Aviara AV32 | Swift Trawler 47 | Nitro Z18 - 07/25/19
BoatTEST Newsletter July 25, 2019
Special VIP Experience at
Cannes Yachting Festival
For BoatTEST Members
There is no in-water boat show in Europe that is more glamorous and as prestigious as is the Cannes Yachting Festival. Boats on display range from small runabouts to large motoryachts, and everything in between. Home of the Cannes Film Festival, part of the boat show exhibit area inhabits some of the very same space. The treelined seaside corniche, sidewalk cafes, gourmet French restaurants, and cocktail lounges under tents on the beach all provide a romantic and exciting venue for a new boat search.
BoatTEST has organized a special VIP Experience at the show that is exclusive for its Members. It includes round-trip business class airfare, three nights at a 5-star hotel just a few feet from the harbor, round trip helicopter transfers from the Nice Cote d’Azur Airport to Cannes, a three-day show pass, cocktail parties, a show finale seafood dinner, and a special consultation with Capt. Steve on any boat at the show. BoatTEST staff will be on hand to introduce its Members to builders at the show.
To find our more and to sign up, click here…
Test Video
Aviara AV32:
Innovative Euro-Style Dayboat
The Aviara AV32 features the sort of avant-garde styling seen on upscale European day boats these days, but she’s built in America by the MasterCraft team. One of her cool features, literally, is CoolFeel vinyl upholstery coverings, which greatly cuts the heat buildup when she is left in the sun, making much more comfortable seating. There is an optional Bimini for both bow and stern. A pair of 380-hp Ilmor V8s provides strong performance, pushing her to over 54 mph in our test runs. An outboard version is also available. See Captain Steve's full inspection here...
Features Video
BENETEAU Swift Trawler 47:
Practical Liveaboard w/Space-Saving Engineering
The BENETEAU Swift Trawler 47 is a practical liveaboard, right down to her cost-saving straight-shaft drives for the twin 425-hp Cummins QSBs. By adding bow and stern thrusters, combined with the large props, BENETEAU gives the owner easy control around the docks without the added expense and mechanical complexity of pod drives. Designers maximized space throughout the boat with tricks like making the helm seat a flip-up that can be moved out of the way at party time and then dropped back into place when it’s time to get underway. More...
Schedule A Test DriveDealer Contact RequestPricing Request
Test Video
NITRO Z18:
62.5 MPH Bass Boat Competitively-Priced
The NITRO Z18 is a fully-equipped fiberglass bass boat at a more affordable price -- $29,995 including a Mercury 150 FourStroke and single-axle trailer. She comes with all of the extras that most tournament fishermen would want -- including a 30-gallon (114 L) aerated livewell with a timer, Minnkota Maxxum 24-volt trolling motor, Lowrance HOOK2 5” sonar/GPS, locking storage for rods up to 8’ (2.4 m) long, and insulated aluminum hatch lids with welded corners. We tested her with the optional 175-hp Mercury Pro XS FourStroke (+ $2,640), which pushed her to a top speed of 62.5 mph. She is easy on fuel, getting 5.0 mpg at 29.3 mph. More...
Schedule A Test DriveDealer Contact RequestPricing Request
Test Video
Aquila 36:
Quality Catamaran Ready for the Islands
The level of upholstery quality in the Aquila 36 is displayed in the double-wide helm seat as well as in seating throughout the boat. There are two flip-up bolsters and the multi-tone vinyl is double-stitched at the seams and diamond-stitched on the backrests. All decking is soft, non-skid SeaDek with a gray teak look. The broad beam of this catamaran, 14’7” (4.45 m), gives her exceptional space both in the huge “bowrider” type seating up front as well as in the wide salon and the aft cockpit. There’s an en suite in each hull. Despite all of this space, she draws only 2' (0.6 m) with the outboards up -- a big plus when exploring unknown waters. More...
Test Video
Ocean Alexander 100 Skylounge:
A Helm Station Any Captain Will Love
The flying bridge helm of the Ocean Alexander 100 Skylounge is as functional -- and handsome -- as the rest of the yacht. Three 24” displays form a glass dash that is ready to provide all of the information the captain needs to cruise anywhere on the world's oceans. There's a control station on the armrest of the center power-adjustable chair that allows access to the electronic functions without leaving the seat -- just as we find on many commercial vessels. Watertight sliding doors on both sides provide easy access to the Portuguese bridge, where the captain can step out to dock the boat with the included wired remote. More...
Outboard Tips
How to Change Your Propeller
The basic skills needed to maintain a boat may seem obvious to most old salts. To those who are just learning the ropes, there’s a bit of a learning curve. Check out this one, on the steps in changing out an outboard propeller -- in under three minutes. It takes only two tools and a bit of care in getting everything back in place in the proper order. Watch the video...
Expert Boating
BoatTEST.com's
4-DVD Boating Course
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 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...
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