Innholdsfortegnelse for June/July 2020 i Boating

HURLEY ONE & ONLY SURF SHIRT THE SHIRT: The most relaxed fit of the group, the Hurley boasts a 93-7 nylon spandex blend and also has a UPF50rating for sun protection. It’s sweat-wicking, so it helps keep you cool and dry when you’re not in the water, and it also dries quickly after a swim or surf session. THE SKIN: Most likely to bunch up a bit when in the water, though not as much as typical sun shirts. PRICE: $35; hurley.com QUIKSILVER ALL TIME LONG SLEEVE UPF 50 RASH VEST THE SHIRT: This one is made of 86 percent recycled polyester, so it has an eco-friendly edge. It also has a UPF 50 rating for sun protection. It has moisture-wicking properties, and is form-fitting so that it doesn’t bind,…

A boat sure to garner attention is the Avalon Waketoon. This boat, powered by Volvo Penta’s Forward Drive, delivers all the crew-carrying capacity of a pontoon boat coupled with the ability to create a fun, sizable wakesurfing wake. At its debut earlier this year, Avalon’s Waketoon was awarded an NMMA Innovation Award. A true pontoon boat, not a monohull type, the Waketoon’s patent-pending pontoon design features an integrated rocker and shaper, along with contoured wake plates to enable desirable water flow. There is no heavy ballast system, which means improved handling and no time-consuming fill-and-drain process. The Waketoon features a dual-console layout with a split windshield, suspension seating and an integrated swim platform. The Xtreme Sport Tower features RGB-lit panels and tower speakers. In addition to its safety and performance,…

When it comes to docking your inboard—direct-drive or V-drive—boat, many of the general rules apply: Take your time, be patient, have fenders and dock lines ready beforehand, and know your surroundings and the water conditions. However, inboards possess inherent differences from their sterndrive or outboard counterparts. When in reverse, there is less intuitive control of the boat—and oftentimes a strong pull to starboard, even with the wheel turned to port. Such is the case when you spin your propeller the opposite direction and pull water through the rudder rather than push it. For newcomers to today’s big wakeboarding and wakesurfing V-drives, this can be awkward, intimidating and frustrating, but it doesn’t have to be. Here are some general tips to help you dock a V-drive—or any inboard-powered boat—like a true…

BOARD TYPE Most board racks resemble an elongated letter E, with twin padded cradles. Select a specific style based on the type of boards you use most often. Wakeboards are relatively thin, whereas wakesurf boards can be both thicker and wider. A universal fit is accommodating, but the board can have more play. Racks sized for specific board types will be the most secure but may limit what you can bring. CONSTRUCTION Racks are typically formed from polished or anodized billet aluminum, designed to prevent corrosion. Board contact surfaces should be lined with foam, often in a higher density where the bottom edge of the board settles into the cradle, and a softer density along the sides to protect a board’s more vulnerable top and bottom surfaces. Mounting hardware should…

There is more than one way to skin a cat, and in wakeboarding, there are two ways to fill a sack—a ballast sack to be exact. Many boats are built with integrated ballast tanks or sacks and permanently mounted reversing pumps. Tap “fill” and they fill. Tap “empty” and they reverse the flow overboard. Then there’s the down-and-dirty way: Drop a portable pump, which is plugged to a 12-volt receptacle, overboard attached to a hose attached to a removable ballast sack, and fill away. When it’s time to pump out the ballast, hook the pump to the ballast tank and drop the end of the hose overboard. FIXED-MOUNT REVERSING PUMPS Reversing pumps are mounted to a bulkhead or flat surface in the bilge and above the waterline to avoid immersion…

With its lower profile and sleeker lines, the Centurion Vi24 looks gorgeous, drawing inspiration from the classic ski boats of yesteryear rather than today’s wake behemoths. While its length and full 8-foot-6-inch beam still dwarf its ski-boat ancestors, it’s a beautiful boat that evokes a tinge of nostalgia while serving up all the tech and comfort today’s enthusiasts demand. Like all Centurion boats, the Vi24 is built upon the Opti-V hull, which features 20 degrees of deadrise. And like all Centurion boats, the Vi24 reaps the rewards in its wakes and waves, as well as a comfortable ride in rougher waters. The wakes can be tweaked and tuned with the onboard Stinger Wake Plate and QuickSurf tabs. Subfloor ballast holds a whopping 3,050 pounds, while three plug-and-play bags in the…

It is the rare person among us who wants to do one thing and only one thing all the time. Even the professionals who excel at wakesurfing, wakeboarding or waterskiing still enjoy trying their hand at other disciplines. The problem? Each type of boat needs different attributes to help tow-sports enthusiasts enjoy their day on the water. But what if there was one type of boat that could work well for all three? Enter the crossover boat, a style of inboard-powered boat equally capable of flattening the wake for a slalom run, ramping it up for a boarding launch point, or sculpting it for a surf session. Here are five crossover boats to consider. Is one of them right for you? Read on. MALIBU 20 VTX Malibu designed the 20…

