Table of contents for August/September 2023 in Boating

GRUNDÉNS SEAKNIT BOAT SHOE Cool comfort, stability and quick-drying attributes make this a great deck shoe. The Seaknit might be our favorite thanks to its stretchy nylon upper and shockabsorbing sole that flares from the foot to the floor, adding as much as an inch more surface contact of the razor-siped, shallow-lugged soles. Like the Chukka model, this shoe won’t pick up rocks and mar the deck. It slipped on without unlacing and stayed snug for stability and traction. PROS: These shoes aren’t water-resistant, but they do shed some amount of water thanks to the tongueless design. With short socks, they provide a desert-dry experience; without socks, they manage to breathe nearly as well for all-day comfort. CONS: We found the sides of the gray soles would mark the inwales…

The NorthCoast 415HT sport-fishing pilothouse challenges center-console designs for versatility. It sports New England lines drawn by the renowned Langan Design Partners. The 415HT runs on a fine-riding deep-V hull with 25 degrees of waves oftening transom deadrise. According to designers, it features a subtly rounded keel that enhances lift. Quad Yamaha 300 XSB outboards with the Helm Master EX joystick provide performance, maneuverability, redundant safety and the latest technology. Top speed is estimated to exceed 50 mph. Its 102-square-foot cockpit is an angling arena with a prep center, side boarding door and transom door. Options include cruising cockpit amenities, such as the aft-facing bench against the cabin bulkhead with drink holders and a built-in cooler. Inside, the boat features an open layout with a wood table, full galley, and…

As a 57-year-old third-generation boater who grew up on the waters of the Long Island Sound, I understand that our hobby comes with inherent risk every time we depart the dock. Even armed with spare parts, tools and resources, breakdowns occur. I like to think we keep our boats well-maintained. Service intervals are strictly followed, and if anything breaks, it’s quickly fixed. I grabbed the wheel, and it spun in my hands as I looked out over the dark water. No steering! In late 2020, my family purchased a 2013 Grady-White Marlin hull with no engines. All the components and rigging for the new twin engines were updated. However, we missed one vital component that I never once thought to check in my years of boating until it failed nearly…

X2POWER MARINE LITHIUM BATTERY X2Power represents one of the leading brands in marine lithium batteries, and we gave one of its models a season-long test in a G3 V167T aluminum boat, fishing the lakes of central Michigan. It was a 31-series 100-amp-hour, 12-volt deep-cycle battery featuring lithium-iron-phosphate (LiFePO4) chemistry ($899.99; batteriesplus.com). In this test, we dedicated it to powering a Minn Kota PowerDrive 12-volt trolling motor with Spot-Lock. We were delighted with several facets, including the light weight of 28.2 pounds (about 50 percent less than a comparable lead-acid battery), power delivery (it ran for two to three days without fading fast-charging characteristics s or needing a recharge), the (it charged about four times faster than the old lead-acid d battery), and the five-year free-replacement warranty. We tested the battery…

ONBOARD SCALE There’s no more guessing about the tongue weight of your boat trailer with an onboard scale. The system available in the 2023 Ford F-150 pickup, for example, can estimate your tongue weight on a conventional hitch and show the number through the dash display or a code in the smart taillights. It will advise if the tongue weight is too high or too low. HITCH UP WITH AI Ford’s Pro Trailer Hitch Assist available for the Ford F-Series pickup uses artificial intelligence, including computer vision and machine learning, to automatically back up and align a truck’s hitch ball to a trailer coupler with the push of a button. It automatically controls the truck’s speed, steering and braking to make hitching up an easy, single-handed task. BACKUP ASSISTANCE Features such…

When it’s lumpy, low gunwales and raised decks transform into liabilities. Pathfinder’s 2400 Open is a hybrid that resolves those common bay-boat issues with gunwale heights between 22 and 25 inches and an open cockpit, giving extra security when fishing rough water. My test boat’s optional upper station ($17,420) makes spotting fish, locating weed lines, or traversing shallow areas easier. Its abbreviated console accommodates a 9-inch display. Substitute a hardtop for $8,241, or go topless. Live-bait fishermen will love the lighted livewell with two recirculating pumps, three drains, an aquarium window and a whopping 41-gallon capacity. A second 27-gallon livewell also comes standard. Optional outriggers ($3,746) on the upper station or the hardtop ($5,090) turn the boat into a compact sport-fisherman. The 2400 Open’s bow offers a two-tiered casting platform.…

