June 2016 – Boating World Magazine

BOATING WORLD • JUNE 2016 VOLUME 37 NUMBER 6

T H E L E A D E R I N R E C R E AT I O N A L T R A I L E R B OAT I N G

I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E : S P O R T B OAT S , D E C K B OAT S , WA K E B OAT S , F I S H B OAT S , P O N T O O N S A N D M O R E !

®

PULLING

GEEZ! We test 15 towable tubes to help give your summer maximum mojo

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contents

J U N E 2016

MAGAZINE

VOLUME XXXVII NUMBER 6

departments Editor’s Letter Failed policies threaten fishing p. 4

Currents Bits from the boating world p. 6

Trailering Post-submersion tasks p. 12

pg.

52

Fishing Catch-and-release basics p. 16

Watersports The anatomy of body position p. 18

Engines Flushing by the book p. 20

DIY How to install extra ballast p. 24

Ask the Experts Our panel of experts answers your questions p. 26

Bonehead Blunders Mistakes no boater should make p. 33

features

Tube Test 2016 Our kid testers put 15 towable tubes through the wringer so you can find one that’s best for your summer of fun. p. 52 BY ALAN JONES

boats tested Tigé RZX

It delivers what buyers want most in a surfing, wakeboarding machine: more. p. 36

Gear The latest accessories, gadgets and electronics p. 34 Contest: Name the Boat Win a $350 boat care

pg.

44

Malibu Wakesetter 20 VTX

Malibu has reinvented the Wakesetter 20 VTX from the hull up. p. 40

Cobalt CS3 The CS3 is the first in a new series of boats unlike any other Cobalt. p. 44 Sanpan 2500 Wet Bar by Godfrey Entertaining on the water has been taken to a happier place. p. 48 2

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BOATINGWORLD.COM

pg.

36

package from Bel-Ray p. 72

pg.

34

Happy Hours

C H E R I S H E D T I M E W I T H FA M I LY A N D F R I E N D S .

Apex Marine, Inc. 300 Woodside Drive • Saint Louis, Michigan 48880 Phone: 989-681-4300 • Fax: 989-681-4333

QWEST • GILLGETTER • ANGLER QWEST • PADDLE QWEST Proudly Made in the USA American Workers - American Components

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www.QwestPontoons.com 11/18/15 8:16 AM

editor’s letter

BY A L A N J O N E S

Florida Fail I

THE BOATING WORLD TEAM RESPONDS: Using an ocean critter and a food you can’t stand, what would you name the next great band?

T’S JUNE AND FISHING SEASON is in full swing across

the U.S. Not only is fishing a fun activity that provides a unique opportunity for kids to bond with parents, it’s also a huge economic engine. According to the American Sportfishing Association, 55 million Americans went fishing last year, supporting an industry that has a $115 billion economic impact and employs 828,000 people. So what do we need in order to continue this economic juggernaut? Well, to reduce it to its simplest form: Anglers need fish, and fish need clean water. That’s it. But in Florida, the nation’s number-one fishing hotspot, an ecological disaster is unfolding.

Florida has 2.4 million anglers who are facing a bleak year of fishing in many spots in the state, and it all boils down to poor water quality. The biggest culprit has been 150 years in the making, but this spring, the Sunshine State’s failure to protect its most valuable resource was on display.

Heavy winter and spring rains — the result of a strong El Niño — caused perilously high water levels at Lake Okeechobee’s Herbert Hoover Dam, which forced the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to release water to ease the pressure. Before humans got involved, water would flow south into the Everglades’ “river of grass,” but South Florida has been re-plumbed, so this wasn’t possible. So up to 3.4 billion gallons a day were literally flushed into the Okeechobee Waterway, a manmade ditch that runs from Stuart on the east coast to Fort Myers on the west coast.

Both are home to estuaries that serve as natural hatcheries for many species of Florida gamefish. This nasty brown sludge, masquerading as “fresh” water could be seen mingling with the pristine water on both coasts, causing an uproar among Floridians. The cause of this putrid nitrogen and phosphorus-laden water? Big Sugar, which owns 184,000 acres of land in the Okeechobee area.

In 2014, Floridians voted for Amendment 1, so the state could buy this land from U.S. Sugar Corp. and restore the traditional flow of the Everglades, but for nearly two years, only 7 percent of the money had been used for that purpose, with most expenditures diverted to cover agency operating expenses and make the budget look better. But faced with visual evidence of Florida’s governmental failures, the people got pitchfork-and-torch-carrying mad. Pressure was brought to bear by groups such as the Recreational Fishing Alliance, American Sportfishing Association and the Audubon Society, influential individuals such as Miami Herald columnist/novelist Carl Hiaasen, and scathing social media campaigns.

Now, it might just be coincidence that during an election year Florida legislators decided to get off their collective duff and authorize $250 million a year, with most going for the restoration of the flow of water to the Everglades, but more likely it was the cry of “throw the bums out” that did it. Will the money actually be spent? Stay tuned.

For those of us who care about fishing and clean water for boating, let’s make enough noise to make this a campaign issue that politicians can ignore … at their own peril. BW

Duncan McIntosh Jr. The Urchin’s Rock Pile ASSOC. EDITOR/PUBLISHER Jeff Fleming Snapper Kabobs EXECUTIVE EDITOR Alan Jones Lettuce Rockfish MANAGING EDITOR Mike Werling Hummus on the Hammerhead ASSISTANT EDITOR Stephanie Shibata Clams and Ham ART DIRECTOR Julie Hogan The Headcheese Blobfish PRODUCTION Mary Monge Haggis Blobfish CIRCULATION DIRECTOR Amelia Salazar Anemone Cold Fries FULFILLMENT OPERATIONS MGR. Rick Avila Fish Sushi PUBLISHER

ADVERTISING SALES & MARKETING

Call (949) 660-6150 Janette Hood The Shrimp Livers

DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING

REGIONAL SALES MANAGERS

Annabelle Zabala Anchovy 2 Felice Lineberry Tofu Tuna MARKETPLACE SALES MGR. Jon Sorenson Shellfish Beets AD COORDINATOR Jennifer Chen Seahorse Crawfish TECHNOLOGY DIRECTOR Dave Kelsen The Walrus Sweetbreads DIGITAL DIRECTOR Bryan Sheehy The Sea Cows and the Beet 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)

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 M AG A Z I N E 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 © 2016, all rights reserved. PERMISSIONS: Material in this publication may notMbe in any form without written permission.

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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 JUNE 2016 BOATINGWORLD.COM BOATINGWORLD.COM M AG A Z I N E

LOG ON. LEARN MORE.

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HERITAGE. RECREATION.

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

SINCE

currents

BY STEPH A N I E S H I BATA

R E N R U T D A HE

AL E AT: D A N LEAD BO

A V I F U R IN

24

up, l in its line e d o m le r. has a so etro looke r g Danalevi in h c t a eye-c but it ’s an

W

hen a company only builds one model, it had better be a good one, and Massachusettsbased Danalevi delivers a one-punch knockout with it 24 Furina. We guarantee it’s nothing like anything you’ve ever seen on the water, and if you like for others to gaze longingly at your vessel, this is your dreamboat. With a shearline that swoops down dramatically amidships then back up again before curving gracefully down at the stern, it’s a “futuretro” visual statement, but what’s going on in the cockpit is also pretty interesting.

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The one-piece curved acrylic windshield is anchored with billet aluminum brackets and gives it an English roadster look. There’s more billet in the air scoops on the rear deck. Boarding the Furina 24 is via the centerline walkthrough that’s accessible from the sculpted, extended swim platform that has a recessed boarding ladder. In the cockpit, the automotive theme continues with the calfskin-like upholstery that’s sculpted and has muscular headrests on the stern bench that blend into the rear deck. At the helm, the theme continues with triple-bullet gauge pods and a Momo sport wheel. The twin bucket seats for the crew have flip-up bolsters and a wraparound design that securely cradles occupants. In between, there’s a Garmin glass cockpit display in the

center console that’s positioned more for its automotive looks than practical use, but hey, this is a statement piece, it’s going to be a little quirky. Cockpit air conditioning and chilled cup holders are two options that will definitely make up for the lack of a silhouette-destroying Bimini top.

The Danalevi 24 Furina’s standard power is the new-gen Volvo Penta 350 hp 6.0L V-8 that will get it scooting near 60 mph. And with a deep-V deadrise of 22 degrees, the hull is designed to slash rather than pound its way through the waves. The only thing that’s liable to take a pounding is your bank account, considering the price tag, which begins at $189,000. But what price love?

— Alan Jones Danalevi Powerboats, danalevi.com



SALT Y DOG

This month’s winner: LUCY OWNER:

Sally James HOMETOWN:

Springfield, MO

Enter Your Dog Now

WIN THIS 

Send your picture to Bobby for your chance to win a CWB Dog Vest.

Contact Bobby at bobby@boating world.com or Boating World, Salty Dog, 17782 Cowan, Suite C, Irvine, CA 92614.

Please include a photo, along with your name, your dog's name, address and phone number.

Looking Back to See Ahead

BY ANALYZING TREE-RING data and comparing records of

shipwrecks, researchers at the University of Arizona concluded that there was a 75 percent reduction in hurricane activity in the Caribbean between 1645 and 1715. The period was a time of lower temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere and also the period known as the golden age of piracy. Tree growth is affected by hurricanes, so comparing the tree-ring data with the data regarding shipwrecks — including the age of the wood used to build the ship — can paint a more accurate picture of the climate of the day and lead to a better weather model on a regional level for looking ahead.

BOATINGWORLD.COM

JUNE 2016

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currents

name the boat

To participate in this month’s contest, turn to page 72

contest winner



Michael Rickey from Alpharetta, Ga., was the first to submit the winning name, ABOVE C LEVEL, for our elementary express. For schooling the competition, Michael receives a Customized Boat Care Package from Bel-Ray, valued at more than $350.

MORE OF APRIL’S BEST ENTRIES:

Yellow Busmarine

All Abored

Think Tank

Judy Anderson, Puyallup, WA

Scott Prophet, via email

David Connors, Dighton, MA

A-B-Seas

Kinderbargen

Scholar Hauler

Bruce Conn, Trabuco Canyon, CA

Linda Trainor, via email

Scott Duink, Sarasota, FL

Buoys and Gulls

Pontooned Progenies

Bored of Education

Dan Gallagher, Denver, PA

Rick Martin illustration

The Scholar Schooner

>

Nikki Tweet, Long Beach, CA

Class Act

John Friedfeld, Lawrenceville, NJ

Nick Franki, Rochester, NY

Brain Train

Edutoon

Ron Jansen, New Richmond, WI

Susan McGee, Stuart, FL

Gone Schoolin’

School of Fry

Darryl Dobras, Friday Harbor, WA

Rich Vinyard, Anacortes, WA

Bernard Colletti, Mastic, NY

Skool Skiff Mike Barry, Sparks, NV

Gramma-sea Bound Patrick Riggio, East Moriches, NY

Guppies Danny Ilejay, Winnetka, CA

A P R I L’ S W I N N E R : A B O V E C L E V E L

Lighthouse Leisure NOWADAYS, YOU CAN

be instantly connected to the world, even in its remotest reaches. But in simpler analog times, things had to be planned more methodically, even when it came to leisure.

Being a lighthouse keeper was a notoriously stressful and often isolated occupation. The only beacon of distraction was the traveling library, an extremely well-thought-out and curated box that doubled as a bookshelf for the keepers and their families to enjoy during those long lonely hours. These portable libraries would be moved all over the country from lighthouse to lighthouse. In the 19th century, the most coveted element of the shipment of supplies was the promise of a new case of books to read. By 1885, there were at least 420 libraries circulating between lighthouses in the U.S. 8

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JUNE 2016

BOATINGWORLD.COM

Long, Long Way from Home

IN MAY 2015, students at St Andrew’s School of Math and Science in Charleston, S.C., launched a tiny boat fitted with a GPS tracker into the Atlantic Ocean. Nine months later and almost 4,000 miles away from where it began — after a re-launch from Bermuda where it made landfall — Carolina Dreamer was discovered on a beach in Wales by a family walking along the beach. The students had lost track of the boat after its GPS signal failed on Feb. 2, so the boat’s discovery later that month had them elated. The plan is to re-launch the boat from Ireland this summer.

INVENT NEW

BIG TOYS

W O R L D

O F

W A T E R S P O R T S

SUMMER

ISSUE

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currents

C

Caviar Dreams

Fantastic Voyage MANY MEMORABLE SHIPS have made their mark on history — some real, some launched from the mind of renowned writers.

Can you spot the real ship among the fictitious ones?

F

A Ghost

• Caviar graders need to have a keen ear to hear the fish eggs rub against each other. A good caviar should sound something like a cat purring.

B Pequod

C Flying Dutchman D HMS Friday

E Batboat

F Cutty Sark

ANSWER: F. Cutty Sark is the real ship, one of the fastest clipper ships to dart about British waters. A is a sealing schooner from Jack London’s novel “The Sea Wolf.” B is Capt. Ahab’s ship from “Moby Dick.”

C is a ghost ship that can never make port. D is an urban legend surrounding the superstition against sailing on a Friday that vanished on her maiden voyage on Friday the 13th. E is from the TV show and DC Comic “Batman.”

Go Fishing

G

O FISHING DAY TAKES PLACE on June 18

every year. It’s a great excuse to get out there to de-stress, commune with nature, and connect with your family and friends. What to do with all those fish you caught? Well, luckily International Sushi Day is also June 18. On that note, it’s also International Panic Day, International Picnic Day and National Splurge Day. So plan accordingly.

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CAVIAR IS ONE of the most prized and world-renown delicacies from the sea. How much do you know about the high-falutin’ eggs you might serve at your next dockside happy hour?

• It’s only called caviar in most places when it’s from the roe of sturgeon (a non-scaled fish). If the eggs come from a scaled fish, it is considered “roe” and must be labeled as such.

• Caviar, although high in sodium, is very nutritious.

• Caviar should be served with a mother-of-pearl spoon, as metal spoons taint the delicate flavor.

• To properly eat caviar, you don’t need a utensil, motherof-pearl or otherwise. It’s to be consumed directly from your hand, specifically the crook between your thumb and index finger.

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THRILL RIDE.

trailering

P OST-SU B M ERS I O N TA S K S

10 PostSubmersion Trailer Tasks Give your trailer the TLC it deserves, and it will take care of you for a long time.

BY CHRIS CASWELL

W

E ALL KNOW THAT FIBERGLASS boats are maintenance free, right? Wink, wink.

But it’s easy to forget that your boat trailer certainly isn’t maintenance free.

Every time your trailer goes into the water, you’ve assigned yourself some chores, if you want to keep everything running smoothly. And, not surprisingly, the tasks start right at the boat ramp as you pull out of the water.

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A boat owner’s job isn’t over when he pulls his boat out of the water.

AT THE RAMP 1 Wash the trailer thoroughly. Nearly every boat ramp has a wash-down area with fresh water, and you should head straight there. When I say wash the trailer thoroughly, I mean thoroughly! Keep a bucket and some detergent to bathe the trailer. If you can, use a long-handled scrub brush to reach all the corners and crevices to get rid of all the salt that will cause rust on steel trailers and corrosion on aluminum ones.

