Grand Banks 60 | Boston Whaler 380 Realm | Nitro Z17 - 04/20/20
BoatTEST Newsletter April 20, 2020
Operational Features Video
Grand Banks 60:
Secure Long-Range Motoryacht
The Grand Banks 60’s side decks are secure and protected.
Grand Banks knows that time on the water isn’t always spent in perfect conditions so the manufacturer makes sure that crew can still move about on its new 65’4” (19.9 m) yacht. Side decks are 20” (50.8 cm) wide with bulwarks that top out at 20” (50.8) tall with stainless rails above them that exceed ABYC height standards and they run all the way to the bow. Above the side decks, the passageways are protected by an overhang that extends 26” (66.04 cm) out from the pilothouse. The new Grand Banks 60 is the vessel many fans of the brand have been waiting for decades, and once they see it, we don’t think they will be disappointed. More...
New Editor's Report
Maretron VDR100:
Record Your Boat’s Performance
The Maretron VDR100 is a black box for boats that records data from the vessel’s NMEA2000 network buss. All engine data is recorded on a thumb drive plugged into the unit that can be downloaded onto a laptop for analysis. Maretron includes the computer software at no extra charge. Speed, fuel consumption, engine operating temperatures, GPS locations, in short, any data going to the NMEA2000 buss can be recorded, saved and analyzed. More...
Test Video
Boston Whaler 380 Realm:
A Cozy, Safe Weekender
When we get the chance to test a model in real-world conditions, it’s a rare opportunity to see how it stands up to a challenge. We put the Boston Whaler 380 Realm through her paces — we were in 2’ (.61 m) seas and the boat acquitted herself well, hitting a top speed of 53.5 mph at 5700 rpm, powered by quad 350-hp Mercury outboards. Whaler says she runs around 56 mph in the flat, and we suspect that is possible, but not in our test conditions. She cruised at 34.8 mph at 4000 rpm and had a maximum range of 309 statute miles. With her variable-angle bottom that has 23 degrees of deadrise at the transom, she cut smoothly through the waves and when she caught air, she landed cleanly with a cushioned re-entry. More...
Test Video
NITRO Z17:
Designed for Speed and Stability
The Z17 bass boat rides on a bottom designed with the Nitro Vortex Technology Rapid Planing System that features six full-length lifting strakes that run a symmetrical arc down the running surface on each side. At the stern, the transom incorporates a notch to provide for a higher installation for the outboard, which means less drag. The transom is also stepped to ensure that clean water is delivered to the prop. At 17’4” (5.3 m) long with an 8’4” (2.54 m) beam, our test boat weighed 2,317 pounds (1,051 kg) with a Mercury 115-hp Pro XS outboard. She planed in 3.7 seconds and hit a top speed of 51.3 mph. Not bad for a boat that comes well-equipped on a trailer for $26,995. More...
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Boater Access
South Carolina Boat Ramps Open
Public launch ramps across South Carolina opened Friday at 12 p.m.
South Carolina governor Henry McMaster announced Thursday that he was issuing an executive order to reopen public boat landings and ramps across the state. The ruling specifies that ramps and associated parking areas can be opened at the discretion of the State Department of Natural Resources. Social distancing is strongly requested. More...
Boater Access
More Access for Florida Boaters
Boaters launch at River Park Marina boat ramps in St. Lucie County, Fla. Photo by TCPalm.com
Boaters in Port St. Lucie, Fla. got some good news when the city announced that municipally managed boat ramps re-opened this morning at 8 a.m. The city closed all four of its ramps on March 24 because it received complaints of boaters not observing social distancing guidelines. We are astonished by the number of people that are not practicing proper social distancing, which should be policed by all boaters, and which only threatens that ramps like these be closed once again. More...
Safe, Healthy Boating,
Wave of the Future
A great example of social distancing!
Send your pictures in that show “Safe, Healthy Family Boating” to [email protected]. Each week, we’ll pick a winner who will receive a coveted BoatTEST hat personally signed by Capt. Steve.
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