EdgeWater 230CC | Neptunus 650 Express | Ocean Alexander 120
The EdgeWater 230CC features strakes and hard chines running all the way to the bow to help keep spray out of the cockpit. She's a premium-grade family fisherman featuring multi-density, multi-tone upholstery, integrated powder-coat finish hardtop, safety glass windshield and lots more. She rides on a 20-degree deadrise bottom design, and the company's Single Piece Infusion Structural System delivers a solid build without excessive weight. Top speed with an F300 Yamaha was 51.1 mph.
The Ocean Alexander 120 Megayacht features a Portuguese-style bridge that will provide secure seating even while underway at speed thanks to high bulwarks and rails all around. The sun deck, accessed via stairs on the forward end of the sky lounge deck, provides an al fresco dining and lounging space topside.
The Chaparral 21 H2O Ski & Fish has the style and handling of her big sisters in the Chaparral family, but she’s also got fishing features they don’t have, as well as an entry-level price. The fishy features include a bowmount trolling motor (removed in this photo), aerated livewell, rod storage, and swiveling fishing seats that mount fore and aft. Standard power is a 220-hp MerCruiser 4.3L MPI sterndrive, which produced 3.4-second hole shots in our tests and a top speed of 47.6 mph.
The salon of the Neptunus 650 Express maintains a sleek, express cruiser profile while providing a 7’8” (2.38 m) overhead height. This airy feel is magnified by the massive side windows and the opening skylight, which all combine to enhance the bright, open space. Sofas on either side provide plenty of seating, and sliding glass doors extend the entertainment area seamlessly into the cockpit.
The flying bridge of the Sea Ray Fly 460 includes an optional entertainment center with a refrigerator, grill, and a sink to port at the top of the stairs. The large hardtop, also optional, offers shade when desired, and the sliding sunroof can be opened when someone wants to work on their tan. A large teak table and U-shaped settee provide a dining area here, in addition to the one on the main deck.
The Wellcraft 182 Fisherman is a basic entry center console that is fine for protected water, bays, and sounds in the proper conditions. As shown in the image above, she is a fine way to introduce kids to the joys of fishing and boating. With a 90-hp engine, she should be able to get the job done, and also be a good way for little Johnny and Jane to get the feel for handling a boat. The Wellcraft 182 Fisherman is priced right.
With so many choices, it is easy to buy a boat that doesn’t quite work out. In fact, the average length of time a boater keeps a boat – during normal economic conditions – before moving on to the next one is about four years. While that rapid turnover of boats is good for the boating industry, it also means that many buyers are not putting enough thought into their purchasing decisions in the first place.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
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 also 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. Order your 4-disc box set...
|
BoatTEST.com, LLC |
|
All articles, Captain's Reports, video content or other |