Staying Safe in a Pandemic | Leopard 53 PC Open House | Nimbus 365 Coupe - 02/23/21
BoatTEST Newsletter February 23, 2021
Leopard 53 PC Open House
Leopard, the manufacturer of sail and power catamarans for cruising and charter, is holding an open house aboard its 53 PC in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., March 4th – 8th. Guests can experience the advantages that come with a power catamaran firsthand. Sea trials are held daily for customers who are planning to confirm a purchase during the open house and must be scheduled with a Leopard team member after registering. The 53 PC includes a spacious salon and panoramic windows in the three or four-cabin layouts. Her outdoor gathering areas include a large flying bridge, a massive aft deck, and a recessed social zone forward. We also find her to be easy to maintain and operate.
Learn More About the Open House
Sovereign Boat Club
4 Premium Boats in Florida
Exclusively for SBC Members
Imagine yourself, your family and friends in one of these four premium boats located in Florida. All four boats have been thoroughly tested by BoatTEST and are premium quality, multi-engine, have joysticks, electric-flush heads, hardtops, and full amenities for fishing, cruising, and entertaining. Two of them have Seakeeper gyros and generators. All can travel up to 50 miles offshore and anywhere along the Florida coast, including the Keys. One Sovereign Boat Club membership makes these boats available all year long. Free instruction and hands-on operating experiences come with each boat. SBC takes care of all dockage, insurance, maintenance and sanitation – members only pay extra for fuel and ice. Don’t let another season go by without boating in style – step up to a premium boat at an affordable price. Get complete details at SovereignBoatClub.com or call 727-200-3474.
Regal 33 SAV/St. Pete Robalo R317/Bradenton
Edgewater 370 CC/West Palm Beach Pursuit DC266/St. Pete
Test Video
Nimbus 365 Coupe:
Economical Family Cruiser
Nimbus Yachts designed the 365 Coupe to be a boat that can take extended cruises with the family thanks to sleeping space for at least four and a smart deck plan that takes advantage of the boat’s 11’5” (3.5 m) beam. Her single diesel inboard keeps her economical. Buyers can choose power ranging from 230 to 480 hp. We tested her with a 440-hp Volvo Penta D6. Take a look to see how she performed with that power package. More...
Volvo Penta’s D13s Keep River Tugboats Moving
Volvo Penta’s D13s Keep River Tugboats Moving
When the time came to repower his company’s river tugs, Newt Marine president Carter Newt wanted to remain true to the company’s environmentalist roots with engines that offered fuel savings, low emissions, and reduced noise. He chose Volvo Penta’s D13 Tier III engines for their low emissions, fuel consumption and noise as well as their reputation for durability. If the D13s can endure in this demanding environment, owners of sportfishing boats and pleasure yachts should consider them when repowering as well. More...
Captain's Report
Triton 18 TrX:
69.5 MPH w/200 HP
One of the benefits of an 18’8” (5.49 m) bass boat like the Triton 18 TrX is that it doesn’t need a big engine to run fast. The base version of the boat comes with a 150-hp outboard and we tested with the optional Mercury 200 Pro XS. It pushed the 18 TrX to a top speed of 69.5 mph and popped the boat on plane in just 1.6 seconds. A noteworthy dimension of the boat is her beam of 94” (238.76 cm). That’s just an inch (2.54 cm) narrower than Triton’s biggest model and it creates good-sized bow and stern casting decks with plenty of storage below. More...
Schedule a Test Drive Dealer Contact Request Pricing Request
Test Video
Chaparral 23 Surf:
Not a One-Trick Pony
As the name implies, the Chaparral 23 Surf is a premium bowrider equipped for safe wake surfing. She can be powered by a forward-facing sterndrive from MerCruiser or Volvo Penta that places forward-facing dual props in front of the lower unit and 26” (66 cm) forward of where they would be on a normal, aft-facing sterndrive outdrive. This configuration makes all of the difference. And, unlike other sportboat builders, Chaparral has the Malibu Surfgate – which Chaparral has licensed – that allows changing sides on the fly. But when the ballast is emptied and the boards are stored, the 23 Surf can do something inboard-powered boats can’t: She can get up on plane and run a top speed of 44.7 mph because the stern drive can be trimmed out and she can go out in choppy conditions, something most inboard wakeboats are not intended for. Overall, she simply has more utility than the one-trick ponies. More...
Schedule a Test Drive Dealer Contact Request Pricing Request
Living Aboard
Staying Safe During a Pandemic
Staying Safe During a Pandemic
The Ferrie family thought it had planned and prepared for every possibility prior to setting out on its two-year sailing adventure along the East Coast of the United States and through the Caribbean on its Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 44i sailboat. But how could they have planned for something that most of us have never encountered —the COVID-19 pandemic? More...
Photo of the Day
"Making the most of the UK summer during Covid."
We – and our 160,000 newsletter readers – want to see your boating photos and videos! Email us at [email protected] and we may feature your submission in our newsletter.
Limited Memberships Available in Sovereign Boat Club
Get access to large premium boats equipped with twin engines, joystick, electric flush heads and much more. All boats have been tested and approved by BoatTEST. Locations are in... West Palm Beach, Tampa Bay and Bradenton/Sarasota, Florida areas.
Each boat has a limited number of members for maximum individual enjoyment. Click here for more information...
Expert Boating
OOOPS!!!
They Should Have Watched Smart Boating!
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. Get yours today...
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