s setting up a complex series of motions designed to maximize his strength and his weight. The resulting momentum delivers a blow far beyond the sum of the parts. Our approach to performance is like that.

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Big block Suzuki outboards deliver more torque. Our approach to performance is multi-dimensional, starting with the dimensions of our engines.

PERFOR M A N CE

Our Inline 4s and V6s rely on an advanced network of sensors to precisely control timing and fuel delivery so you get the most power from every stroke.

Remember, drinking and driving don’t mix. Always wear a USCG-Approved life jacket and read your owner’s manual.

Suzuki, the Suzuki S and model names are Suzuki trademarks or ®. © 2018 Suzuki Motor of America, Inc.

Performance_PG_WIP.indd 1

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