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Major-league
gutsiness results. For example, upon entering the interior of the test
boat for the first time, I jumped with characteristic fervor from a step
just a ways below the threshold of the companionway onto the sole of the
saloon. The thunk that ensued was remarkable. In fact, I promptly jumped
up and down a few times on the sole to confirm my initial impression.
It felt like bedrock, an effect attributable to stringers and transversals
that all belong to one big, integrated part ferociously bonded into the
hull bottom and hull sides.
A slightly
different sort of thunk signaled another example of gutsiness. During
sea trials on the busy Intracoastal Waterway near Pompano, I launched
the Express off the crests of a couple of three-foot motoryacht wakes,
only to land with the same confidence-inspiring solid feeling my antics
inside the boat had generated. Moreover, the top-of-the-line driving experience
I enjoyed at the helm was further enhanced by a comfortable, extra-wide
helmseat, with great visibility, smooth Teleflex hydraulic steering, a
nicely laid-out gauge array, and a top speed of 43.5 mph—pretty
sporty, given the small powerplants.
Only
one complaint marred all this sweetness and light. The single-lever Volvo
Penta engine controls for our twin 270-hp Volvo Penta 5.0 GXi stern drives
had two drive-trim toggles, both in a housing at the top of the port stick.
A single toggle that activates both drives at once would have been more
convenient—trying to thumb two separate toggles equally is a pain.
Sure, separate drive adjustment is a necessary aspect of any savvy steering
station, but give it the secondary priority it deserves: Put the dual
toggles on the dashboard.
One
more minor complaint surfaced as I checked out the Express dockside after
the sea trial. Maintenance access to the optional air conditioning unit
in the compartment under the companionway steps was difficult: It requires
moving the sofa/bed and removing a panel secured with several screws.
Cruisers says future models will have fast access for routine maintenance
via a hinged portion of the companionway steps. Leaving this feature off
the prototype was an oversight, the company says.
Otherwise,
I came across a bunch of nifty features and details. In the engine room,
highlights included massive engine mounts, the installation of ancillaries
like the Bennett trim tab reservoir, the Johnson bilge pump, and the seawater
strainer for the genset on beefy aluminum L-brackets, and an electrical
system with top-shelf components (see the standard equipment list). Below
decks, the decor seemed to benefit as much from Cruisers’ advanced
boatbuilding methods as it does from a nice fit and finish. Prior to the
deck molding being joined to the hull with methacrylate, four separate
all-glass modules—for the head, galley, V-berth, and settee area
on the starboard side—are precisely bonded into the interior. Besides
imparting additional strength and rigidity, the use of so much fiberglass
makes for a clean, modern-looking, easy-to-care-for living space.
The
base price for the Cruisers 3275 Express is $142,490, a reasonable figure
that points up yet another virtue of the futuristic boatbuilding methods
Cruisers is using these days—speedier, easier, and ultimately more
cost-effective production. Just one more reason why this progressively
built, nice-looking little cruiser with the big, practical midcabin, should
sell like hot cakes.
Cruisers
Yachts Phone: (920) 834-2211. Fax: (920) 834-2797. www.cruisersyachts.com.
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