Tabla de contenidos para November/December 2022 en Boating

Cruisers Yachts GLS series of outboard-powered, luxury sport bowrider-cruisers grows with the new 50 GLS, rated as the series’ largest, powered by up to three 600 hp Mercury Verado V-12 outboards. The deep, plush bow lounge, served by a table, is reached via a portside hatch in the big windshield. Aft, the cockpit melds seamlessly into the broad platform. The open concept should prove perfect for entertaining and includes expansive and varied seating. There’s a wet bar and an optional grill, ice maker and refrigerator. The dual Beach Doors, which fold down the cockpit sides, expand the fun space exponentially (and will knock the socks off all who see them). Belowdecks, Cruisers Yachts realizes luxe accommodations in the form of a two-stateroom layout with a single, large head compartment complete…

My wife claims that a fine cabernet is the perfect complement to filet mignon. She may be right. Similarly, the new Aviara AV40 is an excellent match with two 600 hp Mercury Verado V-12 outboards. Early outboard enthusiasts never envisioned pairing the then-tiny motors with such a large, progressively styled day yacht. Start with a V-12 block (think Ferrari or Lambo) of 7.6 liters, then frost this cupcake with a supercharger. If you’ve owned a V-12 (and particularly one from Italy), you’re thinking “mainchange the oil; it goes in through a hatch atop the engine. And all the service points are clustered right up front too. In fact, the V-12 600 need only come out of the water for service every two years. Your mechanic might miss you. But there’s…

The FX Limited SVHO, Yamaha’s flagship Wave-Runner, combines a deep-V hull with a supercharged, mega-displacement 1.8-liter Super Vortex High Output engine that pushes it beyond 65 mph. Now sheet moulding compound (SMC) returns to the hull rather than Yamaha’s lighter-weight, nano-engineered construction. This adds about 40 pounds but arguably improves the boat’s feel, particularly in rough water. A redesigned ride plate lets the bow run higher plus helps plant the hull during aggressive cornering. Sponsons have slid forward almost 2 inches. The resulting ride is aggressive and nimble but less twitchy. Other changes include a more streamlined handlebar column and a larger glove box with smartphone stowage. An infusion of tech elevates your experience. Front and center is the 7-inch touchscreen display. The new GPS improves speedometer accuracy and also…

In my all of our decades of boating, we’ve never heard a fellow boater look at his collection of gear, apparel and apparatuses, and say, “You know what, I’m good.” If you’re serious about finding things that help you get on the water and stay on, too much stuff is never enough. In this spirit, if you have a boater in the family, you’ll find the ultimate gift for him or her in these pages. And if you’re the boater, circle and earmark what you want like we all used to do with the Sears catalog. Either way, someone will wind up feeling jolly. Take a look through our electronics, watersports, DIY, fishing and apparel selections. AFTCO ATB36 TACKLE BAG Stressed over finding the right gift for the angler on…

1. You just had your gear case serviced in the spring. Is it necessary to do it again before winter layup, or can you just leave it be until next season? A. It’s best to service the gear case before winter. That way, if there’s fish line on the prop shaft, water in the gear lube, or any other problem, you can catch it before freezing weather. If there’s water in the gear lube, for example, you don’t want it sitting there all winter, rusting the shafts, bearings and gears—and possibly freezing and cracking the housing. B. Do it during spring commissioning. C. Do it after every outing. D. None of the above 2. You live and boat up north in your outboard center-console. Winter is here, and the first…

Axopar’s new 25 Cross Top promises to bring the innovative design of Axopar’s previous models into a midsize, single-engine package. The 25 Cross Top boasts a cuddy cabin with seating, a V-berth, and plenty of light and ventilation via an overhead hatch. The optional freshwater system and marine head promise to up the comfort. Atop the cabin is a sun pad, and a split bow rail at the pulpit provides security when boarding off the bow. Modularity marks this Axopar as much as the fine, efficient ride from its dual-stepped hull. With this 25-foot Axopar, owners can choose from three aft cockpit layouts. There is the standard layout with a single aft bench (Axopar calls it a sofa). In addition, there are optional layouts featuring a U-lounge that converts to…

DIY + Weekend Workbook SKILL LEVEL FINISH TIME Approx. 2 hours per mask TOOLS AND SUPPLIES • Matte-black adhesive waterproof vinyl ($8.99 per 13-inch-by-3-foot roll; hobbylobby.com) • Sheets of paper and tape (to create a template) • Pencil • Ultra Fine Point Sharpie marker • Scissors • X-Acto knife • Needle • Cutting board • Spray bottle • Dish soap and water • Flexible plastic spatula ($5.95; walmart.com) Reflected glare—be it from the sunlight during the day or onboard lights at night—annoys, strains eyes and creates visibility issues that threaten safety, especially when it occurs on surfaces on the dash or bow. Glare can be especially prevalent with white finishes, one of the most common colors for boats. For this reason, many new boats feature dash areas that are gray…

