Innholdsfortegnelse for October 2018 i Boating

MARES JUNO THE VIEW: The Juno’s crystal-clear lens provides an excellent field of view — like looking through a porthole — and the butter-soft silicone skirt offers a comfortable seal for a dry snorkel experience. Thanks to large quick-release buttons on the strap buckles, adjusting the strap is a smooth and simple operation, allowing you to dial in the fit. THE BLIND SPOT: Despite the softness of the Juno’s skirt, snorkelers with smaller faces will have trouble getting a good seal. PRICE: $66; mares.com BEUCHAT MAXLUX S THE VIEW: Thanks to its baby-soft hypoallergenic skirt, the low-volume Maxlux is a dream to wear. The supple silicone seals to faces well and is very effective at keeping water out. If you’re looking for a good-quality, comfortable mask at an unbeatable price,…

Many of you will recall that “fish ’n’ ski” was a long-standing way to represent a runabout with features that specifically served families who enjoyed water skiing and angling. Nowadays, families still seek a boat from which they can enjoy watersports and that also serves as a fishing boat. All that’s changed is the popularity of wake sports. Enter the Glastron GTD 225 Surf and Fish. Powered by Volvo Penta’s unique Forward Drive, the GTD 225 S&F allows for safer wakesurfing since the props face forward, and standard surf tabs and optional speed controls allow your crew to enjoy enhanced wake shaping for more challenging rides. When fishing is in the forecast, the optional fishing package helps ensure success. Included with this option are the pre-rig for a trolling motor,…

Whether it’s a couple of months of colder weather or a full-on, six-month snow-and-ice winter, layup and winterization prove necessary for many boaters. We compiled a top list of tasks not to put off until spring. Then to make sure we deliver you the right goods, we worked with Rob Gina, master mechanic and owner of Boatwrench Inc. near Orlando, Florida. STABILIZE FUEL The No. 1 cause of clogged fuel injectors and carburetors is stale fuel. Today’s alcohol-rich fuels wreak havoc when left to sit. If you’re not going to use your rig for 30 days or more, treat the fuel with conditioner. Forget and you risk fuel lines deteriorating from the inside out, depositing goo inside your carburetors or fuel injectors. Small deposits of fuel left inside injectors or…

Clearly designed by Darth Vader’s naval architect, the Galeon 430 HTC (Hardtop Coupe) is a delight. Swoopy black-and-white exterior styling is matched on the interior by a helm evidently nicked directly from Vader’s flagship, complete with a mezzanine-style raised platform. Surrounded by a stainless-steel rail, it provides the skipper with not only superb all-around visibility but also the chance to growl, “I will show you the true nature of the Force!” Most galleys are either up (in the salon) or down (out of sight below), but the Galeon has a sort-of-up galley. It’s actually in a sunny atrium under the huge windshield, so it doesn’t take up salon space because, really, you probably don’t spend enough time cooking to waste a big chunk of salon. On the Galeon, the semidown…

SeaVee’s new 290B appeals to boat owners seeking a capable off shore fishing boat that’s also easy to trailer. SeaVee utilizes the vacuum-assisted resin-transfer molding technology (VARTM) that infuses the cored hull, stringers and bulkhead simultaneously. The center-console model is 600 pounds lighter than the previous 290. It is also more rigid, and that allowed Sea-Vee to reduce the number of stringers from four to two, creating more space belowdecks for larger epoxy-coated aluminum fuel tanks. The 290B features a 251-gallon fuel capacity, up by 19 gallons from the original model. A heavy-duty transom door in the port quarter eases the task of landing a big tuna or swordfish. A new option is the Coastal leaning post with a stylized backrest that incorporates rod and drink holders and a grab…