Brunswick siblings Mercury Marine and Navico Group have teamed up to create the next version of the Fathom e-power system supercharged by a new outboard motor alternator. Fathom—a lithium-ion auxiliary power system designed to replace a generator—debuted at the 2020 Consumer Electronics Show installed in a Sea Ray SLX 400 Outboard. It’s been offered as an accessory for the past year. At the recent introduction of the Mercury V-10 Verado 350 and 400 hp outboards, a new Fathom component was revealed: a dual-mode 48-volt/12-volt alternator, capable of delivering up to 6.5kW of power (per engine) in 48V mode. The dual-mode alternator will be a component on the Mercury V-10 350 and 400 hp and V-12 600 hp Verado outboards only when those motors are rigged to a boat with the…

It features a distinctive foam-collar system that makes the boat virtually unsinkable. It’s 50 feet long, powered by triple 600 hp Mercury V-12 outboards and boasts yacht-like accommodations. It’s the Life Proof 50. Its refined deep-V hull and performance fins deliver speeds to 60 mph. An integrated bow thruster and joystick engine controls equip the captain with a full complement of maneuverability tools. The layout is innovative. The bow lounge is accessible yet private. The aft cockpit is spacious and comfortable. The Life Proof 50 sleeps up to six and offers a head, a separate shower and a full galley. The master suite is a generous size for owners, while guests can sleep in an aft berth or in the daybed up in the salon. The helm offers excellent sightlines.…

DIY + Weekend Workbook SKILL LEVEL 1 OF 5 FINISH TIME Approx. 1 hour TOOLS AND SUPPLIES • Taylor Made EasyGuide kit ($299.95; store.lci1.com/easyguide-by-taylormade-2022106874) • Four U-bolts as needed for 2-, 3- or 4-inch frames, with matching backing plates and locknuts • Two 9/16-inch wrenches and one 7/16-inch wrench • Phillips screwdriver Lining up a boat or a personal watercraft while loading it on the trailer can pose challenges, especially if you need to submerge your trailer deeply, the water is too dirty to see the trailer underwater at the ramp, or wind or current pushes the hull sideways while loading. Over the years, a variety of devices have been used to help align hulls on trailers in these conditions, including posts and poles at the back of the trailer…

Are you considering repowering with electric? Here’s a look at what it takes to cut the fuel line and plug in. HOW FAST, HOW FAR AND HOW LONG? Electric propulsion can provide speed, range and runtime, but not all at once. An electric boat, motor and battery combination might top 25 mph for an hour. The same boat can also travel more than 50 miles at 6 mph, or longer still at slower speed. That makes the first step in going electric determining how far, in miles, you want to go fast, and how long, in hours, you need to go slow. Then match a motor and batteries to suit. PORTABLE PROPULSION (DIY) For small boats pushed to modest speeds, small, light options from ePropulsion, Torqeedo and Elco—equivalent to 3…

The Phenom 37 is a spare-no-expense offshore fishing boat loaded with standards that are almost always options aboard other boats, including a Seakeeper 3 gyrostabilizer, Mercury Joystick Docking for Outboards, a Vetus 571 Bow Pro thruster that acts in concert with the joystick, and Zipwake trim control. Because Phenom is a semi-custom builder that sells direct to the public, owners can customize their bling in ways like adding more than three Gemlux rod holders per gunwale. There’s an impressive array of 13 rocket launchers set into two tiers on the back side of the hardtop. Fishy features include twin 30-gallon livewells at opposing corners of the transom. An automatic system that pressurizes each livewell to 0.5 psi keeps the tanks full to eliminate sloshing no matter the speed or sea…

Move the throttle lever, and Mercury Racing’s 500R outboard crushes you into the seat or bolster. There’s torque to spare all the way to its max-rated 6,600 rpm. It proved a blast testing aboard various boat types, from pontoons to center-consoles to high-performance catamarans. The 500R’s supercharged whine will appeal to serious speed and power devotees. This 4.6-liter V-8 delivers this visceral experience thanks to its supercharger. Belt-driven, the supercharger forces more air into the engine, resulting in more torque and power. Mercury Racing says it delivers 10 percent more torque than the 450R, which it replaces, and it increases boost pressure by 26 percent. The 500R also boasts many technological innovations. For instance, a humidity sensor monitors intake air. This allows the engine ECM to combine humidity, air-pressure and…

Who is the OG of performance powerboating, the founder of go-fast? Gar Wood, Ray Hunt, Jim Wynne, Don Aronow, Art Carlson and Larry Smith immediately come to mind, and all were certainly influential. But only one builder put his name on the “fastest, safest and best-handling boats in the world.” Reggie Fountain Jr. designed, built and raced the boats that bear his name, and made a staggering impact on the sport in the process. His influence started in 1980 with the creation of the Fountain 10 Meter Executioner, 33 feet of go-fast sizzle that rocked the performance world. This is the story of how that first boat was created, how it came back to Fountain, and what it took to repower a 43-year-old performance boat. the origin story In 1979,…

