The new Mercury Marine ­joystick control for a single outboard puts throttle, shifting and steering control in the palm of your hand. Many captains will find that the joystick makes it easier to handle a single-engine boat in tight quarters. Full-lock steering response is realized with a quick turn of the joystick rather than with multiple turns of the wheel, and shifting from forward to reverse is just as quick. The joystick ­simplifies boathandling, matching the functionality of the Yamaha Helm Master EX single-engine system introduced in 2021.

We tested the single-engine joystick aboard a Highfield Sport 700 RIB powered by a ­Mercury Verado 250 outboard. A lightweight RIB is easily pushed around by wind and current, and thus is a perfect application for the joystick. The same could be said for a pontoon. Tilt the knob forward or back for forward or reverse thrust, and twist it left or right to steer the outboard. The bow of the vessel always follows the direction of the joystick rotation, whether forward or reverse thrust is selected. The joystick is proportional, which means that the farther from the center the joystick is moved, the more thrust is applied. The system is programmed to limit thrust through the joystick, which makes it less likely you’ll dial up too much thrust—we’ve all seen that ­happen around the dock.

Learning to use this control takes some practice. Experienced captains will instinctively reach for the wheel. But once you develop new muscle memory, control becomes instinctive. This joystick also offers some ­autopilot functions if the boat is rigged with a compatible MFD and a Mercury GPS/IMU. The single-engine joystick is compatible only with Mercury Verado and Sea Pro V-8, V-10 and V-12 engine models equipped with Mercury electric power steering. It can be retrofit, but our Merc rep suggests that the ideal time for installation is during a repower, when all the required components can be ordered together. Vessels equipped with electric steering can add the single-engine joystick for about $2,500, and autopilot for an ­additional $3,000. Note that these features are not mutually exclusive. If the vessel has electric steering, AutoPilot can be installed without the joystick, and vice versa.

Read Next: Mercury Joystick Piloting for Pontoons

SmartCraft OS Joystick Update Available

Mercury Marine recently released a SmartCraft software update that gives multiengine joystick piloting new capabilities. Closed-loop velocity control will automatically adjust throttle and steering if wind or current causes the boat to drift off course during joystick ­maneuvers, reducing unwanted fore-aft drifting by up to 74 percent. Speed-based joystick ­operation replaces the previous rpm-based system. The joystick input translates to ­actual speed over ground, and if the boat encounters a force such as a headwind or tailwind, the system will automatically increase or decrease throttle to maintain the captain’s desired speed. For V-12 engines, the software update enables slip control, which allows the transmission to slip up to 90 percent to reduce propeller rpm and more accurately control the boat’s movements. The software update is available for boats that currently have multiengine joystick piloting and next-gen digital throttle and shift controls. See a Mercury dealer for details.

The post Mercury Joystick Steering for Single-Engine Vessels appeared first on Boating Mag.

The young man attending the gas dock in Frankfort, Michigan, seemed befuddled.

“So you just crossed Lake Michigan on a pontoon boat,” he said. “Why would you do that?”

I thought about this for a ­moment and just shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess because it’s a nice day.”

The kid slipped the nozzle into our fuel fill and switched on the pump. He stood back and looked us over some more: three guys on the far side of middle age and a 22-foot pontoon.

“So now what are you going to do?” he asked.

“I don’t know,” I replied. “I guess gas up and go back to ­Wisconsin. It’s still a nice day.”

This little adventure was a goofy idea. Quite literally. The instigator was our friend Malcolm “Goofy” Sohm, a pontoonist of the highest order, who invited us to join him on this over-and-back. The voyage was a reprise of the same crossing Goofy made in 1999. Twenty-five years ago, Sohm crossed the pond as a ­publicity stunt to promote his recently patented invention, the T.A.P. Fin System, the first lifting device devised to improve pontoon performance. That trip made for a great story but not much publicity. This time, Sohm made sure to invite a couple of magazine writers to share the tale.

The Accidental Pontoonist

The story of Goofy Sohm and the T.A.P. Fin has appeared on these pages in the past, in abbreviated fashion. This time I’ll include all the details and tell a tale of one man’s inquisitive mind and unrelenting determination in pursuit of a goal that has, so far, been elusive.

Sohm, who is about to turn 70 years old, grew up in ­Oshkosh, Wisconsin, where his father owned a filling station and was an avid boater.

“My early childhood was like a chapter out of Huck Finn,” Sohm says. “We had a paddle-wheel houseboat. It was 42 feet long and 16 feet wide, with a wood hull we had to caulk up each spring. We used that boat to roam all over the Winnebago basin. It would take us two days to run 20 miles from Oshkosh up the Fox River to Eureka. But what a grand time! Fishing and swimming and ­sleeping on the roof with the stars overhead.”

Sohm earned his nickname in high school. On a dare, he rode his minibike one lap around the main hallway of Oshkosh West High School but crashed on the slick terrazzo right in front of the principal’s office. “What a goofy thing to do!” Mr. Rahn said as Sohm lay on the floor. There you go. Sohm embraced his moniker, which ­perfectly fits his personality.

Fast-forward a few decades. Sohm lost his fiberglass speedboat in a divorce. After he later married Terry Reiter, in 1989, the couple lived south of Oshkosh, across the road from Lake Winnebago, where Goofy had a one-man auto-body repair business. “After the divorce, all I could afford was a 21-foot Crest pontoon with a 25-horse Evinrude,” Sohm said. “I could not keep up with my buddies. I kept putting a bigger outboard on that pontoon, but my best friend had a 34 Scarab. When Lake Winnebago got rough, I was miserable.”

Sohm started wondering if there was a better way to improve the performance of his pontoon. One day, he had Terry drive while he lay on the forward deck, his head hanging over so that he could look ­below the boat.

“All this water was just flying up off the tubes and hitting the underside of the deck,” Sohm said, “and I thought, What a waste of energy. What if I could redirect that force? This was also after a pontoon with a 15 hp motor got caught in a thunderstorm on Lake Winnebago, and six people drowned. They couldn’t get off the lake fast enough when the storm popped up.”

Tapping Into Performance

In a move that now seems prescient, Sohm in 1996 commissioned the construction of a custom pontoon. Twenty-six feet long and supported by a pair of 26-inch-diameter tubes, the boat was bigger than any production pontoon on the market at the time. The tubes were formed in two pieces by a local sheet-metal shop and welded together lengthwise. That seam also incorporated wide inner and outer flanges.

“It seemed obvious that I could use fins to capture the force of the water coming off the tubes,” Sohm said. “The tubes came with the strip of aluminum sticking straight out on both sides, and I welded two Vise-Grips together so that I could bend 6 inches at a time and just work my way down the tube. I started with a 45-degree lip, and then tried 90 degrees, and then more than 90 degrees. The 90-degree bend worked the best. I had no education and no money, but I had an invention.”

