BOAT OF THE YEAR We tested hundreds of boats and selected the one category-buster to win the crown. Who won this year? BY KEVIN FALVEY.

ARE YOU IN GOOD HANDS? Here are 12 boat-insurance details every boater needs to ask about before they buy. BY KEVIN FALVEY.

FLYBRIDGE VS. EXPRESS We pit two Viking 38s against each other to see which style is best for you. BY PETER FREDERIKSEN.

WATERSPORTS
Turns out the quest to surf an endless wave ends here. Check out these nine boats designed to surf, ski, wakeboard and more.

RUNABOUT
The quintessential American boat now comes in many shapes and sizes. Check out these 21 boats that do it all on the water..

SOLACE 345 Check out the innovative FishThru transom on this well-appointed center-console.

BENETEAU GRAN TURISMO 36 A beautiful cruiser with runabout seating in the bow.

FINSEEKER 220 CC Crownline goes the extra mile in fitting out this trailerable fishing boat.

CAST AND BLAST Turns out, PWCs are great platforms for fishing. We set out to prove that on a Sea-Doo Fish Pro.
BY PETE MCDONALD.

STERNDRIVE VS. OUTBOARD We tested identical Aviara boats, one with a pair of sterndrives, and one with outboards on the transom. BY CHRIS CASWELL.

WORLD CAT 400DC-X This power catamaran is a dual console with room to roam.

TRAILER TROUBLES Ten things that go wrong with boat trailers, and how to prevent or fix these problems. BY JOHN TIGER.

ARCTIC MISSION We spend three days aboard a U.S. Coast Guard cutter above the Arctic Circle, riding the tail winds of a typhoon. BY RANDY VANCE.
 
STARCRAFT 191 SVX This outboard-powered deck boat has a lot of seating in a trailerable package.

JEANNEAU LEADER 10 .5 A fast, fun, family-oriented, outboard-powered cruiser.

CHAPARRAL 300 OSX Built for a fun day on the water with a large crew.

YAMAHA FX LIMITED S VHO One of the smoothest-handling three-seater PWC we’ve tested.

The Centurion Fi25 produces a superb wake for boarding or surfing while providing the creature comforts to keep the crew happy all day long. Photo by Garrett Cortese.

TWO DAYS ON CALIFORNIA’S DELTA This 1,000 miles of waterways runs from San Francisco to Sacramento. BY GARRETT CORTESE.

CHEAP TRICKS Sea-Doo’s Spark and Yamaha’s EX offer two of the most affordable ways
to get on the water. We compare them to see which is best for you. BY JEFF HEMMEL.

BENNINGTON s20 Cruise.

CYPRESS CAY Seabreeze 233.

LOWE ss 230 CL.

SYLVAN Mirage Cruise 8522 DLZ LE.

The Crownline E 285 XS
is an outboard-powered
dayboat with agility
underway, and the space
and comfort you need.
Photo by Garrett Cortese.


HOW TO BUILD A BETTER
BOATER
Our man plots the best course to
fi nding boating wisdom.
BY SHAWN BEAN.


GET HOME SAFE
The duck-boat disaster in Missouri
last summer was a terrible tragedy,
but there are seamanship lessons we
can learn from it.
BY CHRIS CASWELL.

GETTING IN GEAR We travel over to ZF and work with the company’s crack engineers to build a marine transmission. BY KEVIN FALVEY.

THREE WAYS TO THE WATER Join a club? Borrow a boat peer-to-peer? Head to the local rental place? We explore three alternative ways to go boating. BY THE BOATING TECH TEAM.

PATH TO GLORY Restoring an old boat and engine and two old dirt bikes leads to a new nautical adventure. BY JOHN STEIN.

ARCTIC SOLITAIRE An acclaimed photographer learns a lot during his solo voyages into the Arctic in search of polar bears. BY HEATHER STEINBERGER.

FORMULA 400 SUPER SPORT CROSSOVER This mega-bowrider has a protected cockpit and quadruple outboards astern.

RUNABOUT Choose from one of 17 boats that are perfect for going fast, entertaining a crowd, and spending time on the water.

WATERSPORTS You no longer need an ocean to surf. If you want to surf, ski, wakeboard and have fun, check out these 18 watersports boats.

PONTOON No boat brings the crowd to the water like a pontoon boat and, lucky for you, we tested 20 that you can choose from to join the fun.

2018 BOAT OF THE YEAR Our editors parsed the pros and cons of several worthy finalists. And the winner is ... BY THE BOATING TECH TEAM.

POWER UP What does going for the bigger power option really get you? We test the same boat with two different Yamahas to find out. BY CHARLES PLUEDDEMAN.

DOCKING WITH DAD A father and daughter compete against each other in a joystick docking competition. There can be only one winner. Who takes the prize? BY JEFF HEMMEL.

2018 HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE What does your boater want this season? We’ve got lots of nautical gift ideas for you to consider. BY THE BOATING TECH TEAM.

EDGEWATER 230CC This trailerable center-console displays sophistication and ruggedness alike.

IT’S SHOWTIME! Show skiing is alive and well thanks to grassroots clubs like the one we visited in Tampa Bay, Florida. BY JEFF HEMMEL.