Classic wooden “bay-built” hulls meet a variety of needs, from hauling crab pots and oystering to charter fishing. They feature sharp bows, big cockpits, forward helms, and semi-displacement, shallow V-hulls and straight-shaft inboards. They’ve never been built for efficient speeds above 20 mph, much less a soft ride at such velocities. How did Murrell assemble a team to pull it off? THE DESIGN Martin Hardy and his sons, Lewis and Rob, of Composite Yacht (compositeyacht.biz) went to work. “Let’s hire an architect, build it on paper, then test it.” They signed naval architect Lou Codega, who’s drawn Regulator Boats, Cabo Yachts and others. Tank testing took place at the venerable Stevens Institute of Technology. “The owner wanted a deadrise-style boat that’s really fast. The tricky part of this design is the…

The Back Cove 372 is a single-engine cruiser that can be easily handled by a couple, especially with a standard Side-Power bow thruster and optional stern thruster. It offers great visibility from the helm and companion seat through the large tripane windshield framed with glare-reducing black mullions. A bi-fold stainless-and-glass door connects the salon and cockpit and provides outstanding sightlines aft. A convenient helm pod on the Llebroc Ultraleather adjustable helm seat gives access to controls and electronics. The 372 accelerated smoothly as we throttled up to a wide-open speed of 33 mph. Settling back to 2,500 rpm for a fast cruise of 26.5 mph, the engine used 21.1 gph, yielding 1.26 mpg. The single 600 hp Cummins QSC8.3 diesel provides a range of 340 miles, a respectable distance for…

Walking down the dock to test the new Taiga Orca Carbon, at first glance I noted that it did not look much different in size and shape than the typical Sea-Doo or Yamaha PWC. The first clue that operating the Taiga Orca Carbon would be different was the power cord. I didn’t just have to untie it to leave the dock; I also had to unplug it. Built by Taiga, a company that pioneered electric snowmobiles, the Orca Carbon is the first recreational electric PWC available in North America. It runs on a lithium-ion battery system that powers a direct-drive pump and impeller capable of producing 160 hp. In shape and weight, the Orca Carbon compares to gas-powered PWC of the same dimensions. As I idled away from the dock,…

Some 15 years ago, I was coming out of Key West, near Smith Shoals, when my buddy’s 54 Carver came to a screeching halt from about 14 knots. Luckily, no one was injured. Minor damage occurred to the boat when 300-plus feet of all-chain rode was unintentionally deployed. The windlass had let go! My Silverton 42C’s windlass lacked a safety device, so I added a short piece of parachute cord looped through the anchor shackle and back to a nearby cleat. If your boat has a windlass, is there a safety device? Preferably, it should have a cable with a snap, a chain hook or a chain stopper. Our present boat, a Silverton 45C, came equipped from the factory with a cable and snap. If your boat is fitted with…

You’ll find a wide range of grill styles, sizes and accessories. Let’s look at factors to consider while shopping. KETTLE GRILLS Magma still offers its original Marine Kettle series (starting at $249.99 for a gas model). These are best used with one of Magma’s mounting options for a secure fit with boat rails or rod holders because the shape makes these grills a bit unstable on a table aboard a rocking boat. RECTANGULAR GRILLS Rectangular barbecues have gained popularity because they’re easier to stow and prove secure on a table. Fold-out legs on models of Kuuma’s Stow N’ Go series (starting at $199.99) and Magma’s Cabo grills (starting at $249.99) let you set up on a cutting board that can double for tailgating. Hinges keep the lids from going overboard.…

Family cruiser, dock-hopping party boat, blood-on-deck fishing machine, or serious dive boat? The Cutwater C-288 Coupe surely offers versatility. This boat also comes with standards that other boatbuilders charge for, such as a Garmin 8612xsv touchscreen display with sonar, xHD radar, autopilot, bow thruster with remote, windlass, inverter, solar panel, heat and air conditioning, barbecue and more. I found the Cutwater C-288 Coupe fun to run. Powered by twin Yamaha F250s, the double-stepped hull planes smoothly and easily. I measured a zippy zero-to-50 mph in 24 seconds. The 10-foot beam adds cabin space but provides stability underway banking into sharp 40 mph turns. Small indentations in the hull (think divots on a golf ball) that Cutwater calls Laminar Flow Interrupters improve cornering. At 3,800 rpm, I looped around at 30…

The age of electric vehicles (EVs) has arrived. As the world seeks solutions to climate change, replacing internal-combustion vehicles with EVs has emerged as one strategy for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In fact, in California where I live, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an executive order (backed by a ruling by the California Air Resources Board) requiring 100 percent of new-car sales to be zero-emission vehicles by 2035. Other states such as New York, New Jersey, Oregon and Washington tend to follow California emissions mandates, so some of those states will likely adopt similar rules in the future. The onset of EVs looms large for a huge population of skippers who need capable vehicles to tow boats on trailers. While there’s no firm data on the number of trailer boats, the…