Tabla de contenidos para April 2025 en Boating

Technological advancements have made us all exponentially safer every time we set out on the water, but there’s still something to be said for bringing aboard a few inexpensive, tried-and-true safety devices that don’t require a power source or any kind of operator instruction. Here are three simple safety devices to keep on board just in case. REFLECT ECHOMASTER RADAR REFLECTOR SAVING GRACE: Small boats don’t always show up on the radar screens of larger vessels, which could make you invisible to traffic. Adding a radar reflector such as an EchoMaster from Davis Instruments can solve the problem. The standard EchoMaster, when assembled, creates a 12-square-meter cross section visible in the standard 9-9.6 GHz X radar band, making your boat visible to others with radar. THE SNAG: Must be installed at…

Hurricane’s versatile new model offers the sporty feel of running the boat from centerline and slightly aft, while offering wide-open deck spaces and a beamy shallow-draft hull. It’s no secret that the center-console layout enables the skipper the ability to quickly get anywhere on the boat—to the bow for docking or aft to gaff a fish—quickly and easily. Additionally, the visibility afforded in all directions aboard a CC is unparalleled. Hurricane capitalized on these traits and added even more aboard its new Center Console 24 OB. Built into the back of the leaning post is a 23-gallon above-deck livewell and rigging station. The Fishing Package includes a trolling-motor harness, pump-out boxes and stainless-steel accents. U-shaped seating in the wide bow allows removing the cushions to create a raised casting area.…

The trailer tongue jack supports the boat trailer when it is not hooked up to your tow vehicle. These come in a variety of types, and some boaters might wonder which is best for them. I have used an assortment of tongue jacks and compiled the following points that I suggest buyers consider. Check out these tips. WEIGHT CAPACITY The tongue jack must be rated to handle the tongue weight of your trailer. This is typically somewhere between 10 and 15 percent of the weight of the boat and trailer. Except for very light, little boats, I recommend going up one size when choosing which weight capacity to use. This will result in longer life. TRAVEL The amount of travel that a tongue jack provides is the range of height it…

In the not so distant past, boat owners had a much different audio experience on the water than while driving in the tow vehicle they used to launch it. In the auto, they had high expectations of crystal-clear sound, while on the water, most didn’t expect to even hear their music while the engine was running—and certainly not while underway. Now, thanks to technological advancements, marine stereos have bridged the gap to bring quality sound on board. Enter Hertz Marine Audio, a relative newcomer to the boating industry that’s putting out some of the highest-quality marine stereo components available. Here’s how the company is trying to up the game. FROM CARS TO BOATS Hertz is owned by Elletro, an Italian audio company that’s been around since the 1970s and started…

Navan (rhymes with “baton”) is new boat line from Brunswick Corporation, which also builds Sea Rays, Bayliners, Boston Whalers, Heyday Boats, Princecrafts and others, along with Mercury Marine outboards and sterndrives. Bucking the trend of similar boats imported from the Nordic countries, the S30 was designed at the state-of-the-art Brunswick Boat Group Technology Center, located at Boston Whaler’s compound in Edgewater, Florida, and is built in Merritt Island, Florida, where the largest Sea Rays are built. (Navan boats sold in Europe are built in Poland.) Navan makes two models: the C30, which has an enclosed pilothouse and has proved to be more popular in northern climes for those seeking to stretch short boating seasons. The model we tested was the S30, which features an open design that will be more…

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. 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…

As recently as this past winter, solid-state batteries were touted as future tech poised to move electric propulsion rapidly forward. Jumping ahead a year, Honda announced limited production of these new-generation batteries sometime early in 2025. But, Boating had already tested solid-state batteries in the Electric Legacy (see page 72), a classic runabout replica collaboration between Elco and Lancer Craft. So, what did we discover about this technology and how it might benefit you? WHAT IS A SOLID-STATE BAT-TERY? In most batteries, be they lead-acid or lithium, liquid electrolyte facilitates energy transfer between cathode, anode, and electrical equipment. Solid-state batteries still employ lithium, but the electrolyte is an ultra-thin solid coating. “The US government has been using solid state for 20 years,” says Tom Calef, founder and CEO of…

