Chaparral’s 28 Surf is a super-sized premium bowrider that can also serve up big wake for surfing. She’s decked-out just like the expensive inboards wakeboats, the difference is that she’s not a one-trick pony. When you’re not wake surfing and want to cruise offshore or on big lakes, she has the freeboard and cockpit depth to be able to do it and keep folks in the bow safe and dry. Chaparral is also the only builder with the Infinity Power Step, a section of the swim platform that lowers into the water for hanging out or easier reboarding. More...  

At the Miami Boat Show, Scout Boats introduced its 400 LXF center console. She’s a premium yacht powered by two 600-hp Mercury V12 Verado outboards. She has many upscale features as standard equipment, including heated helm seats, reverse-cycle air conditioning, a Seakeeper 3 gyroscopic stabilizer plus a microwave and sink in the cabin. The aft port-side bulwark folds out to provide a swim platform – or door to bring a large fish aboard. Scout has also stepped up its upholstery game.

We were there when Dave Wallace, the president of Scout, presented the new 400 LXF to the marine press corps and we made a video of it for our members. See it and find out the price by clicking here...  

At the Miami Boat Show, Boston Whaler introduced the world to its new 360 Outrage, a model that Capt. Steve has already tested. As he found in our test, she has some state-of-the-art technology including Mercury’s 600-hp V12 Verado outboards, a battery system that eliminates the need for a generator and a full Simrad electronics suite. For the other details from the Miami show, click here...  

The Neptunus 650 Flybridge mixes old-school craftsmanship with modern materials to create a rugged yacht that carries a CE rating of A-Ocean. That means she’s built to withstand winds of more than Beaufort Force 8 (stronger than 40 knots) and wave heights of more than 13’ (3.96 m).

Because she’s laid up with Kevlar on the bottom running surface and the hullsides, she has prodigious strength, rigidity and puncture resistance. As we all know, Kevlar is bulletproof. Kevlar is also much lighter than glass fiber, so there is an important weight-saving component by using it. The carbon-fiber hardtop helps keep weight down and keep the center of gravity low. More...  

It’s hard to think of a locale where the Aviara AV32 wouldn’t fit in. She is available with outboard or sterndrive power so concerns about saltwater can be addressed with the former. Regardless of the propulsion, she has a usable swim platform and a spacious, versatile cockpit arrangement. The bow is accessed via a portside passageway and opening windshield and a table can be added for a snack break or lowered to support filler cushions that create a large sunlounge. Most important, she is a deluxe Euro-design built in Florida. More...  

When pushing a boat’s throttle as far forward as it will go, the engine should achieve three goals; 1) reach the maximum rated rpm, 2) reach 100% load, 3) and it should show 100% throttle or pedal position. Click to learn the difference between full throttle and full load and what might cause the discrepancy. More...  

When trying to explain how a propeller works, it is usually compared with a screw that enters wood and moves into it as it is turned. But in reality, a boat propeller operates in water, not a solid. The difference between the theoretical distance advanced and the actual distance advanced by the propeller in each 360-degree rotation is called slip. So, a prop with an 18" (45.72 cm) pitch does not actually advance 18" with every revolution – it is less, and in the mid RPM range, it is much less. More...  

We can’t think of a better place to start our tutorial series on luxury yacht connoisseurship than aboard the Ferretti Group’s fine yachts. At the Palm Beach Boat Show – from March 24 to 27 – there will be no fewer than 11 of its yachts ranging from the 50’4” (15.3 m) Ferretti 500 to the 121’7” (37 m) Ferretti Navetta 37. In between are two other Ferrettis, two Wallys, three Pershings and two Rivas. Now is your chance to see them and start episode #1 in our course in fine yacht connoisseurship. More...  

Dometic Marine has introduced a new control system for its electrically powered trim tabs that makes operating them more intuitive. Instead of buttons that an inexperienced operator presses to raise or lower the tabs and then gets frustrated when the boat doesn’t respond as expected, the SeaStar tabs have a rotary-style control. A user simply twists the knob in a given direction to level the boat. After you see this video, you’ll wonder why it took so long to be invented. More...  

Internationally-famous Italian movie star Pierfrancesco Favino, who has made more than 50 movies in several languages, delivers an important message in this video made by Riva. It’s one we hope BoatTEST members will never forget. More...  

Sovereign Boat Club is looking for a few good boats in Southeastern Florida. The club will partner with you to earn income when your boat is otherwise sitting idle – which it does 90% of the year. You provide the boat, we provide the members and manage all of the details. It’s a no-lose program that has been working successfully for three years – but it’s still a ground-floor opportunity. Find out more...