Sohm finished the deck ­himself using off-the-shelf pontoon furniture bolted onto a 200 hp Mercury outboard, and in 1998, he took his ­prototype to the Pontoon and Deck Boat magazine shootout on Lake Dora, Florida.

“My goal was to demonstrate the concept and sell it to Smoker or Bennington,” Sohms said. “But the performance was disappointing. The boat ran only 31 mph. So I called my buddy John Litjens, who ran the Mercury Lake X test facility at the time, and he told me to bring the boat over.”

Litjens set up Sohm with a new four-blade prop that brought the boat to life. It now accelerated briskly and ran 37 mph—Goofy got ­dialed in at Lake X.

Sohm returned to the pontoon shootout in 1999 with a new boat fitted with a clear plastic window in the deck so that passengers could see his invention, now called T.A.P. Fin System by Conrad Marine Inc., at work with the boat underway. Sohm also invested $150,000 to get the invention patented. A boat equipped with T.A.P. fins rode higher in the water and offered a smoother ride, improved economy, and higher top speed. The fins also helped the boat carve through turns rather than skidding in typical pontoon fashion. According to Sohm, boatbuilder Godfrey thought his was a brilliant solution. So they copied it. Sohm sued, and in a ­settlement reached in 2003, Godfrey agreed to pay a ­royalty for each set of T.A.P.-like fins it ­installed. ­After Godfrey became part of ­Nautic Global Group in 2005, that deal ended. Pontoon manufacturers began placing lifting strakes on the bottom of pontoon tubes, and then on the sides. Sohm says that these devices improve performance, but the patented feature of the T.A.P. system is the 90-degree bend, which he says simply ­performs better than any other solution.

Anxious to turn his invention into a profitable business, Sohm began selling T.A.P. fins in kit form, to be welded to a customer’s boat. He continued to pitch his invention to pontoon builders, hoping to either license or sell the patent outright. Time after time, Sohm says he ran into a “not invented here” attitude.

“The engineers at these ­companies don’t want to admit that a device created by a guy from ­Oshkosh named Goofy, with no ­degree, works better than what they’ve got,” Sohm said. “Or they just don’t see the value. What they have is good enough.”

Sohm decided that he needed some publicity to help promote his business, and one evening came up with the beer-fueled notion of crossing Lake Michigan, the biggest handy body of water.

“Sturgeon Bay to Frankfort is 87 miles, the shortest distance across the lake,” Sohm said. “My big boat had a 200 Mercury and a 24-gallon fuel tank. We added another 32-gallon tank on the deck, but I still had to carry 36 more gallons in plastic jugs. That motor was a guzzler.”

His boat had no GPS and not even a compass, so he enlisted his speedboat buddy Terry Kaiser to lead the way in a 34 Formula.

“Those guys were out all night and sick over the rail, and got us off course,” Sohm said. “We missed Frankfort by 20 miles, and I almost ran out of gas, but we made it over and back. I took a few waves over the bow, so it was just a little sketchy.”

Sohm says that at the time, the media wouldn’t write about his ­accomplishment because it seemed so risky, they feared being held ­liable if readers attempted to repeat the feat and died trying. So much for publicity.

Crossing the Lake

Flash-forward 25 years, and Sohm is still pitching his patent and still selling his kits at boat shows—thousands of pontoons are running with owner-installed T.A.P. fins. He and Terry moved to North Carolina in 2003 to be closer to her family, and he works as a gofer at Long Island Marina in ­Catawba, North Carolina. Summer 2024 saw the confluence of the Oshkosh ToonFest poker run, the 50th anniversary reunion of the Oshkosh West class of 1974, and the 25th anniversary of the original pontoon crossing. What a weekend. Sohm insisted that Pontoon and Deck Boat editor Brady Kay and I join him on the anniversary crossing. Sohm towed up from North Carolina his personal 22-foot Bentley triple-tube pontoon, powered by a fuel-sipping Mercury FourStroke 250 and equipped with a compass and a GPS. For a chase/photo boat, I enlisted ace technician Dan ­Jansen to join us in Cheap and Easy, his 1983 Cruisers 220 Baron. We equipped ourselves with water, some snacks, handheld VHF radios, a spare prop, fuel filters and some tools.

The weather on July 15, our planned day of crossing, looked grim—thunderstorms and big seas—but a massive high-pressure dome was cruising in from Canada and would give us promising conditions the next day. We motored out of the Sturgeon Bay ship canal on July 16 under clear skies. Once we were a few miles out, we settled in, cruising at 20 mph. Seas were 3 to 4 feet and confused, with a chop on the top and wind from the northeast. The farther east we went, the rougher it got; we were catching the back side of the previous day’s weather. As high pressure approached, the wind shifted to the north, so we were rolling in a beam sea, with the tops of waves appearing higher than the pontoon rails. With triple-tube buoyancy and the T.A.P. fins, we stayed on top of the water, and while we smacked down hard a few times, we stayed dry and in control. For the last 20 miles, we reduced our speed to about 15 mph, but we were still outpacing the Cruisers. When I looked back, I could see mostly the bottom of the runabout as it bucked through the waves. Dan brought two curious buddies along; they and photographer Tom King took a beating.

The shoreline bluffs and Frankfort light appeared on the ­horizon about four hours after our ­departure, and we motored past the breakwater and into Betsie Lake. At the gas dock, we pumped 25 gallons into the pontoon and 31 into the Cruisers. The pontoon got about 3.5 mpg. Consider that in 1999 it took almost 90 gallons to make the same distance plus 20 off-course miles. Our fuel economy was about three times better in 2024. And the ride was much less dramatic, thanks mostly to that third tube under the boat. For an adventure ride like this one, that third tube is a game-changer and, along with the advent of force-­capturing devices like T.A.P. fins, might be the most significant ­advance in pontoon evolution over the past 25 years.

Our original plan was to grab some brunch after we arrived on the west coast of Michigan, then head back. There was no brunch at Jacobson Marina, however, and we didn’t want to walk into town, so we settled for a few bags of chips. And then we shoved off on a due-west course back to ­America’s Dairyland. By now the lake had ­really laid down, and we were cruising along at 25 mph.