The US Postal Service recently released a series of 20 Forever Stamps depicting classic freshwater lures. Greg Breeding, the art director for the USPS, designed the stamps based on the photographs of Sarah Cramer Shields. The stamps, which can be used forever for mailing standard first-class mail weighing up to 1 ounce, depict classic lures that have worked for freshwater anglers for decades all over the country. Lures depicted include a crankbait, popper, painted metal spoon, and a wakebait in the style of a classic jitterbug. The USPS first introduced the freshwater lure stamps at the Bass Pro Shops Wonders of Wildlife Museum and Aquarium in Springfield, Missouri, and are available to the public as of March 13.…

The Phenom 43 Center Console embodies the pillars of family, fishing, luxury and performance. Its lines tell a part of its story, indicating a seaworthy vessel derived from shapes having proved to excel on the deep blue. Phenom builds a unique hull form, said to deliver enhanced efficiency with a wider hull that allows more amenities to be incorporated aboard. From a special step-vent design to the keel flat with a transducer pocket to the three strakes for lift and tracking, the Phenom Nex-Step three-piece hull is unique. Notable standards include a fiberglass leaning post with aft-facing mezzanine seats, hardtop with D-tubing frame, matching hardtop underside color, and a bow thruster. Belowdecks, you’ll find amenities such as a convertible queen-size berth and a full galley. Phenom offers personalization as well.…

DIY + Weekend Workbook SKILL LEVEL 2 OF 5 FINISH TIME Approx. 3-4 hours TOOLS AND SUPPLIES • Shakespeare Marine CommLight VHF antenna ($199.95; thegpsstore.com) • Shakespeare Marine 4187 or 4187-HD ratchet mount ($49.68 and $55.96, respectively; hodgesmarine.com) • Power drill and bit set • Phillips screwdriver • Socket wrench and box/open wrench sets • Solder gun • Resin-core solder • Marine crimp terminals with heat-shrink collars • Heavy-duty self-adhesive 1-inch Velcro strips • Crimping tool • Heat gun • Zip ties • Blue Sea Systems medium cable clam No. 1002 ($24.99; westmarine.com) Marine VHF antennas have not changed much since VHF radios were adopted by recreational boaters in the 1960s. We have seen improved durability and materials, optimized transmission and reception range, and enhanced mounting systems. Yet, the function…

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…

BOATINGLAB THE DEFENDER features LED lighting, sound equalizer and unbeatable room- and camp-filling tones. ECOXGEAR DEFENDER ECOXGEAR.COM; $259.99 We’ve tested many EcoXgear products and found them astonishingly powerful in clarity, bass, and ease of use. They can be paired with up to 100 other EcoXgear or Sound Extreme devices, meaning everyone on the sandbar or regatta can simultaneously enjoy the same tunes. Left- and right-handed grab handles are integrated into the design for easy snatch-and-go portability, and tie-down connections can be used to secure it to the deck. An integrated LED light illuminates the camp and can serve as a roadside trouble light. The speaker’s internal multicolored LED lights can be tuned to flash and change color to the beat of the music. A dedicated AC/DC adapter connects via a jack…

Given the widespread popularity of taking one’s boat to The Sandbar, or The Cove, or The Island (I’m using proper nouns because in every boating locality, these places are referred to as specific locations), it’s a wonder we haven’t tested a boat with this name in the 69 years we’ve been in publication. Way to go, Sea Pro! And not just for the name. The 225FLX Sandbar Boat is designed and outfitted with features to make it shine for boat buyers who regularly visit their local gathering spot—the beach brigade, the cove captains, the sandbar bosses. As our test proved, this is a versatile boat. Read on to discover more about it. The 225FLX rides on a conventional V-hull with a moderate 17.5 degrees of deadrise. This is not a…

The hardest part of becoming a boater is taking that first step. To be a real boater, you have to actually buy a boat, a prospect that can seem daunting. With so many choices and styles, it’s hard to figure out which one is best for you. Plus, so many new boats have six- or even seven-figure price tags, which can make diving into boat ownership akin to buying a luxury estate. Thankfully, there are still builders who are dedicated to producing quality boats at a reasonable price that appeal to the first-time boater. Here are seven great choices to help you get on the water and get going. BAYLINER D22 Bayliner has a long history of building boats aimed at enticing new boaters, and the D22 fits that profile.…

