Each year at holiday time, we look over our server logs to discover the most popular boat tests and boat articles/reports we published in 2021. If you missed these boats and reports when first presented – you can catch up now. Please open our newsletter every day. It’s a quick way for you to see the best of the best.
Happy Holidays!
– The BoatTEST Team
Review Video
Seakeeper 1
Anti-Roll Stabilization for Smaller Boats
The Seakeeper 1 is the smallest gyroscopic anti-roll stabilizer that the company makes and it’s intended for boats from 23’ to 30’ (7.01 m to 9.14 m). We have tested it and it dampens the roll just as claimed. It runs on DC power so no generator is needed – if you have sufficient battery capacity and use the boat primarily for day boating. In fact, we recommend that you not get a generator, if possible, because it increases the cost and complexity of the system. Its small footprint and unique-to-the-brand flush-mount design let it be installed almost anywhere and it does not have to be on the centerline. It weighs 365 lbs. (165.56 kg). More...
The ZEN 39 has space for the whole family to spread out on the bow and sun pad on the transom.
BoatTEST has 11 content partners. The newest one is e-Ribbing.com, a Greek website dedicated to reporting on Rigid-Hulled Inflatable Boats (RIBs). The report that follows is courtesy of that website:
The ZEN 39 joins the mega RIB market, delivering outsized performance with its twin 300-hp Mercury Verado outboard engines. The deep-V hull handles rough water, slicing through 5-foot (1.5 m) waves to achieve a 59-mph top-end speed. For overnighting, the 39’ (11.89 m) boat can be configured to sleep two adults and comes with a head. More...
The Greenline 48 Fly is a long-range cruiser with available diesel-hybrid propulsion. Greenline pioneered the hybrid cruiser, so it has more hands-on experience and more owner feedback than any other builder at the moment. Hybrid power is coming, so it might be wise to take that option. We think the 48 Fly makes an ideal cruiser for the Great Loop, going down the ICW, a long trip through the Bahamas or most anywhere on a budget. More...
Check out Capt. Steve’s top picks for this year and bring a smile to the boater in your life. Watch our videos to find out where you can buy them and what special discount deals are going on now.
Regular readers of BoatTEST know that we like the concept of the 29’6” (8.99 m) Antares 9. To our mind, she is a little like “back-to-the-future” with a simple, uncomplicated no-frills boat. But she’s one with fiberglass, higher horsepower outboards and modern electronics. The 1950s were a time when families did activities together, sort of like these days. The Antares 9 starts at about $175k but can get into the mid $200s before you’re done. She may be all the boat you’ll ever need. More...
For those ready to step up in size to an unsinkable boat with lots of amenities, ergonomics for Americans and a coupe that can be made into a cabin with isinglass, the Boston Whaler 325 Conquest might fit the bill. Best cruise came at 4000 rpm where we recorded 28.5 mph at a range of 353 nautical miles with 10% of the boat’s 300-gallon (1,135.36-liter) fuel capacity held in reserve. More...
Capt. Steve has finally come out of the fireplace, so now we know he’s a Secret Santa. There is nothing that offers loved ones left onshore more peace of mind that the boaters offshore are safe than a Siren 3 Pro, in our opinion. One size fits all boats and the boat’s data and whereabouts are in the palm of your hand. Tell them Capt. Santa sent you and get the $100 BoatTEST Discount. More...
Maintenance
Should You Repower an Old Sterndrive Boat?
With remanufactured engines and drives more readily available, repowering an old sterndrive with a new one can be a smart alternative.
At some point, a boat owner is going to have to face a choice: Does he buy a new boat to replace his aging vessel or, if he likes the layout and features of his current boat, does he consider repowering it with a new or remanufactured engine? More...
A trailer adds to a boat’s versatility by making it more mobile.
A trailer can greatly enhance the boating experience not only because it eliminates having to rent a slip, but also because it allows the owner to travel long distances to boat in new waters. Choosing the right trailer isn’t rocket science, but there are important criteria that factor into the decision. More...
Leon Slikkers began building boats at age 18 for Chris-Craft in 1946. He just stopped going in to the factory at 8:30 every morning and retired this fall. Little wonder that he was honored by his marine industry peers in November with the METS/IBI Lifetime Achievement Award, bestowed on him in Amsterdam last month. Find out in Part 1 of our 3-part interview how Slikkers got started and what formed the foundation of his remarkable boatbuilding career. More...
The 370CC is the flagship of the Edgewater line and the one in the Sovereign Boat Club has been outfitted with virtually everything imaginable for serious fishing, weekend cruising and entertaining. It’s not often that boaters get the opportunity to use a loaded center console in the heart of big-game fishing country – Riviera Beach, Fla, just a few minutes from the Palm Beach Inlet. Available now until April 30, 2022, this boat can be had at a fraction of the price of ownership with a membership in the Sovereign Boat Club. 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.