Read Next: Top Gear for Boating Adventures

Lake Michigan is a big expanse of water, but I was still surprised that during the entire trip, we spotted just two other boats—a very high-masted sailboat and a lake freighter—both far off in the distance. At one point on the return, in the middle of the lake, we stopped and shut off the outboard. The sky was perfectly clear, and the lake was a deep cobalt blue. For 360 degrees around us, there was ­nothing to see but blue sky and blue water. It was beautiful and also just a little unsettling for someone who is rarely out of sight of land. I realized for the first time that if something went wrong, we were truly alone—no radio contact with our little handhelds, no other boats around, no cell service. The piece of gear we didn’t have was a tracker, satellite messenger or a satellite phone. We did have our float plan logged with Terry waiting back in Sturgeon Bay, and we had checked in from Michigan. We were well-stocked with food, and if we ran out of water, well, you could drink Lake Michigan.

The return run took just three hours. I wish I had more drama to share, but in the end, this was just a long ride on a pontoon. Funny that since then, when I tell people that I crossed the lake on a pontoon, the response is universal: What a goofy thing to do! Exactly.

The post A Pontoon Boating Adventure Across Lake Michigan appeared first on Boating Mag.

It sounds idyllic, right? You’re going to go overnight on a mini yacht (my words, not theirs) and gallivant around ­Florida’s Sarasota Bay on a beautiful summer day. That’s how I sold it to my wife, at least. See, if you’re not familiar with a pocket cruiser, it generally means a cabin boat under 30 feet length overall designed for boating in favorable, nearshore conditions. Many pocket cruisers prove small enough to trailer as well, which is a huge benefit for those of us who like to consistently see new ports of call. Now, for all you seasoned cruisers out there, you can probably already see where this story gets interesting. At 26 feet, 5 inches with just over a 9-foot beam, the Beneteau Antares 8 is on the small side for overnighting. This is why I led with the “mini yacht” yarn when I was selling this adventure to my wife. I needed someone to photograph for the story, and I needed her to say yes without overthinking it. So, after she overthought it for quite some time, she acquiesced, and we were off to Sarasota Bay.

When we first walked onto the docks, we had trouble spotting the Antares 8—until we realized it was tucked behind an Antares 11. Ten feet longer, the Antares 11 looks like a completely ­different class of boat. After dragging my wife away from that one, we boarded the ­Antares 8 and were ­immediately impressed.

The term “pocket cruiser” is an old one, referring to a cruiser small enough to fit in a vest pocket. Twenty years ago, pocket cruisers were a mainstay of boating, with plenty of boatbuilders providing trailerable cruising boats to a willing populace. Then, they fell out of favor. Now, Beneteau aims to bring back pocket cruisers with the Antares 8. We set out to learn how and why.

In the Pocket

My wife and I personally own a classic Mako of about the same length as the Antares 8, and we had been wracking our brains over how Beneteau would fit cruising amenities on the same footprint. The answer, of course, is a very deliberate layout.

The pilothouse-style design balances the deck space in thirds, with equal attention given to each. The aft third is all about angling; the Antares 8 we weekended aboard came equipped with the fishing package. Multiple rod holders, tackle stowage, and plenty of casting room allow this pocket cruiser to actually fish. The middle third is all about the pilothouse, with a fully enclosed salon complete with air conditioning (more on that later), below-deck sleeping quarters, a ­convertible seating/dining area, fridge and even a cooktop. I was amazed that ­Beneteau was able to pack so much into this size boat. The forward quarter is for the sundeck, bow rails, and anchor locker with a windlass.

After we settled in, I started to explore the helm. Some of the higher-end features on the Antares were blowing my mind. A bow thruster? Now I really did feel like I was on a mini yacht. With a single engine on a 26-plus-foot cabin boat, things can get a little hairy when you’ve got a tight docking situation, especially when you throw in a current and some wind. The Antares 8 proved an easy boat to handle dockside, though, especially with the thruster as an extra tool to use if needed.

Wanting to see how the Antares 8 handled sporty conditions, we made our way to the mouth of the inlet. It was a fairly windy day with a consistent west wind, so there was plenty of fetch to create some small waves to play around in. It’s not a dedicated offshore boat, yet the Beneteau handled the conditions admirably. And the best part was, my wife and I stayed completely dry while we gawked at the high-dollar homes along the mouth of the inlet.

Anchors Aweigh

While it was fun to test this new boat’s mettle, it wasn’t part of the assignment, so my personal indulgence had to come to an end. Besides being off mission, we were feeling hot. This wasn’t a 60-foot yacht with an oversize AC and a generator. This boat’s battery-­powered AC struggled against midday summer heat. And with two small cabin windows, the AC was still the better option than the breeze. It was time to beat the heat the old-fashioned way: by beelining it to the nearest ­sandbar. Can’t do that in a 60-footer.

Not being used to the conveniences of a modern boat, I sent my wife up to the bow when we reached the sandbar. I assumed that at the very least she would be letting down the anchor from the remote at the locker while I backed down to set the anchor. Instead, I realized that the anchor windlass was entirely controllable from the helm, something that blew my classic-boat mind and made singlehanding the Antares 8 an absolute dream. I could drop the anchor and back down on it right from the helm. This was living!

When we were set, my wife hit the mini fridge for a libation as we settled into a bluebird Florida sandbar afternoon. We met some very nice Kentuckians who came ripping in on a Freedom Boat Club pontoon and were discussing having some more “Cuban Sushi” that night.

“Cuban Sushi?” the wife asked.

“Yes,” the husband answered, “the stuff with the fish and the ­peppers and all that.”

“Oh, you mean ceviche! We can get some more of that,” the wife said.

True story. And forevermore in our household, “ceviche” and “Cuban Sushi” will be interchangeable terms. Funny how quickly life changes like that.

Shortly after, another boat showed up with the most aquatic Labrador I had ever seen. It was just deep enough that the dog couldn’t stand, so it swam from person to person, patrolling the area.

Dine and Doze

After a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon full of socializing, snorkeling and soaking in the Gulf waters, we said our goodbyes, I weighed anchor (from the helm, what luxury!), and we were on our way. We had a dinner date at an on-water restaurant in the bay. But first, a quick cleating ­lesson was in order.

Growing up a farmer’s daughter in South Georgia, my wife doesn’t have as much experience boating as I do. When we take our Mako to the Bahamas, we always have a crew full of friends who are seasoned boaters, so the guys are always the dock crew. In this case, we were a crew of two, so I needed my wife to learn to cleat off lines in a hurry. I taught her “the right way” as I had been taught from one of my sailing uncles, and we soon found ourselves the sole vessel in front of a fully occupied on-water restaurant with a strong current running and a ­crosswind. It was a high-pressure situation for my wife. She’s wound tight as it is, so the ­restaurant gawkers didn’t make things any easier for us. Luckily, I had my secret weapon: the bow thruster. We threw out our fenders, doubled back to go in nose first, then let the current nestle us in perfectly on the port side. My wife tied off a couple of perfect cleats, and we were ­strolling down the docks to dinner, cool as ­cucumbers. The gawkers were desperately disappointed not to see a Qualified ­Captain moment.

