New Cabo 41 | New Sunreef 50 Cat | New Tahoe 2150 CC - 03/02/20
BoatTEST Newsletter March 2, 2020
Sunreef 50:
Fresh from a Winter Trans-Oceanic Crossing
For 52 years, we have been visiting boat shows all over the world. There, we have seen presidents, prime ministers, astronauts, movie stars, rock stars, billionaires, Arab sheiks, and even several kings... but what we have never seen before is a Nobel Peace Prize Laureate. Standing in the middle of a throng of well-wishers in the Sunreef exhibit at the Miami Boat Show two weeks ago was Lech Walesa. He was the man who stood up to dictators in the 1970s and 80s, and he would not back down. He co-founded the Solidarity movement in Poland and started the domino effect that led to the freedom of Poland, the fall of the Berlin Wall, the demise of the Soviet Union, and the end of the Cold War.
This great man was at a boat show, not to buy a boat, but to support his good friend who is the owner of Sunreef Yachts – Francis Lapp. It was Lapp who located Sunreef manufacturing in the former Lenin Shipyard nearly 20 years ago and is now employing many shipwrights who are the sons and daughters of Walesa’s co-workers who stood with him during his defiant face-down of totalitarianism. For the people of Poland, this shipyard is sacred ground, and Walesa flew to Miami to thank the man who is helping to bring it back.
Behind Walesa, as he shook hands with dozens of people who invariably said the same thing – “You’re my Hero” – was the Sunreef 50. She was fresh from crossing the North Atlantic in the dead of winter with her owners and a small crew. We toured the boat, which is at the luxurious end of the catamaran market, and found that she was apparently none the worse for the wear. Her 30’ (9.1 m) beam made the ride across as comfortable as one could hope for in a small boat, we were told.
Let’s take a quick look at this very special catamaran...
New Test Video
Cabo 41:
Fully-Equipped Express Fishboat
The Cabo 41 is an express fishboat, well-equipped and tournament-ready to do battle with big game. She measures 42’10” (13.05 m) overall, with a 15’9” (4.8 m) beam, and displaces 31,000 lbs. (14,061 kg), allowing her to deliver good performance on smaller engines than the 50-foot-and-up goldplaters. We tested her with the optional twin 715-hp Cummins QSM11s and found her easy on fuel at a 5.6-knot trolling speed, at which she burned just 2.3 gph. At a 2000-rpm cruise, she ran 25.4 knots and burned 44.2 gph for a range of about 284 NM with the 550-gallon (2,082 L) fuel capacity. Top speed was 34 knots. Fishing features include a 48-gallon (182 L) livewell in the transom, one of the larger in class, aft-facing mezzanine seating with a huge bait freezer under, tuna door, and the optional tuna tower. Below, she has an L-shaped settee, full galley, head and shower, and a master at the bow — all the necessities for a weekend in the islands. She is built by Hatteras in New Bern, N.C. More...
Test Video
Tahoe 2150 CC:
Center Console Fishability,
Family-Friendly Seating
The Tahoe 2150 CC is a multi-mission family boat combining the fishability of a center console with the family-friendly seating and cockpit space of a deckboat. With a hull that’s wider, longer and deeper than the model she replaces, she provides added seating space and more security while underway. The interior is also spiced up, with a new console, new floor coverings and upholstery improvements. She includes a livewell up front for anglers, and she’s pre-wired for a trolling motor. The bow deck can serve as a casting deck or as a reboarding platform from the beach, thanks to the hideaway ladder to starboard. See our full walk-through and test here...
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Features Video
Sirena Yachts 58:
Bold Exterior Lines, Italian Interior Styling
The Sirena Yachts 58 has what might be called a post-modernist design from German Frers, displaying lots of vertical lines in her eye-catching exterior. This not only gives a distinctive look, but also adds headroom in the interiors — 7’3” (2.2 m) in the aft galley, 6’8” (2 m) in the salon and 6’5” (1.95 m) in the amidships master. Note the vertical bow and sharp forward entry, designed to cut the waves for a smooth ride, and also create more living room forward. The hard, upswept chine extending all the way forward turns the bow spray out and down, keeping the forward deck and windshield dry in most conditions. The interior is designed by Studio Spadolini of Italy, with three staterooms and two heads below decks, all well-illuminated via the large hullside windows. Durable and handsome Alpi manufactured woodwork and cabinetry is found throughout. More...
Test Video
Yamaha FX SVHO:
Maxed-Out, Supercharged Muscle Machine
For top of the line appearance, performance and amenities, Yamaha’s FX SVHO has everything the company offers in the ultimate muscle machine. She’s powered by the company’s re-engineered super-charged Super Vortex High Output (SVHO) 1.8L 4-stroke 4-cylinder. This next generation engine produces 20% more power than its predecessor thanks to a larger intercooler, larger supercharger intake, redesigned oil cooler, newly designed forged pistons and an 8-vane, high-pressure 160 mm pump impeller. Yes, it burns premium-unleaded gas, but for those who want the max in performance, this is the ride. The RiDE system adds safety to performance: squeeze the left trigger and the engine slows while simultaneously dropping the reverse bucket to slow and stop the FX quickly while still giving the rider complete control. More...
From Boston Whaler
Managing a Large Battery Bank
It takes lots of battery power to start and run a triple-outboard boat like the Boston Whaler 345 Conquest. Join Doug Wolf, Customer Relations Coordinator, to find out how to manage a large battery bank for long service life. More...
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