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2012 express cabin cruiser boat photo

You have to see the newest Regal Express cruiser. Go to a dealer or go to a boat show, but see this boat. She has high style with a very good level of functionality. As a weekend cruiser, she has huge windows and portholes to see out from inside the cabin and a huge (for a cruiser of this length) bed in the owner’s stateroom.

She is 28’ 10” by 8’ 6” and fits under most bridges when on a trailer. Thus, no permit is needed to trailer this fully found cruising yacht. She will take a strong pickup truck to tow its empty 7,585 lbs. weight, however. Figure on a “10,000 lbs. plus” towing load with fuel, batteries, water, boat gear, crew supplies, and trailer included as you would typically would be towing her going down the road.

The owner’s cabin area features the largest bed in her class of trailer-able sleepers. No need to convert a vee seating area into a bed at the end of a day or a week on the water. It is set up and positioned within the cabin area such that the bed linens can stay ready all day long.

This Regal 28 Express is a single engine I/0 boat. You select from a 260 horsepower Mercury Marine Bravo III, a 270 horsepower Duo-Prop, and 300 horsepower with either a Duo-prop or Bravo III outdrive. Since Regal Marine Industries exports so many boats internationally, they also offer a diesel engine choice with a Duo-Prop that is popular in Europe.

2012 Express cabin cruiser at rest boat photo

express cabin cruiser underway boat photo

2012 fiberglass express cabin cruiser queen bed boat photo

2012 boat photo Yamaha outboard

The cleanest engines are the inboard / outboards. They come with Catalytic Converters and other tweaks to get a 4 star rating as compared to a 3 star rating for the outboards. Which means that the outboard engines are the “worst for the environment” engines compared to I/O power packages.

It is surprising that the 2 stroke Evinrude and the newest 4 stroke Yamaha are both equally rated at 3 stars. The I/O engine packages have simply pulled ahead of the outboard packages for 2012 for the cleanest level in environmental boating.

Evinrude makes the lightest outboard engine package at a stated weight of 524 lbs. for a 250 Horsepower engine. It’s a 200 cu. in. two stroke engine. It should be propped to run between 4,500 – 5,800 rpms. Some say it’s the least complicated and has the lowest number of parts. And it may take the least attention and maintenance over a season of use.

Yamaha makes a F250 Offshore outboard that is a four stroke engine. It has a stated weight of 562 lbs. It also has more parts (pretty much all the valves and camshaft parts) than a two stroke. The displacement is 254 cu. in. I cannot tell if the smaller displacement two stroke will be faster in a 0 to 30 mph acceleration test than the bigger cu. in. 4 stroke outboard, but in similar displacement two strokes compared to similar displacement four strokes tests show the two strokes really beating the four stroke.

2012 boat photo evinrude outboard motor

The stern drive I/O is a four stroke 305 cu. in. engine based on a Chevy block that is then made into a marine engine by Volvo – Penta. It has a horsepower of 270 and can come with the efficiency of two propellers on one shaft in its Duo-Prop Stern Drive. This one weights in right at 1,000 lbs.

2012 boat photo volvo penta inboard outboard engine

It is important to note that both the torque and the peak horsepower are at a 1,000 rpms lower than the outboards.

So, a cleaner for the environment drive package. Lower engine rpms needed to get a boat up on plane and at a cruising speed. Some more weight within the power package. The I/O choice of the efficiency of a Duo-Prop outdrive. All of this says that a I/O is the way to go in 2012 for seabuddy.

regal marine bow rider 24

SHOW DATES: January 19–22, 2012

Baltimore Convention Center
1 W Pratt Street (at Charles Street),One block away from the Inner Harbor
Baltimore, MD 21201

Show Hours

Thursday, January 19, 2012
11am–9pm

Friday, January 20, 2012
11am–9pm

Saturday, January 21, 2012
10am–9pm

Sunday, January 22, 2012
10am–5pm

Admission

Adult: $10.00 each
15 and younger: FREE with a paid adult admission

This is a great NMMA boat show that should have good weather this year. I always go and check out the free magazine subscription choice that comes with an admission ticket purchase. Often the magazine offer makes the Boat Show a free event. Look for the magazine booth near the entrance, and do not worry, I do not get bothered by sales pitches from the magazine, as I opt out of that box on the magazine form. If they are offering Yachting Magazine, get that one, it is the best way to enjoy boating right now, in my opinion.