Even better, use Salt-Away or West Marine Salt-Off, either in a spray bottle or mixed in the bucket, to completely neutralize the trailer of salt.

2 But, you say, I launch in fresh water.

Same rule: Wash it down thoroughly, because brackish fresh water can be even

trailering more acidic than saltwater on your trailer.

3 If you have drum brakes, rinse them thoroughly to flush the drums of damaging salt and sand. You can make life simpler by installing a rinse system for your brakes (easy to install and about $50 at West Marine).

4 Check your lights. Many boat owners unplug their trailer lights before they back into the water to retrieve their boat, so the heat from brake lights won’t suck water into the housings, so now is the time to reconnect them. Someone in the tow vehicle should test all the lights — brakes, turn signals and headlights — while you walk around to check the trailer lights. If you have a light out, remember it may be caused by a burned out taillight on the tow vehicle. Be sure to carry spare lights and fuses for your trailer lights. As you walk around, watch for dangling wires that need to be secured before you hit the road.

5 If you unhitched the trailer at the ramp, double-check that the hitch is securely locked and, if you have one, make sure the front wheel is fully cranked up and locked.

6 Don’t overlook your wheels and rims. Tires should be properly inflated, of course, but do something that may seem odd: check all Before you leave the ramp after a day on the water, check that the hitch is locked, all the lights on the trailer and the tow vehicle are working, and the lug nuts are secure.

the lug nuts. At some ramps, lug nuts have a way of vanishing, since they are generally interchangeable, so don’t leave without yours.

AT HOME 1 Wash your trailer. If you didn’t have access to fresh water at the ramp, now is the time to give your trailer that thorough

means dry.

2 Lubricate. Grab a spray can of a

water-displacing lubricant such as WD-40 (did you know that the WD stands for water displacement?) or Boeshield T-9 and go to work. Give the hitch mechanism a good squirt and work your way back.

Many steel and aluminum trailers have U-bolts and nuts made of zinc-plated steel

Every time your trailer goes into the water, you’ve assigned yourself some chores. wash-down. But, unlike horses that are “rode hard and put away wet,” don’t put your trailer away wet. It had a chance to air dry on the way from the ramp if you washed it there, but now you need to leave it out so it dries completely. Puddles can form on fender steps or any flat spot, so dry

and, trust me, those need a good shot. If you have dings in the paint, use the spray to protect the bare metal until you can touch it up. Give your lug nuts a squirt so you can change the tires easier and, if you have rollers under the boat (and can reach them), a shot will make your next launch

smoother. Squirt the spring shackles, too, so they will move freely.

3 Give the wheel bearings love (depending on how compulsive you are). Sealed bearings, such as those from Bearing Buddy, have specific maintenance, so read the manual. Conventional bearings need to be repacked yearly, but it’s a really messy job that you might want to leave to your dealer.

4 Eliminate flat spots. Unless you’re planning to use your boat again in a day or two, it’s a smart move to get the tires off the ground. Jack the trailer up and place either automotive jackstands (if you’re on solid ground) or large blocks of wood under the axle or axles and as close to the wheels as possible. Doing so takes the weight of the boat off the tires. Though many folks say that modern tires will rid themselves of a flat spot with a few miles of driving, it’s hard on the tire. Don’t place the blocks in the middle of the axle, because you can bend the axle. That boat weighs a lot. BW

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fishing

C ATCH A N D R ELE A S E

Set a Record Once upon a time, any fish you wanted to submit as a potential world record had to be killed and weighed on an International Game Fish Association-certified scale on shore. Thankfully, in the interest of conservation, the IGFA instituted a new rule in 2011, allowing for a 100 percent, all-release world record category.

With records based on length rather than weight, the IGFA’s All-Tackle Length category created 60 freshwater and 67 saltwater species record slots. For more information go to IGFA.org.

HANDLING

No matter what kind of fish it is, it has a layer of slime on the outside that protects it from disease, parasites and abrasion. Disturbing this coating opens the fish up to all manner of harm. Always wet your hands before handling a fish and, if possible, don’t handle it at all.

In this era of social media and selfie fascination, many anglers succumb to the temptation to lift a fish aboard for photos. While doing so may be relatively harmless for small fish, it could damage bigger fish: the larger the specimen the more damage handling it can cause. Nature designed fish to have equal support all around their body thanks to being immersed in the water. Remove them from that support, and they readily suffer from internal organs shifting and tearing from their internal anchoring points. All fish will fare better when they’re left in the water and released there.

Numerous dehooking tools exist for the purpose of releasing a fish without touching it.

GUT HOOKED

So Hard to Say Goodbye…

Make your next catch-and-release fishing session easier on the fish with these tips.

BY DEAN TRAVIS CLARKE

T

HERE ARE SEVERAL REASONS TO release a fish you catch: you don’t plan to eat it, it’s out of season or it’s too small (or large) to keep. Here’s how to release a fish without harming it and to ensure its greatest odds of surviving.

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Obviously, not hooking a fish deeply makes more sense than trying to remove a hook from a fish’s delicate internal organs. The best way to accomplish this is to use circle hooks, an ancient design that slides out of the fish’s gullet and hooks in the corner of its mouth where it can be removed easily. Another way to avoid gut-hooking is to use pliers to press down the barb on the hook, which allows the hooks to slide out more readily.

TACKLE

Certainly, circle hooks make the greatest contribution to improved release mortality. But the composition of the terminal tackle also makes a difference. Highquality stainless steel hooks last longer in a tackle box and may prove stronger while fighting a fish, but cheaper, lower-quality metal that corrodes quickly actually serves the fish better. The acids in a fish’s stomach combined with the corrosive nature of salt water help a hook fall apart quickly, thereby causing

Teaching youngsters the value of safely releasing fish goes a long way toward creating a generation of anglers that will practice sustainable fishing and teach their kids the same practices.

less harm if you need to cut the leader and leave the hook in the fish.

ACCESSORIES

Dehookers abound in many designs and sizes. Most anglers use tiny ones (often homemade) when fishing for live bait. It’s much easier to flip a small baitfish off a hook with a dehooker than by trying to hold it. It also prevents the fragile scales of the baitfish from falling off, thereby increasing its life considerably.

ARC makes a dehooker (dehooker4arc. com) that has been certified by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). The tool works well for simply removing a hook, but unlike most others, it works better at safely removing deep hooks.

Fish brought up from the deep need special care and assistance to treat barotrauma — uncontrollable inflation of the swim bladder. The bladder often extends out of the fish’s mouth and also often makes its eyes bulge dramatically. One way or another, the fish must return to its original depth to survive. One way to facilitate this is to “vent” the air bladder, a procedure that involves inserting a hollow needle through the fish’s abdomen and into the bladder, letting the air pressure escape. It works, but it can introduce bacteria into the fish,

which can cause infection and eventually kill the fish.

Back in 2013, the Pacific Fisheries Management Commission, in concert with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, passed a regulation limiting bottom fishing to 50 fathoms (previously 60 fathoms). Fish from such depths invariably suffer from barotrauma. If you simply release a fish procured from such depths, it will flop around on the surface as if it’s wearing an overinflated life vest.

Ultimately, it will die.

Channel Islands anglers helped pioneer “descending tools” that quickly return deepwater fish to their original depth without any needles, surgery or other invasive processes. Such tools are available commercially, but one can be made easily. Attach a heavy weight to a dedicated “descending rod.” Below the weight, attach a barbless hook or pincher mechanism. Attach the deepwater fish to the descending rod mechanism and send it back down. A gentle tug when the fish hits bottom releases it.

With sustainability becoming a more common catchphrase daily, fishermen must protect the environment that inspires their passion. If we don’t, more draconian regulations will do it for us. Fish responsibly and release fish safely. BW

HAS YOUR DOG GOT THE SALT?

Enter your pooch in our Salty Dog of the Month contest. Email your pet’s photo and name, your name, address and phone number to bobby@boatingworld.com, or snail mail to Boating World Salty Dog Contest, 18475 Bandilier Circle, Fountain Valley, CA 92708. Your pet could win a cool PFD from CWB.

This month’s Boating World Salty Dog will win this cool CWB dog vest.

®

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

BOATINGWORLD.COM JUNE 2016

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17

watersports

BO DY P OS ITI O N I N G

A stance that begins with one’s weight distributed evenly over the feet has the best chance of success.

Feet

The Anatomy of Body Position No matter the towsport, four key body areas need to be properly aligned.

BY ZENON BILAS

R

ECREATIONAL enthusiasts of the various towsports often get so caught up in the fun of waterskiing and wakeboarding that they don’t think about body position.

Sound like you? Correct body position makes learning and improving easier, affecting your success on the water. The pros know that body position is the foundation of consistent performance and rapid advancement.

Most towsports, including wakeboarding and waterskiing (on two skis, slalom, trick skiing and barefooting), share the same body-position fundamentals. The only thing that changes is the position of your feet — side by side for two skis and barefoot, one foot in front of the other for slalom and tricks, and sideways for wakeboarding.

Optimal body position focuses on four key areas of your body: 1) Feet 2) Ankles 3) Hips/seat, back and head 4) Shoulders, arms and hands

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1

Body position starts with your feet.

Towsports are lower body activities, just like snow skiing. The lower body provides the balance, stability and power while the upper body remains quiet. Imagine that the tow line merely connects you to the boat and don’t put any added pressure on it.

To make your lower body most effective, consider that the job of your feet is to support all of your weight. Just like in snow skiing, ice skating or golf, the feet provide the foundation for balance, stability and power. To achieve this powerful position, distribute your weight evenly over your feet, from heel to toe and from side to side. Doing so keeps your body weight centered over your feet, which is the core element of balance, either on skis, a wakeboard or your bare feet.

Because they are continuously moving forward, skimming across the water, towsports enthusiasts often stand heel heavy, which diminishes their balance. To correct this in your own riding, relax your calves and heels. Use the entire surface of your feet to support your weight. Particularly in barefoot skiing, where the surface area is very small, using your feet effectively is important for consistency, and when learning more difficult tricks, like a front-to-back 180 turn.

Find out more about seven-time U.S. national barefoot waterski champion Zenon Bilas at zenonbilas.com.

Shoulders, Arms and Hands An upright posture places your upper body in the best position to absorb the pull from the towboat. Beginning towsports enthusiasts let their shoulders and arms stretch out to the boat, which places them off balance and makes them vulnerable to falling forward (the dreaded face plant).

To get into a stronger position, keep your shoulders in and down (away from your ears) and put a small amount of bend in your elbows, placing them near your hips. Then lower your hands so that the handle is at your waist. This position permits some give to absorb the line’s pull. You will be using your lats, biceps and triceps to achieve this position.

Keep your grip on the handle relaxed. Too tight a grip creates tension in your upper body.

Again, it is helpful to get a handle and practice on land first. Then, when you take it to the water, your weight will be perfectly balanced and you will enjoy an effortless pull down the water.

As you improve and begin focusing on more advanced skiing or wakeboarding, remember that this body position should never change. Make sure you are maintaining the same balanced, strong body position when you are crossing the wake, making a slalom turn or doing wakeboard jumps or tricks. Eventually good body position will become second nature to you. You will be amazed at how quickly you advance, and how much fun you will have with your favorite tow sport.

4

While bending your knees is an important habit to develop, remember to keep your ankles flexed for optimal balance, and keep your body in a stacked posture — head, hips, feet in a vertical line — whether you’re skiing, boarding, slaloming or barefooting.

Ankles

2

The common admonition in towsports is “bend your knees,” which is correct. But too often when recreational skiers and wakeboarders think about bending their knees, they drop their hips and seat away from the boat, which means they are no longer balanced over their skis or board.

Instead, think about flexing your ankles, like a snow skier traversing moguls, a ballet dancer in a plie position, or a floor gymnast starting and landing a trick. The same ankle flexion works for towsports.

It distributes your body weight evenly over your feet, providing optimal balance and thus giving you better control of the ski or wakeboard. By focusing

on flexing your ankles, your knees will automatically bend and your hips will line up over your feet. It is helpful to practice this on land — maybe even while holding a tow rope — before taking it to the water.

Hips/Seat, Back and Head When it comes to your core and upper body, you want to achieve a stacked body position — your head in a vertical line with your hips and your feet. Remember how your mom nagged you about good posture? This is what she was talking about. No slouching please.

Because this upright posture places your upper body over your feet, your balance is optimal, and the likelihood of falling is greatly reduced.

3

Even as you turn to cross the wake or pull a trick, the stacked position shouldn’t be lost.

BOATINGWORLD.COM

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19

engines

PRO PER FLUS H I N G TECH N I Q U E

Flushing by the Book If you haven’t read your engine’s owner’s manual, there’s a good chance you have been flushing your engine wrong.

BY ALAN JONES

A

FEW MONTHS AGO, MY NEIGHBOR Kat asked if I could help her learn to drive her 31-foot Pro-Line. Her son, J.K., had always done the chauffeuring, but she wanted to take it out herself and learn how to care for the boat when we were done with the trip. It’s powered by twin Honda 225 outboards, and I knew the last thing we would do after a run in the brackish St. Johns River in Jacksonville, Fla., was flush them. So before embarking on our first run, I went to the Honda website (marine.honda.com) and looked up her motors’ owner’s manual. When we were done with her first lesson, I hooked up the garden hose to the flushing port, turned on the water and sat down to wait. “Aren’t you going to start the motor?”

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Kat said. “J.K. always does.” I told her the owner’s manual says to flush them with the engine off. I could see by her smile that she couldn’t wait to spring this bit of trivia on him the next time they went out.

Flushing an outboard engine is not a one-procedure-fits-all thing. To do it right for your particular model, look it up in the owner’s manual.

HONDA In the case of the 2005 Honda BF225 motors I flushed, the manual says to connect a garden hose to the flush port, which is on the upper starboard side of all Honda models more than 50 hp.

It includes the cautionary notice that running the engine while flushing with a garden hose connected to the port could damage the engine. The procedure for the Honda BF25 through BF50, however, is completely different. It recommends using the optional flush port on the lower unit. After removing the prop, attach a garden hose and then start the engine. The recommended flushing time for both is 10 minutes.

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engines MERCURY For direct-injected two-stroke OptiMax outboards, Mercury recommends using a water supply with no more than 45 psi (pounds per square inch) and attaching it to the flush port on the back of the engine, beneath the cowling. Mercury doesn’t give preference to running the engine or not while flushing — three minutes is the minimum either way — but it shouldn’t exceed minimum idle speed if it’s running.

For supercharged four-stroke Verado outboards, Mercury recommends using the fitting on the port side, just below the cowling, and turning the hose on about half strength. When using this port do not run the engine. Know that standard muffs don’t work and could damage the engine, because there is another inlet on the front of the lower unit, in addition to the ones on the side.

The procedure for smaller FourStrokes requires removing the prop, attaching the hose to the fitting beneath the cavitation

A flush bag is one way to flush an outboard after a day on the water. It needs to be watched the entire time, to ensure the water level stays high enough.

plate, turning the hose to half strength and running the engine for at least five minutes.

SUZUKI On every model except the DF2.5 portable, there is a built-in freshwater flushing system port in front just under the cowling, and on select other models, there’s another on the port side halfway between

the cavitation plate and cowling. The latter has a screw-on cap that needs no tools to remove. Just unscrew it and attach an optional fitting that accepts a garden hose.

