Which Anchor is Best? | Robalo R242EX | Ocean Alexander 85 - 10/04/19
BoatTEST Newsletter October 4, 2019
Test Video
Robalo R242EX:
A Family-Friendly Fishboat
It’s fairly common these days among center console fishboat builders to throw a few extra cushions aboard bow and stern and designate some of their models as “family” boats. But the Robalo R242EX is a center console that offers amenities that will actually make the family want to spend a day on the water. Check out the wrap-around transom couch in three-tone, multi-density foam upholstery. She also offers removable backrests for the bow cushion area, creating chaise-type seating. The full-width swim platform with a four-step folding stainless ladder welcomes watersports. More...
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Review Video
Ocean Alexander 85 Motoryacht:
Decorated to the Buyer’s Tastes
The master suite of the Ocean Alexander 85 Motoryacht takes full advantage of her 20'1" (6.12 m) beam, with a large master bed, vanity, walk-in closets, his and her bathrooms and impressive views of the sea both port and starboard. The windows are double-paned extra-strong glass because of their position low on the hullside, which put the owners right on the water. The fabrics, colors and finishes used here and throughout the interior are up to the taste of the buyer. She sleeps eight in four elegantly-decorated en suites, total, and has crew quarters including two bunk rooms, a galley and head. More...
Test Video
World Cat 255DC:
Practical, Spacious and Seaworthy Cat
The bow seating area of the World Cat 255DC emphasizes one of the major advantages of her catamaran design. She carries her 8'6" (2.6 m) beam nearly all the way to the bow, providing far more seating and storage space up front than what's found in conventional monohull designs. A table can be fitted here to allow lunch for six, and it can be lowered to form the base for a large sun pad. The cushions are removable, converting the seat base into a forward casting platform. The power anchor windlass at the bow is a standard feature, as is the bow pulpit and roller. There’s a large lockable rod box under the starboard seat. More...
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Test Video
BENETEAU Swift Trawler 35:
Classic Helm for a Modern Trawler
The lower helm of the Swift Trawler 35 has a traditional destroyer-type, vertically-mounted wheel. Note the large sliding door to starboard for easy, single-handed tie-ups. Standard bow and stern thruster controls are atop the panel, ensuring easy docking with a single engine. Top speed was 17.9 knots with the standard 425-hp Cummins QSB diesel. More...
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Test Video
TAHOE 500 TS:
Quick-Planing PowerGlide Hull
The PowerGlide hull design of the 19'10" (6.05 m) 500 TS includes multiple small steps and lifting strakes that combine to put the boat on plane very rapidly -- just 2.3 seconds in our tests, which is comparable to the fastest jet-powered boats. It also gives her a good top speed with moderate power. She topped out at 49.7 mph in our tests powered with a 220-hp MerCruiser sterndrive. She's sold as a package rig including a single axle trailer and standard 200-hp MerCruiser MPI with an Alpha One outdrive for $32,595. Or, opt for the 250-hp MerCruiser MPI ($35,345) and you can expect speeds in the 50s. More...
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Boating Tips
Choosing the Right Anchor
There are a number of brands and styles of anchors on the market. They all have different strengths and weaknesses. Some brands like Danforth are synonymous with the style (fluke) of anchor. So, how is anyone supposed to know which to carry and deploy? More...
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