Regal should have some fine bow riders and deck boats to look at from Jackson Marine Sales on display at the Baltimore Boat show for you and your family to inspect. Woody Jackson is a long time local boat dealer and continues to do an outstanding job in his sales, service, and marina businesses at the top of the Chesapeake Bay.

Also, take a look at the Chaparral boats and the power boats from Cobalt boats. Both have some “hot” deals that shook up the boaters at the New York Boat Show, earlier this month. The New York Boat Show charges more money to get in than the Baltimore Boat Show does.

8.1 power boat engine from Volvo

Volvo makes an 8.1 gas big block engine for the most torque and horse power for a power boat. Volvo has been a leader in marine pleasure boat power in the USA since 1959.

The 8.1 engine comes with a choice of camshafts that are selected based on where you as a boater want your power. Use 4,200 rpm and above mostly and pick the high Hp cam, use 4,000 rpm and below for almost all your time boating, select the 375-400 Hp engine cam. So, a true “hot rod” boat speed freak boater best uses the high performance camshaft and everyone else should use the regular cam. It is a no brainer, really, as you know going into a boat show if you want the most power you can get out of the engine below 4,000 rpm (even more power than the performance cam at these “below  4,000 rpms” engine speeds). Remember, the 375-400 Hp engine is the “Hole Shot” engine choice for the quickest 0 to 30 mph acceleration tests.

Volvo Penta gas power boat engine

Either the 375 or the 400 Hp engines are rated to run as fast as 4,600 to 4,800 rpms. They just do not develop as much power at those rpms as the Hi-Po camshaft engine.

All of these engines are 8.1 in displacement or big cubic inch engines developed from a Chevy based v-8 engine. They are fuel injected engines using a MPI fuel delivery system. Fresh water cooling and  the drive system is separate choice.

Absolute 43 yacht with Volvo Penta power

power boat underway with Volvo Penta power

2012 Chris Craft I. O. power boat

She is a sport boat on the exterior and a four sleeper, complete galley, and head down below. This power boat tops out at 48 mph and cruises from as low as 16 mph to as high 42 mph with the same fuel economy. The photo shows how this performance boat handles in a turn. Should one call her a sporty boat, a performance boat, or a cabin cruiser?

Chris Craft builds a stylish way to run around all the waterways in its Corsair 36 power boat model. In the USA she usually runs twin 8.1 Volvo gas engines with twin diesels as an optional choice. Volvo marine engines has tested and approved the engine installation details in this boat model. She went from 0 to 30 mph in acceleration boat tests in less than 10 seconds while weighing just under 10 tons with some 2,500 lbs. of fuel, water, crew, gear weight onboard and are willing to show their test report numbers to interested boaters.

2012 Chris Craft Corsair power boat

This model of the Corsair series is actually over 38 feet including the swim platform and 36’ 3” without it. The beam is 12’ 6”. She weights some 16,000 – 16,500 lbs. dry. Air Conditioning, two refrigerators, a microwave, a cabinet mounted coffee maker, a convertible dinette, and then a queen size bed in the owner’s cabin all of which is done in a high nautical fashion makes for a luxurious boat.

Take a look at your local boat show, where she may be what you need for this coming summer’s adventures on the water.

power boat cockpit of a Chris Craft Corsair

layout with its private owner's cabin

1,350 Hp Merc Racing engine photo

Mercury Marine offers through its Merc Racing division a 1,350 Hp engine with a one year warranty for recreational boating. This engine uses four cams (or quad cams) with four valves in an engine that is turbocharged (turbo-compressor induction in Mercury Marine speak) with a 6,500 rpm redline to get this top power from the 9 liter engine displacement (552 cu. in.).

This 1,720 lb. engine requires a Merc Racing’s dry-sump M8 stern drive which uses a integral Merc Racing dry-sump Hydraulic transmission. Expensive stuff, these M8 out drive pieces, but they are built to take the torque of this engine.

M8 Merc Racing outdrive

Additional Hp above the 1,350 Hp quoted is available with a proper engine room design by the boat builder that allows for lower engine intake air temperatures. Some say it can go up to shh! Hp with the right spirit of coordination between Merc Racing and your high performance boat builder. But, that is still a secret number for now.

Use 91 octane fuel only in this engine and select your out drive reduction ratios with the boat, load, and use in mind.

