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Category: March 2025

  • Mercury Joystick Steering for Single-Engine Vessels

    Mercury Joystick Steering for Single-Engine Vessels Single-engine boats, especially lighter, shallower types such as RIBs and pontoons, will benefit from joystick maneuverability. Courtesy Highfield Boats The new Mercury Marine ­joystick control for a single outboard puts throttle, shifting and steering control in the palm of your hand. Many captains will find that the joystick makes…

  • A Pontoon Boating Adventure Across Lake Michigan

    A Pontoon Boating Adventure Across Lake Michigan A journey across Lake Michigan shows just how far pontoon boats have come. Tom King The young man attending the gas dock in Frankfort, Michigan, seemed befuddled. “So you just crossed Lake Michigan on a pontoon boat,” he said. “Why would you do that?” I thought about this…

  • Pocket Cruiser Overnighting on Beneteau’s Antares 8

    Pocket Cruiser Overnighting on Beneteau’s Antares 8 The Antares 8 is a versatile pocket cruiser capable of meeting the needs of many boaters. Craig Kotilinek It sounds idyllic, right? You’re going to go overnight on a mini yacht (my words, not theirs) and gallivant around ­Florida’s Sarasota Bay on a beautiful summer day. That’s how…

  • BRP’s Dedication to Innovation

    BRP’s Dedication to Innovation The Sea-Doo Fish Pro is just one of many BRP innovations. Courtesy BRP History In 1937, 15-year-old Joseph Armand Bombardier invented the Ski Doo to traverse the snowy streets of Quebec. His company grew into railway and aerospace, and was sold in 2003 to an investor group for billions. Sea-Doo personal…

  • Phone Charging and Mounting Systems for Boats

    Phone Charging and Mounting Systems for Boats Boatbuilders recognize that everyone on board uses a phone—posting, Snapping, TikToking, and more—between leaving port and returning. To keep the social posting live, everybody needs a power port or charger, many of which securely hold your phone. We’ve tested numerous different phone holders and chargers, while testing boats.…

  • How to Create Custom Boat Trim

    How to Create Custom Boat Trim Fashioning pieces of fitted trim can enhance the good looks of your boat. Jim Hatch After 30 years of saltwater use, the intricately curved anodized-aluminum trim along the cap of the open transom of my outboard-powered 21-foot center-console fishing boat was falling apart. Corrosion had eaten away at the…

  • The Benefits of Direct-Current Marine Generators

    The Benefits of Direct-Current Marine Generators A DC generator can eliminate much of the complicated AC shore-power rigging. Courtesy Fischer Panda In the simplest of terms, an AC generator supplies power directly to a 120-volt circuit to run AC accessories throughout a boat, as well as charge the boat’s batteries (through an AC-to-­DC charger). A…

  • High vs. Low Tow Points

    High vs. Low Tow Points Which type of towing rig is the best one for your boat? It all depends on what type of watersport you plan to pursue. Randy Vance The right tow point—a water-ski pylon or a wakeboard tower—transforms your boat for watersports. With this addition, it’s not just about the experience in…

  • Bowrider vs. Cuddy Cabin

    Bowrider vs. Cuddy Cabin Both the OSX and OCX provide a spirited ride. Courtesy Stingray Boats It’s not often that we get to compare two of the same hulls with different deck configurations from the same manufacturer. What a bonus when they’re both high-performance outboards! Stingray Boats of Hartsville, South Carolina, recently released its 23…

  • Solving Boating Mysteries

    Solving Boating Mysteries Locals are solving boating mysteries from inside the Lake View. Tim Bower Our neighborhood made the boating news twice in 2024, stories that have fueled the offseason hot-stove league here at the Lake View Inn, where everyone is welcome to their opinion. I’m almost certain you heard about Ryan Borgwardt, the fellow…

  • Safely Navigating Unfamiliar Waters

    Safely Navigating Unfamiliar Waters Boating in unfamiliar waters can be fun with the right preparation. Parilov / Adobe Stock Early on in my boat-testing career, I learned the hard way about what can happen when boating in unfamiliar waters. The boat company set up our test out of a beautiful Southwest Florida resort adjacent to…

  • Ignoring a Warning Sign Ruins a Day of Boating

    Ignoring a Warning Sign Ruins a Day of Boating Ignoring warning signs can sometimes leave you stranded. Tim Bower It was a beautiful August afternoon in Maryland, and my fiancée, her granddaughter, and I decided to take my 28-foot cabin cruiser down the South River and out into the Chesapeake Bay to the picturesque Thomas…

  • Night-Vision Technology for Boaters

    Night-Vision Technology for Boaters There is a range of night-vision devices available to boaters. Courtesy X Vision, Sionyx If you want to boat more safely at night, night-vision technology can help minimize your odds of getting off course or missing a hidden ­aid-to-navigation post or piece of flotsam. There are two basic technologies to open…