Read Next: Beneteau Antares 11

Fortunately, the restaurant manager sat us at a table right in front of the Antares 8. Perfect for capturing some golden-hour views of the boat and relaxing with a coastal dinner. When we were just about finished, I went to the boat and turned on the air conditioning, which bothered absolutely no one because it doesn’t make any sound. By the time we were wrapping up dinner, the sun was low and the temperature was comfortable inside the cabin, with the AC humming along on enough battery power to get us back to port.

We hooked back up to shore power at the dock, grabbed a ­shower at the hotel marina, and settled in for the night. How was the sleep? I’ll say this. You can’t expect your best night’s sleep on a pocket cruiser, but you also can’t expect any of the adventure of overnighting on a small boat without a little discomfort. We would do it again in a heartbeat, especially to the Bahamas, where the Antares 8’s shallow draft would allow for endless exploration of secluded coves and beaches. That would give us the opportunity to kick back, drop a line, reel in a big one, and make some fresh Cuban Sushi right on deck.

Essentials for Overnighting on a Small Boat

If you’re expecting a stately king-size bed or a stand-up shower from a pocket cruiser, you’re going to be disappointed. It’s ­essential to recognize a boat’s strengths and weaknesses so that you can set your expectations.

For example, consider bringing an air mattress. The “bed” that you’re going to be sleeping on is just a converted cushion, and “high-density marine-grade foam” is a far cry from a mattress and box spring. Recognizing that it might not be your best night’s sleep, bring all the essentials to make coffee in the morning. My wife brought her French press and made home-quality coffee on the Antares 8’s small cooktop. You’re also going to want to bring toiletries because smaller boats tend to have freshwater washdowns rather than enclosed showers. Bring linens or a sleeping bag, and an overstuffed pillow to accommodate the lack of give in the cushions if you’re going sans blowup mattress, and be prepared for the AC to freeze you out when it catches up.

We dined at on-water restaurants, but you’ll want to pack light prepared meals if your destination is more remote, which I think it should be. This boat’s real strength is in its ability to get into tight anchorages and get you off the grid in search of some adventure, so bringing a few essentials and finding some secluded mooring buoy to overnight should be on the to-do list of any Beneteau Antares 8 owner.

The post Pocket Cruiser Overnighting on Beneteau’s Antares 8 appeared first on Boating Mag.

History

In 1937, 15-year-old Joseph Armand Bombardier invented the Ski Doo to traverse the snowy streets of Quebec. His company grew into railway and aerospace, and was sold in 2003 to an investor group for billions. Sea-Doo personal watercraft,  Can-Am all-terrain vehicles and BRP-leading boat lines followed, and now include Manitou Pontoons, Alumacraft fishing boats, and the Sea-Doo Switch pontoons (a Boating Boat of the Year awardee) with PWC maneuverability powered by BRP’s Rotax engines. Rotax is a 100-year-old Austrian propulsion company, purchased by Bombardier in 1970 to power its vehicles and vessels. BRP recently added a Rotax outboard as a power option for its Manitou pontoons and Alumacraft fishing boats (conventional outboards are also available).

Innovative Design

BRP recently invested $15 million to renovate and expand its Palm Bay, Florida, design center (two other centers exist in France and Quebec), and invited Boating for a behind-the-scenes look. The 600-acre facility sits on a large lake, ideal for testing, surrounded by a sandy track for ATV trials. While running vessels and vehicles to their breaking point might sound like fun, it is the ­serious endgame for the staff of 60 in Palm Bay. A new offering could require 200 to 300 hours of testing—that is years of development.

New stuff starts with 3D and computer-aided-­design drawings. Next, prototypes are  built by 3D printing, by CAD-cut aluminum or by hand-cut wood. Those molds are then 3D-scanned and reviewed by teams of electrical and mechanical engineers, viewing the vessel or vehicle through the lenses of virtual reality and sustainability. This examination process is applied not only to its products, but also its own facilities, and takes years of interaction among the various design centers and departments. 

New Product

The innovative design process was exemplified in the development of the Rotax outboard engine. It began with field observation. According to Curt ­Wilson, director of design and advanced concepts, BRP boat-show staff overheard a woman voicing intrusion and safety concerns about traditional outboard engines. Because the market clamored for outboard ­engines, BRP went to work on how to get the outboard out of the way while keeping its benefits, and while using a Rotax engine as a foundation. 

The low-profile ­outboard, which installs under the ­wide-open MAX Deck model Manitou and Alumacraft boats, debuted two years ago. It accommodates a broader swim platform, and while the propellers are the same, it diminishes the fear of injuries and tangled lines, while access to the water for tubing and swimming is enhanced. In addition, higher fuel efficiency and lower carbon emissions reflect BRP’s goals of lowering carbon footprint, protecting the environment, and incorporating ­innovation into products. 

Read Next: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at BRP’s Cutting-Edge Operation

Let It Rip!

As Denys Lapointe, Chief Design Officer, summarizes, “By combining design and advanced concepts with R&D, we are able to explore new possibilities, and create products that offer unique, ­innovative, and exciting ­adventures for our riders.”

From seeing the original 1959 Sea-Doo in the lobby to running the new 300 hp Fish Pro and new ­Manitou pontoons on the lake to careening around in a Can-Am Defender, I can vouch for BRP’s dedication to innovation and the ­exciting adventures that result.

The post BRP’s Dedication to Innovation appeared first on Boating Mag.

Contender Boats is known for tournament sport-fishing boats, but the company describes its 24S center-console as “a great day-tripping boat” that fishes well but also serves families and divers. After several sea trials on the upper and lower Chesapeake Bay, we certainly agree. On those tests, we explored a common question: Should you power your boat with single or twin outboards? Read on to see what we found.

We tested two Contender 24S boats—one with a single Yamaha F300, the other with twin Yamaha F150s.  Both offered top speeds in the low 50s and efficient cruising speeds of 30 to 40 mph (3,500 to 4,500 rpm), yet the twins’ performance stood in stark contrast to the single. As expected, the weight of the twins planted the 24S’s 22.5-degree transom deadrise deep-V hull firmly in the water at all speeds and accelerated that boat to 30 mph, which was  slightly faster than the single, presumably because of the greater surface area of two propellers versus one. Their lift also caused them to run slightly flatter at high speeds. Despite the weight of the two engines, this Contender’s well-designed cockpit still self-bailed ­effectively with twins as the scuppers remained above the waterline. Nonetheless, we think the single was the hands-down winner for several reasons.