Now, if you want to use 89 octane gas and use a cheaper/lighter stern drive (the dry-sump NX1 SSM), get Merc Racing’s sister offering, a 1,100 Hp. engine, although some reduction grear ratios cause even this engine to be matched to the M8 stern drive and transmission, for good durability to handle the torque multiplier in a performance boat . This engine has the same compression ratio, same bore and stroke, and the same four cam design.

This one is a torque monster developing 1,100 lb-ft as low as 2,500 rpm. It does a single throttle body rather than the two that comes with the 1,350. The warranty stays the same at one year for recreational boating.

Mercury Marine offers through its Merc Racing division a 1,350 Hp engine with a one year warranty for recreational boating. This engine uses four cams (or quad cams) with four valves in an engine that is turbocharged (turbo-compressor induction in Mercury Marine speak) with a 6,500 rpm redline to get this top power from the 9 liter engine displacement (552 cu. in.).

This 1,720 lb. engine requires a Merc Racing’s dry-sump M8 stern drive which uses a integral Merc Racing dry-sump Hydraulic transmission. Expensive stuff, these M8 out drive pieces, but they are built to take the torque of this engine.

Additional Hp above the 1,350 Hp quoted is available with a proper engine room design by the boat builder that allows for lower engine intake air temperatures. Some say it can go up to shh! Hp with the right spirit of coordination between Merc Racing and your high performance boat builder. But, that is still a secret number for now.

Use 91 octane fuel only in this engine and select your out drive reduction ratios with the boat, load, and use in mind.

Now, if you want to use 89 octane gas and use a cheaper/lighter stern drive (the dry-sump NX1 SSM), get Merc Racing’s sister offering, a 1,100 Hp. engine, although some reduction grear ratios cause even this engine to be matched to the M8 stern drive and transmission, for good durability to handle the torque multiplier in a performance boat . This engine has the same compression ratio, same bore and stroke, and the same four cam design.

Merc Racing NXT1 SSM stern drive

This 1,100 Hp one is a torque monster developing 1,100 lb-ft as low as 2,500 rpm. It does a single throttle body rather than the two that comes with the 1,350. The warranty stays the same at one year for recreational boating.

Merc Racing 1,100 Hp engine

fiberglass bow rider power boat by Cobalt boats

Cobalt Boats have put their 210 bow rider on sale at the boat show. This is an opportunity to put your family in a luxurious, top quality Cobalt Boat at a terrific value. Now you can have all that makes for a top shelf family bow rider power boat on your waterways.

But it is the ride and handling that a Cobalt boat is known for. Buy a boat for its performance on the water. Get to know that legendary bow rider experience for yourself. It starts with a chop splitting sharp vee at the bow and continues into a hull bottom shape that gives a soft ride in a quick to plane performance boat. Yes, she is a performance boat, just try her out and you will experience performance on the water in a top-of-the-pile family boat.

This Cobalt bow rider power boat is 22’ 5” in length with its swim platform and has a trailer able maximum 8’ 6” beam. The boat and engine weight in at about 3,850 lbs. before you fill its generous 40 gal fuel tank and cockpit with up to 1,650 lbs. of family, friends, and gear. The Coast Guard rates that as a 12 person boat.

After the ride a Cobalt boat is all about fit, finish, and a healthy dose of hand craftsmanship from a dedicated group of middle of America folks that make outstanding power boats. Tour this boat builder’s plant and see happy, energetic people, as Seabuddy has.

The Cobalt 210 fiberglass bow rider power boat is something for you to see at the boat show.

cockpit and helm photo of Cobalt bow rider fiberglass power boat

Pricing sign photo of model 210 Cobalt boat bow rider power boat

Chaparral 2012 H2O Sport Bow Rider Runabout

Look for the newest thinking in bow rider boats at your local 2012 boat show. A $21,885 price for a boat, motor, and trailer is a “barn burner” price coming from the one boat builder that has won 40 plus awards for boat product excellence, customer service index (CSI) awards for excellence in customer satisfaction for the last four years, all topped with an amazing 12 awards as simply the Boat of the Year of all boats tested by the boating magazines over the years. That boating trade industry recognition gives confidence to a boat buyer both in the company that makes a full range of bow rider, cuddy, sport, express, and cabin cruiser boats and in each of their individual boat models.

Are you new to boating or a lifelong boater? Inspect for yourself this sport series bow rider stern drive boat aimed at families that want to get on the water. You want for yourself the quality family building lifestyle experience that a trailer boat becomes as a fully fun adventure together for Mom, Dad, and the Kids. This runabout is big enough for all of the family AND two or three extra friends as well (an invite at your kid’s school for a weekend boat ride is valued as a very special treat in any home or community).