GALEON
430 HTC
Creature comforts?
Cruisability? Familyfriendly?
Check,
check and check.

PURSUIT
DC 365
This dual console
uses new math to
provide an extra dose
of sport and utility.

YACHTS CANTIUS 42 A coupe that delivers the goods on the water, inside and out.

MJM YACHTS 35Z An outboard-powered boat with the amenities and layout of a larger vessel.

FLYING HIGH The flying-bridge boat is alive and well, thanks to devotees who appreciate its advantages. BY RANDY VANCE

SPEED METAL A 100 mph pontoon boat? It’s more than possible. More common are production ’toons that can hang with traditional fiberglass boats in speed and handling. BY JOHN TIGER

SCREAM MACHINES Five modern inflatables that pump up the volume, delivering a wet, wild ride. You guessed it — we tested all five.

FATHER FIGURES We celebrate five of the founding fathers of modern boating, whose contributions directly shaped the way we use our recreational boats to this day.

CHASING HISTORY Using cutting-edge technology, Paul Allen’s R/V Petrel is finding our lost ships from World War II and bringing back stunning imagery.

COOL RUNNINGS Want to escape reality? Take a PWC tour down the Colorado River to see some incredible sights.

HITTING LOTO Our ride-along with Lake of the Ozarks law enforcement on a busy summer day reveals a wealth of legend, lore and law.

SEA TOW RESCUE HEROES Think Sea Tow is only there to give you a tow? Here are five stories where its captains saved the day.

UNDER $30 Behold, here are 30 items of good gear to bring on board that each cost less than $30 yet have a ton of value.

MERCURY’S NEW TRAJECTORY Mercury’s new lineup of large displacement V-6 outboards, ranging from 175 to 225 hp, look to make waves in the outboard game.

SIX WAYS TO SEE UNDERWATER Want to see everything? Here’s a comprehensive guide to selecting and using today’s sonar technologies to achieve results.

CRUISING THE CANYONS
With a houseboat as a mothership and a tow-sports boat in tow, a world of adventure awaits out West. BY HEATHER STEINBERGER

4 WAYS A WINNER We ran the new Yamaha F90B on four very different types of boats to learn all about its versatility.

PAY NOW, PAID LATER Does your boat insurance really have you covered? Make sure your policy is the right one for you.

TWO AGAINST ONE Catamaran or monohull? Which type of cruiser is best? We break it down to show you exactly which is the best fit for how you boat.

RUNABOUT

Choose from one of 12 boats that are perfect for
family entertainment and enjoying a fantastic day on
the water.

WATERSPORTS

Catch air? Carve a slalom course? Ride the perfect
wave? Whether you want to surf, ski or wakeboard,
one of these 30 watersports boats is the right fit.

OUTBOARD VS INBOARD
We pit the same boat
against itself with different
power. See how a Judge 36 did with outboards versus inboards.
BY JOHN PAGE WILLIAMS

JEANNEAU NC 795

A comfy cruiser for all kinds of weather

MAKO
414 CC BLUEWATER

CROWNLINE
E23 XS

PURSUIT
S 328 SPORT

RINKER
QX29 BR

BEER RUN
We board an Afi na 3950 in Jacksonville, Florida, to explore the world of waterside brewpubs, responsibly, by boat.
BY CHARLES PLUEDDEMAN

SCREEN SAVERS
We learn some valuable lessons about engine-cooling intake systems and clogged screens after an overheating episode strikes during a boat trip.

BY RICH JOHNSON

THE LONG HAUL Our man turns picking up his new bay boat into a trailering adventure and shares the hardearned wisdom he learned along the way.

LIFE ON THE ROAD CREW We spend a weekend at a bass tournament with a Mercury tech to find out how he keeps the engines running.  

WAVE MACHINES Which boat makes the right wake for your chosen tow sport? We examine how to get the exact wake you need to excel.

PRIME THE PUMP Six hot new tow toys to play with on the water this summer were tested behind a Starcraft 211 CC OB by our crack staff of tubing experts.

THE NEW ACES Think poker runs are just for traditional gofasts? These seven performance center consoles are changing the game.

I ATE A WORLD RECORD How to catch and submit a potential record fish before it winds up cooking on the barbecue grill.

SCHOOL’S IN (SURF) SESSION We go to Orlando’s the Boarding School to learn how to enjoy the rising watersport of wakesurfing.

BOARD GAME We go into detail about six great ways to bring your standup paddleboards and kayaks along on your boat for the next adventure. 

SIX HOT WAVE GENERATORS Six great wake and surfboats you’ll fi nd on the water today, from entrylevel to luxury.

Boat Buyers Guide 2020

November - December 2019

October 2019

September 2019

July - August 2019

June 2019

PONTOON BUYERS GUIDE - 2019

May 2019

April 2019

March 2019

Boat Buyers Guide - 2019

January - February 2019

November - December 2018

October 2018

September 2018

Boating is the go-to resource for recreational boating enthusiasts. Every issue is packed with unbiased boat tests, must-have gear, DIY tips and the latest in electronics.

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Boating - January - February 2020

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