The weight difference between the two boats is around 500 pounds. This shows up clearly in the performance charts shown on the opposite page. First, the single-engine boat is ­faster at every rpm stage. The ­single rose onto plane at a lower rpm range (2,500 to 3,000 rpm), despite the lift from the twin ­propellers. ­Second, the single was significantly more fuel-­efficient, ­topping out at a remarkable 3.9 mpg versus 2.7 mpg for the twins at 3,500 rpm. Twin engines require twice as much rigging and maintenance as a single, and they take up more room on the ­transom’s dive platform. ­Finally, the twin-150 rig costs $23,499 more than the single 300 (retail base price $157,210 versus $133,711). Note also that the twin-engine boat would not plane with a single 150, even with the crew all the way up at the bow to help balance it. (The boat will likely do so with one of the optional twin 200s.) Rather than buying twins for get-home redundancy, an annual ­towing-service ­membership might serve many boaters. To me, Contender’s 24S is a great boat for a big estuary like the Chesapeake or for near-coastal work, say up to 25 miles offshore.

While the 24S shows its pure Contender fishing genes, it also offers a head in the console (5 feet, 7 inches of headroom) and seating ranging from U-shaped forward seats to transom jump seats. It’s family-friendly enough to take some kids ­bottomfishing, serve ­Saturday ­race-committee work for a yacht club, or join friends at a sandbar. The 300 hp outboard is plenty powerful for casual tow sports. There’s a lot of storage space, much of it dry, plus coolers. A couple could cruise the 24S along the coast and its rivers with a little attention to Airbnbs and waterside restaurants. It’s built like a tank—solid enough to be heirloom quality for multiple generations of a ­water-loving family.

Read Next: Sterndrive vs. Outboard

One criticism: Its fuel tank, at 130 gallons, seems large for the single-engine version; range at 3,500 rpm works out to 456 miles. While few boaters complain about too much fuel capacity, I’d guess that most people choosing the 24S wouldn’t run more than 100 miles per day, so an 85- to 90-gallon capacity seems more appropriate (range about 230 miles) to avoid wasted space or carrying an extra 330 pounds of dead weight (55 gallons of fuel). For twins, or a single 350 or 400, one might want the extra 55 gallons. That’s my opinion, as someone who would run 40 miles one way in it on occasion. Yours can differ, certainly.

So, as the only “Sport” model in Contender’s line, the 24S seems underrated, deserving of more attention for coastal folks who aren’t interested in hardcore blue water. Yes, as a semicustom builder, Contender can build sport ­features such as forward seating into larger models, but this boat seems to fit neatly into a widespread coastal niche where it fishes ably but also shows off its well-honed versatility.

How We Tested

• Single Engine: Single 300 hp Yamaha V-6 outboard
• Drive/Prop: Outboard/15.5″x 17″ Saltwater Series II 3-blade stainless steel
• Gear Ratio: 1.75:1 Fuel Load: 75 gal. Crew Weight: 380 lb.

How We Tested

• Twin Engines: Twin 150 hp Yamaha I-4 outboards
• Drive/Props: Outboard/13.75″x 19″ Reliance 3-blade stainless steel
• Gear Ratio: 2:1 Fuel Load: 40 gal. Crew Weight: 380 lb.

Contender 24S Specs

The post Single vs. Twin Outboards appeared first on Boating Mag.

In the simplest of terms, an AC generator supplies power directly to a 120-volt circuit to run AC accessories throughout a boat, as well as charge the boat’s batteries (through an AC-to-­DC charger). A DC generator, on the other hand, directly charges the boat’s batteries, which can, in turn, provide 120-volt power via an onboard DC-to-AC electrical inverter system.

One important ­caveat: Inverters are generally more limited in the AC power that they can supply versus a more robust AC generator. Accordingly, this generally limits the primary market for DC ­generators to boats less than about 55 feet in length overall.

That said, a DC generator can eliminate much of the complicated AC shore-power rigging and provide a seamless transition between the DC and AC systems, says Chad Godwin, OEM sales ­director for Fischer Panda, which currently offers two diesel-powered DC generators, as well as a full line of AC generators. The 12-volt AGT5 delivers 12 volts at 272 amps and is rated at 5 kW; the AGT6 produces 24/48 volts at 192/96.5 amps and is rated at 5.5 kW. The company also builds custom DC generators for boatbuilders.

Lending impetus to the development of DC generators is the growing use of marine lithium-iron-phosphate (LiFePO4) house batteries, which are lighter in weight, provide greater storage capacity, and recharge faster than traditional lead-acid AGM batteries. “A diesel-powered DC generator represents a near-perfect complement, providing faster, quieter, safer, and more-effective low-rpm charging than most outboard engines can deliver,” Godwin contends.

DC generators also weigh less, require less space, and consume less fuel than AC ­generators. “The AGT generators can weigh 50 percent less than a comparable AC generator and are up to 30 percent smaller in size,” Godwin says. “Because you don’t have to continuously run a DC generator to power AC accessories, it consumes less fuel than an AC generator.”

In many ways, ­Fischer Panda’s DC generators are an answer to ­Navico’s ­Fathom e-Power ­system. Instead of a marine ­generator, Fathom uses high-output alternators in select Mercury outboards to supply DC power to charge a bank of LiFePO4 house batteries. However, outboards need to rev at fairly high rpm to ensure that the battery system can keep up with heavier-­load accessories such as an air conditioner. The Fischer Panda AGT6 8.8 hp generator provides an ­effective alternative when using outboards at low rpm such as when slow-trolling. Of course, the Fischer ­Panda DC generators require that most boats have a separate diesel-fuel system. 

Like the Fathom ­system, Fischer Panda’s AGT generators also have an ­automatic feature that monitors a boat’s battery bank and turns on and off in auto mode to keep ­batteries ­correctly charged. 

These water-cooled ­generators are also ­extremely quiet, ­registering just 66 dB(A) for the AGT6 when measured at a distance of 7 meters, according to Fischer Panda. These lower sound levels, combined with ­intermittent usage, mean you could conceivably run the generator in a mooring or in an anchorage without unduly annoying your ­neighboring boaters.

Read Next: AGM vs. Lithium Batteries

The diesel-fuel requirement for the AGT system presents both benefits and drawbacks. On the plus side, diesel exhaust minimizes those dangerous carbon-monoxide fumes associated with gasoline exhaust. On the downside, as pointed out earlier, a fuel tank dedicated to diesel fuel will be needed aboard almost any outboard-­powered boat equipped with this generator system.

Fischer Panda is currently supplying DC generators to four boatbuilders for outboard-powered models within each of their ­lineups. This includes the new ­Regal 50 SAV, which features the factory-installed DC generator system that it has dubbed “LivePower.”