Q: Dear Doc, what is your opinion of using a portable generator aboard my boat? Is it safe? Is it legal? Bob Van De Berg Lansing, Michigan A: It is legal—although you cannot use a portable generator and install it like a built-in generator. It must be on deck. Still, I am generally against them. There is the problem of what to do with the exhaust, which can be deadly, as well as challenges in securing them in a safe manner. My advice is to install a genset (like the one above), use an inverter, or make do with less electricity. OOPSIE! Q: Another boat crashed into my boat at the dock. The bow rail is damaged, and I think I can bend it back in shape if I remove…

A rub rail hides the joint between a boat’s deck and hull, thus accentuating the sheerline. On a practical note, it serves as a buffer between the boat and pilings, seawalls and other objects. Hence the name, rub rail. With enough bumps and scrapes, plus deterioration from sun exposure, a rub rail can look ratty. When it’s time to replace, a DIY option is the SuproFlex rubrail kit from Taco Marine. Each kit features a continuous 60- or 80-foot coil of flexible coextruded vinyl rub rail (in black or white), which features two levels of hardness: a high-durometer inner layer (with pre-drilled holes) for a durable installation, and a softer outside layer to cushion impacts. Choose from heights of 1.6 and 2 inches. The kit also includes a soft vinyl…

Boats powered with Volvo Penta’s Forward Drive are already well-equipped for all your favorite watersports activities—even more so if paired with the Volvo Penta Watersports Control helm screens. With the forward-facing propellers, activities like wakesurfing, wakeboarding, tubing and even just swimming are much safer. Not to mention, there are performance advantages across the board. That being said, it takes more than just a Forward Drive unit to create a great wakesurfing wake. Here are some tips and suggestions to help you optimize your Forward Drive boat for endless fun on the endless waves. BALLAST If your boat is equipped with built-in ballast tanks, the rule of thumb is to fill them all the way up for wakesurfing. Beyond that, adding more ballast always helps. Consider adding an aftermarket ballast bag…

The Wellcraft name evokes the macho aura of the go-fast Scarabs-turned-fishing-kings, a pioneer of performance powerboats morphed into center-console fishability. The Miami International Boat Show was the perfect place to reveal Wellcraft’s latest, the flagship 402 Fisherman, direct from the hearts and desires of Crockett and Tubbs, ready to challenge the growing number of long, go-fast vessels. Built to carry and be carried by four blistering outboards, our test boat was pushed—and pushed well—by Yamaha’s new XTO Offshore 425s, topping a 63 mph average in our test and beating 65 in some trials. You might think a vessel like that, no matter how powerful, would lumber through turns, be slow to step on plane and cumbersome in port, but you’d be wrong. I was comfortable leaning back against one of…

Insist your crew sits and holds on when you throttle up Zin Boats’ Z2R. An electric motor produces all of its torque all at once and all the time, from dead slow to wide open. Besides hole shot, that ability enables confident control on crowded water and in confused waves. The Z2R proved quick too. With two aboard, we topped 35 mph. Range? At top speed, expect about 45 minutes of time motoring this speedster (it also comes as an open-bowed tender). At 6 mph, enjoy six or more hours afloat. At moderate cruising speeds between 12 and 20 mph—the boat planed at 10 mph—expect two to five hours of use depending upon load. A notional average outing might best provide a useful snapshot: You zoom out to a fishing…

There is an old phrase that says you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. While that may be true for the vast majority of man’s best friends, it doesn’t always apply well to towed watersports enthusiasts—and it definitely doesn’t apply to a group of old-dog waterskiers in Orlando, Florida, informally known as the Lake Ivanhoe Water Ski Club. Ranging in age from 45 to 70, the crew consists of around 10 regular members who gather every Saturday morning on the iconic lake in downtown Orlando to take laps through the slalom course. They live for glassy water and putting up big walls of spray, but that doesn’t mean they’re stuck in their ways. Far from it, in fact. Most of the members own boats and have spent years getting…

Fusion, the marine audio branch of Garmin, has updated its Signature Series marine speakers and subwoofers with a new LED lighting system. The Signature Series 3 combines traditional red, green and blue LEDs with cool and warm white hues to enable thousands of custom color palettes that range from subtle to vibrant. The speakers are available in 6.5-, 7.7- and 8.8-inch sizes, as well as 10- and 12-inch subwoofers, the latter boasting 1,600 watts of peak power. All are designed to optimize performance when coupled with the Fusion Apollo DSP-capable control hub. To control the LEDs, use the new optional CRGBW wireless remote control or a properly configured Garmin multifunction display. $399.99 to $549.99 for speakers, $349.99 to $749.99 for subwoofers; fusion entertainment.com…