The T23 is the biggest traditional-bow boat in the Axis line, which means it not only provides some of the largest wakes for riding or surfing, but it also has plenty of room for friends, family and gear. The first thing you notice when seeing the T23, or any Axis for that matter, are the bold, aggressive lines. From bow to stern, the lines flow back, incorporating the windshield and tower seamlessly. The windshield is not a wraparound, which some might see as a downgrade, but having the open sides comes with advantages, especially in situations like docking where the driver might need to reach out to hold off the boat. One of the biggest advantages Axis has going for it is access to some proprietary tech from the Malibu…

The fun all started when Bud Jorgensen fell overboard. Fun for us, anyway, standing on the dock outside the Lake View Inn, beers in hand, surveying his predicament and speculating on its outcome. In fact, that afternoon turned out to be a highlight of our short summer. Bud had set forth in his 14-foot Alumacraft with his two children in tow on one of those inflatable tubes, which most families pull with a much bigger boat. Bud is a “good enough” kind of guy and was out to prove to his subteen progeny that his fishing boat could produce as much fun as the neighbor’s Mondo-Craft. And so, he twisted the tiller throttle on the 15 hp outboard and proceeded on a course of figure eights to better swing the…

Get ready to add the word “quints” to your boating lexicon. Scout Boats’ new carbonfiber and epoxy-infused mega-center-console hasn’t yet hit the water but, at press time, had nonetheless sold through Hull No. 7. Gawwd! Scout boats will debut its biggest boat to date in early 2019: the 530 LXF. We caught up with Scout Boats founder and president Steve Potts on a day when the rigging team just begun installing five 425 hp Yamaha XTO Off shore outboards aboard the 530 LXF Hull No. 1. It’s notable that while Hull No. 1 has yet to splash, it, along with hulls No. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7, have already been sold. Also, it’s fitting that Scout’s largest boat to date utilizes Yamaha’s largest engine to date. Yamaha purchased…

Sport utility: It’s a phrase that has been bandied about for so long, first in automobiles and now boats, that it’s been dulled by corrupted usage. Some boats (and cars and trucks) place the emphasis on “sport” with little utility value. Others are purely utilitarian, spiced with a flashy decal in hopes of seeming sporty. Pursuit, on the other hand, really gets it, and its new DC (dual console) 365 is an equal blend of sport and utility. Actually (I know, it’s not mathematically possible), the DC 365 is 70 percent sport and 70 percent utility. Here’s how we figure. The sport side of the 365 has impressive credentials: triple outboards, 50-plus-mph speeds, bowrider cockpit with lounge seating, sexy profile with hardtop, cockpit seating for the whole gang, and the…

With a relatively affordable base price of around $154,000, I was anxious to see the R302’s quality and performance. I’ll tell you now, I was impressed. Boasting the smooth-riding Robalo HydroLift deep-V hull of its predecessor, the R300, the R302 is designed for families that fish and boat together. The hardtop integrates with the console and leaning post/seating module. A full-height bonded glass windshield protects the helm. In a departure from most center-consoles, the wheel and controls are located on the starboard-side to give the co-pilot elbow room to port. The twin helm seats offer individual flip-up bolsters and fold-down armrests. Our test boat featured twin flat-mounted Simrad NSS evo2 12-inch multifunction displays on the dash. A nook to the starboard-side secures a cellphone, and a glove box hides a…

The first thing to know about poker runs is that it’s not about the poker. The five-card hand is incidental. A poker run is also not all about the boats — who’s the fastest, the brightest, the loudest, the newest. For most participants, a poker run is about camaraderie and friendship among members of a pretty exclusive club. We spent a June weekend immersed in poker run culture at the 10th Annual Four Horsemen Poker Run on Lake Winnebago in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, a gathering that drew 74 go-fast boats and more than 250 participants. We were among people who crave high-performance boats and the experience of going fast on the water. For many owners, a poker run is the best place to mingle with other performance-boat enthusiasts and feel welcome.…

