Seakeeper 1 | Axopar 37 XC | Leopard 53 PC - 05/10/20
BoatTEST Newsletter May 10, 2020
Most Popular Boats and Products of the Week
Every week, BoatTEST publishes news items on about 25 boats and products. Readers have asked which ones are the more popular each day, so below you can find the answer – by day.
See BoatTEST REPORTS Webcast
Episode #5 of BoatTEST REPORTS captured the week’s boating news, and much more.
Subjects covered in this week's webcast are:
- Boating is now open in all 50 States
- Capt. Steve has new USCG Exam questions – and answers
- An important boat buying tip for express cruisers
- Yamaha Boat’s remarkable sales event with zero down, zero APR, and zero payments for 180 days
- Interview with Brian Seti, General Manager of Yamaha
- Reviews of the Leopard 53 PC, Beneteau Monte Carlo 52, ACR ResQLink
Monday #1
Seakeeper 1:
Innovation Award Winner
The Seakeeper 1 is the smallest gyroscopic stabilizer available.
The Seakeeper 1 is the smallest in a long line of the company’s gyro-stabilizers. This unit brings anti-roll stabilization to boats as small as 23’ (7.01 m) long, which is the size where it is needed most. It runs on 12-volt DC power – no generator is needed – and its small envelope and flush-mount design mean that it can be installed nearly anywhere on a boat. It does not have to be installed on the centerline, which means it can be located nearly anywhere. These attributes impressed the judges in the Innovation Awards at last February’s Miami International Boat Show who named the Seakeeper 1 the winner in the Mechanical & Electrical Systems category. More...
Tuesday #1
Axopar 37 XC Revolution:
Versatile Crossover Sleeps 2
The folks at Axopar tell us that they invested heavily in the new 37 XC Revolution’s hydrodynamics, running computational fluid dynamics simulations and many sea trials and calculations. The company says the result is 30 percent better fuel economy and an extended range of approximately 75 nautical miles compared to earlier models. With twin 300-hp Mercury outboards, our test boat hit a top speed of 55.8 mph at 6000 rpm and at her most economical cruise speed of 29.6 mph at 3500 rpm, she had a range of 316 statute miles. In acceleration tests, the stepped hull stayed level and planed in 4 seconds. More...
Wednesday #1
A New Fountain 42 Lightning
The 2020 edition of the Fountain 42 Lightning.
Iconic Marine Group is going to pull the sheet off a new version of the Fountain 42 Lightning this summer. The first of the updated edition of the boat is already sold and according to speedonthewater.com, it’s going to be delivered this summer. Performance enthusiasts will likely be intrigued by the power going into the boat, twin Mercury Racing dual-calibration high-output turbocharged engines. More...
Thursday #1
2x Evinrude E-TEC G2s at Half-Price
Now is the perfect time to consider re-powering – but the question is what brand to select? When it comes to cost, the Evinrude E-TEC G2 outboards win hands-down. Here’s why: While all outboard engine brands of a given horsepower cost about the same, that is only part of the story. If a joystick is wanted on a twin-engine installation, that will cost $25,000 extra on a Yamaha rig – but, Evinrude charges only $6,000 more. That’s a savings of $19,000, right out of the gate. Then there is required dealer maintenance. 4-stroke engines require a 20-hour dealer visit, plus annual oil/filter and other required maintenance that can easily run $800 or more for a pair of large outboards per visit. Over the course of 5 years, that adds up to another $4,800, or more. New Evinrude G2 engines require no regularly-scheduled dealer maintenance for 5 years. Taken together, those two details save an owner $23,800 over the course of 5 years – about the cost of one of those big 300-hp engines. Half-price. See our video on an actual re-power project. More...
Friday #1
Leopard 53 Powercat:
New, Improved Cruising Cat
The flagship of the Leopard line, the 53 Powercat is designed to be the next level of the cruising power catamaran. On test day, we experienced a rare real-world look at the 53 Powercat’s abilities because we were running in 3’ to 5’ seas. Regardless of the wave direction, she acquitted herself well, with her sharp plumb bows slicing through the seas. Two noteworthy improvements over her predecessor were the full lower helm station and engine rooms that were much easier to access thanks to hatches in the cockpit deck instead of under the aft berth in the cabin. More...
BoattestLEASING:
Looking for Boats To Lease
Pursuit DC266
Nimbus T9
BoattestLEASING is now looking for late-model, premium boats from 26’ to 35’ (7.92 m to 10.66 m) to lease to like-minded boaters in the eastern U.S. Boat Leasing is now trending strongly, given the times we live in. Boats are a safe and healthy way for a family to have fun outside and at the same time maintain social distancing. By leasing unused days in a boat, owners are utilizing a valuable asset for a financial return on the investment. BoatTEST’s leasing program helps boat owners pay down their boat loan, as well as to cover a portion of annual operating costs. To find out more, contact General Manager Greg Sweeney at 727-200-3474 or [email protected].
BoattestLEASING Website I Have a Boat to Lease
BoatTEST REPORTS
Video Webcasts
Each Episode of BoatTEST REPORTS is a fast-paced review of the week’s boating news, plus boat-buying tips, previews of future boat tests and new product reviews. The video webcast premiers each Friday morning on BoatTEST’s Facebook page, or see it in re-runs here...
Safe, Healthy Boating,
Wave of the Future
Congrats to this week's winner of the photo contest!
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.
Expert Boating
BoatTEST.com's
4-DVD Boating Course:
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Sometimes it's not what you know, but what you've forgotten. We have the perfect solution for you.
Based on the feedback we've been getting about BoatTEST.com's Video Boating Course, it's clearly not only for beginners but for veteran boaters as well. Perhaps that is why the NMMA started promoting the course after just one look. It's the most complete boating course available... period. Order your 4-disc box set...
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