Luhrs 37 IPS//John Deere 6068 Diesel//14 Tests & Reviews
For 2011 Cruisers Yachts has taken their 390 Sports Coupe and tweaked her to make her even better. We have always liked the unique companion seat/nav station/snack table on the boat's bridge deck next to the helm. The 390 is the only cruiser we know of with such a clever design, one that can be used for all sorts of things. She also has a wide walk-thru windscreen, an innovation that was an industry first for Cruisers Yachts. Below, there is a standard large open arrangement for entertaining, or an optional one with two private staterooms ideal for two couples. With IPS our test boat was a handling dream. We think this is all the boat most people will ever need.
Nothing is tougher on a sterndrive lower unit than saltwater. And there's
The Nitro’s dual center console puts the Z-9 CDC in a design class all her own. The center seating arrangement accommodates round-the-boat fish-fighting capabilities of traditional stand-up center console layouts and places more weight along the boat’s centerline.
This particular RZ2 is Tigé's answer to the question... "What if we loaded one of our best boats with every option available?" Well the answer is, you'd get a pretty awesome wake boat that will leave you wanting for nothing. It's the 20th Anniversary Platinum Edition RZ2, and when we say she's tricked out, we mean it. How else would a premium wakeboat company celebrate its 20th anniversary? With flowers and a candlelight dinner?
You'll find John Deere diesels aboard commercial and fishing vessels the world over, so if you are considering re-powering you should definitely look into this brand.
Princecraft's Ventura 192 combines the best features of a deckboat, a fishing boat and a ski/board boat. One of six boats in Princecraft's Ventura series, like her sisterships the 192 is lightweight, thanks to her tough aluminum construction, and tow-friendly to almost any vehicle. In short, she's just what the doctor ordered for a whole lot of boating families.
Having a multi-tasking boat is one way to ensure that she will end up in your driveway
Hargrave Custom Yachts has long sought to drive home to the motoryacht-buying public how far customers can go to “personalize” the boats they build. Nothing dramatizes the point better than this innovative new design concept which looks like a raised pilothouse motoryacht on the outside, but on the inside does not waste valuable main deck real estate, as do conventional pilothouse configurations. According to Hargrave owner Mike Joyce, “This boat was designed to be handled by a husband and wife,” and is equipped with everything a cruising couple will need. This video is a "must see" if you are in the market for a motoryacht.
The MasterCraft 300 has been generating her fair share of buzz in the boating industry,
Seaswirl built the 2605 Walk Around as their answer to the “SUV” on the water. She
Owning a fiberglass yacht with a shiny, gleaming surface is one of the joys of boat ownership. But the hard work that goes into creating that look isn't so much fun. In order to find out how well Yacht Brite Buff Magic and Pro Polish work, we recently tested on a severely neglected hull. Capt. Steve followed the standard procedures, applied the products, and all the while our camera crew was shooting video. Where in the World? Picture of the Week
Smart Boating
BoatTEST.com's
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This set of 4 DVDs covers virtually all of the important topics you need to know to go boating safely. |
Based on the feedback we’ve been getting about BoatTEST.com's Smart Boating Course it’s clearly not only for beginners, but also for veteran boaters as well. Perhaps that is why the NMMA started promoting the course after just one look.
Order your copy here...
Trailering Tips
Captain Steve's Trailering Tips
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Trailering your boat sounds simple – and is – IF you follow all of the trailer preparation tips that Capt. Steve recommends. |
Being a good boater starts long before you get out on the water. And if you have not properly prepared your trailer rig you may never even make it. Just as airplane pilots walk around their planes checking out control surfaces before they get into the cockpit, so should you make a careful check of all the straps, chains, connections, bolts and landing gear on your trailer before you head to the launch ramp.
Capt. Steve gives us his take on the best way to prep so that you will not have a costly accident on the road...
Ship's System
Water, Water Everywhere...
... and Not a Drop Worth Drinking?
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The stainless steel Seagull IV water-purifier is effective and easy to install under the sink. It uses a dedicated faucet and a replaceable cartridge. (Photo © General Ecology, Inc.) |
If the fresh water coming out of your boat’s faucet tastes like you squeegee’d it off the ship’s cat, don’t take to the bottle. Any fresh water can have contaminants that ruin its taste, and dirty fiberglass tanks will make even the purest water taste like bilge slime. But the solution is easy: Add a treatment system to your freshwater plumbing. Treatment systems range from simple filters to elaborate UV purifiers; filters will work for most of us. They are easy to install and not too expensive, and will have you reaching for a glass, not the bottle.
Read on for all you need to know about water treatment...
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| By comparing 25 important details boat buyers can zero-in on which boat really delivers best on the promise and is the best economic value. |
With so many choices, figuring out which sportboat is best for you is not an easy task. With every builder saying that their boats are the highest quality, have the best features, and are the best value, what is a consumer to do? Our suggestion is to do what our test captains do: look at the details and compare them boat-to-boat. BoatTEST.com captains use a check list of 25 points to inspect before writing their Captain's Reports on the boats they test. Here is the list and a detailed explanation of Point #1 -- Performance.
Check in here...
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 Sea Ray |
 MasterCraft |
 Yamaha |
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Follow some simple tips to help protect the life of your engine and its components. If you incorporate routine checks before you head out for the day you will be one step ahead. |
This week Capt. Steve goes over five new lessons and guidelines on engine maintenance and properly caring for the components such as batteries, belts, and hoses. Get in the habit of doing an engine check each time you board the boat. Spend the extra 5 minutes to check the oil and clean the sea strainers of any debris. You will save yourself a headache and a lot of expense down the road if you do happen to encounter an issue and suddenly you’re offshore. Pay attention to any abnormal noises or sounds you may hear from the engine as this could be a sign something is wrong. Never ignore a sound that doesn’t seem right. The videos presented this week are part of BoatTEST.com’s Boating
Course which is USCG-approved. Watch these video boating lessons every week on BoatTEST.com.
To view this week’s lessons --
To view past lessons --
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First Place
"Yeah, they said it's an old septic tank but, yee haw, it's gonna make one fine
jacuzzi when I get it back to the trailer." - E. Jahoda
Second Place
"Some people hug trees, some talk to their cars, I take my water tank skiing."
- M. Harvey
Honorable Mention(s)
"They think they have a big wake in their fancy MasterCraft... mwwa haha haaa!"
- T. Smith
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