The post The Benefits of Direct-Current Marine Generators appeared first on Boating Mag.

Overview

The new Electric Legacy, a collaboration between Lancer Craft and Elco, combines rich mahogany looks with 100 percent fiberglass construction, electric-power performance, and impressive run time and range from solid-state batteries. 

Engine

Compare the Legacy to Lancer Craft’s Elite model, which is built on the same hull and powered by a 365 hp 5.3L Ilmor V-8 gas engine. Estimates put gasoline cruising range at three to four times farther.

We tested the Legacy, the first with Elco’s EP-250 electric motor, an hour into its initial sea trial. Our top speed equaled 33.9 mph. (After some tweaks, Elco reports 35.7 mph.) Hole-shot tests made clear the EP-250’s quick acceleration. When the brushless, permanent magnet electric motor engages, the boat just goes. Power steering eases the Legacy effortlessly into turns, and the ­one-piece rimless windscreen leaves ­vision unobscured. While we never hit choppy water, the boat’s sharp entry, 14-degree deadrise, and narrow beam should all conspire to deliver a reasonable ride in chop.

Interior and Accessories

Lancer Craft imprints mahogany grain onto fiberglass to form the boat’s outer ­laminate. Crisp white seams mimic planked decks. Its deep-gloss woodgrain look mirrors the faux transoms now common on sport-fishing yachts—and for the same reason: to replace high-maintenance varnish with wash-and-wax convenience.

The boat’s classic lines are equally striking. Along the ample deck edge, glistening stainless-­steel highlights the sheerline as it rises from the bow, crests near the helm, and then flows into a graceful S-curve toward the stern. The aft deck slims to meet the tumblehome hullsides and raked transom, where those curves play in light, shadow, and watery reflections of wake and sky. Polished chrome bejewels the deck, and wide mahogany planks appear to flow from the deck edge to form the cockpit sides and dash, where the steering wheel is the only real, once-living wood aboard. Two rows of bench seats—their soft vinyl textured in diamond-weave stitching and accented with red and blue piping—accommodate six adults in luxury.

With the Electric Legacy, and in collaboration with Elco, Lancer Craft welcomes boat buyers seeking classic runabout style, modern convenience and  the latest electric technology.

How We Tested

• Motor: Elco EP-250 186 kW/250 hp
• Drive/Prop: Inboard/14″ x 16″ 3-blade bronze
• Gear Ratio:1.9:1 Battery Capacity: 96 kW Crew Weight: 450 lb.

High Points

• The Elco EP-250’s 1.9-to-1 reduction facilitates a larger prop that aids performance, acceleration and efficiency.
• Faux wood emulates rich, full-grained mahogany but doesn’t add weight, environmental impact or maintenance. 
• Besides woodgrain, Lancer Craft offers boats in a variety of gelcoat colors.

Low Point

• Electric propulsion is quiet, but our test boat requires some tweaking to mitigate the 103 decibels we recorded in one very narrow rpm range (4,500).

Toughest Competitor

The decidedly unclassic XShore 1 is a 21-foot-by-8-foot-6-inch runabout with a 125 kW motor ($168,000 well-equipped). Prefer gas IC power? Lancer Craft’s Elite runs $164,749 (base price with a 365 hp Ilmor inboard); shipping ($1,800) and trailer ($7,500) are extra. 

Pricing and Specs

Speed, Efficiency, Operation

The post Boat Test: 2025 Lancer Craft/Elco Electric Legacy appeared first on Boating Mag.

It’s not often that we get to compare two of the same hulls with different deck configurations from the same manufacturer. What a bonus when they’re both high-performance outboards! Stingray Boats of Hartsville, South Carolina, recently released its 23 OSX bowrider and sistership OCX cuddy cabin.

On a sunny May afternoon on Stingray’s home lake, these two 23-footers powered by 300 hp outboards provided great fun and driving experiences, as well as a great comparison between these two styles of boats. It doesn’t hurt that they’re built well and ­loaded with cool features.

Drew Gantt is a design engineer at Stingray and was deeply involved in the OSX/OCX execution. He notes that the bottom design comes from the ­boatbuilder’s previous 225SX featuring Stingray’s famous patented “Z-Plane” design. With no flat ­running pad like other performance V-hulls, it’s easy to drive even the first time out. Modified with added length and beam, and set back to handle larger loads and today’s heavier ­outboard engines, the entire boat is CAD-designed and goes through simulated testing before a plug is ever made. It’s built from 100 percent composites, so there’s no wood to rot, and it presents a solid ride with no rattling or creaking. All backing plates for cleats, eyes and rails are composite. There’s no core in the running surfaces; it’s all ­woven roving, stitched fiberglass, and mat with stringers. The transom is a new foam core, infused with resin. Everything is bonded together, even the stringers to the hull and deck, with no bedding ­putty. Warranty is lifetime on the hull and one year on everything else.

OSX and OCX Specs

This boat is large for a single outboard: At 23 feet, 5 inches long and 8 feet, 4 inches wide, it weighs almost 3,400 pounds without a trailer. The stated maximum capacity is 10 people, but a group of five or six would be more ­comfortable and realistic.

Each of our two test hulls was powered with a 300—the OSX bowrider with a Yamaha and the OCX cuddy with a Suzuki. This is significant, because while both are 300 hp V-6 four-strokes, the two use vastly different gear ratios in the drive units. The ­Yamaha uses a 1.75-to-1 ratio, which is a common gear ratio in larger, powerful outboards. The Suzuki employs a much shorter 2.08-to-1 ratio. Theoretically, that would give the Suzuki the acceleration advantage and the ­Yamaha the top-speed edge. Of course, these differences can be mitigated with careful propeller selection. The Yamaha was fitted with a 23-inch-pitch Yamaha Pro Series stainless-steel three-blade. The Suzuki employed a (gasp!) Mercury 28-inch-pitch Bravo 1 four-blade. Why the Mercury wheel? According to Stingray techs, in testing, it outperformed the stock ­Suzuki propellers handily, but more testing is scheduled for the near future.

While both are great performers, the OSX bowrider outperformed the OCX cuddy. We recorded 68.3 mph at 6,000 rpm with two aboard and a half-tank of fuel, in 6-inch windblown lake chop. The canary­yellow OCX cuddy saw a best of 64.7 mph at 6,500 rpm with the same passenger and fuel load. From a dead in-gear idle, the OSX bowrider planed in 3.6 seconds; we hit 30 mph in 5.4 seconds. The OCX cuddy was decidedly less quick, planing in 5.4 seconds. Zero to 30 mph took 7.9 seconds. In the fuel­economy contest, the bowrider won again; best cruise was at 3,500 rpm and 37.9 mph, netting 4.9 mpg. The OCX cuddy’s best was at 3,000 rpm and 24.6 mph, a best of 4.6 mpg. So the bowrider got better mileage, and at nearly 14 mph faster. In a boat like this Stingray, the ability to cruise faster while getting good fuel mileage is a decided advantage.

