3 liveaboard years on the Great Loop taught them what they actually needed ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­  

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BoatTEST - On The Water Newsletter

Hello Boater

CL Yachts 

Palm Beach Boat Show — Mar. 25-29 

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CL YACHTS will be at the Palm Beach Boat Show with several models from their CL Motor Yacht series on display, including larger flybridge and raised pilothouse configurations. CL Yachts builds in the 65- to 115-foot range that carry a strong value proposition relative to European brands. Part of that is being privately owned by five fourth-generation brothers, and not a VC plaything like many European brands.

CL YACHTS VIP RESERVATION
DISCOUNT SHOW TICKETS
PBIBS CL Yachts

Aquila Yachts 

Palm Beach Boat Show for VIP Visits 

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AQUILA POWER CATS will be on display at the Palm Beach Boat Show, showcasing a range of models designed around stability, space, and efficiency. Featured boats are expected to include the 54 Yacht, 50 Yacht, and 42 Yacht, along with select Sport and Offshore models with outboard power. They have extremely good value for money. To arrange a private walkthrough, click here…

AQUILA VIP RESERVATION
DISCOUNT SHOW TICKETS
PBIBS Aquila

BRABUS Shadow 500

Fast, Dry, Enclosed

Brabus Marine Shadow 500 Cabin (2021) - Test Video-high

50-KNOT OFFSHORE The Shadow 500 Cabin takes BRABUS’ automotive approach and applies it to Axopar’s twin-stepped offshore hull. BRABUS is known for pushing Mercedes automobiles well past factory limits, while quad outboards push this build to 50 knots. An enclosed pilothouse and sliding doors add weather protection, extending the usable season.

SEE THE SPECS & TEST RESULTS
MORE INFO
PBIBS 2

Nimbus 365 Coupe

Built for Longer Stays

Nimbus 365 Coupé

QUIET BY DESIGN The 365 Coupé leans into Nimbus’ Scandinavian approach: function first. A single Volvo Penta diesel delivers a 20+ knot top end with efficient cruise numbers, while a sound-insulated engine box keeps noise down. Two cabins, a separate shower, and a single-level flow from cockpit to helm point toward extended time aboard rather than day use.

SEE HER UNDERWAY
MORE INFO
Sovereign Fleet & Membership

Sovereign Boat Fleet

Eight Days, No Guesswork

SBF Robalo Bradenton

LOCKED-IN ACCESS Boat clubs often depend on availability, but Sovereign Boat Fleet guarantees it. Members get eight full days each month on a 12-month plan starting at $695, working out to about $170 per day. In Bradenton/Cortez, that includes time aboard this Robalo R317, a dual-console built for cruising, fishing, and watersports.

FIND OUT HOW IT WORKS

Boating Lifestyle

What Living Aboard Taught One Couple

boat-to-call-home

PERFECT DOESN’T EXIST A couple spent three years living aboard a 1989 Marine Trader Double Cabin and cruised thousands of miles on the Great Loop. She ran a single Ford Lehman diesel, stood 18.5 feet tall, and fit the budget. The previous owner was a retired Coast Guard mechanic, which sealed the deal. Three years later they had a completely different list of what they actually needed in a liveaboard.

READ THEIR STORY
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Boomershines Great Loop Adventure ep. 86

River Skills Tested!

Boomershines Ep. 86

100 TONS, ONE LOCK Joliet to Ottawa on the Illinois River with eight other Looper boats in company, the crew works through two locks, shares water with double-wide commercial barges, and gets ordered into a four-boat raft-up by the lockmaster. That's roughly 100 tons of boat lashed together in one chamber. Heritage Harbor is the stop, and a three-hour river course fills the layover day.

WATCH THE LOCK CHAOS
Life is Better on the Water
Tony Rettig

Plenty of smiling faces on a Sea Ray SLX350, on Lake Erie between Put-in-Bay and Port Clinton.

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Questions? Drop us a line: editorial@boattest.com

 

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