CLARION CMM-10 AUDIO UNIT Clarion Marine’s compact new CMM-10 is ideal for smaller vessels and personal watercraft. Featuring an IP66-waterproof-rated chassis, it offers a variety of connectivity choices and system-expanding options. A global AM/FM tuner is included, as are multiple connections for personal devices, including Bluetooth streaming from smartphones, and USB for playback from flash drives and portable SSDs. The control panel features physical buttons, a rotary volume knob, and an easy-to-read and bright LCD screen. $179.99; clarionmarine.com BAJIO STILTSVILLE SUNGLASSES Bajio’s new Stiltsville polarized sunglasses for boaters feature wraparound frames for light-blocking performance. Nonslip rubber nose pads and rubber temple tips help create a snug fit in rough waters. Made from a plant-based biodegradable material, they come in seven lens colors in glass and polycarbonate. All lenses are polarized…

PUMP IT UP A portable pump can inflate and deflate tow toys and fenders, making both easier to take along. CLIP-ON PUMP Q: Is it safe to use jumper cables aboard a boat? I ask this because I would like to use a portable air pump that clips onto batteries in order to work. I want the air pump to blow up the tow toy I tow my kids on. Is it safe to connect to the boat battery? April Winslow Lyme, Connecticut A: Yes Always be careful working around batteries, whether aboard a boat or otherwise. The best practice is to first connect the positive, then the negative. When disconnecting the cables, disconnect the negative first to minimize the chance of creating a short, then the positive. THE GOOD…

Advice about how to back up a trailer is right there with “docking advice” and “how much power do I need” as the most common reader questions of all time.—Kevin Falvey Boating’s experts agree that practice is the biggest key. Find an empty parking lot or visit a launch ramp on a chilly, midweek day. Then, back up to “targets” such as cones, sawhorses, beach chairs, cardboard boxes, or whatever you’ve got that you won’t mind hitting. Naturally, we want to give you more than just general advice, even if it is very good. So, I asked our most experienced trailer boaters—Randy Vance, John Tiger and Jim Hendricks—to each offer their top tip for backing a trailer. Their approaches are similar. But, because the sciences of logic and linguistics tell…

Testing spotlights and flashlights is tricky, especially now that all the best offerings are LED. Each LED emits an amount of light measured in lumens. You’d think 3,000 lumens would be brighter than 1,000 lumens and would illuminate more at a greater er distance. Our tests proved that hypothesis wrong. Lumens matter, but the geometry of the light bezel and dome matter equally. We found that a lower-lumen light could illuminate a target t farther away than a higherlumen light—it was all in the geometry of the bezel and reflector. METERING LIGHT First, we illuminated the CM/3 light sensor on our meter. Every light, whether 1,000 or 3,000 lumens, overpowered the meter. Next, we measured the light emitted onto the sensor from 30 feet away. That data was also inconclusive.…

The 280 Dauntless is the flagship of Boston Whaler’s Dauntless bay-boat lineup, and it delivers a high-quality fishing platform adorned with family-friendly creature comforts. Designed with a 9-foot beam and a shallow deadrise that tapers to 18 degrees at the transom, the 280 Dauntless is meant to be a stable casting platform that floats in skinny water. Despite its 28-foot length, Boston Whaler claims it can float with the engines trimmed up in just 1 foot, 6 inches of water. With the flatter running surface, it’s not going to be a tippy boat when anglers drop lines or cast from one side or the other. While the 280 Dauntless has plenty of fishy bona fides, including the 19-gallon transom livewell, seven total rod holders, and recessed grab rails and cleats…

By now you’ve likely seen the funky-looking Sharrow propellers and heard they’re up to five times more expensive than traditional props. So, when Sharrow Marine came to us with claims that its propellers are worth it due to improved speed, effciency, handling and overall feel, we had only one recourse: Pit the MX3s head-to-head versus comparable-size traditional stainless-steel propellers. What did we find? The results backed the company’s assertions, with the exception of top speed. Before getting into the nitty-gritty, it’s important to note the design differences between Sharrow propellers and typical outboard props. Greg Sharrow, the company’s founder, comes from a music background. The story goes that while trying to figure out how to make drones quieter to shoot video of orchestra concerts, he found that a lot of…

Today’s portable satellite communicators can wirelessly integrate with mobile devices to turn your smartphone into a satphone when cruising or fishing outside cell coverage. This lets you stay connected anywhere and provides a means of hailing rescue agencies. Here are examples. ACR BIVY STICK The waterproof Bivy Stick from ACR wirelessly turns your cellphone into a satphone. Using the Iridium satellite network, it includes text messaging, an SOS button to contact the Bivy Global Rescue Center, location sharing and weather reports. You can also activate the SOS feature through the Bivy app. Measuring 4.47 inches long by 1.85 inches wide by 0.83 inches deep, it provides you with a dedicated phone number and email so that others also can reach you. $299.99, plus a satellite service plan starting at as…