When using these ports, attach a garden hose and do not run the engine. Suzuki also provides the option to use ear muffs to cover the intakes on both sides of the lower unit. Make sure it fits snugly, then turn the water on first and run the engine at idle.

As with outboards of all makes, ensure that water is coming out of the “tell-tale” pilot hole, to verify it is getting proper flow.

In both procedures, Suzuki recommends flushing for at least five minutes.

YAMAHA On every current North American Yamaha model of eight hp or more, there is a flush fitting on the starboard side toward the front. And all have the same procedure, which is to hook up a garden hose and run it — with the engine off — for 15 minutes. If the boat is still in the water, tilt the outboard up while flushing. When done, tilt it down to drain. On Yamaha’s YouTube channel is a service video that demonstrates how to use a flush bag, which completely immerses the lower unit in a small pool of water, and muffs. Yamaha recommends removing the prop before proceeding with either. With both of these options, run the engine at no more than 900 rpm for 15 minutes. Always watch the motor during the entire procedure in case the muffs slide or the bag loses water.

EVINRUDE Evinrudes have a water port on the back of the lower unit and, according to the manual, it is not necessary to run the engine to give it a good flushing (a bit ambiguous). To use muffs — on the 20 and 30 hp models as well as motors with the M2-type gearcase — it is necessary to use heavy tape to close additional openings, to ensure proper water flow, which makes a great case for just using the port.

On all models that have a port, regardless of the brand, you must replace the cap or reattach the fitting; otherwise, you can cause engine damage, because the water flow will be interrupted. We can’t stress this enough: Read your owner’s manual. BW

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diy

BA LL A ST S YSTEM I NSTA LL

Install a Ballast System Adding a surf ballast system to a ski boat is an easy and affordable project.

BY JOEL JOHNSON

M

Y FAMILY IS INTO WAKEBOARDING, but we want to wakesurf, too, so I decided to

install the WakeMakers Ultra Complete Reversible Pump Ballast System on our 2001 Tigé 23V. The system cost $500 and gave me everything necessary to fill and empty a 640-pound ballast bag, which can be purchased at WakeMakers.com, for $170. The project looked to be pretty straightforward, but I was concerned about drilling holes in my hull. Spencer from WakeMakers gave me link to a YouTube video that demonstrated how to do it, which alleviated my concerns. From start to finish, the project took about three hours.

1 To begin, locate an area in the bilge where you can drill a hole for the throughhull intake fitting. If you trailer the boat, make sure the chosen location won’t interfere with the trailer’s bunk and that it’s away from transducers or cruise control paddle wheels. With a good spot chosen, place the supplied magnet directly where you want to drill and hold the ball valve/ hose barb in place, to make sure you have clearance to attach it to the mushroom fitting later. Then go underneath the boat and apply blue painter’s tape in the general area where you’ll be drilling, to make sure

to complete the cut. In retrospect, I should have worn gloves and a long-sleeved shirt in addition to protective glasses, because fiberglass dust really itches.

3 Change to a conical grinding bit and, working at a 45-degree angle, chamfer the edge, so when the fitting is on it’s not actually touching the brittle gelcoat; doing so will prevent spider cracks in the adjoining area. Apply a continuous bead of 3M Marine Adhesive Sealant in the groove of the flange on the mushroom through-hull fitting, to provide a leak-free seal. On the inside of the bilge, put another

The result for my Tigé is a really well-formed surfing wake. the gelcoat doesn’t crack and to protect it in case the drill bit slips. With the tape applied, slide the other supplied magnet around until it sticks, indicating you’ve lined it up with the one inside the bilge.

Trace a circle around the magnet and remove it.

2 It’s time to drill. Attach the hole-cutting bit to your drill. Make sure the smaller pilot bit is in place, so you can get started properly before the large circular bit bites. Hold the drill perpendicular to the hull and, with the drill in forward, start drilling. Once the smaller bit is through the hull, switch the drill into reverse and let the hole-cutting bit grind through the gelcoat. You’ll see the dust change color, and when that happens, stop and put the drill in forward 24

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JUNE 2016 BOATINGWORLD.COM

bead of the adhesive around the base of the fitting before putting on the lock nut, which you’ll secure with a crescent wrench. Spin the ball valve/hose barb assembly onto the threads.

4 The process to drill the drain hole is identical to the intake hole, except for the location. It needs to be mounted higher than the top of the ballast tank, to avoid passive draining, and you have to take into consideration how much the boat lists when it’s weighted to one side. The safest place is near the windshield, since that will remain high no matter what, and the kit includes plenty of hose for a long run.

5 Now it’s time to mount the pump. I found a good spot at the front inside of my boat’s engine compartment and created a

cardboard template for the pump’s mounting holes. I downloaded a free bubble-level app for my phone, to make sure I mounted it straight, for aesthetic reasons, and pinned the cardboard template in place. Drill the four quarter-inch holes, thread the bolts, put the pump in place and attach the nuts.

6 To install the switch at the helm, use a fish tape to run the switch’s wires from the pump under the gunwale (there should be other wires there). Make a template out of thin cardboard by tracing the switch body — not the plastic mounting flange, or it will fall through — and cut it to size. Then trace an outline on the dash where you want to mount it. After using a Dremel tool to cut the opening and smooth the edges, attach the pre-wired connector and snap the switch into place.

7 Feed the battery wire back to the battery compartment and use the battery terminal wire to connect it straight to the battery or battery switch, if you have one. After connecting the wire, place a 30-amp fuse into the inline fuse slot.

8 Next, slide a clamp up one end of the supplied hose and heat the end of the hose with a hairdryer (to make it more pliable) before pushing it fully onto the hull fitting’s barb connector. Tighten the clamp. Run the hose to the intake (left) side of the pump, trim it to length and attach it using a clamp. Take the remaining length of hose, connect it to the right side of the pump and to the bottom (fill) quick connect of the ballast bag, after trimming the excess.

Connect the last of the hose to the top of the ballast bag (vent) and run it to the drain through-hull next to the windshield.

Right now, we only surf on the regular side, so we only need one bag, but if we add a second one, we can either install a Y-valve or install a second pump for faster pumping and dumping. Filling the bag takes about six minutes, and the result for my Tigé is a really well-formed surfing wake. BW

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TOOLS NEEDED

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3

5

6

Make sure you have the following tools and supplies: • 1/16-inch hole saw bit • Regular screwdriver • Grinding bit • Dremel cutting tool • 3/8-inch nut driver • 1/4-inch drill bit • Four 2-inch-long 1/4-inch stainless

steel bolts and nuts • A PVC hose cutter

1 Make sure there’s room for the through-hull fitting.

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8

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2 Use a magnet on the outside to locate the through-hull.

3 Make sure there’s enough room for the intake’s ball valve handle.

4 Chamfer the hole’s edge at a 45-degree angle.

5 Make a template out of thin cardboard and mark the holes on it.

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12

6 Use a template to drill the four holes for the pump.

7 Mount the pump inside the engine compartment.

8 Make sure the pump is level.

9 Tie-wrap the wire going to the helm to a fish tape.

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10 Drill out an opening for the switch at the dash.

11 After connecting the wires to the battery, insert a 30-amp fuse.

12 Attach the hose to the water intake fitting.

13 Slide the hose onto the intake’s fitting and clamp it.

14 The intake goes to the left side of the pump and the drain hose is on the right.

BOATINGWORLD.COM JUNE 2016

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ask the experts

Q

+A

PROPELLERS

Avoiding a Spun Hub

Q The other day I was offshore in my fishing boat with a Yamaha outdrive. Suddenly, I lost forward momentum, though the rpm picked up. Fortunately I was able get towed back to port where the mechanic found I had a “spun hub” in my prop. How does this happen? Can I prevent it? And what can I do if it happens again?

Darrin Smulder, Bradenton, Fla.

A prop is joined to a splined propshaft via a correspondingly splined hub and a rubber cushion. After a while, the rubber may deteriorate and shear when power is applied. Sometimes the shearing is due to repetitive strikes by the prop against harder objects. And many times it’s caused by a thermostat being stuck open, allowing only cold water to course over a rubber bushing

 OUR PANEL OF 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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Zuzana Prochazka Grid Michal With 50 years of experience as a marine tech, Michal is also American Suzuki and OMC/ Bombardier (BRP) certified.

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.

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ask the experts that needs warm/hot water running over it to enable it to do its job. When you get a prop re-hubbed, directions will tell you to install the prop but let the engine idle for 15 to 20 minutes to allow the rubber to properly heat-and-seat. What to do in case it happens again? If it’s an emergency, you can come home in reverse, as the hub shears one way, and you may be lucky enough to be able to temporarily “rejoin” the shards in reverse. Keep in mind your safety, as water coming over the transom is a possibility. And keep an eye on your engine temps: too cool and you’ll continue to have problems. — GM B AT T E R I E S

Best Way to Charge

Q I have three ways to charge my start/ house batteries: AC through an onboard charger connected to #1 (start) and #2 (house) on my four-position battery switch.

The engine alternator is connected to the positive lug on the starter, which in turn is

connected to the battery switch at position “Both.” In addition, I intend to connect the generator’s positive lead to the “Both” position. I do not have a combiner, isolator or smart battery switch, nor do I want any. Both the engine and the generator have external regulators. Can I effect this generator connection without concern about back-feeding the engine alternator or, in the case of running the engine, backfeeding the generator alternator? Of course I’m open to any and all suggestions you may have.

Steve Makar, via BoatingWorld.com

Before digging into this, I’m going to make a few assumptions. One is that your generator is a permanently installed, properly wired marine unit that provides AC power to your vessel during operation, not a portable gas generator sitting in the cockpit or on the swim platform that’s plugged into your shore-power inlet (an extremely unsafe situation that’s deserving

of its own article). The other assumption is that the generator has its own dedicated start battery, not one serving double duty as generator/engine start battery or part of the house battery bank.

So, if I understand your question correctly, you want to use the DC output of your generator to charge the start battery for your engine, as well as your house battery bank. The problem is the DC output of a typical marine generator is designed to be used to charge the generator start battery only, not other batteries (engine start battery, house bank, etc.).

You mention that you already have an AC battery charger installed (as one of your three ways to charge your start/house batteries). As you would have to run the generator regardless, even if you did hook up the DC output directly to those other batteries, my recommendation would be to simply use the generator to power the AC battery charger. — FL

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ask the experts OUTBOARDS

Antifreeze Necessary?

Q When I got my new four-stroke outboard winterized last year, I was charged an additional $16 for running antifreeze through it to keep it from freezing. Are the new four-strokes like inboard engines?

Casey L., via BoatingWorld.com

and the water inside the block drains out if the engine is vertical. An inboard, or an I/O, retains the water in the engine block. I’ve heard that two Lasik in the morning will get rid of the fluid, but I’m a bit dubious. I think you can safely skip that part of the winterization process in the future. — GM

According to BoatUS insurance claims data, more than 75 percent of freeze claims involved cracks in the engine block or exhaust manifolds.

Only to the extent they have pistons, rods, crank, block and valves. Outboards have a complete-discharge cooling system, which means that when you turn the engine off, the water pump quits pumping, the water ceases entering the powerhead,

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MARINE ENGINES

Out With the Old Resistor?

Q I have twin 454 350 hp Crusaders, 1979.

I replaced the points with electronic plate.

Do I remove the old external ballast resistor

or keep it in place?

Jim Deutcsh, via BoatingWorld.com

Read the installation directions with your particular units, but in most cases you can dispose of the ballast resistor. — GM B AT T E R I E S

Vexed by Voltage

Q What voltage should the alternator put out at the battery at idle and at 2000 rpm with a 2010 Mercury 90 hp four-stroke EFI outboard?

Vincent Crawford, via BoatingWorld.com

If you just installed a new battery and have no accessories turned on, the voltmeter should show about 12v, or, if all the cables are spotless, about 12.4v. Depending on your fuel delivery system, turn the ignition to ON, and you should have a 1 or 2v drop in what the meter shows. Turn the key to START, and the meter should drop

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ask the experts to 9 or 10v until the engine’s running. At that point, the meter should be showing approximately 13 to 14v. Now, here’s where it gets murky. Different engines have different charging outputs at different rpm, depending on what the engine is used for.

You can check with the manufacturer of the engine you have to find what charging capability it has. Most will be regulated, so the max you should be showing after a draining such as radar or livewells, etc., would be a 16v reading, from above idle to full throttle. — GM OUTBOARDS

Avoiding Saltwater Corrosion

Q If I don’t have access to fresh water for flushing my outboard after each use, what’s the best way to avoid corrosion by salt water? Are any outboards more resistant than others?

Wallace Kaufman, via BoatingWorld.com

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To combat corrosion, Yamaha uses three layers of paint on its engine parts and four layers on the exhaust system parts.

My kids used to hate me when they’d ask something like, “What’s four plus seven?

Eleven?” And I’d reply, “It depends. Are we dealing with metrics or ‘base 10’ or what?” I always left wiggle-room. Now, as to flushing...

When Suzuki first brought its engines to the U.S. in 1978, it tested them in Florida, where, the manufacturer found, the salt water made the Sea of Japan look like a

freshwater pond. Manufacturers have tried various methods to reduce corrosion through bonding straps, special cooling passage sealants, anodes and the like.

No matter how good the protection, it ultimately comes down to how much it will cost, and what the consumer is willing to pay. So, looking at that history, various models are better suited for protection at different stages of manufacturing. (See. “It depends.”) I would say two things here: First, BRP/Evinrude probably has the best internal corrosion protection. Suzuki and Yamaha have found problems in various specific models (with Merc using Yamaha powerheads and BRP using earlier Suzuki engines, the problems cross-pollinated), but all the manufacturers are dealing with it in their own way. Here on the Chesapeake, watermen may, or may not, flush their work engines once in a five-year lifetime, or thousands of hours, which leads me to believe that continual use of the engine is the ultimate right answer! — GM

bonehead blunders

BY G R I D M I CH A L

Grid’s Disposal Yard BONEHEAD BLUNDER: Giving or receiving. Or both.

THE BONEHEAD: A rag-bagger BONEHEAD RATING: 10 isn’t close WHAT HAPPENED: For about a month, a sailor had been calling

at least weekly about a sailboat he’s going to buy. The boat had a Honda 9.9 with manual start. His diminutive First Mate couldn’t pull the rope “with alacrity,” so he and I tried unsuccessfully to find a starter kit on eBay or Craigslist.

Finally, he gave up and we examined other options. He had an older 9.9 Evinrude that the electric starter didn’t work on, and he thought he might as well get that taken care of and just sell the Honda. I raced home from church to meet him at our house.

Fortunately, he called to make sure he had our address correct.

Not really. I’m not certain what town, state or country he was headed to, but I got him turned around. He said they’d be here in 30 minutes. Two hours later we had eaten lunch and I had gotten the trash ready to be picked up before they finally rolled in. The gentleman opened the car’s tailgate to show a very sad, woebegone 1989 Johnson 9.9, 25-inch shaft. Far as I could tell, the lower unit had never been off. The transom clamps had rusted-off discs. The plastic handles were broken at the ends. The electric starter button, where the cables attach, had been chopped. Not off, just chopped.