Because the weights of both hulls are nearly identical, it’s clear that some propeller, engine height and setback tweaking is in order if the OCX cuddy is to be competitive with the OSX bowrider. While the OCX’s sculpted deck might look cooler, even the cost advantage goes to the OSX bowrider; similarly equipped, it’s about $5,000 less.

Read Next: Stingray 23 OSX

In these boats, the differences are all forward of the windshield. The OSX’s bowrider section features two wide lounge seats with backrests facing forward, with ample room for two to stretch out. The seating is plush and detailed, in a white-and-deep-gray-­vinyl combo that looks crisp without being drab. Folding armrests, stainless-steel grab rails, and plenty of cup holders are featured up front and also in the cockpit. At the bow between the seats, there’s a built-in insulated cooler and a very cool anchor locker with ­slide-out anchor holder.

The OCX cuddy looks svelte and dashing with a long, pointed deck that’s sculpted for more strength and style. Under the deck, there’s a double V-berth that’s plenty long; Gantt is 6 feet, 3 inches tall, and he fits with room to spare. A center section cover conceals a portable toilet. The hull sides are fitted with upholstered, padded rails to keep small items from getting lost. There’s a sink, phone charger, a pair of stereo speakers, a mount for a small gas grill, courtesy lights, and a round access hatch in the center of the deck. A headliner is well-fitted and covers the fiberglass for a neat ­appearance. The liner is fiberglass for easy ­cleanup. There’s easy access to the backside of the dash if troubleshooting is needed. Access from the cockpit is through a custom-made acrylic and plastic doorway with ­articulated hinges.

From the windshield back, the OCX and OSX are identical. The only option on each of our test boats was the Garmin display; everything else is standard, including digital switching and a Yamaha or Suzuki digital engine monitor. Tilt hydraulic ­steering coupled with electric power assist is standard. A ­Fusion sound system with amplifier and six speakers is standard. The ­self-bailing cockpit is a huge ­advantage when boarding soaking-­wet passengers or even just forgetting to cover it when it rains. The pilot and navigator sit in deep, plush bucket seats that provide great stability and security at higher speeds. Just aft, two longitudinal lounge seats blend into and around a full-width stern bench seat.

Under the stern seat, there’s a door to quickly access the battery switch and fuel tank. Fully finished overboard-draining ­storage boxes are underneath both sternside lounger seats, which hinge up from the forward side and feature cantilever-hinge supports to keep them open for easy access. At the stern, there’s a wide watersports platform with a built-in insulated cooler on the port side and extending stainless-­steel boarding ladder ­under a hatch cover on the starboard side. The center section of the aft seat unlatches and hinges forward to access batteries, a water tank, bilge and water-tank pumps, all of which sit atop thick, gelcoated fiberglass covers that hide flotation foam underneath. The aft end is one very large storage compartment, great for life jackets, water toys and the like. The entire compartment is gelcoated smooth for easy cleanup.

Stingray’s twin hot rods provide great options for those looking at performance outboard hulls, capable of lending speedy thrills while serving admirably towing watersports enthusiasts, hosting dinner cruises, and impressing the locals at sandbar parties. With so many opting for fast pontoons these days, it’s refreshing to see fast outboard fiberglass hulls again.

Stingray 23 OSX Bowrider

How We Tested

• Engine: Yamaha F300 four-stroke
• Drive/Prop: Outboard/Yamaha Pro Series 141/2″ x 23″ 3-blade stainless steel
• Gear Ratio: 1.75:1 Fuel Load: 28 gal. Crew Weight: 450 lb. Price: $104,434 (as tested)

Stingray 23 OCX Cuddy Cabin

How We Tested

• Engine: Suzuki 300 four-stroke
• Drive/Prop: Outboard/Mercury Bravo I 151/4″ x 28″ 4-blade stainless steel
• Gear Ratio: 2.08:1 Fuel Load: 28 gal. Crew Weight: 450 lb. Price: $108,923 (as tested)

The post Bowrider vs. Cuddy Cabin appeared first on Boating Mag.

Overview

Bluewater Sportfishing Boats’ newest, the 25T, proves itself a purpose-built fishing boat ready to tackle offshore conditions like few boats its size.

An Armstrong engine bracket holds the twin ­Yamaha F200s and adds 3 feet of length to its 25-foot hull. It has a wave-slashing 24 degrees of deep-V goodness at the ­transom and an even-sharper 44 degrees at the entry. Yet, because deep deadrise can make a boat tender, all Bluewaters now come standard with Seakeeper’s Ride system. This replaces standard trim tabs with what’s called a Vessel Attitude Control System. While underway, this makes 1,000 observations and 100 corrections per second using unique cupped blades that travel only a fraction of an inch when at planing speeds. The system reduces pitch and roll by up to 70 percent while the boat’s at speed.

Hardcore anglers will love the absence of fixed bowrider seats and a molded-in stern bench, which can rob a boat of ­angling space. The ­fishing cockpit is roomy. I taped 47 inches of deck aft of the ­leaning post. You can add family-­friendly seat options, but they are easily removable for ­fishing. Other features that let you know the 25T is a real-­deal fishing boat include the twin 24-gallon transom livewells, twin in-floor 20-gallon fish boxes, and a 133-gallon bow fish box/storage locker that can hold tuna up to an estimated 250 pounds. Our test boat sported 21 total rod holders, including 12 set into the gunwales (eight are standard).

The helm features a pair of flush-mounted Garmin 8612xfv multifunction displays and can accommodate up to 16-inchers. Rather unusual was the optional thin windshield, made of the same polycarbonate material as the optional side panels, which, despite being curved, provided a distortion-free view.

The twin Yamaha F200 outboards proved an ­excellent option. Time to 30 mph was 9.1 seconds, and the best cruise speed was 25.5 mph (3,500 rpm), which yielded an impressive 2.3 mpg. Along with its jumbo 189-gallon fuel tank, it offers it a theoretical range of nearly 400 miles. ­Bluewater also rigs twin Suzuki and ­Mercury outboards up to 500 hp, with a single 300 hp option. Choices in power: just another benefit of owning the ­Bluewater 25T.

