Our Most Researched Luxury Crossovers - 12/24/20
BoatTEST Newsletter December 24, 2020
Luxury Crossovers
Luxury crossovers are a newer category and the designs and lines of the most-viewed boats in the class reflect that. All but one on this page are outboard-powered and all of them place an emphasis on entertaining and day boating.
Best wishes for a happy holiday season and a healthy New Year from the BoatTEST team.
Test Video
Aviara AV32:
A New Breed of Day Boat
When it launched Aviara Boats, parent company MasterCraft researched the recreational boat market and conducted focus groups to see just what consumers were looking for. The AV32 is focused on entertaining a crowd during a full day on the water. Among the noteworthy features on the boat is a swim step that swings down from under the full-beam platform. The aft lounge area has seatbacks that can be set at numerous angles and three pull-up stools. An angular design in the cockpit ensures easy passage even when people are seated on all the lounges. The entire cockpit is protected by a fiberglass hardtop with at least 7’ (2.13 m) of headroom.
For entertaining, there are multi-color RGB lights and aft facing Klipsch Audio speakers that are part of the top-shelf stereo system, which includes eight 8.5” (21.59 cm) speakers and two 11” (27.94 cm) subwoofers. Two Bongiovi Digital Power Station amplifiers put out 1600 watts of power. Speaking of power, a boat with aggressive looks like these needs to perform. With twin 380-hp 6.0L MPI sterndrives from Ilmor Marine, she had a top speed of 54.9 mph at 5600 rpm. When she’s asked to put in time towing wakesports, she popped on plane in just 4.1 seconds. More...
Test Video
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...
Test Video
Boston Whaler 380 Realm:
Adaptable and Unsinkable
The 380 Realm follows closely on the heels of the highly successful 350 Realm that was introduced the previous year. With these two boats in the Realm series, Boston Whaler has ventured into a new... well, realm. Because the brand has been so successful in all of its other types, Whaler may well move into any space it wants in the future.
She’s a large day boat that can serve as headquarters for all sorts of activities including paddling, fishing, snorkeling, cruising, entertaining, diving and weekending. Her helm and bridge are protected by the tall windshield. For those who enjoy the fresh air, there are tables in the bow and cockpit for al fresca dining. We tested the 380 Realm in 2’ (.61 m) seas and the boat hit a top speed of 53.5 mph at 5700 rpm powered by quad 350-hp Mercury outboards. Whaler says she runs about 56 mph in the flat, which certainly sounds reasonable. She cruised at 34.8 mph at 4000 rpm and had a maximum range of 309 miles. With her variable-angle bottom that has 23 degrees at the transom, she cut smoothly through the waves and had a comfortable ride. More...
Test Video
Fairline F//Line 33:
Elegant Yacht w/Handling to Match
Fairline Yachts tasked its designers with a simple assignment for its new F//Line and the debut model, the F//Line 33 — create a new line of sportboats that blends style, performance and overnighting functionality. The new model has the handling to match her sleek, Euro lines, gliding through the water like a figure skater across the ice, says our captain. What’s more, he says, she’s gentle and forgiving, but delivers the adrenaline expected from a performance boat. To enhance her utility, order the F//Line 33 with the fold-down tailgate-style swim platform that creates a private beach at the stern. The cockpit has convertible booth-style seating, her helm looks like something on a private jet and for weekending, she sleeps four. She comes with gas or diesel engines and our test boat was powered by twin 430-hp Volvo Penta gas engines. More...
Test Video
Formula 380 Super Sport Crossover:
Premium Crossover w/Choice of Power
Formula 380 Super Sport Crossover
Formula’s 380 Super Sport Crossover Outboard was bound to be one of the most viewed boats in this class when she was launched earlier this year. She is a descendent of the remarkable Formula 430 that was introduced several years ago, which shook the industry and put Formula once again in the forefront of innovation. The 380 is a smaller version of the 430 but manages to fulfill most of the larger boat’s functions in a smaller space for less money. She’s available with outboard or sterndrive power, and she continues Formula’s trend-setting open-bow, full-cabin concept.