Staying connected with the world while you’re away from cellular service is increasingly popular and, in case of an emergency, critical. With the SkyMate m2500 Series satellite communication system and Mazu SportFishing app, boating anglers not only stay connected anywhere in the world but can also access important fishing information using an iPad. SST and chlorophyll satellite imagery are updated twice daily for tracking temperatures and color breaks. Upto-date marine weather information includes seven-day grib forecasts, live buoy data, NOAA zone weather forecasts, alerts and Nexrad thunderstorm imagery, and tropical storm advisories. Other features include NOAA charts and navigation routing and tracking, and the ability to monitor your boat from anywhere. The app includes MazuChat to stay connected with friends. In emergency situations, MazuChat provides a two-way SOS function. The…

With a decades-long reputation for making some of the softest-riding boats, North Carolina builder Albemarle Boats introduces a new dual-console model, dubbed the 27 DC. Possessing the deep, 24-degree transom deadrise that Albemarle is known for, it is an essential ingredient in the Albemarle recipe for boats that can be run through rough inlets and far out into the ocean with confidence, control and comfort. Powered by twin Yamaha outboards of up to 500 hp total, the 27 DC debuts this fall as Albemarle celebrates its 40th anniversary. The 27 DC offers a broader appeal than many other fishy models. The bow, helm, and cockpit seating will offer ample space and comfort for family and friends. The cockpit is uncluttered and well-laid-out for multiple purposes. Albemarle maintains that its 27…

How do you know whether premium binoculars are worth the money? Optically, that’s a tough thing to determine. Sometimes the clearest elements of the choice come from brand equity, warranty and mechanical preferences. But we devised some tests to give you an experienced layman’s review. POWER Optimum magnification for boats is considered to be 7x, or a magnification of seven. More powerful binoculars make it harder to focus on a moving target from a moving platform — your boat. OBJECTIVE LENS This is the front or larger of the lenses. A 50mm objective lets in lots of light, valuable at dusk and dawn. In bright light, the distinctions between optic quality didn’t change dramatically from pricey to value-priced, but we could detect the difference on our eye-chart test. EXIT PUPIL…

I really love boats with deckhouses, like Jeanneau’s new coupe, the NC 1095 model. They are so quiet, even when clipping right along. I’ve also found that there’s a special satisfaction one gets from simply sitting at the dinette in the morning and reading the paper or checking some emails. With the big windows, hatches and skylights you are “right there” on the water. Yet you are in your own little world, protected from the heat, rain, chill, and not to mention the inane banter of the chatty guy from down the dock. You don’t even need to be cruising to net this benefit. Stopping by on the way home from work or before the crew shows up for a Saturday outing works the same transformative magic. Bliss! Of course,…

Before I even turned the key on the Tidewater 2700 Carolina Bay, I was intrigued by its possibilities. The optional SeaDek flooring no doubt enhanced its curb appeal, but it had so many other visible creature comforts that I could envision families using this bay boat for activities above and beyond its primary fishing mission. Start with the aft casting platform and the three flip-up jump seats that make riding there comfortable. The array features a doublewide center seat flanked by two single riders. The molded-in armrests with stainless-steel cup holders round out the comfort and style. The seating continues forward of the console with a cushioned bench over the livewell as well as wraparound cushions with backrests on the stowage steps up to the bow casting platform. Slide-in backrests…

Garmin’s Panoptix Live-Scope can paint startlingly lifelike, albeit monochrome, images of fish and bait schools as they move within the sonar beam. What appears on-screen is akin to the imagery you might see during a medical ultrasound procedure. The almost-universal first impression is simply “wow!” The high-resolution onscreen images prove easy to interpret. In many instances, you can discern the actual profiles of fish, which allows you to identify species as they swim around the boat. You can also see fish dart in and out of bait schools while attacking prey. Winner of the Best of Show award at the 2018 ICAST fishing-industry show in July, LiveScope relies on the Garmin GLS 10 black-box module that networks with Garmin displays and the LVS32 transducer, suitable for both transom and trolling…