Boating — December 2018

(Brent) #1
SPEED EFFICIENCY OPERATIONnaut. stat. n. mi. s. mi. sound
rpm knots mph gph mpg mpg range range angle level
1000 3.65 4.20 0.60 6.08 7.00 219 252 0 71
1500 5.30 6.10 1.20 4.42 5.08 159 183 1 73
2000 6.17 7.10 2.30 2.68 3.09 97 111 2 77
2500 7.04 8.10 4.00 1.76 2.03 63 73 5 84
3000 7.65 8.80 5.90 1.30 1.49 47 54 5 85
3500 18.86 21.70 6.00 3.14 3.62 113 130 4 90
4000 25.63 29.50 7.40 3.46 3.99 125 144 3 88
4500 30.76 35.40 9.70 3.17 3.65 114 131 3 89
5000 35.45 40.80 11.40 3.11 3.58 112 129 3 91
5500 39.60 46.50 14.10 2.81 3.30 101 119 3 93
5950 43.28 49.80 17.80 2.43 2.80 88 101 2 93
MOST ECONOMICAL CRUISING SPEED

High Points
XOutboard power advantages:
lighter weight, ease of mainte-
nance and more cockpit space.
XGreat ride in any reasonable condi-
tion keeps passengers happy.
XCockpit options to suit your
climate.

Specs
· LOA: 20'3" · BEAM: 8'6"
· DRY WEIGHT: 2,899 lb. · SEATING/
WEIGHT CAPACITY: 11/2,400 lb.
· FUEL CAPACITY: 40 gal.

How We Tested
ENGINE: Evinrude G2 E-Tec 200
gasoline outboard
DRIVE/PROP: Outboard/14.5" x 21" BRP
Viper 3-blade stainless steel
GEAR RATIO: 2.17:1
FUEL LOAD: 30 gal.
CREW WEIGHT: 875 lb.
Price
$50,700 (base with
test power)

GLASTRON


GTD 200


The center aft seat cushion is hinged
and covers a mesh liner for wet gear. The
other cushions lift off and reveal a smooth
bottom and access to the inner transom;
fuel lines and the freshwater tank (if
equipped) are to port, the battery in the
center. There’s a walk-through to star-
board to a boarding platform that’s about
24 inches deep on both sides of the out-
board motor, with an 8-inch-deep passway
in front of the motor.
We tested on a really rough lake, and
with this deck-boat hull style, we antici-
pated a pounding ride, but the GTD 200
charged through the head sea with little
drama. Hole shot with the Evinrude 200
was outstanding — we just took off fl at and
accelerated. Fun!

Outboard power, the ever more prevalent
propulsion for an array of boat types, of-
fers a number of well-known plusses.
These include the ability to trim clear
of the water, enhanced corrosion resis-
tance, and providing more space inside
the boat. Outboard power gives this new
20-foot-3-inch Glastron deck boat an ex-
tra dose of performance, as it does other
boats, due to a superior horsepower-to-
weight ratio. The two-stroke Evinrude
E-Tec 200 weighs just 418 pounds, lighter
by half compared to a sterndrive or in-
board of comparable power. (Put another
way, the heavier motors essentially make
you carry the equivalent of three extra
crew members.) Deadrise is a stable 17 de-
grees, and in typical deck-boat style, the
chines are carried far forward to a wide
bow that creates a spacious seating area
and a boarding platform. The styling is
crisp, with some sharp edges and creases
molded into the deck as highlights.

And it’s well-equipped, with a single-
axle trailer, four-speaker audio system
with Bluetooth, a tilt wheel, and a bucket
helm seat with fl ip-up bolster. Choose
from three deck-layout options. The base
boat has a single console at the helm with
seating wrapped all around the port side
of the cockpit. The console is topped with
a smoked windscreen. The second op-
tion adds a portside console ($913) with a
similar windscreen that also incorporates
a pocket in its base for a 25-quart cooler.
The third choice adds a full-glass wind-
shield ($967) to these dual consoles. To
port, the gunwale and coaming pad are
hinged and pivot 180 degrees outboard to
ease dockside boarding.

PHOTOS: COURTESY GLASTRON BOATS

GLASTRON BOATS
Cadillac, Michigan; 231-775-1351; glastron.com

C


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