Fleming 65 | Boston Whaler 230 Outrage | Ocean Alexander 28R - 12/27/20
BoatTEST Newsletter December 27, 2020
Most Popular Boats of the Week
This week, BoatTEST published the top researched boats in several categories. Readers have asked which ones are the most popular each day, so below you can find the answer.
Best wishes for a happy holiday season and a healthy New Year from the BoatTEST team.
Monday #1
Fleming Yachts 65:
Efficient, Quiet and Comfortable
Fleming Yachts’ 65 is remarkably popular with boaters because she’s a trawler/long-range cruiser that not only looks the part but is the gold standard in this segment of the industry. With twin MAN I6 800 inboards, she has considerable range at displacement speeds. She’s also quiet. At full throttle, we recorded 68.2 decibels at the lower helm and at idle, the number dropped to 58.9 dbA because of her advanced construction systems. Virtually everything on the boat is first rate both in terms of quality of material or equipment and in installation execution. The proof of her inherent desirability is the fact that these boats are sold out for 18 months or more. More...
Tuesday #1
Boston Whaler 230 Outrage:
Creating More Utility and New Functions
One of the advantages of being the latest boat in a popular range — such as 23’ (7.01 m) center consoles — is that the engineers and designers get to survey the competition and incorporate all of the best current ideas. One would think that with the genre being more than 50 years old, there would be a commonality of attributes, and that has happened to a great degree. But Boston Whaler, which has one of the largest engineering staffs in the business, seems to continually refine an already good product. The latest addition to Boston Whaler’s Outrage series, the 230 goes farther to meld cruising functions and family features into a basic design originally intended for meat fishermen. That’s because the company’s customer feedback is pointing Whaler in that direction.
And, they must be doing something right, as it is the largest builder of these kinds of boats longer than 20’ (6.1 m). The 230 Outrage is larger inside because the manufacturer pushed the padded coaming panels out farther and narrowed the cap rails. This maximized deck space, legroom and seating throughout the boat, making her seem bigger even though she has the same external dimensions as her predecessor. The back of her helm seat serves double duty as bait (or lunch) prep counter and an aft-facing double seat. And, let’s not forget the fact that she’s the only boat on this page that states in writing the boat will float level if swamped. More...
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Wednesday #1
Ocean Alexander 28R:
Form Follows Function in the New Genre
The R stands for Revolution and the new series is designed to be a modern departure from the company’s traditional offerings and designs that emphasized classic styling. She was designed by Evan K Marshall, who learned his craft on the drawing boards at S&S, which was, perhaps, the best naval architectural school in the world in its day for yacht design. There, the emphasis was on speed, seaworthiness and a shippy look. Marshall and his peers have created a new genre of motoryachts, starting on the inside and designing out. By focusing on the function most owners want, instead of the exterior styling, they created large and dramatic entertaining venues. Placing the comfort and luxury of owners and guests before sleek lines and tail fins resulted in salons and staterooms that are large and open, not something squeezed into a cool exterior shape. After all, these yachts cost more than most people’s homes, so they should be eminently livable. With the OA 28R, her owner will always have stunning waterfront views, without the astronomical property taxes. More...
Thursday #1
Axopar 37 XC Revolution:
Designed for Adventure
Revolution is a word that could easily be applied to the Axopar company rather than just the 37 XC Revolution model. Go to the manufacturer’s website and the opening page is all about the adventures that people take with the boats rather than the usual laundry list of photos and features found on each model. Of course, there is a link to the Axopar fleet page where interested adventurers can check out the 37 XC Revolution and its long list of adaptable accommodations. It’s a design element for which the Finnish manufacturer is known. It’s not uncommon to find a sink or a cooler under a seat or backrests that fold down to create a place to sleep on an Axopar.
At the 37 XC Revolution’s helm, a focus on improved ergonomics makes running the boat more comfortable and the view through the curved wraparound windshield is distortion-free. We’ve made no attempt to hide our appreciation for how these boats handle and the 37 XC Revolution is superb. With only twin 300-hp Mercury Verado outboards, she hit a top speed of 55.8 mph at 6000 rpm. Axopar ran computational fluid dynamics simulations to improve her fuel efficiency, and it tells us that this new design is 30 percent better than on previous versions, extending her range by about 75 nautical miles. More...
Boating News of the Week: Episode #34
We wind up this year’s Weekly BoatTEST Reports videos with an interview with Brunswick’s CEO predicting the next couple of years of boating activity. Then, we'll take a look at the affordable Alumacraft Competitor FSX 185, see the first video of Cruisers Yachts’ 42 GLS Crossover, check out Chaparral’s 23 Surf in action, and get a look at Everglades’s only dual console – the 340DC – and Absolute’s new 50 Fly. As always, there is boating news and a quiz for serious captains. More...
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