1. When towing a skier, wakeboarder or tube, what are some good general commonsense rules to abide by concerning your surroundings? A. Maintain a minimum 100 feet of distance from other boaters, docks, shore and other objects in the water. B. Don’t forget to keep your onboard stereo loud to entertain others. C. No drinking alcohol or taking drugs when driving or participating. D. A and C E. None of the above 2. Your friend suggests some nighttime tow sports. Generally, what are the rules about watersports towing during the evening? A. A case of beer is necessary for nighttime watersports. B. No loud music in the early morning hours; however, it is encouraged after sunset. C. Although your local waterways may have specific rules, generally no watersports towing one…

Formula’s 380 SSC slots between its 330/350 Crossover Bowriders, and the established 400/430 SSC and ASC models. The 380 SSC boasts either twin sterndrives or outboard power. The sea-carving ability of its 21-degree deadrise hull, termed the Formula FAS3Tech stepped hull, is proven by the performance we experienced running the sterndrive version. (See boatingmag.com for that test.) The 380 SSC continues Formula’s open-bow, full-cabin dayboat legacy. We’ve not tested another boat in this class that offers both a full single-level deck, as well as sleeping for four with a cabin galley, plus a stand-up, enclosed head belowdecks. Other boats split cabin living spaces or combine the galley and head. The 380 SSC offers a more cruiserlike belowdecks than center-console and bowrider dayboats of similar size. Powered by triple Mercury 350…

When I was very young, my dad bought a 12-foot boat that he took me and my brother out fishing on all the time on California reservoirs. When I was 15, he upgraded to a 19-foot Sea Ray, which we fished outside San Francisco Bay. There were numerous times when we headed out for salmon fishing on a calm morning only to fight 3- to 5-foot swells while trying to make our way back to the dock. In my late teens and early 20s, I was taking friends out to fish and for weekend camping trips to the lakes. I was now the seasoned captain who knew all aspects of handling a boat and that I could handle rough seas. How bad could it get? My confidence, experience and invincibility…

It seems like every year, more and more boat companies are offering boats that you can surf behind—runabouts, deck boats and even pontoon boats with V-drives, jet engines or Volvo Penta’s Forward Drive. For most new to the sport, the biggest hurdle is learning how to get up. That’s why we’re here to help. Here’s how to get up on a wakesurf board. BOARD SELECTION While there are several types of boards available for wakesurfing, start with a longer, more buoyant board that will be more stable underfoot the first time you stand up. Look to start with a board over 5 feet in length and with three fins on the bottom to provide more stability and control. ROPE SELECTION Unlike with wakeboarding and waterskiing, the rope in wakesurfing is…

At first glance, the G25 Paragon may cause you to stare. With its striking mix of threedimensional facets, a linear light array at the bow and a futuristic telescoping tower, the Paragon looks unlike any other boat. This G25 is brand-new from the bottom up, with a specially designed running surface and creature comforts never before seen in a watersports V-drive. With seating for 19, there is room for everybody aboard the G25 Paragon. Stowage abounds underneath each seat, behind the passenger console, and in hatches beside the engine. Each compartment is lined with SeaDek. The Roswell Triton board racks use telescoping arms to secure boards vertically, and there is additional board stowage atop the oversize Bimini. Thanks to the G25’s high freeboard, interior seating proves deep and comfortable—great for…

Let’s be honest. In terms of pure bang for the buck, it’s hard to beat your basic inflatable doughnut or disc. Updated versions of the inner tubes of old, they’re relatively inexpensive, fit a wide variety of rider sizes and weights, and can slingshot and skim across the water all day long. In short, they’re a blast. That’s not to say they can’t get boring. After a while, all those solo rides can get lonely. The more riders, the merrier. And that shape? Who wants a simple doughnut when you can have something that’s wild and crazy, brings your friends along for the ride, and is sure to turn almost every head at the sandbar. That’s the kind of inflatables we rounded up for this year’s tubing extravaganza: slingshot speedsters,…

JL’s marine speakers have long been regarded as among the best in sound quality and durability among boaters. Now the company has committed to providing the same standard in reference-grade audio performance and reliability in its new line of MVi marine amplifiers. The lineup includes six new DSP amps, from the MV400/4i with four audio channels ($849.99) to the MV1000/5i ($1,199.99) with eight channels. Also included in the new lineup are two monoblock marine subwoofer amps (starting at $699.99) and all the related accessories and controls. Integrated triple-core AKM DSP allows the optimization of each audio channel’s timing, frequency response and output level. This allows each speaker to perform at its best based on its location and surroundings. In addition, MVi amplifiers can store up to six sound presets, allowing…