Absolute 62 Fly | Fairline F//LINE 33 | Ocean Alexander 45 Divergence - 01/26/20
BoatTEST Newsletter January 26, 2020
Most Popular Boats of the Week
Every week BoatTEST publishes news items on about 25 boats. Readers have asked which ones are the more popular each day, so below you can find the answer – by day.
Monday #1
Absolute 62 Fly:
Right-Sized for the Owner/Operator
The Absolute 62 Fly welcomes the owner/operator moving up from a smaller yacht, as well as those who might want to step down a bit from larger yachts and their required crews and other expenses. She can readily be operated by an experienced owner, with the flybridge controls to port, the main deck controls to starboard and a third control station, including the Volvo Penta joystick, bow and stern thrusters and engine start-stop controls on the aft deck. The pantographic door adjacent the main deck helm gives the skipper a clear view of the entire starboard side of the yacht. The controls are positioned within reach while standing in the doorway, as well as when seated in the plush high-back seats. (For those who might want a crew, at least part time, there’s an en suite for two aft.) See our full test here...
Tuesday #1
Fairline F//LINE 33:
European Elegance Comes to America
Fairline Yachts – which is known worldwide for its large motoryachts – is introducing a sleek new dayboat: the F//LINE 33. The Italian designer, Alberto Mancini, worked in collaboration with Fairline Yachts Design Studio to produce a sculpted euro-look combined with entertaining functionality. Powered by Volvo sterndrives (gas or diesel), the boat is now available in the U.S. Read all about it...
Wednesday #1
Ocean Alexander 45 Divergence:
Fit for a Concours d’Elegance
The new Ocean Alexander 45 Divergence is a major departure in size and style for this well-known builder of luxury yachts. To start, she’s considerably more compact at 47'5" (14.45 m). Previously, their smallest build was a 70-footer. She's also outboard-powered and a center console, both unheard of from this company. She’s still all Ocean Alexander in terms of construction, quality fittings and levels of fit-and-finish throughout. We tested her with maximum power, four 350-hp Mercury Verados turning 17” (43 cm) pitch props. She got on plane in 6.6 seconds and had a top speed of 46.5 mph. Best cruise was at 5000 rpm and 38.7 mph, at which she got 0.6 mpg for a range of about 263 SM with the 607-gallon (2,298 L) fuel capacity. She has overnight accommodations for two or more in the console cabin. Among the many luxury touches is a pop-up TV that's viewable from the cockpit. Surprisingly, she’s also available well-equipped for offshore fishing. Check out this all-new open yacht here...
Thursday #1
Axopar 37 Sun-Top:
Comes in Colors – Including Camo
Axopar has shaken up the powerboat establishment with its radical design. The 37 Sun-Top, seen above, proudly flying the Finnish flag, will make the mossbacks gasp once again. That is Baltic Sea battleship camo, an edgy thrust by Axopar to grab attention by being out of sight, so to speak. The Axopar 37 Sun-Top is one of the lightest boats in class, up to 40 percent lighter than many center console designs of similar LOA, thanks to her relatively narrow 10’10” (3.3 m) beam and sharp taper towards the bow. The test boat with twin 350-hp Mercury Verados weighed just 10,211 lbs. (4,632 kg), which is thousands of pounds less than most in class. Not surprisingly, this results in strong performance. The test boat with 19” (48 cm) pitch 4-blade Revolution propellers got on plane in 4.9 seconds, had a top speed of 57.1 mph, and got 1.6 mpg at 4000 rpm and 36 mph. She has a double-stepped hull, a 20-degree deadrise at the transom and an ax bow with sharp, upswept forward entry. This design has proven exceptionally effective in delivering a smooth ride when it’s snotty. More...
Friday #1
Chaparral 280 OSX:
Bowrider w/Hardtop & Cabin
The Chaparral 280 OSX is one of the few asymmetrical designs in the sportboat field, with the passage to the bow on the port side rather than down the center. Among other inventive features is the center seat at the bow, which hides a flip-out pad that converts the area to a sun pad — there’s no storage issue with the extra pad, as there is in most bowriders. She also has a hideaway electric head in the console cabin — it slides out on a track when needed. The area has seating for two and a sink. Also original is the rotating helm and companion seat, which can be turned to face the cockpit when the sun slides below the yardarm. We tested her with both Yamaha F200s and Yamaha F250s. As you’d expect, the 250s were considerably faster, topping out at an impressive 59.5 mph – but who needs that much speed? See the full test here...
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