New Fountain 38LS | Galeon 560 Sky | 500-HP Outboard - 10/05/21

New Test Video

Fountain 38LS

Lux Interior to Match Performance

The Fountain 38LS is a new designation for the company. The LS stands for luxury seating and is an available package on the 38CC. It includes lounges in the bow with backrests that can be swiveled or removed. There’s also a chaise-style lounge on the front of the console and all the seats are finished in hand-stitched upholstery with a diamond pattern. If you have not seen the new Fountains built by new management, you’re in for a treat. The boat still rides on Fountain’s twin-stepped positive lift bottom and hits 75.7 mph with triple 400-hp Mercury Verado outboards. More...

True Story Video

We Have Seen the Problem – and it is US!

Last weekend our founder took two boating trips with two different captains, one with a USCG license who teaches boating safety and the other is a 30-year veteran of the boating industry who has worked for several major engine companies. Neither one of these captains clipped on the red safety lanyard. In fact, when we think of it, when out boating with industry personnel, a captain hooked up to the kill switch is the exception, not the rule. It turns out that most people in the industry are just as careless about safety as the people they are supposed to be educating by example. We are the problem. In today’s video, you will see what happened when a fishing guide neglected to hook up. Be advised that this video isn’t pretty. More...

Test Video

Galeon 560 Sky

On-Demand Flying Bridge

Usually, we applaud a manufacturer for designing a yacht with a large flying bridge. With the 560 Sky, we give kudos to Galeon for taking the opposite approach. The company has created a sleek-looking motoryacht that can be a coupe-style express yacht when the weather doesn’t cooperate because the entire flying bridge can be closed off with a sliding carbon-fiber cover. When the sun comes out, push a button to uncover what Galeon calls the “Skydeck” with wraparound seating, a wetbar and full helm station. Voila. More...

Editor's Report

Astondoa 66 Flybridge

Gathering Areas Abound

On its 66, Astondoa created a large flying bridge that’s sure to be a focal point for owners and guests. It has a huge aft sunpad that can accommodate at least three and forward to starboard is a lounge that wraps around a table. There’s a fully equipped wetbar to port and forward is another lounge so passengers can keep the captain and a companion company. The forward half of the upper deck is protected by a hardtop with an opening center section. More...

Outboard Engines Buyers' Guide

Mercury 500 SeaPro

The Most Powerful Commercial Outboard

Mercury’s 500 SeaPro is a viable alternative to a 500-hp inboard or stern drive for a commercial application. This V12 displaces 7.6 liters, has a two-speed transmission with a low gear ratio of 2.50:1, so it has prodigious torque. Just as important, it has dual props with six blades to deliver that torque to the water. The new outboard also weighs 1,260 lbs. (571 kg) and that’s about 500 lbs. (226.8 kg) less than the closest diesel inboard rated at the same hp. When it comes to maintenance, it’s a lot easier to stand behind a boat and work on an outboard and overall replacement time is much quicker. More...

For Anglers

10 Top Cold-Water Fishing Tips

With the temperatures dropping to more comfortable levels and the absence of tourists who don’t know what they’re doing, fall is a great time to extend a fishing season. We have 10 tips from the experts to make sure time spent on the water results in big catches. More...

Boating Business

Brunswick Completes Navico Acquisition

Simrad is one of the brands that will now be under

the Brunswick umbrella.

Brunswick Corporation has completed its acquisition of Navico, a global leader in marine electronics and sensors for $1.05 billion. With this transaction, Brunswick adds Navico brands Lowrance, Simrad, B&G, and C-MAP to its Advanced Systems Group (ASG), which includes the leading Parts & Accessories (P&A) brands in power management, digital control and monitoring, and networked devices.

More...

Cruising Destination

Port Charlotte Florida’s Comeback Story

Everyone loves a great comeback story. Celebrating with others who triumph over defeat is innate, and that is exactly what the residents of Punta Gorda and the surrounding Gulf Islands share since Hurricane Charley ripped through Charlotte Harbor and left behind ruin in 2004. Today, the coastal community has not only been revitalized in structure but also in spirit, with residents who noticeably take a great deal of pride in the strength, beauty and growth of their city. More... 

SBC's Robalo R317 in Bradenton

Has a "Big Boat" Feel/Ride

When going out into the Gulf of Mexico, there’s nothing quite like having a 10,000-lb. (4,535.92-kg) boat under your feet with a 21-degree deadrise at the transom to provide a comfortable ride. And because she’s so big there is a large aft cockpit for entertaining a crowd. Her double-wide helm and companion seats are wide enough for parent and child. The boat is located just a few minutes from some of the best cruising grounds in Florida, to say nothing about the deserted beaches. We have four memberships left. You know what to do. Go to SovereignBoatClub.com or call 727-200-3474.

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