This is a big 18 foot PLUS boat with a wide, spacious cockpit, lots of storage areas, padded bow seating seat bases and seat backs, full, wrap around windshield, well placed grab handles, a cushioned sunning pad, built in swim platform, driver and co-captain bucket seats, and a walk through easy opening passage way to the bow.

Remember, the kids rule the boat by sitting up in the bow so Mom can keep an eye on them without having to turn around while Dad is in command at the helm. Only a generously deep, high sided, top quality bow rider boat suits this style of a day full of fun on the water.

Simply put, Chaparral makes another top shelf water ski boat for 2012 in its H2O Sport. Take a look, please, and tell them when you do that you read about it at www.seabuddyonboats.com.

Visit the Javits Convention Center on 11^th avenue in New York City during the boat show to see Mercruiser’s 8.2 engines that come in 380 Hp, 430 Hp H O, 525 Hp EFI, and 700 Hp SCi variations, among the other engines on display, although not all engines are guaranteed to be at the boat show, in their booth (C-18) and installed in boats on the boat show N Y convention center exhibit floor.

These engines are based on at least two chevy engine blocks with various heads to develop their reliable marine horse power at these levels. The 380 Hp is the one that is popular in a cabin cruiser and bigger family bow riders. Its full throttle rpm range is 4,400 – 4,800 rpm and has a cam and valve train that works best for those kind of rpms. The peak power has been dyno’d at 4,200 rpm before it starts to fall off and the 430 Hp H O verison exchanges some low end power compared to the 380 Hp for more clearly power over 4,000 rpm that then peaks at 4,700 – 4,800 rpm. The full throttle rpm range for the 430 Hp H O is put at 4,600 – 5,200 rpm. A 380 Hp engine will best a 430 Hp power boat up to about 4,000 rpm, where the 430 Hp then really pulls ahead.

Seabuddy has done a sea trial with each of these engines, and in a 7,000 lb type boat it proved hard to tell the difference between them in a pleasure boat application.

2012 Mercruiser 380 Hp 8.2 powerboat engine

Mercury Marine uses its Merc Racing division to sell the 525 Hp EFI bumps up the power and the full throttle rpm to 4,800 – 5,200 rpm. They add even more changes to the engine parts like a different fuel injection system AND a 3.3 liter supercharger to get a rating of 700 Hp at the same full throttle rpm range of 4,800 – 5,200 rpms.

All of these 502 cu. in. (8.2 litre) engines have a bore of 4.47 inches with a 4 inch stroke.

2012 Mercruiser 430 HO 8.2 engine

2012 Mercury Racing 525 Hp EFI engine

2012 Mercury Racing SCi 700 Hp engine

2012 Sea Ray 300 SLX

Sea Ray makes a bow rider that is 32’ 2” in length with its extended swim platform or 29’ 6” with the standard swim step platform. It is a 9’ 8” beam boat that can still be trailered but only with a fairly simple to get permit. The single engine boat typically weighs in at 7,700 without trailer, or anything in the holding tank, water tank, or fuel tank or boat and crew supplies on board. Figure on a ready tow down to the highway weight of around 10,500 to more likely, 11,000 lbs. It takes a good size tow car or truck to tow it. But, what a beautiful runabout!

The single engine choice is a big block 380 Hp 8.2 Mag ECT gas engine with a standard grade Bravo III out drive. The 430 H. O. 8.2 engine or the 525 Hp engine version of the 8.2 is not offered and the 700 SCi (another version of the 8.2 block with a supercharger included as standard) may not fit. These higher Hp engine power choices would require an upgraded stern drive from Mercruiser. Only an inboard outboard drive system is available with the Sea Ray 300 SLX boat model.

The twin engine choices are several. They are small blocks from chevy marinised by Mercruiser in either a 5.0 block size or a 5.7 block. The 5.0 is rated at 260 Hp and the 5.7 makes 300 Hp. That is 300 Hp for each engine for a total of 600 Hp in an about a high mid-twenties length hull.

What further separates these twin engine choices is the separate option of Axius and Axius Premier joy stick control systems. With this, just a single finger joy stick controls the direction and speed of the Sea Ray 300 SLX at lower speeds.

See this Sea Ray boat at the New York Boat Show.

2012 Sea Ray Bow Rider

Sea Ray bow rider Helm Station