Formula’s signature full beam swim platform remains one of the biggest in class and serves as a launch spot for myriad activities. Like other boats in the crossover series, all gathering areas from the cockpit to the spacious bow are on the same level. Formula’s SmartZone interior design creates distinctive gathering areas and the cockpit galley has everything needed to whip up lunch.
What sets apart the 380 SSC is her ability to provide comfortable overnight accommodations in a fully-appointed cabin with 6’5” (1.95 m) of headroom, sleeping space for four and a private head with shower. On the water, triple 450-hp Mercury Racing 450Rs push the twin-stepped hull to 64 mph at 5900 rpm. At her optimum cruising speed of 4500 rpm and 43.5 mph, the 380 SSC has a range of 186 statute miles. More...
Features Video
Ocean Alexander 45 Divergence:
New Direction for a Venerable Manufacturer
Seasoned cruisers picture a large, luxurious motoryacht when they hear the name Ocean Alexander. That’s why the name Divergence fits the company’s new 45’ (13.72 m) center-console day boat so well. Not only is the design new, so is the place of her construction. Ocean Alexander built a new manufacturing facility in Florida expressly for producing the new series. The company says the new line of boats is an answer to customer requests for a sportier day boat.
The 45 Divergence has the fit and finish found on larger Ocean Alexanders, but with more of a focus on comfort than on speed. She rode well in a variety of conditions in our tests and we could easily see this boat serving tender duty for larger Ocean Alexander models, keeping the family together. Noteworthy amenities include a separate shower stall belowdecks, a plush doublewide chaise-style lounge in the bow and a cockpit with flexible seating and wing decks built into the bulwarks on both sides. More...
Test Video
Pardo 43:
Undeniable Style
The Cantiere del Pardo yard in Forlì, Italy has been building sail and power yachts since 1957. The Pardo 43 is a day boat that is on the cutting edge of elegant day boat styling, as evidenced in the image above highlighting the vessel’s hatchet bow. She was designed by Zuccheri Yacht Design in Bologna, Italy. If an owner doesn’t want to draw serious attention in the harbor, they should not buy this boat.
This is a day boat extraordinaire that exudes elegance and sophistication, yet belowdecks, she can sleep four on a double-wide berth in the bow and available singles aft. In addition to her unusual bow, she has a carbon-fiber T-top, a steeply-raked windshield and a grand al fresco dining table for a crowd. Twin Volvo Penta IPS600 pods pushed our test boat to a top speed of 35.7 knots at 3630 rpm. More...
Test Video
Regal 33 SAV:
Flexible Flyer Sleeps 4
Regal’s 33 SAV is a Sports Activity Vessel and she’s designed to be adaptable to a variety of pursuits. The 33 SAV is powered by twin outboards that help open up the cockpit and make it easier to pull up to a sandbar or fish shallower areas than a sterndrive or inboard could because they can be trimmed higher. Even with the outboards, she has a full-beam swim platform with sides that extend 2’10” (.86 m) abaft the transom. Her cockpit has a lounge to starboard, plus a bench that folds into the stern.
An insulated, macerated fish box is designed for the triple-threat purpose of also carrying four dive tanks or large fenders. For more fun under the sun, a passageway to port accesses the bow lounge. Belowdecks are two berths that measure more than 7’ (2.13 m) long. The private head has a separate shower stall, rare in a boat of this size. Twin 300-hp Yamaha four-strokes pushed her to a top speed of 48.6 mph at 5800 rpm and a cruising speed of 31.2 mph at 4000 rpm, she had a range of 281 statute miles. More...
New Product
New Lowrance Elite FS Fishfinders
Lowrance has unveiled its most powerful Elite series fishfinder/chartplotter, the Elite FS. The latest model in the company’s Elite Fishing System combines a full complement of fishfinding tools with a display that’s easier to use and install. 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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