The rear cover clamp was missing, but a fresh piece of 3/16-inch line secured it, somewhat. You just didn’t want to lift the engine by the cover, if you get my drift. I asked how long it had been since the engine ran.

“Well, seven or eight years ago someone tried to steal the engine from my boat,” he said, pointing at the plastic tips of the clamp handles and the chopped starter switch, “and I took it somewhere to get it fixed, but that was when ethanol gas came out. The guy was too busy with carburetors to deal with the engine, so we picked it up a few months later. Yeah, I’d say last time it ran was about eight years ago.”

I explained I’d treat it as though it were my money going into it and let him know ASAP a rough estimate. I took it back to my work shed, put it on a cart, huffed and puffed for a few minutes, and removed the cover. I reinstalled the cover, called the gentleman, whose phone flipped to voicemail. The message I left went something like this: “I started on your engine this afternoon by removing the engine cover. I think I’ve found the reason the electric starter doesn’t work. There is no electric starter, shift-lockout switch, regulator/rectifier, wiring harness or anything that makes this an electric start engine. As a matter of fact, somebody has installed a powerhead approximately 15 years older than the rest of

BONEHEAD RATING SYSTEM Acceptably assinine Slightly slow Distinguished dunce Massively moronic Seek mental help

the engine. So, if you don’t mind, can you come collect this pile of scrap?”

He hasn’t returned any of my calls.

LESSON LEARNED: I would hope he’s the Bonehead, and next time I will look to see that what he givethed, he gotteth back. That’s Sunday-afternoon speak. Then again, maybe I’m the Bonehead for lugging that monster from the car to the shop. BW

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gear

STU FF YO U WA NT

Be Seen, Be Heard $1,295, ASAElectronics.com When you’re shredding on a wake, the epic cherry on top would be some tunes. With Polk Ultramarine’s new Wake Tower Speaker, you will certainly hear and be heard out there. These powerful speakers project more than 80 feet and are 200-watt party machines, versatile for all segments of the marine industry. Water enthusiasts can customize the logo plate for a personal look.

Additionally, the 6-inch-by-9-inch woofer, aluminum tweeter, and compression horn driver provide the full sensory experience.

Go With the Flow $230, PGFFan.com Boating season is synonymous with warm weather, so be prepared when temperatures rise with this useful accessory for any boat. The Personal Go Fan is a patented variable-speed fan that allows users to dial in the perfect level of cool. The high-output setting has a 20 mph wind speed. Powering the unit is a high-efficiency, high-power, long-lasting brushless motor. Optional adapter rings allow the fan to snugly fit into any-sized cupholder.

Watch Your Waste Band $85-$140, Seasucker.com, Seasucker, known for its vacuum-mounted accessories, is now selling its latest problem solver, the Waste Band. Boaters and fishermen now have a convenient way to collect and store empty cans and other waste, without filling a hatch or bucket. The Waste Band is a plastic hoop and clip system for holding garbage bags using vacuum mounts, which attach quickly to a boat’s fiberglass without any screws and are easily removed when not in use. Available in two sizes, both versions of the Waste Band come in black or white.

A Better Bucket $15.99, Frabill.com Frabill’s new line of buckets features new, more durable construction and a series of innovative lid designs to help maintain the health of bait. Some new features include a two-gallon capacity, a built-in compartment lid, an interior minnow trap, an aerator clip-on bracket and a hose hole in the lid. Unlike other buckets, the drainer bait bucket allows you to access bait without excess water spilling onto you or the deck by utilizing suction and strategic drains on the bottom of the strainer. There is even a compartment for storing leeches or crawlers on the lid.

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SUBMIT YOUR GEAR TO STEPHANIE@BOATINGWORLD.COM

Playing Favorites $179.95, ProspecElectronics.com Expanding its line of high-quality marine stereos, Prospec Electronics adds the state-of-the-art, all-environment Milennia MIL-PRV22. The AM/FM multimedia receiver combines the convenience and versatility of a wide range of playback options with the superior audio quality Milennia is known for. The MIL-PRV22 boasts a 45w x 4 internal amplifier for pure, powerful sound. It easily pairs devices with Bluetooth capability for wireless audio streaming. It’s also portable media-ready with an auxiliary input, a USB port for MP3 and WMA playback, as well as charging.

Remote Monitor

Bug Free’s the Way to Be

Free, GostGlobal.com

$59.99+, ThermaCell.net

Originally designed to track stolen boats, GOST’s (Global Ocean Security Technologies) Nav-Tracker line of products now has a free Nav-Tracker App that helps boat owners monitor a boat’s status from their smartphone or tablet. Not only can someone detect the unauthorized movement of his vessel, he can have family and friends keep track of his status while cruising — including speed, direction and even nearby points of interest.

It also allows people on the boat to notify anyone monitoring the app that there’s been a problem, without sending a general SOS over the airwaves to airplanes and government agencies.

The new ThermaCELL Mosquito Repelling Lantern comes in a variety of sizes. A butane cartridge heats a repellent mat that releases allethrin, a synthetic copy of the natural repellent found in chrysanthemum flowers. The lantern’s protection covers a 225-square-foot area (15 by 15 feet) for up to four hours per mat insert — big enough for a significant portion of the boat — and is 98 percent effective against mosquitoes and other biting insects.

K Cups on the Go $299.99, Oxx.com/thecoffeeboxx For chilly evenings and early mornings fishing on the boat, keep yourself properly fueled with the first portable CoffeeBoxx from Oxx. Featuring a separate on-demand hot-water line, six external stainless steel tie-downs and a removable drip tray, the Coffeeboxx is made for durability and portability. The spill-proof water tank holds two-and-a-half liters of water, and the unit only weighs 12 pounds empty. The CoffeeBoxx works with all single-serve coffee pods.

SUBMIT YOUR GEAR TO STEPHANIE@BOATINGWORLD.COM

BOATINGWORLD.COM JUNE 2016

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tested

TI G É R Z X

Large and In Charge Tigé’s RZX delivers what buyers want most in a surfing, wakeboarding machine: more.

BY ALAN JONES

A

S THE SPORT OF WAKESURFING matures, participants have come to expect a

lot. They want a great wave on both sides and the ability to switch over quickly without having to resort to a game of charades, and they want a boat that exudes comfort, luxury and attitude while plowing up a wave without heeling far over. The 23-foot Tigé RZX checks off all those boxes and more.

UNIQUE FACTOR

The first thing I noticed about the RZX when I stepped on board was how deep the interior was. For a family with smaller kids, this is a big deal, because we’ve seen a lot of surf boats that sit perilously low in the water when tankered up, especially if they list in full-plow mode. That’s definitely not a problem here. The extra depth is especially noticeable in the picklefork bowriding section, which is a place kids tend to commandeer. With bow filler cushions in place, some boats can feel especially shallow, but in the RZX’s playpen, even the rear-facing bow backrest is tall and angled for comfort, making it one of the most comfortable places for up to three observers to check out the ski show.

The big news for model year 2016 is the Taps 3 Surf System, which includes two outer tabs and the large center Taps2 wake plate; they work together to shape the surfing wake and allow surfers to switch sides in about two seconds without the boat heeling over. Even cooler is Surflink, a wristband controller for the rider to shape the wake or switch sides on the fly. The Taps 3 Surf System with Surflink is a musthave option ($4,444).

PERFORMANCE

Our test boat had the standard engine, the Indmar Raptor 440, which was new for 2015 and is anything but run of the mill.

What makes it unique is that it was the first

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Ford-based motor to be used in a ski boat for decades. What’s interesting is Indmar badges each of the three engines in the Raptor family by its torque rating rather than horsepower. The standard 440 (footpound) engine is guesstimated to produce around 400 hp. With a stout 5,694-pound boat that’s plumped up by 3,000 pounds of under-deck hard-tank ballast, torque is what gets the job done, and Indmar exploits its usefulness by maximizing that torque in the 2500 to 3500 rpm range — right where surf and wakeboard boats make their hey!

In addition to being heavy, the RZX has Tigé’s patented Convex V hull, which curves upward toward the stern and allows it to naturally settle in the water when moving, creating a beautiful wake even before adding ballast. The hull features a layup that’s reinforced with carbon fiber for extra strength.

The 440 isn’t supercharged like its bigger, badder brother, the 575, which is a $13,333 upgrade, but the 440’s forte is its ability to lay down the power in a very smooth manner, which makes for silky skier and (Clockwise from top right) The optional Alpha Z Tower helps give the RZX its signature Tigé look. The optional cockpit table boosts the RZX’s entertainment chops. The 7-inch Tigé Touch2 screen sits off to the right to preserve the driver’s view. A centerline walkthrough makes it easy to board. Tower speakers and board racks give the Alpha Z tower character. The optional Reversible Seat is perfect for spotting.

Engine torque is maximized in the 2500 to 3500 rpm – right where surf boats make

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owner feedback  surfer extractions. The RZX got on plane in 4.3 seconds and reached 30 mph in 8.8 seconds. Top speed was 36.7 mph, which might seem a little slow, but on this boat the top speed is dependent on the prop, and ours was clearly rigged for watersports.

HANDLING

Purchased by Ruston and Heather Vickers plus Piper, 10, and Esme, 3, Austin, Texas Purchased at Ski Dock, Austin, Texas > >W H A T

WE LIKED

Deep, kid-friendly cockpit/Taps 3 Surf System/Surf Locker/Beautiful interior and bold graphics/Fantastic surfing wake > >W H A T

WE WOULD CHANGE

I’m not a big fan of the soft-sided Yeti cooler.

Its placement is a bit awkward, and you have to unzip it to get a drink and then zip it back up. Plus, it doesn’t hold a lot. I would rather have a built-in cooler. > >W H Y

WE BOUGHT IT

We owned a Tigé RZ4 and loved it, but when we would have a group of people out surfing, some would want to surf on the goofy side, and it took a long time to dump one side and fill the other. The first time we took out our new RZX and tapped the Touch2 screen once, the Taps 3 allowed it to switch sides in seconds … sheer joy. The Surf Link wristband feature is awesome, and the wave it puts out on both sides is amazing. Virtually everything on our new boat is an improvement over our older boat. Even the new upholstery Tigé uses stays cooler. We have a three-year-old daughter and love the security of the deep cockpit. The RZX is really roomy; we’ve had as many as a dozen people on board. We do our boating on Lake Austin, which is a pretty big lake, and the good surfing spot is on the far side of the lake, so we got the non-turbocharged 440 instead of the 575, for better fuel economy, but the 440 Raptor does a great job. Ski Dock’s service is awesome. Because we live on the lake, we didn’t get a trailer and they will come to me for service.

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At the helm, the first thing I noticed was the great visibility. The trend these days is to have large-screen displays set front and center, which means they creep upward into the driver’s view of the water. Tigé’s helm hallmark is to give the driver an unfettered view by placing the Tigé Touch2 — a seveninch touch-screen display that can control virtually all the RZX’s systems — to the right, which makes it ergonomically easier for one’s throttle hand to operate, and that hand controls the drive-by-wire throttle, which is very sensitive to the touch and took a bit of practice before I didn’t accidentally add power when shifting into forward.

Upon launch, even though the Convex V hull adopts a bow-up, stern-down posture, the RZX displayed very little bowrise, and the water ahead never left my view. Despite its heft, whipping this surf machine into a hard corner was easy, and it didn’t heel far over in hard turns. Even when tankered up and cruising at 10 mph, it was easy to control.

BEST USES

The RZX and the ASR share a lot of similarities, including being the most expensive two boats in the Tigé fleet, but while both have the surfing and wakeboarding thing down pat, the RZX is more surf-centric, with a Convex hull, while the

ASR is a bit more wakeboard-forward, having an Apex hull that features four degrees of deadrise. The passenger rating for the RZX is a whopping 16 people (aka biological ballast). And because the 3,000 pounds of ballast is under-deck and it has a tall profile, there is a huge amount of storage. One of its most innovative features is the Tigé-only Surf Locker, which is a standard feature located at the transom that can store up to three surfboards in an easy-to-access location.

PREFERRED SETUP

The RZX comes loaded with high-end features such as padded flooring made of Gator Step that’s really comfortable and looks great. A removable Yeti cooler keeps drinks and ice colder than any soft cooler we’ve ever seen. The 3,000 pounds of under-deck ballast, drive-by-wire shift and throttle, and Zero Off cruise control are all standard.

The list price starts in six figures, so it doesn’t take long to ratchet up the bottom line. Our boat had the optional metal-flake gelcoat ($2,222), which really made it pop when combined with its new graphics.

A Reversible Seat ($2,926) that converts from a stern bench to a rear-facing couch is a must-have for observing. The Alpha Z Tower is optional ($5,481), one of a wide range of options, such as a custom-color Bimini with surfboard storage ($2,000), and over-the-top stereo options such as the REV 10 Tower of Power system ($2,077) that has upgraded speakers, a 10-inch subwoofer, a Sinister amp and REV 10 tower speakers. BW

SPECS Length 23 ft. Beam 8 ft., 6 in. Deadrise 6 degrees Capacity 16 people Dry Weight (hull) 5,694 lbs. Fuel Capacity 65 gal.

Max HP 525 (estimated) PERFORMANCE Peak 36.7 mph/5400 rpm/95 dBA Cruise 23.1 mph/3500 rpm/86 dBA Time to Plane 4.3 sec.

Time to 30 mph 8.8 sec.

POWER Test Indmar Raptor 440 Cylinders V-8 Displacement 6.2L Weight w/outdrive 1,000 lbs. WOT Max 5500 rpm Base Price w/test power $111,846 Value-Added Standard Features: Zero Off cruise control, Gator Step flooring, Tigé Touch2 display, Surf Locker, built-in trashcan, centerline ski locker, YETI cooler Must-Have Options: Trailer, cockpit table, rearview mirror, Z-Cline captain’s chair with flip-up bolster, single or dual heaters, underwater lighting, Taps 3 Surf System, Reversible Seat, Alpha Z tower Builder: Tigé Boats, tigeboats.com Financing: $802/month w/15% down and 6% interest for 15 years

SUZUKI SPRING SALE Six Year Product Protection On All Suzuki Outboards from 25 to 300 HP At No Extra Charge

Plus, Cash Rebates Up To $800 On Selected Models

Just in time for Spring Commissioning. See Your Participating Suzuki Marine Dealer To Take Advantage of These Fantastic Offers.

Suzuki V6 outboards range from 225 to 300 HP, including our DF300AP with drive-by-wire controls and Suzuki Selective Rotation.

Suzuki’s “Gimme Six!” Extended Protection Plan is worth up to $1690.

SPRING INTO

CA$H Check out Suzuki’s SS Series 115, 150 and 250 HP outboards with exclusive matte black paint job.

®

Suzuki offers financing plans on new outboard motors with attractive rates as low as 5.99%* (for 60 months O.A.C.)

Ask your dealer for details regarding cash rebates up to $800 on select models.

Suzuki Inline-4 cylinder models range from 70 to 200 HP. They’re compact, lightweight and POWERFUL.

Most models from 40 HP on up are available in Cool White or Shadow Black Metallic.