Live sonar—perhaps more popularly known as forwardfacing sonar, or FFS—shows you what is in the sonar cone in real time, has a near 180-degree coverage, and everything in that arc is instantly painted. Movements of fish are displayed as they occur, much like medical ultrasound imaging. In shallower water, landscape images offer outstanding situational awareness of all the water in and beyond casting range. Forward-fishing orientation of the transducer is often used in deeper water, and downward-facing sonar is most effective in bottomfishing. Rich Kale is about as hardcore an angler as can be. Based in Punta Gorda, Florida, he fishes the waters of Charlotte Harbor, Peace River and the Myakka River almost every day. If Kale is spied on the water, anglers get as close to him as they…

Inspired by historical races on the Hudson River and his love of classic boats, noted marine photographer and offshore racer Tim Sharkey is planning an epic run this fall aboard a 1985 Bullet 130 SV named Kill Shot. On September 13, weather permitting, Sharkey, who has shot photography for Boating many times over the years, plans to make the run from the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor all the way up to the New York state capital in Albany, on the Hudson River. Sharkey actually used to work for Bullet as a boatbuilder, so he would have worked on the 130 SV that he recently purchased and restored. He powered his classic Bullet with a vintage Johnson SST60 racing outboard, restored by frequent Boating contributor and outboard guru…

KORKERS THERMO BOOTS The Neo Flex Thermo ankle boots from Korkers offer a fusion of cozy slipperlike comfort with rugged, waterproof hand-laid rubber-over-neoprene outers for cold, wet days on deck. Rated for minus-20 degrees F, they feature a proprietary Cush-Tech premium underfoot cushioning and Kling-On Grip performance outsoles. The slip-on fleece-lined boots are available in men’s sizes 8 to 14 in black or gray. $144.99; korkers.com SEASUCKER STARLINK MOUNTS SeaSucker offers two new suction-cup kits for mounting Starlink satellite dishes on boats. One is for horizontally mounting a Starlink high-performance dish, with or without the wedge base. The other is for the Starlink pole mount, accommodating both vertical and angled locations. Both use Sea-Sucker’s 4.5-inch vacuum-mounting suction cups, which provide 120 pounds of adherence for long periods, in any weather.…

NAUTICAL NO-NO Grab rails are an important safety feature aboard any boat. There are stringent regulations for where grab rails or handholds must be placed and how they must be installed. These are stated in the American Boat & Yacht Council Standards H-41. Generally, most seating areas, and areas where people need to move around a boat, are required to have handrails installed. There are exceptions, though. The accompanying photo shows the side deck aboard a 40-foot flying-bridge cruiser. A grab rail along the cabin side is not required here because the bow railing, or “perimeter rail,” is just high enough (just above my knees) to meet another section of the H-41 Standard and so creates an exception. I can say, though, that while walking up to the bow of…

I’ll admit it: I’m old-school. Technology often leaves me scratching my head, but I’m still intrigued by how it continues to reshape our world, especially when it comes to autonomous driving on the water. I felt the same during a sea trial of the 2025 AquaSport Center Console at the 2024 Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show using the Avikus Neuboat system. Our pilot skillfully navigated through heavy traffic in the Intracoastal Waterway, as well as narrow canals filled with other boats undergoing trials. One difference: They were looking at the water; we were looking at a Raymarine screen. The radarlike image displayed nearby vessels, their proximity glowing red when close. It was impressive, yes, but unsettling. There was no sound, horn or alarm—just silent data points pulling focus away from…

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. 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…

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…

In 2016, Suzuki unveiled its new 2.9L inline four-cylinder DF200A outboard, which was lighter and more fuel efficient than its V-6 model that had been on the market since 2004. Confident that its engineers had invented a better mousetrap, Suzuki discontinued selling the 3.6L V-6 DF 200 in the US when the I-4 was introduced, but the V-6 was still offered in select overseas markets. Feedback from boaters and dealers, however, indicated that there was still demand for a 200 hp V-6 in North America by those who could benefit from the increased low-end torque and snappier throttle response that the 3.6L block produces. Suzuki’s competitors—Mercury, Yamaha and Honda—still offer V-6 200 models, and Mercury even offers a V-8 200 in its ProXS line that also includes a 300 hp…