Read Next: How Fishing and Boating Can Change Life for the Better

How We Tested

• Engines: Twin Yamaha F200 outboards
• Drive/Prop: Outboard/Yamaha Reliance 14 ½” x 18″ stainless steel
• Gear Ratio: 1.86:1 Fuel Load: 80 gal. Water on Board: 0 gal. Crew Weight: 400 lb.

High Points

• Gunwale height starts at 26 inches aft and grows to 31 inches moving forward.
• Equipped with Gemlux friction hinges, hatches remain open until you close them, so there is little fear of smashed toes and fingers. 
• Bluewater is a custom family-owned builder, and with its wide range of options, it can design a boat that gives buyers precisely what they want.

Low Points

• Unlike similar boats, there is no tuna door for landing extra-large fish and helping guests board.
• When deployed, the removable stern bench and bowrider have support legs that stand on some hatches, making these lockers inaccessible.

Toughest Competitor

Parker Boats’ 2600 CC ($255,616 MSRP) measures 26-feet-by-9-feet-6-inches—wider than the Bluewater. The T-top, with a powder-coated frame, rocket launcher, lights and more, is standard equipment. The lockable console offers 65 inches of headroom and comes with a portable -toilet. Power it with up to twin 250 Yamaha outboards.

Pricing and Specs

Speed, Efficiency, Operation

The post Boat Test: 2025 Bluewater 25T appeared first on Boating Mag.

Overview

With its ability to cruise, fish, dive, entertain and even overnight, it’s tempting to dub Regal’s 43 SAV the proverbial “jack of all trades,” but that would imply it’s also a master of none. On the contrary, I found this Sport-Activity Vessel one of the most well-thought-out, well-executed boats I’ve tested to date. From the intuitive flow of its layout to an abundance of features and design, Regal seems to have thought of nearly everything—and for everyone who comes aboard. 

Interior and Accessories

Peruse the 43 from stern to bow, and the boat reveals itself in five distinct zones, each of which suits a specific task or desire. Start at the stern, and the immediate impression is of the ultimate sandbar boat. Large terrace doors to both port and starboard lower to add nearly 50 square feet to the aft cockpit, creating an airy platform at the water’s edge. Twin settees face each other forward and aft. Pull a cold one from ice boxes on either side of the former; one smartly doubles as an ice maker. A 43-inch flat-screen TV pivots out from underneath the hardtop. Watch the kids run and jump off the open wings, or take a stroll along an unencumbered swim platform to access the boarding ladder. It opens outboard, away from the boat’s trio of outboards. In a rarely seen yet practical nod, there’s even an adjacent storage locker for a stern anchor, keeping a Danforth readily at hand when setting up off the beach. 

When it’s time for fishing, terrace doors pivot inward to complete its deep and secure aft cockpit. Each features a large dive door to access the dock or to pull in that big tuna. Two pressurized 30-gallon livewells await at the transom station. Twin 60-gallon fish boxes are beneath the floor to port and starboard. Rod holders are found across the transom as well as in gunwales, rocket launchers at each corner of the hardtop, and a polished wood rigging table that can be optioned adjacent to the forward settee. Outriggers can also be added for those seeking to troll. 

Step deeper under the protection of the hardtop to—voilà!—a summer kitchen. Prep fillets on the cutting board over its deep sink, toss onto the pair of electric grills immediately adjacent, and the freshest-ever catch of the day is on its way to being plated. Twin ­pullout drawer refrigerators offer an abundance of cold storage below. In between, a trio of drawers stash the necessary extras. Overhead, a 16-inch Garmin display is flanked by a pair of wireless phone-charging cradles and speakers. Plush helm seats forward complete the ­picture, pivoting 180 degrees to provide comfortable seating while watching some mahi sizzle, catching up with the latest college game day, or keeping an eye on the trolling spread. 

Turning to the helm, a pair of 22-inch ­Garmin touchscreen displays dominate the dash, each sporting a custom Regal interface with common task bar. A great example of how these screens could be configured was showcased during our test at day’s end—the eclectic onscreen mix including everything from navigation chart, engine data, and vessel controls to hullside camera and live college football game, courtesy of the optional KVH satellite dome on the roof. That same data can also be seen on the large aft screen, overhead monitor in the summer kitchen, and on Regal’s unique GarmRests—Garmin screens built into helm armrests that keep controls and ­monitoring a fingertip away.

Access the cabin via an electric door to the left of the helm. Highlights below include more than 6 feet of headroom and an abundance of natural light, courtesy of a large portside glass window forward and twin rectangular windows midcabin. Forward couches convert to a queen-size berth. Aft, two twin innerspring mattresses morph into a king with the use of a headboard filler cushion in the full-beam stateroom. The elegant head compartment adds a full-size toilet, glass sink bowl, and clear shower partition. Back topside, access the bow via a portside walk-through. Lounges wrap the perimeter, offering space for up to eight passengers. Pop in the pedestal table for food and drinks. Lower it, add a filler cushion, and turn the entire space into a sun pad.

Engines

Regal’s deep-V OceanTrac 2 hull delivered a smooth, confident ride in the 2- to 3-foot seas we encountered on our test day. Credit not only design, but also construction. Hull and stringers are vacuum-infused together. Carbon fiber is added to key areas for additional strength. As to performance, our test boat neared 53 mph with its trio of 450 hp ­Yamaha XTO V-8s. Optional power ­configurations extend as high as 1,800 hp. 

An interesting competitor is found in Scout’s 42-foot-4-inch 42 LXF ($1,341,804 with quad Mercury 350 Verados). A more ­traditional center-console, it offers similar multiuse versatility, with its own summer kitchen, single-berth cabin with well-appointed head and shower, and impressive array of tech. If you’re looking to rock the sandbar, however, its singular portside “beach platform” is more like a small dock. Lower the ­Regal’s massive twin terrace doors, and you’ve got your own floating island.

Read Next: Regal LX36

How We Tested

• Engines: Triple Yamaha 450 XTO Offshore V-8
• Drive/Prop: Outboard/Yamaha XTO OS 16 ⁵/₈” x 19″ 3-blade stainless steel
• Gear Ratio: 1.79:1 Fuel Load: 283 gal. Crew Weight: 1,170 lb.

High Points

• Standard Seakeeper 4 produces stability at rest, even in rough seas. 
• Optional Regal LivePower automatically switches power sources and keeps charge.
• Regal offers terrace doors port and starboard. These fold out to increase cockpit size and grant great vibe and water access. 

Low Points

• Anchor locker offers access to windlass and freshwater sprayer close at hand, but access to anchor rode can be challenging.
• Deep transom lazarette might prove difficult to access if you’re not agile.

Pricing and Specs

Speed, Efficiency, Operation

The post Boat Test: 2025 Regal 43 SAV appeared first on Boating Mag.