Offers expire June 30, 2016. For complete details, talk to your participating Suzuki Marine dealer or visit www.suzukimarine.com CashRebates apply to qualifying purchases of select Suzuki outboards made between 04/01/16 and 06/30/16. For list of designated models, see participating Dealer or visit www.suzukimarine. com. Customer and participating Dealer must fill out the appropriate rebate form at time of sale. Customer will have the choice to either apply the cash rebate against the original dealer invoice (Suzuki will credit Dealer parts account) or have a check sent directly to the customer. Gimme Six Extended Protection promo is applicable to new Suzuki outboard motors from 25 to 300 HP in inventory which are sold and delivered to buyer between 04/01/16 and 06/30/16 in accordance with the promotion by a Participating Authorized Suzuki Marine dealer in the continental US and Alaska to a purchasing customer who resides in the continental US or Alaska. Customer should expect to receive an acknowledgement letter and full copy of contract including terms, conditions and wallet card from Suzuki Extended Protection within 90 days of purchase. If an acknowledgement letter is not received in time period stated, contact Suzuki Motor of America, Inc. – Marine Marketing via email: marinepromo@suz.com. The Gimme Six Promotion is available for pleasure use only, and is not redeemable for cash. There are no model substitutions, benefit substitutions, rain checks, or extensions. Suzuki reserves the right to change or cancel these promotions at any time without notice or obligation. * Financing offers available through Synchrony Retail Finance. As low as 5.99% APR financing for 60 months on new and unregistered Suzuki marine engines. Subject to credit approval. Not all buyers will qualify. Approval, and any rates and terms provided, are based on credit worthiness. $19.99/month per $1,000 financed for 60 months is based on 5.99% APR. Hypothetical figures used in calculation; your actual monthly payment may differ based on financing terms, credit tier qualification, accessories or other factors such as down payment and fees. Offer effective on new, unregistered Suzuki marine engines purchased from a participating authorized Suzuki dealer between 04/01/16 and 06/30/16.“Gimme Six”, the Suzuki “S” and model names are Suzuki trademarks or ®. Don’t drink and drive. Always wear a USCG-approved life jacket and read your owner’s manual. © 2016 Suzuki Motor of America, Inc.

SZ_2016_2QPromo_APVr1.indd 1

3/18/16 8:39 AM

tested

M A LI B U WA KE S E T TER 20 V T X

Triple Threat Malibu has reinvented the Wakesetter 20 VTX from the hull up.

BY ALAN JONES

C

ROSSOVER WATERSPORTS BOATS ARE A great idea for boaters who like variety.

Often, however, the jack-of-all-trades syndrome dooms the effort with a weak link.

Malibu has had the Wakesetter 20 VTX in its lineup for years, but this year its designers did more than hit the refresh button on an already successful model; they created a new, compact multitrick pony that can go from wakeboarding to wakesurfing to slaloming without missing a beat.

UNIQUE FACTOR

PERFORMANCE

The hardest of the three disciplines to pull off with a V-drive powertrain setup is slalom skiing. Creating a really flat wake is difficult, because instead of having the engine amidships where they are on tournament ski boats, it is in the stern, to provide some ballast. But the 20 VTX’s T-Cut Diamond hull is Malibu’s next-generation variant of the Diamond Hull found on Malibu’s Response TXi, its pure tournament slalom boat (with a big engine hump in the cockpit) that has been used to set four world records.

The other hull in Malibu’s lineup is the Wake Plus, used on its 20 MTX, the pickle-forked 20-foot counterpart to the VLX. So how’s its slalom wake at 28 to 32 mph? Far lumpier that the VTX’s.

Another slalom plus is the standard removable amidships ski pylon.

So how do you get a world-class wake out of a slalom hull? The wakening process starts with 800 pounds of standard ballast, which will produce tight recreational launch ramps. For maximum potential, there is an option for an incredible 3,000-plus pounds of additional ballast, including a 300-pound bow tank, 1,500 pounds of Plug ‘n’ Play tanks and another 1,500 pounds from its ace in the hole, the Power Wedge II — a plow that drops incrementally to simulate up to three-quarters of a ton of ballast and shape the wake. And Surf Gate II, the latest hydraulic iteration of this innovation, allows surfers to ride either side without heeling the boat far over.

Our test 20 VTX was powered by the Indmar Monsoon 410, which is its standard engine. Instead of the 410 referring to horsepower, which is the norm, it’s actually the amount of torque it generates. And when you are hauling 3,500 pounds of ballast plus 11 people, this is more important than its estimated 350 hp.

The optional Raptor/Monsoon engine is a 450 (foot-pound) model that produces about 400 hp and should get the job done.

Hammering the throttle produced a lovely growl that put the unladen VTX on plane in 3.6 seconds. Time to 30 mph was 8 seconds flat, and its top speed was a fasterthan-most-ski-boats 43.6 mph. The Power Wedge II provides lift when coming out of the hole to help it get on plane quickly even when tankered up.

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HANDLING

The smallest boat in Malibu’s lineup at 20 feet long and 8 feet, 2 inches wide and with a traditional pointy bow, it’s also the most nimble. Twin tracking fins give it extra grip in corners — no sliding even when it’s whipped around with as much vigor as a jetboat. For 2016 Malibu raised the gunwales a bit to increase freeboard, which really comes in handy when it’s fully loaded with ballast and max wedge. It still sits pretty low in the water, though, so the driver better not crank the wheel too hard when tankered with peeps and jump juice. Some boats handle like a pig when loaded, but we still had good directional control even when plowing up a surf wake

(Clockwise from bottom left) Surfgate II vertical surf tabs can be controlled by the rider with Surfgate. Not many 20-footers have this much cockpit seating. The helm features a tilting display screen for better visibility. Malibu’s 20 VTX features the traditional pointy bow.

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owner feedback 

Purchased by Ken and Jayme Zylstra, plus Zoe, 15, and Ruby, 13, Prior Lake, Minn.

Purchased at Minnesota Inboard Watersports, Excelsior, Minn. > >W H A T

WE LIKED

Backup camera/Surf Gate II with Surf Band/ Power Wedge II/Zero Off cruise control New styling and graphics/Great resale value > >W H A T

WE WOULD CHANGE

Absolutely nothing; this boat has everything we want. > >W H Y

WE GOT IT

My dad and I used to ski competitively when I was growing up, and I wanted to share my love of watersports with my girls. Zoe, my oldest daughter, is an avid three-event competitor (slalom, trick and jumping), while Ruby competes in slalom tournaments. We’ve had two previous Malibu 20 VTXs, and while they were great boats, our new 20 VTX is the best boat we’ve ever owned. It’s an awesome boat for doing all watersports. My wife, Jayme, and I like to ski and surf, and this is one boat we didn’t have to compromise one watersport for another. For a boat that can put out a really flat wake for slaloming, the surf wake it creates is amazing, and the ability for the rider to be able to control the wave with the Surf Band is a game-changer. In the past, Jayme wasn’t really “fluent” with setting up a boat for various watersports, but the new 20 VTX made it really easy for her to be very comfortable when she’s driving. Minnesota Inboard Watersports has been great; you’re not just a customer, you’re part of a family.

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at 10 mph. The driver enjoys a new bucket seat that features an optional electrically powered adjustable-height seat pedestal.

The lake was calm during our test, but given the VTX’s shallow seven degrees of deadrise, it will probably pound more in large waves than boats with Malibu’s Wake Plus hull.

Malibu makes it easy for drivers without a lot of experience setting up wakes to nail it, providing a graphic depiction of the shape of the desired wake, be it mellow or rampy, in addition to choosing its size. All this is displayed on the 12-inch MaliView touchscreen display that’s part of the helm’s Viper 2 Command Center.

It’s a Bluetooth-compatible system, which allows someone to control it with a smartphone running the free Perfect Pull app. Surfers, while in the act, can use a Surfband wrist remote to control the Wedge, surf direction and boat speed, while simultaneously alerting the driver to any changes. So the driver just finds the shape and size wave he wants, taps the screen and lets the internal computer do his ballast bidding. Lower and to the right is a seven-inch MTC display that replaces all the toggle switches for accessories such as lights, the blower, heat and the bilge, along with the stereo and GPS. An analog control with a large knob makes it easy to change the surf wake from left to right or tweak the speed and wedge without touching the MaliView screen.

BEST USES

Although the 20 VTX can do it all, its strengths are in slalom and surfing. The

standard package comes complete with a cool, dual-axle trailer, and one of the things this package can do is fit nicely into a typical one-car garage. With the tongue folded, its overall length with the swim platform attached is only 22 feet, 4 inches, and with the standard Illusion G3.2 tower folded down, its height is 7 feet, 8 inches, which can usually limbo underneath a standard garage door.

An optional cockpit table ($427) and two Malibu-logoed marine coolers with dedicated storage for beverage containment enhance the entertainment potential. There’s plenty of upscale cockpit seating, and the bowrider seats are just long enough to allow a six-footer to recline without having to accordion-up. For better skier observing, go with the convertible Wake View bench seat option ($2,333).

PREFERRED SETUP

With a starting MSRP of $88,230 (check for rebates), it doesn’t take too many options to crack the six-figure barrier, but to set it up properly there are a few must-haves. The whole point of this boat is to be able to do it all, which requires the Integrated Surf System, which includes Surf Gate II with Surfband ($4,333) and the Power Wedge II ($3,505).

For tunes, a killer system with a subwoofer runs $3,550. A pair of Wet Sounds tower speakers costs $1,855 with a second pair coming at a $103 discount. Every avid skier I know extends the ski season as far as possible, and adding a two-outlet heater ($427) and a hot water shower ($513) is money well spent. BW

SPECS Length 20 ft. Beam 8 ft., 2 in. Deadrise 7 degrees Capacity 11 people Dry Weight (hull) 3,500 lbs. Fuel Capacity 38 gal.

Max HP 400 PERFORMANCE Peak 43.6 mph/5500 rpm/96 dBA Cruise 22.7 mph/3000 rpm/84 dBA Time to Plane 3.6 sec. Time to 30 mph 8.0 sec.

POWER Test Indmar Monsoon 410 Cylinders V-8 Displacement 6.2L Weight w/outdrive 1,000 lbs. WOT Range 55006000 rpm Base Price w/test power $88,230 Value-Added Standard Features: Dual-axle trailer w/swing-away tongue, Illusion G3.2 tower w/board racks, Zero Off GPS cruise control, ski pylon, Soft Grip swim platform padding, snap-in carpeting Must-Have Options: Hydraulic steering, Surf Gate II, Power Wedge II, DECKadense flooring, battery charger, wide choice of hull colors, adjustable-height captain’s seat, cockpit table, 2- or 3-outlet heater Builder: Malibu Boats, malibuboats.com Financing: $633/month w/15% down and 6% interest for 15 years

You Are Here

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NOT EVERY TOWING SERVICE HAS A FLEET STANDING BY TO BACK UP THEIR PROMISES.

We do. TowBoatU.S. has over 600 red boats from coast to coast, so you’re never far from help when you need it. Our Captains are licensed professionals that will get you and your boat underway and where you need to go in no time.

CALL OR GO ONLINE NOW TO JOIN FOR JUST $149 ALL YEAR.

1-800-888-4869 BoatUS.com/towing Towing details can be found online at BoatUS.com/towing or by calling.

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4/25/16 4:53 PM

tested

CO BA LT C S3

CS Aye The CS3 is the first in a new series of boats unlike any Cobalt you’ve ever seen.

BY ALAN JONES

O

NE GLANCE AT COBALT’S NEW CS3 told me something was up. Then it hit me: The

silhouette is totally different from any other Cobalt. Toward the stern, the shearline swoops down dramatically to the ultra-low swim platform, like it’s imploring passengers to get into the water.

UNIQUE FACTOR

Another first on a sub-24-foot Cobalt are the dual stern walkthroughs into the cockpit. They create an island sunpad between them, a feature more commonly found on yachts such as the A40 Coupe. And this is really at the heart of what Cobalt does: build yacht-like boats no matter the LOA. The swim platform itself sits right at water level, just like on a tournament ski boat, but it goes one better with its Flip-Down Swim Step, which is a wide step that flips down into the water, making reboarding from the water easier and creating a great submerged doublewide seat. For the first time, this patented feature is standard across the board for Cobalt. The dual-walkthrough setup is especially good for kids, because it seems like they are always in and out of the water, and two walkthroughs prevent human logjams.

To increase tanning square footage on the sunpad, optional cushions can be installed on either side.

What’s underneath the sunpad is pretty impressive. Sterndrive engine compartments tend to be pretty claustrophobic, especially for mechanics. Cobalt, however, gave the engine compartment — which doubles as twin storage compartments for bulky items such as a Coast Guard kit or a deflated inflatable tube — plenty of room.

Partitions flank the engine to keep stored items from touching the powerplant, but they can be removed for engine access.

PERFORMANCE

Our test boat featured the new Volvo Penta 5.3L, which is the GM Gen V engine block that’s found on new Chevy 44

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Suburbans. The V8-300C engine has an all-aluminum block that substantially reduces its weight to 744 pounds (not counting the outdrive), which is more than 100 pounds lighter than the previous generation’s iron-block engine. It has a closed cooling system that uses radiator fluid to cool the engine, not salt water or raw lake water, which should help internal longevity. It features Variable Valve Timing (VVT) that retards and advances the timing, based on load, to give it great performance throughout the power curve.

Not only did the engine deliver a great holeshot that put the CS3 on plane in 2.2 seconds with very little bowrise, but its midrange acceleration allowed it to scorch from 0-30 mph in only 4.5 seconds. I most noticed its power when I jammed the throttle as we were cruising along at 30 mph; the acceleration pushed me back in the seat like a giant hand. Top speed for the 300 hp-equipped CS3 was 50.5 mph.

The V8-300C comes at a $7,364 upcharge over the standard Volvo Penta V6-240C — totally worth it. For $10,456 more than the standard V-6, the 5.3L V8-350C hp version will deliver even higher speeds. MerCruiser power is also available, from the 250 hp V-6 to a V-8 that packs 350 hp.

The cockpit feels larger than most near-24-footers, and it’s not an illusion

HANDLING

The CS3 falls into Cobalt’s Gateway Series, which is designed to get new blood into the Cobalt family of boats at a more affordable — it starts at less than $70K — price. It’s also geared for the younger firsttime owner who is into watersports. But new boaters find trimming the outdrive a challenge and more experienced hands see

(Clockwise from far right) The CS3 has incredible engine access and stern storage for large items. Dual walkthroughs into the cockpit are usually only seen yachts. Volvo Penta’s Power Trim Assist keep the CS3 trimmed perfectly. Even though the CS3 is Gateway Cobalt, the helm is really upscale.

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owner feedback 

Purchased at Slalom Shop, Lewisville, Texas

it as one more chore to constantly be micromanaged. To solve this, Volvo Penta uses Power Trim Assist (PTA) to automatically trim the outdrive, to constantly maintain the proper attitude. I didn’t have to trim down first to make sure it didn’t blow out; I just cranked the wheel and it responded with a really crisp arc.

The hull features an extended running surface, which makes it ride like a larger boat through the chop, while reverse chines add lift and knock down spray. It has a sharp entry, with 20 degrees of deadrise at the stern, for good slicing action.

And despite being one of Cobalt’s more affordable boats, it has a Kevlar-reinforced hull that features eight layers of hand-laid sheets of fiberglass that overlap at the keel.

