The Pursuit DC266 in the Sovereign Boat Club (which is owned and operated by BoatTEST) has been in service for two years and two months. She has 427 hours on her twin 200-hp Yamahas, which is equal to about 5.5 years of average, one-owner use. During those two years, there have been 10 different operators (never more than eight per year) and the boat still looks like new. Part of the reason is that we put a ceramic coating on her every year and we clean her and flush the engines after every use. The other reason is that she is well-built. The important thing is that in two years she has only had one problem needing repair.
What went wrong? The freshwater hose to the toilet came loose early on and needed to be fixed. That’s it, as far as the factory-build is concerned. We installed a Dometic joystick in the aftermarket and recently had some trouble with that after two years of faithful service. The local Dometic tech was on it in a heartbeat, problem solved. The bottom line is the crew at SBC is quite happy with the service that the DC266 has given and we’d love to have more Pursuit owners put their boats in the club. To see Capt. Steve’s test on the DC266 or for SBC information, click one of the buttons below.
The Vicem Yachts Cruiser 67 is built in Turkey in the epicenter of boat construction near Istanbul. Several positive things result from that concentration of builders including an abundance of skilled old-school joinery workers. Take a look at the inset image above: The three diagonal planks have West System epoxy between them and on the outside. They will then be covered with a sheet of fiberglass and more epoxy to create what is arguably the strongest hull in class.
Advantages of cold-molding over fiberglass hulls are numerous: 1) The strength-to-weight ratio is better; 2) It is far more puncture-resistant; 3) It deadens the slap-slap-slap sound when running; 4) It insulates the boat from cold water better; 5) Hulls are stiffer and don’t need as many stringers, among other things. Vicem uses mahogany wood from managed forests. See our video to learn about this boat and the build process. More...
Bennington’s R Bowrider Series positions the forward lounges lower in the boat. This gives a captain better sightlines over the passengers up front, which increases safety. From a comfort standpoint, it places those passengers out of some of the onrushing wind. This design wrinkle makes the R Bowrider Series stand out in the crowded pontoon-boat market. More...
With its 350 Crossover Bowrider, Formula was one of the first to replace sterndrives with outboard engines. The company offers triple 300-hp or 350-hp outboards and installs them on Armstrong brackets. Formula didn’t need to alter its tooling and the engines can be fully raised out of the water. For boaters on freshwater lakes and rivers who want the clear view and environs that sterndrives offer, Formula offers gas and diesel options from MerCruiser and Volvo Penta. More...
A tablet can be a useful navigation tool with the right app installed.
Tablets can be helpful for navigation thanks to today’s selection of apps. We have looked at the iPad as a marine navigation instrument and discussed its functionality, available apps and relevant hardware compared to traditional chartplotters. But what about Android devices? More...
Learning good anchoring etiquette is an important, fundamental skill of seamanship that every boat owner needs to master. Remember, when you enter an anchorage, all eyes are upon you. There are some simple rules and etiquette that will separate you from Rodney Dangerfield. More...
Safely operating a boat in rough water takes a skilled hand and an understanding of the relationship between the distance between the waves and the length of the boat.
In a tough sea, the way a small boat is handled can make the difference between capsizing and just getting soaking wet. Each sea condition needs to be approached appropriately. A captain must remain alert, focused, be confident and think ahead. That being said, we offer the following tips for running in rough weather. More...
Some or all of the content contained in this newsletter may be sponsored. BoatTEST makes all possible efforts to ensure all material that is published in this newsletter is true and accurate.
.png?upscale=true&width=1192&upscale=true&name=OnthewaterNL_BannerUK2%20(2).png)
