Most Popular Boats and Engines of the Week
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Every week BoatTEST publishes news items on about 25 boats and engines. Readers have asked which ones are the more popular each day, so below you can find the answer – by day. |
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Monday #1
Jeanneau NC 37:
Roomy Home Afloat or a Weekender for 8
The sleek lines of the Jeanneau NC 37 disguise the fact that she’s a very roomy home afloat - the 11'9" (3.35 m) beam is a foot wider than many monohulls in class. This allows space for up to three staterooms below, including an en suite master with a separate shower plus a separate day head. The dinette in the salon also converts to a bunk and full curtains are included, allowing up to eight to spend a weekend aboard. Power options up to twin Volvo Penta D4 260s are available and a bow thruster is standard.
More...
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Tuesday #1
Formula 400 Super Sport Crossover:
Smart Design & Engineering, Quad OB Power
One of the many interesting features on the Formula 400 Super Sport Crossover is the cockpit table. It can be dropped down flush with the seating to become part of a large sun lounge or lowered all the way down to become part of the deck. The open-air grill is to port, and the sink and food prep area is just ahead. Another useful feature is the sliding windshield section and acrylic air dam on the port side, providing easy access to the bow seating area but also blocking wind and spray as necessary. Quad 350 Mercury Verados give her mile-a-minute speeds.
See the full report here...
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Wednesday #1
Axopar 28 Cabin:
Rough Water Performer w/55.9 MPH WOT
The Axopar 28 Cabin, built for the rough, cold waters of the Baltic Sea, is more than at home offshore. Her sharp bow and 22-degree deadrise aft deliver a remarkably smooth ride in rough water, and the cabin version ensures that all aboard can stay dry. Captain Steve shows what she’s got in 5' to 7' (1.5 to 2.1 m) seas in this video. The double-stepped hull is fast with twin Mercury V8 200s, with a top speed of better than 55 mph. She’s a competitively-priced utilitarian build designed for fishing, on-water commuting or marine business, but she also offers comfortable seating and a broad sliding sunroof to make things enjoyable for family outings.
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Thursday #1
Evinrude E-TEC G2 150:
New Engine is the Most Fuel-Efficient in Class
Evinrude announced its all-new 2-stroke Evinrude E-TEC G2 1.9 Liter 3-cylinder outboard engine platform for its new 115-hp, 140-hp, and 150-hp outboard engines. These new 3-cylinder engines are more fuel-efficient and have higher torque than 4-stroke outboards in class, according to Evinrude. Dyno testing using industry-accepted standard testing procedures and actual-use parameters show that this new, lightweight engine out-scores all 4-cylinder 4-stroke 150 engines on the market. It also has available low-cost power steering integral to the outboard unit, which makes it cost lower than comparable 4-stroke engines.
Fuel-Efficient. The 1.9-liter engine has direct in-the-cylinder fuel injection that is far superior in terms of spray pattern, cone angle, velocity, and droplet size when compared to all 4-stroke outboards which spray low-pressure fuel into the intake manifold outside of the intake valves. This largely accounts for the new Evinrude G2’s fuel efficiency, but other factors include the G2 150’s RAVE exhaust system which effectively supercharges the engine.
Less Noise and Vibration. Evinrude has engineered new noise attenuation features into the engine. In one test, we recorded 70 decibels at 2500 RPM, best cruise, which is substantially less than most 4-strokes we have tested in class on pontoon boats. Part of the reason for this is the new G2 platform’s three-point “focused motor mount” system and counterweights used in the engine itself to reduce vibration.
5-Year Anti-Corrosion Warranty. Evinrude is the only outboard maker that uses a costly titanium oxide coating on all metal parts that touch the water, as well as stainless-steel fastenings. Because of this and other details, it can offer the longest anti-corrosion warranty in class.
Driver-Centric Approach. Evinrude purposely has made this engine as easy to use as possible for the owner, incorporating standard iTrim, requiring no “break-in” period, auto-winterization, no oil and oil filter changes, easy access to connections under the cowling, and many other features not available on 4-stroke engines.
See the Video. We have tested two boats – a center console and a pontoon boat – with the all-new Evinrude E-TEC G2 150 and have documented the important aspects of this new engine.
See it now...
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Friday #1
Hell’s Bay Boatworks Estero:
54.5 MPH WOT w/Evinrude G2 300
Here’s a look at the Hell’s Bay Boatworks Estero, a specialized flats and bay boat designed for hardcore inshore anglers. We tested her with an Evinrude E-TEC G2 300 turning a 22” pitch four-blade, which produced a WOT of 54.5 and best fuel economy of 3.64 mpg at 27.7 mph. The integral power steering and trim and integrated oil tank of this 2-stroke make clean, single-tube rigging easy, which is a big plus on a serious fishing boat like this one. The internal tilt mechanism allows tilting the lower unit up to 81-degrees, putting the running gear completely out of the water - a big plus for boats that will be stored at the dock in saltwater on occasion.
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