> >W H A T

BEST USES

Purchased by Rob and Lucinda Licalsi, plus Ryan, 18, and Shea, 16, Keller, Texas WE LIKED

Fit and finish/Excellent handling and performance/Styling and quality of gelcoat/ Centerline walkthrough/Comfortable seating/ Great helm station > >W H A T

WE WOULD CHANGE

I wish there were a strap for the cooler lid, so it would stay open while you were using it. I also installed cupholders next to it, to assist in beverage construction. > >W H Y

WE BOUGHT IT

I grew up on Long Island and had my first boat when I was 9 years old, but the Cobalt CS3 is the most amazing boat I’ve ever driven.

I got the MerCruiser 350 with the twin-prop Bravo 3 outdrive and am really impressed with its performance. It planes very quickly and I never lose sight of the horizon. We do our boating on Lake Lewisville, which has a reputation for being very rough, and my Cobalt handles those conditions really well; it’s solid, safe and responsive. My girls, Ryan and Shea, aren’t really into watersports, so we all love to just cruise around and enjoy the scenery. My dad used to take me out on boats, and it’s cool that I can now return the favor.

We like to go to places like Sneaky Pete’s and Captain Jack’s Floating Bar and Grill. Before we bought the CS3, the folks at the Slalom Shop patiently listened to my boating needs and wants and let me experience several boats. They aren’t selling boats, they’re matchmakers.

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The CS3 is designed for active owners who want to go skiing, tubing and wakeboarding, in addition to more leisurely activities. Our test boat had the forward-leaning white powder-coated aluminum tower that’s a reasonable $6,926. And unlike most towers’ skimpy Bimini tops, this color-coordinated one, which matched our boat’s bottom gelcoat, cast a vast shadow. An in-floor ski locker and optional tower racks can accommodate an arsenal of boards. The seating is great for ski spectating, with a portside lounger that has a convertible backrest that forms a rear-facing recliner when it’s not supporting the forward-facing copilot’s back.

The cockpit feels larger than most near-24footers, and it’s not an illusion, because the helm-forward design doth taketh away some bowrider chaise lounge stretching-out room.

But it does have a really wide aft-facing seat for wakeboard watching. Another reason for the open feeling is Cobalt’s Free Space Reclamation (FSR), which took space that wasn’t usable for people, such as the area underneath the wide gunwales’ overhang, narrowed them and, voila, created more people room.

PREFERRED SETUP

The CS3, despite being one of Cobalt’s more affordable boats, comes with at least 20 standard features that are usually options, including the leather-wrapped six-spoke wheel, stainless steel bow plate and windshield header, compass, hourmeter and 40-ounce snap-in carpeting. The upholstery is a new pattern but still uses the high-end 32-ounce vinyl found on its yacht’s cockpits and Varadense foam that is softer in spots for comfort and firmer where more support is called for.

The option list is extensive, but the standard boat is well-loaded, so really only a handful are necessary. If watersports are in the picture, Zero Off GPS cruise control ($1,713) helps keep a steady pull going. For a little extra pizzazz, two- and three-color gelcoat options ($919 and $1,837) are available in eight colors that you can mix and match. A cockpit table is a must, and there’s a large one with dedicated storage for $1,020. At the helm, which is pure Cobalt with a hand-stitched eyebrow and a leather-wrapped wheel, our test boat had the optional Garmin 741 touchscreen GPS ($2,163). Finally, a great sound system is necessary, and the Kicker upgrade with a subwoofer is $1,855. BW

SPECS Length 23 ft., 8 in. Beam 8 ft., 6 in. Deadrise 20 degrees Capacity 12 people Dry Weight (hull) 3,700 lbs. Fuel Capacity 50 gal. Max HP 350 PERFORMANCE Peak 50.5 mph/5800 rpm/91 dBA Cruise 27.1 mph/3500 rpm/80 dBA Time to Plane 2.2 sec. Time to 30 mph 4.5 sec.

POWER Test Volvo Penta V8-300C Cylinders V-8 Displacement 6.2L Weight w/outdrive 744 lbs. Max WOT 5800 rpm Base Price w/test power $79,995 Value-Added Standard Features: Compass, helm seat w/flip-up bolster, hourmeter, 6-speaker Bluetooth stereo w/transom remote, removable ice chest, extended swim platform w/Flip-Down Swim Step Must-Have Options: Trailer, Garmin GPS electronics, cockpit table, underwater lighting, tower w/wakeboard racks, Volvo Ocean-X corrosion protection (or MerCruiser Sea Core), Sea Grass flooring Builder: Cobalt Boats, cobaltboats.com Financing: $574/month w/15% down and 6% interest for 15 years

tested

SA N PA N 2500 W E T BA R BY G O D FR E Y

Happy Hours Sanpan’s 250 Wet Bar takes entertaining on the water to a happier place

BY ALAN JONES

I

T’S NO SURPRISE THAT PONTOONS are leading the pack in providing entertainment

opportunities for owners who want to invite multiple couples out on the water for a day and night of fun. While many pontoons do a good job of creating a conducive environment for merry-making, the Sanpan 2500 Wet Bar expands this ability with an entertainment center you have to see to believe.

UNIQUE FACTOR

One’s ability to present a smorgasbord of snacks for all to see and enjoy is where it’s at, and the 2500 Wet Bar provides six Solid Surface countertops that serve as a blank canvas for culinary and beverage creations. Surprisingly, there are only two barstools, surrounded by a vast perimeter of countertop space that pretty much takes over the back third of this near 27-footer.

But at a real party, few people want to sit anyway, and Sanpan designers have this covered with bar heights that are geared for the standing-room-only crowd. The twin bar stools are more than cushiony lily pads; they have stainless steel backrests and they swivel. There’s even a standard gas grill for kebab-making pleasure. A cool feature is the LED-lit cupholders that feature a stemware holder for wine glasses. Cockpit tables are sometimes as wobbly as a newborn colt, but the standard one in front of the amidships L-lounge is a boulder-solid, two-pedestal slim-line table that’s finished in a classy matte burlwood.

For 2016, the Sanpan 2500 Wet Bar features a new exterior look with an intricate exterior rail design that comes in standard anodized aluminum or optional powder-coated black ($1,133), which our test boat was sporting, even though they kind of got lost in the all-black fencing.

Playing around with design features on the Build Your Own Boat feature on sanpanboats.com, I preferred the black rails over the Taupe or Vino fencing, to give them more contrast. Another new feature, forward of the bar, is the furniture. Gone is the pillow-top, overstuffed look; instead, 48

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the lounge seats feature Super Soft vinyl that lives up to its name and diamond stitched accents for the lumbar support.

PERFORMANCE

When Yamaha introduced the V MAX SHO 250, it believed the engine would be used almost exclusively on high-performance bass boats and flats boats, so it was only available in a 20-inch shaft configuration. In 2015, Yamaha added a 25-inch shaft version that brought a host of new boats into its wheelhouse. For 2016, they are appearing en masse on boats such as the 2500 Wet Bar, because even pontoon owners want the option of thrilling performance. Our test boat had the Triple Tube package ($6,177), which includes 27-inch tubes (25-inchers are standard), an aluminum underskin, lifting strakes, inside skirting and hydraulic, power-assisted steering.

The oversized tubes and the four lifting strakes took advantage of the outboard’s phenomenal power out of the hole to deliver a quick 2.6-second time to plane.

Time to 30 mph for the beefy 2500 — a wet weight of 3,532 pounds and an LOA of 26 feet, 10 inches — was 8.7 seconds.

Top speed was 41.5 mph. Sanpan offers a staggering 128 engine options, so every major outboard engine builder is in play.

Engine sizes range from 50 hp (don’t do it!) to 300 hp of Mercury or Evinrude power.

We’re not sure why Yamaha and Suzuki are excluded from the 300 club.

HANDLING

The Triple Tube option is ideal for

Entertainment is the 250 Wet Bar’s primary mission, but it can handle other duties.

(Clockwise from top right) A deep homestyle sink and tall spigot make cleanups easy.

The raised bar has plenty of space for beverages and food. The upscale helm includes a standard Garmin display. A two-tiered countertop is behind the bar at the stern. Overstuffed bow lounges are roomy and comfortable.

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owner feedback 

Purchased by Matt and Holly Blood, plus Lukas, 9, Canton, Ohio Purchased at Atwood Lake Boats, Mineral City, Ohio

boaters who ply large bodies of water or who carry up to the 15-person max load.

The oversized 27-inch tubes’ extra flotation allows the 2500 WB to ride high in the water and gives it good seakeeping ability.

Because the lion’s share of seating is in the front two-thirds of the pontoon, the ability to trim up under heavy passenger loads is crucial. The 2500 WB seemed to sit a little lower in the stern, which probably helped get the nosecones out of the water when trimmed up at higher speeds, for reduced drag and better performance. Its smooth ride was definitely luxury car-like, but when I cranked it into a hard turn, its inner sports car kicked in, and with just a little lean it banked smartly.

BEST USES

> >W H Y

I BOUGHT IT

Big, comfortable seats/Wet Bar/Incredible stereo/Helm station/Quality of build/ Low-maintenance flooring > >W H A T

I WOULD CHANGE

I wish it had more than a 25 hp Yamaha, but because Atwood Lake has a 25 hp maximum, I can’t. > >W H Y

I BOUGHT IT

I’ve been into boating since I was 7 years old and have had all kinds of boats over the years, but my favorite boats have been the last three Sanpan pontoons I’ve owned. To me, they are like the Lexus of pontoons. I have a cabin on Atwood Lake, which is beautiful but is restricted to boats of 25 horsepower or less, which makes pontoons a great fit. My son, Lukas, and I love to fish for saugeye, which is a cross between a walleye and a sauger. Our last Sanpan had pedestal fishing seats, but fishing off our new 250 is easy. Obviously, the Wet Bar is the main reason I got this model, and because of the restriction on our lake, entertaining is one of my major activities.

When we go out, we spend all day on the water and love to pull up on a beach and just relax. We have events on our lake, such as the Alive Festival, which has a stage facing the water, so we can pull up in our boat and hear great music while lounging in our living room on the water. I’ve bought all three Sanpans at Atwood Lake Boats, and I go back because of the amazing customer service they give me.

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Entertainment is the 250 Wet Bar’s primary mission, but it can handle other duties. Sanpan is Godfrey’s most luxurious brand, and its extensive options list includes just about every available feature the company offers, so buyers can tailor it to whatever activities they like. If waterskiing is in the picture, a few options are all it needs. There is a ski tow cage ($802), but the best option for towing is probably the giant-size TurboSwing ($1,258), which encircles the outboard and keeps the towline from rubbing on it.

Because the outboard isn’t mounted on a bracket or on a center tube that’s scooted back a little, it bisects the swim platform, which limits moving-about room. But it has an awesome four-step, polished stainless steel boarding ladder that’s

curved for aesthetics and so people who are reboarding climb at an angle rather than fighting gravity. For storage, get the centerline ski locker ($802), though we wish its lid had better nonskid properties, to grip wet feet.

PREFERRED SETUP

Entertaining is going to be the standard activity, so go all the way. The standard stereo is a pretty bangin’ eight-speaker Bluetooth Infinity 350PRV system, but the speakers can be upgraded to Polk Audio with a Wet Sounds subwoofer and amplifier for $1,427. Throw in a 12v blender for $199.

There’s no standard table up front, so the cooler/table option ($383) would be a good choice. And because the bar eats up seating capacity, get the bow filler sectional ($603) to turn the bow into one giant U-lounge.

The elegant helm for the designated driver is turnkey ready. The raised platform increases visibility and is padded with VersaTeak for better traction, and the captain’s chair has self-leveling armrests for comfort.

Flush-mounted into the dash is a standard Garmin 53DV depth/fishfinder that can be upgraded to a Garmin 547 GPSMAP ($375) for navigation and fish finding.

Sanpan offers an extensive choice of flooring materials, if the standard Country Beige Cube carpeting just has to go. The options are laid out in sectors, so one’s flooring choice for the bar area doesn’t have to extend to the floor amidships or in the bow. Metro Grey Seagrass flooring was on our test boat and is one of the most popular choices; it comes with an upcharge of $2,118. BW

SPECS Length 26 ft., 10 in. Beam 8 ft., 6 in. Tube Diameter 27 in. Capacity 15 people Dry Weight (hull) 23,532 lbs. Fuel Capacity 45 gal. Max HP 150 (2 tubes), 300 (Tri Toon) PERFORMANCE Peak 41.5 mph/6000 rpm/93 dBA Cruise 23.7 mph/4500 rpm/82 dBA Time to Plane 2.6 sec. Time to 30 mph 8.7 sec.

POWER Test Yamaha V MAX SHO 250 four-stroke Cylinders V-6 Displacement 4.2L Weight w/outdrive 555 lbs. (25-in. shaft) WOT Range 5000-6000 rpm Base Price w/test power $89,626 Value-Added Standard Features: Garmin 53DV, boat cover, 8-speaker Bluetooth Infinity stereo, cockpit table, raised helm extended swim platforms, removable cup holders, courtesy/mood lighting Must-Have Options: Power Bimini top, underwater lighting, Seagrass flooring, upgraded stereo w/Polk Audio speakers and Wet Sounds subwoofer, ski tow bar, Porta Potti, bow filler cushion, Triple Tube Package Builder: Godfrey Pontoons (owned by Bennington), sanpanboats.com Financing: $643/month w/15% down and 6% interest for 15 years

ON THE ROAD OR THE WATER, YOU’RE HEADED NOWHERE FAST

WHILE WHILE IMPAIRED. IMPAIRED. JUNE 24–26, 2016 OPERATIONDRYWATER.ORG

USCG_NASBLA_WSK.indd 1

4/13/16 5:07 PM

Our kid testers put 15 towable tubes through the wringer so you can find one that’s best for your summer of fun.

STORY AND PHOTOS BY ALAN JONES

On the morning of our seventh-annual Boating World Magazine Tube Test, the forecast called for a 90 percent chance of rain, and we were greeted by a battleship gray sky that seemed to be ready to let loose at any moment. But we managed to complete our tests before any significant rain fell, and the kids got really lucky, because our lineup of 15 tubes was really strong this year. For the first time ever, there wasn’t a tube our panel of six riders didn’t like. Last year, we had several gigantic tubes, costing up to $750. This year, the trend was for smaller, more affordable tubes. In fact, one of our highest rated tubes was also one of the least expensive.

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Once again we staged our event in central Florida — in Ocklawaha on Lake Weir at Sandy Hook Beach, where lake lovers have been gathering since 1917. The driver of our Centurion Enzo FS33 surf machine of a test boat was Mike Stockman, the brother of Nate Stockman, the owner of Transition Watersports (transitionwatersports.com) who hosts our event every year. Mike did a fantastic job of giving our testers — who ranged in age from 7 to 13 — thrilling but safe rides, and kept our streak of no injuries intact. For more info on how to tow tubers safely, go to WSIA.net and check out the Inflatables Safety video.