  • Humminbird Mega Live 2 and Xplore MFDs

    Humminbird Mega Live 2 and Xplore MFDs Mega Live 2 features enhanced clarity and a more stable view versus the previous Humminbird forward-facing-sonar ­system. Courtesy Humminbird BUY NOW As forward-facing sonar, aka live sonar, from brands such as Garmin and Lowrance takes over freshwater bass fishing, some anglers forget that the company that introduced this…

  • Three Top Handheld Lights for Boaters

    Three Top Handheld Lights for Boaters The right handheld light can make boating in the dark much easier. Courtesy West Marine, Streamlight, Milwaukee Tool No matter how many lights you have hard-wired into your boat, every boater would be well-served to carry aboard some type of handheld illumination device. You never know when you’re going…

  • How to Cleat a Dock Line

    How to Cleat a Dock Line I used to work with a former tugboat captain who taught me many things, including how to properly cleat a line. Walking the docks at the marina where we worked, he’d spot incorrectly cleated lines and retie them properly. Naturally, under most conditions, the different ways of cleating off—such…

  • On Board With: Randy Wayne White

    On Board With: Randy Wayne White Randy Wayne White’s “Doc Ford” series has proven to be a hit. Courtesy Randy Wayne White New York Times bestselling author Randy Wayne White has written more than 40 novels, but he’s best known for his “Doc Ford” series, set on Sanibel Island, Florida. Doc Ford is a biologist…

  • Boat Test: 2025 Sessa C44

    Boat Test: 2025 Sessa C44 The C44 mixes style with performance. Courtesy Sessa Marine Visit Sessa Find a Sessa Dealer Overview From the land of Ferrari, it’s no surprise that the new Sessa C44 pops onto plane in just 8 seconds flat and, pushed by a pair of Volvo Penta D6 ­diesel IPS 600s, this ­stylish…

  • Boat Test: 2025 Solara S-310 SC

    Boat Test: 2025 Solara S-310 SC The 310 runs on a double-stepped hull with a progressive variable deadrise. Tom King Visit Solara Build Your Solara Find a Solara Dealer Overview Multipurpose crossover boats are enjoying their time in the sun, mixing sporty performance with the ability to do everything from fishing, diving, and towing watersports…

  • Boat Test: 2025 Hurricane SunDeck 3200 OB

    Boat Test: 2025 Hurricane SunDeck 3200 OB The SunDeck 3200 OB is packed with a lot of great design features. Courtesy Hurricane Boats Visit Hurricane Boats Build Your Hurricane Find a Hurricane Boats Dealer Overview Boating with small children can be a fraught experience. I have a pair of toddler grandchildren, and they sure move…

  • Boat Test: 2025 Pursuit OS 325

    Boat Test: 2025 Pursuit OS 325 The OS 325 serves up a smooth, stable ride. Courtesy Pursuit Boats Visit Pursuit Build Your Pursuit Find a Pursuit Dealer Overview Full disclosure: Boats and adult beverages are two of my favorite things, and I’ve realized that there are many similarities (besides being addictive). Some boats are beer…

  • 2024 Boat of the Year: Monterey Elite 30

    2024 Boat of the Year: Monterey Elite 30 The innovative layout on the Monterey Elite 30 combines the best qualities of multiple boat types. Florida Film & Tape/Clayton Dodwell Editor’s Note: Today, at the Discover Boating Miami Boat Show, Monterey Boats’ Elite 30 was awarded the Boat of the Year trophy by Editor-in-Chief Kevin Falvey. Look for…

  • Boat Test: 2025 Alumacraft Competitor 205X SC

    Boat Test: 2025 Alumacraft Competitor 205X SC Visit Alumacraft Build Your Alumacraft Find an Alumacraft Dealer Room is always at a premium on angling boats. For 2025, the Alumacraft Competitor line of aluminum multispecies boats offers a clever idea that expands the aft casting deck without compromising cockpit space or making the boat longer. The…

  • Boat Test: 2025 Robalo R257

    Boat Test: 2025 Robalo R257 Visit Robalo Build Your Robalo Find a Robalo Dealer Overview Robalo Boats are tough and stylish, offering optimal deck space for crew as well as top-shelf production quality at a ­modest price. The R257 dual-­console punches above its class in performance, ­fishability and comfort. The R257 proves a seriously fishable…

  • Boat Test: 2025 Intrepid 41 Panacea

    Boat Test: 2025 Intrepid 41 Panacea Visit Intrepid Powerboats Build Your Intrepid Find an Intrepid Dealer Overview If, like me, you dozed through Ancient Greek Mythology class, Panacea was the goddess of all cures and ­solutions. And that is the perfect name for the new Intrepid 41. This big center-console will satisfy every one of…