TUBE TESTERS Jackson Merriam AGE: 13 DREAM JOB: Architect FAVORITE SPORT: Fishing FAVORITE TUBES: Connelly

Shift 2, WOW Hot Sauce

Weston Cook AGE: 13 DREAM JOB: Marine biologist FAVORITE SPORT: Football FAVORITE TUBES: WOW Hot Sauce,

Connelly Shift 2, HO Sports RAD+

Francesca Ryan AGE: 9 DREAM JOB: Marine biologist FAVORITE SPORT: Soccer FAVORITE TUBES: Nash No Fear Dropzone

4, O’Brien Barca 3, Nash No Fear Hangtime 3

Cohen Ergle AGE: 9 DREAM JOB: Archaeologist FAVORITE SPORT: Wakeboarding FAVORITE TUBES: Full Throttle Speed Ray 2,

Connelly C-Force 2, Full Throttle Howler Monkey

Caroline Cook AGE: 9 DREAM JOB: Photographer FAVORITE SPORT: Soccer FAVORITE TUBES: Nash No Fear Dropzone 4,

O’Brien Barca 3, Nash No Fear Hangtime 3

Lake Ergle AGE: 7 DREAM JOB: Policeman FAVORITE SPORT: Wakeboarding FAVORITE TUBES: Connelly C-Force 2, Full

Throttle Speed Ray 2, Nash No Fear Dropzone 4

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O’Brien Barca 3 KID FAVORITE

FUN SCALE 5/5 4.5/5 4/5 3.5/5 3/5

KEY TO RATINGS SETUP: 1-5 — 1 = simple; 5 = you’ll be swearing FUN SCALE: 1-5 — 1 = stay on the couch; 5 = yowza RAFT-UP RATING: 1-5 — 1 = stay in the boat; 5 = bring extra sunblock (ED. NOTE: The Fun Scale rating is a bit subjective, based on testers’ age and familiarity with tubing, as evidenced by one tube’s 3.5 rating one year when it got a 5 the previous year.)

FUN SCALE: 4.5/5 MSRP: $420 SETUP: 1/5 — 2 lightning valves DIM.: 62” x 114” RIDERS: 3 (510 lbs.)

HANDHOLDS: 6 w/EVA knuckle guards

UNIQUE: Three riders sit in comfort with partitions between the riders to keep them from bumping.

MATERIAL: 840/420 Denier (abbreviated D from now on) nylon cover, 30/24-gauge PVC bladder ERGONOMICS: Excellent back support and good handle placement POSITIONS: Sitting, kneeling RAFT-UP RATING: 5/5 — It’s named the Barca because it’s like sitting in a three-person Barcalounger.

COMMENTS: “It was really good over the wakes, very stable.” “It caught a lot of air for being a big tube.” “Really roomy and comfortable.”

Nash No Fear Dropzone 4 KID FAVORITE // GREAT VALUE FUN SCALE: 5/5 MSRP: $200 SETUP: 1/5 — 1 Boston valve DIM.: 80” x 55” RIDERS: 4 HANDHOLDS: 8 w/EVA knuckle guards

UNIQUE: Deck-style tube for four riders, lavishly decorated with 13 skulls.

MATERIAL: Heavy-duty nylon cover, heavy-duty PVC bladder ERGONOMICS: There’s not a lot of room for four larger riders.

POSITIONS: Lying, kneeling, one person could stand and “surf” on it RAFT-UP RATING: 3/5 — It makes a good sunning platform.

COMMENTS: “Was it fast? OMG!” “It bends when you go over waves.”

“Bouncy, in a good way.” “It sits low to the water, which makes it seem faster.” “The rope kicks up some spray.” “It’s really fun to have four riders at one time.”

Airhead Riptide 3 FUN SCALE: 3.5/5 MSRP: $300 SETUP: 2/5 — 2 speed safety

O’Brien Slacker 2 FUN SCALE: 4/5 MSRP: $340 SETUP: 4/5 — 1 lightning valve, 3 ECO valves, which were difficult to close without losing air; the smaller armrest bladders were located in curved, zipped compartments that were hard to zip.

DIM.: 70” x 60” RIDERS: 2 HANDHOLDS: 4 w/EVA knuckle guards UNIQUE: It’s like riding a sofa on the water.

MATERIAL: 840/420 D nylon cover, 30/24-gauge PVC bladder

ERGONOMICS: High backrests give support for a comfortable riding position.

POSITIONS: Sitting, standing RAFT-UP RATING: 4/5 — Great for sitting, but not quite long enough to lie out on.

COMMENTS: “It tilts backward and kept spray from hitting your face.” “It tended to stay inside the wake unless the driver cranked it into a turn hard.” “It was very, very comfortable.”

valves DIM.: 85” x 70” RIDERS: 3 HANDHOLDS: 6 w/EVA knuckle guards UNIQUE: Sofa-style tube with dividers to keep passengers from bumping into each other.

MATERIAL: Heavy-duty nylon cover, K80 PVC bladder ERGONOMICS: Low backrest only offers OK support, neoprene seat reduces rubbing.

POSITIONS: Sitting, kneeling RAFT-UP RATING: 4/5 — Comfortable reclining position, wide enough for one or two to lie sideways.

COMMENTS: “Smooth cruiser, but maybe too smooth for thrillseekers.” “We didn’t bump into each other when going over waves.” “Really comfortable.” “It rides high on the water.”

edges can chafe.

POSITIONS: Sitting, kneeling RAFT-UP RATING: 2/5 — Just OK for sitting for long periods of time COMMENTS: “It’s practically impossible to fall off this tube because you’re sitting down deep.”

“The seat bottom was really bouncy.” “The high back rest was really comfortable.” “It’s light and fast.”

Full Throttle Speed Ray 2 KID FAVORITE FUN SCALE: 4.5/5 MSRP: $350 SETUP: 3/5 — 1 Boston valve, two beach-ball

Full Throttle Double Howler GREAT VALUE FUN SCALE: 4/5 MSRP: $230 SETUP: 3/5 — 1 Boston valve, 2 beach-ball

SportsStuff Popa Wheelie FUN SCALE: 3.5/5 MSRP: $420 SETUP: 2/5 — 2 speed safety valves DIM.: 78” x 65” RIDERS: 3 HANDHOLDS: 6 w/EVA knuckle guards UNIQUE: Two different tow points, “mild” or “wild,” make for different experiences; crazy checkerboard design is eye-catching.

MATERIAL: Heavy-duty nylon cover, K80 PVC bladder ERGONOMICS: Curved backrest is comfortable and keeps you from sliding. Turned-up bow helps knock down spray.

POSITIONS: Sitting, kneeling RAFT-UP RATING: 4/5 — Good reclining position; 1 or 2 can lie sideways COMMENTS: “Really smooth ride.” “It had a hard time getting outside the wake.” “When it was hooked to the low tow point, the front tended to wiggle-waggle.” “The low tow point put the rope in the water, which caused spray to hit your face.”

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valves that were hard to close without losing air. Nylon cover must be Velcroed into position before inflating.

DIM.: 76” x 73” RIDERS: 2 HANDHOLDS: 4 w/EVA knuckle guards UNIQUE: Riders sit deep inside individual cockpits.

MATERIAL: Heavy-duty nylon cover, heavy-duty PVC bladder ERGONOMICS: Really geared for younger riders because larger ones won’t fit in the small cockpits; new nylon cover’s inner

valves for small chambers that were hard to close without losing air DIM.: 90” x 73” RIDERS: 2 HANDHOLDS: 5 w/EVA knuckle guards UNIQUE: Shaped like a manta ray, it has upturned wings to help riders stay on board in turns.

MATERIAL: Heavy-duty nylon cover, 30-gauge PVC bladder ERGONOMICS: Two neoprene pads for elbows and knees reduce chafing.

POSITIONS: Lying, kneeling RAFT-UP RATING: 4/5 — Angled wings make comfortable backrests for two to lie sideways facing each other.

COMMENTS: “It really looked cool.” “It felt like you were flying.” “It was really easy to stay on, even when we went over the wake.” “It had lots of room and was comfortable.”

Nash No Fear Hangtime 3 FUN SCALE: 4/5 MSRP: $350 SETUP: 3/5 — 1 Boston valve, 1 unique speed valve, 2 small ECO valves for the sponsons DIM.: 89” x 83” RIDERS: 3 HANDHOLDS: 6 w/EVA knuckle guards UNIQUE: Two sit while one rides in the back chariot-style.

MATERIAL: Heavy-duty nylon cover, heavy-duty PVC bladder ERGONOMICS: Low backrests for comfort and dividers keep riders segregated. Not a lot of padding in handholds. Neoprene seat bottom reduces chafing.

POSITIONS: Sitting, kneeling RAFT-UP RATING: 4/5 — Two can recline in front, while the one in back can sit with legs in the water.

COMMENTS: “I rode in the back and it would have been cool to be able to sit going backward but the handles were too high.” “Smooth, fast ride.” “It stayed really level in turns.” “It tended to stay behind the boat.”

HO Sports 3G FUN SCALE: 4/5 MSRP: $429 SETUP: 2/5 — 2 Boston valves DIM.: 76” x 61” RIDERS: 3 HANDHOLDS: 6 UNIQUE : Two different tow points create different riding experiences; going forward it’s a floating couch, and backwards it’s ridden chariot-style.

MATERIAL: 840 D nylon cover, heavy-duty PVC bladder ERGONOMICS: High backrest is very comfortable. Dividers keep passengers from bumping into each other.

POSITIONS: Sitting, kneeling RAFT-UP RATING: 5/5 — It’s like sitting on a La-Z-Boy in your living room.

COMMENTS: “I loved its bright colors.” “For a big tube it was really fast…lots of gees.” “This was one of the most comfortable tubes we rode on.” “When we rode backwards it was really cool.”

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HO Sports FAD FUN SCALE: 4/5 MSRP: $330 SETUP: 1/5 — Hand pump connects to a special valve that seals when removed DIM.: 20” x 48” RIDERS: 1 HANDHOLDS: 1 hook for the tow rope handle UNIQUE: FAD stands for Fun Aquatic Device, and it’s like crossing a surfboard with a skurf board.

MATERIAL: Drop-stitch technology allows it to be inflated to up to 20 psi to make it super-rigid.

ERGONOMICS: Machined EVA traction pads are soft and provide excellent grip.

POSITIONS: Standing or kneeling RAFT-UP RATING: 2/5 — You can sit or lie on it, but it’s pretty small for this purpose.

COMMENTS: “I love how you can hook the tow rope to the board when starting.” “This is a challenging board that will be awesome when you get used to it.” “It was wobbly when trying to stand from a kneeling position; if you are going to stand, it’s better to do it right from the start.”

WOW Hot Sauce KID FAVORITE // GREAT VALU E FUN SCALE: 5/5 MSRP: $149 SETUP: 2/5 — 3 speed safety valves that are concealed behind zippered covers DIM.: 89” x 51” RIDERS: 2 HANDHOLDS: 6 UNIQUE: Ever wanted to ride a bottle of hot sauce? Here’s your chance.

Tall height and bright colors make it more visible to other boats.

MATERIAL: Heavy-duty nylon cover, heavy-duty PVC bladder ERGONOMICS: Wide “saddle” gives riders’ thighs something substantial to lock onto. The forward rider’s legs dangle in air while the rider in back kneels on the sponsons, which also make it very stable.

POSITION: Straddle it and ride it like a horse RAFT-UP RATING: 2/5 — Not a tube adults would hang out on while at rest, but the kids would be cool with it.

COMMENTS: “It’s a really unique and fun riding experience.” “You know you are going to crash, but that’s part of the fun and challenge.” “We really caught some air when going over the wake.” “It’s so tall it’s a little hard to get back on.”

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WOW Macho 2 FUN SCALE: 3.5/5 MSRP: $189 SETUP: 1/5 — 1 speed safety valve DIM.: 74” x 62” RIDERS: 2 HANDHOLDS: 8 UNIQUE: Deck-style tube that has a innovation called Secure Form-Fit Cockpit Seating, which are neoprene sections you kneel on that sink down to keep you locked in.

MATERIAL: Heavy-duty nylon cover, heavy-duty PVC bladder ERGONOMICS: Comfortable when kneeling thanks to the cushion’s give.

Lots of room for two to lie down.

POSITIONS: Lying, kneeling RAFT-UP RATING: 3/5 — It makes a nice sunning platform.

COMMENTS: “The trampoline seats were different, but they really kept you from sliding.” “I loved the wild colors.” “It’s good for riders who like to take risks; it’s fast.” “A lot of spray hits you in the face; a tow ball would be a good addition.”

features

- All day comfort and lumbar support - UV resistant to sun and elements - Heavy duty anodized aluminum frame - Breathable mesh design - 3 year warranty Material Capacity Seat Size

Anodized Aluminum 400 lbs.

W 20” D 13 -17”

AVAILABLE IN

white

grey

millenniummarine.com BOATINGWORLD.COM

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Connelly Shift 2 KID FAVORITE FUN SCALE: 4.5/5 MSRP: $320 SETUP: 3/5 — One Boston valve, two small beach-ball valves DIM.: 72” x 72” RIDERS: 2 HANDHOLDS: 4 UNIQUE: Angled hull section in the front allows riders to lean and turn; plus, it reduces drag for higher speeds.

MATERIAL: 420 D nylon cover, heavy-duty PVC bladder ERGONOMICS: Small inflatable stoppers help prevent riders’ legs from sliding off.

POSITIONS: Lying, kneeling RAFT-UP RATING: 4/5 — It’s a good sunning platform.

COMMENTS: “I really liked being on a tube

where you could throw your weight around and change your direction.” “It rides higher in the front so spray doesn’t get in your face.”

“It’s really fast in turns.”

Connelly C-Force 2 KID FAVORITE FUN SCALE: 4.5/5 MSRP: $300 SETUP: 1/5 — 1 Boston valve DIM.: 70” x 67” RIDERS: 2 HANDHOLDS: 4 UNIQUE: Shaped sort of like a taco bowl with sloping sidewalls for comfort and an upturned bow for helping it slide over the waves.

MATERIAL: 420 D nylon cover, heavy-duty PVC bladder ERGONOMICS: Sloped walls and high backrest make this very comfortable, especially for larger riders.

POSITION: Sitting RAFT-UP RATING: 5/5 — Great on-the-water lounger.

COMMENTS: “It’s fast and bouncy.” “You kind of sink down into the seat.” “It’s really roomy and comfortable.” “It’s hard to fall off.”

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HO Sports RAD+ KID FAVORITE FUN SCALE: 5/5 MSRP: $550 SETUP: 1/5 — Hand pump connects to a special valve that seals when you remove it DIM.: 5’ diameter round RIDERS: 2 HANDHOLDS: There’s a hook for the tow rope handle.

UNIQUE: This rigid round platform is easy for beginners to get up on, thanks to the hook for the tow rope to take the strain, which is great for young riders who lack upper body strength.

MATERIAL: Drop-stitch technology means the upper and lower halves are joined together by thousands of identical tiny strands of nylon thread, then it’s coated to make it waterproof.

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ERGONOMICS: Machined EVA traction

COMMENTS: “Really easy to get up on

pads are soft and provide excellent grip.

POSITIONS: Lying, kneeling or sitting RAFT-UP RATING: 4/5 — You could put a lawn chair on it, it’s so stable. It makes a great sunning platform.

thanks to the hook for the tow rope.” “I like that you can either hold the handle or not when running, giving you lots of freedom to surf or ski.” “Stable platform makes it easy to stand.” “It’s really easy to do tricks like spinning.” BW

WATERTOYS // SPECIAL AD SECTION Insta

64

WOW EAGLE 1-3 RIDERS

WOW MOJO 1-3 RIDERS

Climb aboard the WOW Eagle and experience freedom on the water. This custom deluxe deck tube features a WOW Eagle themed soft tail Secure Saddle Seat and a large wing shaped deck area for 1, 2, or 3 riders to sit, stand, kneel, or lay. Each side of the winged shaped deck area has custom winged shaped EVA foam body pads and a side bumper system built on the edges to keep the riders from falling off when the ride gets extreme. Tell your friends to get ready for take off as you pilot the WOW Eagle. The WOW Eagle is sold exclusively at SAMS CLUB!

Rediscover your MOJO this summer by taking a ride on this new diamond shaped high performance towable from WOW. Ride 2 riders in the seated position from the front tow point or connect the rope to the back tow point and ride 3 riders chariot style. The deep cockpit seating with high backrest makes the riders feel more secure while the new drop speed bottom glides smoothly over the water creating less drag on the boat and therefore better gas mileage. The Mojo 1-3 will be loved by everyone in the family; from those that like a nice and easy ride to those that want something more extreme.

www.wowwatersports.com

www.wowwatersports.com

•

/connellyskis

JUNE 2016 BOATINGWORLD.COM

SURF IT!

KNEE IT!

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BOOGIE IT!

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650+ Stores Nationwide ER COUPON WOW6" SUP VARIABLE SPEED

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DUAL ACTION POLISHER 4 shown

LOT 62403/62862/6992

Customer Rating

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$

6999 $149.99 comp at

Freight.com or by calling prior our stores or Harbor LIMIT 4 - Good at be used with other discount or coupon orreceipt. original 800-423-2567. Cannot original purchase with coupon must be from days 30 l after purchases Non-transferable. Origina customer per day. last. s supplie while per Offer good 9/19/16. Limit one coupon presented. Valid through

27 LED PORTABLE WORKLIGHT/FLASHLIGHT

R PE ON SU UP CO

LOT 67227 shown 69567/60566/62532

SAVE 58%

SUPER COUPON

20% OFF

ANY SINGLE ITEM

Limit 1 coupon per customer per day. Save 20% on any 1 item purchased. *Cannot be used with other discount, coupon or any of the following items or brands: Inside Track Club membership, extended service plan, gift card, open box item, 3 day parking lot sale item, compressors, floor jacks, saw mills, storage cabinets, chests or carts, trailers, trenchers, welders, Admiral, Badland, CoverPro, Daytona, Diablo, Franklin, Hercules, Holt, Jupiter, Predator, Stik-Tek, StormCat, Union, Vanguard, Viking. Not valid on prior purchases. Nontransferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 9/19/16.

WOW

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Batteries included.

2

R PE ON SU UP CO

12" SLIDING COMPOUND DOUBLE-BEVEL MITER SAW WITH LASER GUIDE

SAVE $264

$

LOT 61969/61776 61970/69684 shown

Customer Rating

13499 comp at

$399

LIMIT 3 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt.

Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 9/19/16. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

R PE ON SU UP CO

R PE ON SU UP CO

$1199

$159

$

17999$499

comp at

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Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 9/19/16. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

900 PEAK/ 700 RUNNING WATTS 2 HP (63 CC) 2 CYCLE GAS RECREATIONAL GENERATOR

89

LOT 60338 69381 shown

29

99

comp at

$69.99

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LIMIT 4 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt.

Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 9/19/16. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

hft_boatingworld_0616_M-REG81659.indd 1

LOT 2696/61277 807/61276 62431/239

7 FUNCTION DIGITAL MULTIMETER LOT 90899 shown 98025/69096

$

15

VALUE

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R PE ON SU UP O C

Customer Rating

Customer Rating

$

• Accuracy within ±4%

R PE ON SU UP CO RAPID

PUMP 1.5 TON ALUMINUM RACING JACK ®

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59

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119

comp at 99 $199

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• 5 mil thickness

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ON WOW SUP44"ER, 13CODRQUUPAW ER ALITY

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shown

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YOUR CHOICE Item 68498

5

29 PIECE TITANIUM NITRIDE COATED HIGH SPEED STEEL DRILL BIT SET

14

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LOT 61258 shown 61840/61297/68146

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R PE ON SU UP CO

SAVE $79

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Most Vehicles • Weighs 34 lbs.

R PE ON SU UP CO

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99comp at $119.99

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10 FT. x 20 FT. PORTABLE CAR CANOPY

6999

Customer Rating LOT 69252/68053 62160/62496/62516 • 3-1/2 Pumps Lifts 60569 shown

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Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 9/19/16. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

LOT 60728 62858/63054 69034 shown

WITH ANY PURCHASE

2500 LB. ELECTRIC WINCH WITH WIRELESS REMOTE CONTROL

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$ 99 comp at $168.97

LOT 60653 shown 66783/60581/62334

$

2199 $29.99

comp at

$

12 VOLT, 10/2/50 AMP BATTERY CHARGER/ ENGINE STARTER

SAVE 57%

DRIVE 1/4" 3/8" 1/2"

YOUR CHOICE

91

SAVE 49% Customer Rating $ 99 $39comp.94at

FREE

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SAVE $339

SAVE $78

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Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 9/19/16. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

Item 239 shown

LOT 69091/67847 shown 61454/61693/62803

$

SUPER COUPON

TORQUE WRENCHES

Customer Rating

LOT 69780 41005 shown

19

WOW

SUPER COUPON

2.5 HP, 21 GALLON, 125 PSI VERTICAL AIR COMPRESSOR

R PE ON SU UP CO

1000 LB. CAPACITY SWING-BACK TRAILER JACK

We have invested millions of dollars in our own state-of-the-art quality test labs and millions more in our factories, so our tools will go toe-to-toe with the top professional brands.

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How Does Harbor Freight Sell GREAT QUALITY Tools at the LOWEST Prices?

• Weighs 245 lbs.

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comp at

389 99 $1029.

Freight.com or by calling our stores or Harbor or prior LIMIT 3 - Good at be used with other discount or coupon l receipt.

800-423-2567. Cannot days from original purchase with origina must be le. Original coupon purchases after 30 nsferab Non-tra last. s per day. coupon per customer Offer good while supplie h 9/19/16. Limit one presented. Valid throug

• No Hassle Return Policy • Lifetime Warranty On All Hand Tools

• HarborFreight.com • 800-423-2567

4/18/16 3:40 PM

C A LL 949/660 - 6150 C A LL 949/660 - 6150

marketplacemarketplace

Insurance for Powerboats & Sailboats • Competitively priced products • 24-hour claims reporting • Exceptional service • Dedicated expertise

Contact Us for a Free Quote

66

•

JUNE 2016

BOATINGWORLD.COM

StarGazer Wake Edition

GPS Speed Control Turn your inboard/outboard into a true water sports machine.

Driving a stern drive at a steady 20 mph is almost impossible!

Let PerfectPass take the stress out of driving and enjoy your boat like never before. Available for 90% of Mercruiser and Volvo engines produced over the last 15 years.

• GPS Based (No Paddle Wheel required) • No Calibration required • Speed accuracy to within 1 mph

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

1 902 468-2150

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

PerfectPass Boating World 2016 1/2 Page Ad Hanlon Marketing Design Inc. Tel: 902 422-6453 Email hanlon@eastlink.ca

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BOATINGWORLD.COM

CONNECT PLAY ENJOY the latest digital media devices, smartphones, MP3 players and more.

your music wirelessly with Bluetooth.

a superior marine entertainment experience.

The new AQ-MP-5UBT marine stereo with internal dock for Bluetooth, USB, smartphone & MP3 devices is packed with quality and innovation. Get connected and take control of your music!

Compatible with the very latest digital media devices and smartphones (including iPhone 6 Plus and Galaxy Note).

Includes built-in 2-way Bluetooth, so you can view album artwork, song, playlist and album information wirelessly, a powerful 288W amplifier, all the high-quality input & output connections you’ll need, plus a truly unique feature set.

. .. e n li n o e r o m t u o d Fin

• Bluetooth enabled • 3" color screen • Album artwork display • 288W power (4x 72W) • Connect up to 8 speakers • USB & 3.5mm jack inputs • USB device charging • DSP EQ

• RCA 4V pre-outs • RCA aux inputs • Rotary control • 30 AM/FM radio presets • Removable faceplate • Waterproof IP55 • 12V device triggers • Fits the largest devices

(incl. Samsung Galaxy Note and iPhone 6 Plus)

iPhone is a trademark of Apple Inc.

®

WWW.AQUATICAV.COM/BOATINGWORLD t: 1-877-579-2782

e: info@aquaticav.com

products with a watertight reputation

C A LL 949/660 - 6150

marketplace

Got An Old Boat?

DONATE IT TODAY!

Call Us At 800-227-2643 www.boatangel.com 70

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marketplace

for Service/Sales/Rentals of Aviation and Marine life rafts and vests since 1974.

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

SIMRAD (800) 628-4487..............................................................................21

Premier Marine, Inc. (651) 462-2880.........................................................31

Survival Products (954) 966-7329............................................................71

SmokerCraft, Inc/Starcraft (866) 719-7873..............................................................................5, 11, 70

The Durabak Company (303) 690-7190..................................................71

Splendor Boats (260) 352-2835................................................................68

Weems & Plath (800) 638-0428...............................................................33

Stingray (843) 383-4507.......................................................................... CV4 Tige Boats Inc. (325) 676-7777...................................................................13

West System Inc. / Gougeon Brothers, Inc. (989) 684-7286........................................................................................32

DOCKS & MOORINGS

PERSONAL WATERCRAFT

Merco Marine (800) 396-3726...................................................................70

The World’s Smallest Package Lightest Weight • Least Expensive 4-6 Man 4” x 12” x14” 12 lbs $1510

9-13 Man 5” x 12” x 14” 18 lbs $1960

NEW!! FAA TSO Approved Life Rafts Available

Reimann & Georger Corporation (800) 742-8665........................................................................................29

ENGINES

Made in U.S.A

Yamaha Waverunners (800) 888-2624..................................................... 1

SERVICES 1-800-Progressive (800) 776-4737.......................................................CV2 Boat Angel (800) 227-2643........................................................................70 Boat U.S. (800) 888-4869...........................................................................43

Suzuki Marine (800) 247-4704..................................................................39

BoatingWorld iPad App (888) 732-7323................................................28

Yamaha Outboards (800) 888-2624....................................................CV3

GEAR & ACCESSORIES

GEICO Insurance (800) 865-4846............................................................27 National Marine Underwriters (800) 262-8467....................................66 Water Sports Foundation (407) 833-0383.............................................51

Amsoil (800) 777-8491.................................................................................47 Bel-Ray Company, Inc. (732) 938-2421...................................................23

SURVIVAL PRODUCTS, INC.

Weego/Paris Corporation (609) 265-9200..........................................22

SternDrive Engineering (813) 925-7127...................................................67

Aquatic AV (408) 559-1668........................................................................69

5614 S.W. 25th St., Hollywood, FL 33023 (954) 966-7329 • FAX (954) 966-3584 www.survivalproductsinc.com

NuShield, Inc (215) 500-6426.....................................................................70

Apex Marine (989) 681-4300........................................................................ 3

Cook Manufacturing Corp (800) 654-3697............................................71

WATERSPORTS EQUIPMENT Connelly Skis Inc/CWB (425) 775-5416............................................................................14-15, 64

Harbor Freight Tools (818) 836-5497......................................................65

Kwik Tek, Inc. (800) 624-1297.....................................................................61

Marine Dynamics (913) 451-1090...............................................................66

O’Brien (Motion Water Sports) (425) 831-1050...................................63

Millennium Marine (601) 932-5832............................................................59

Perfect Pass Control Systems (902) 468-2150.....................................68

McGard, Inc (800) 669-6887......................................................................70

Sky Ski (530) 244-6837................................................................................62

Monster Tower (877) 778-6937.................................................................30

WOW World of Watersports (402) 516-8034.................................................................................9, 64

BOATINGWORLD.COM JUNE 2016

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marketplace

C A LL 949/660 - 6150

EMERGENCY LIFE RAFT BUY or RENT

R E A D ER CO NTE ST

Rick Martin illustration

name the boat

We wonder what will happen to this guy after he spends a second day alone on the boat. Think you have the boat name to make everyone else a pawn in your game? Send it to us. If it wins, we will give you a Customized Boat Care Package from Bel-Ray, valued at more than $350, and your name will appear in the September/October 2016 issue of Boating World. > SEE THE WINNING ENTRY AND THE BEST OF THE REST FROM APRIL’S CONTEST ON PAGE 8.

WIN THIS 72

•

JUNE 2016

BOATINGWORLD.COM

The first person to turn in the best boat name will receive a Customized Boat Care Package from Bel-Ray, valued at more than $350.



YOURS FREE

A Boat Care Package from Bel-Ray can include All-inOne Fuel Treatment, High Performance Gear Oil, Rust Preventative Coating, Multipurpose Lubricant, SemiSynthetic Engine Oil, Contact Cleaner, Extreme Pressure Waterproof Grease and more.

HOW TO ENTER:

We’ll reprint the cartoon with the winning boat name in the Sept./Oct. 2016 issue. Submissions are due by June 15.

Email editor@boatingworld.com with “Name the Boat” in the subject line, or send snail mail to Boating World Magazine/Name the Boat, 18475 Bandilier Circle, Fountain Valley, CA, 92708. Please include your full name, address and phone number, along with your entry.

Duncan McIntosh Co. and Bel-Ray employees and their families are prohibited from entering.

Prizewinners are responsible for any applicable taxes. Decisions of the judges and the editor are final.

RELIABILITY IS A FAMILY TRADITION. MEET THE NEXT GENERATION. INTRODUCING THE NEWEST MEMBERS OF THE IN-LINE FOUR FAMILY. At Yamaha, we share your passion for time on the water and know when power gets lighter, faster, stronger and smarter, boating gets even better. Class-leading performance and record-setting reliability, that’s what made the original Yamaha F150 the best-selling 150 four stroke of all time. Now it has inspired a full line of Next-Generation I-4 performers.

Meet the all new advanced-technology In-Line Fours–the F200, F175, F150 and F115. This powerful family offers up 16-valve, DOHC in-line designs and electronic fuel injection. Yamaha’s next-generation design even gives the F200 and F115 class-leading DOHC power-to-weight ratios, for incredible acceleration, midrange punch and outstanding fuel economy.

And know, each of these new models shares the same Yamaha DNA that built our time-tested reputation for reliability and satisfaction with boaters just like you.

Discover the next generation of In-Line Four performance at YamahaOutboards.com/InLineFour.

Read Charleston Water Taxi’s incredible story of I-4 reliability at YamahaOutboards.com/8700hrs REMEMBER to always observe all applicable boating laws. Never drink and drive. Dress properly with a USCG-approved personal floatation device and protective gear. Any reference to trademarks belonging to other companies and/or their products is for identification purposes only and is not intended to be an endorsement. © 2016 Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. All rights reserved. 1-800-88-YAMAHA

Follow Yamaha Outboards on Facebook®, Twitter ® and Instagram®

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