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"  Winter is an exciting time of year for boating enthusiasts. It signals the start of the boat show season--a chance to climb aboard and take a close look at a variety of boats and accessories before you buy. While you&amp;#039;re looking, keep in mind that many boats are designed for a specific purpose, so it&amp;#039;s important to decide what you want yours to do before you plunk down any money. After all, you don&amp;#039;t want to find out that a craft you bought for waterskiing is best for bass fishing. We chose five popular categories of powerboats and then picked the craft in each that stands out. The designs of these models have been refined through years of feedback from competitive fishermen, anglers, cruisers and skiers. The boats we selected aren&amp;#039;t the cheapest in their class, but their state-of-the-art features make them a good place to start your comparisons. CLASSIC BASS The bass boat is defined by a low freeboard, an uncluttered interior, lots of storage, and the speed and stability to get from fishing hole to fishing hole fast. The features once carried only by the pros have become standard on today&amp;#039;s boats for weekend anglers. Ranger has been making bass boats since this kind of fishing was launched as a professional sport in the late 1960s. The interior layout of the company&amp;#039;s 188VS reflects years of tournament-driven refinements, including raised decks front and back for good visibility, and the option of single or double consoles in the cockpit. Nonslip carpeting provides traction and dampens sound. While the pro tournament boats are more than 20 ft. long to handle big, open water, a popular size for weekend anglers is the 18-footer. Ranger&amp;#039;s new 18-ft. 8-in. 188VS has most of the features of the bigger boats, but its smaller size, shallow 16-in. draft and bow-mounted trolling motor give it the agility needed to navigate rivers and back bays. And, it fits in an average garage. The storage in the 188VS is impressive for its capacity and convenience. A recirculating, aerated livewell with a filter screen, located under the rear platform, provides a soft ride for both live bait and for bass headed for weigh-in at a weekend club tournament. Two full-length lockers in front can keep 16 rigged rods out of the way, yet instantly accessible. With its stock Yamaha F-150, the Ranger 188VS can hit about 65 mph, but the beamy hull can handle up to a 175-hp motor. For two-stroke fans, this model is also available with Evinrude and Mercury power options. BASS BOAT RANGER 188VS  SPECS LENGTH OVERALL (LOA): 18 ft. 8 in. BEAM: 92 in. DRY WEIGHT: 1575 lb. MAX. POWER: 175-hp outboard PRICE: $30,510 with a Yamaha F-150 FUEL: 38 gal.  INFO: rangerboats.com Key ACCESSORIES  Humminbird Matrix 87c Combo ($699) Color fishfinder with GPS chart plotter and inland-water cartography. humminbird.com MotorGuide TR109P Digital ($999) 36-volt, 105-pound-thrust trolling motor with built-in transducer and foot control.  motorguide.com  Hot Foot Throttle ($75) and Foot Trim Control ($25) let you keep both hands on the wheel while adjusting speed and trim.  bobsmachine.com  LURE OF BLUE WATER An offshore fishing boat must be built to withstand the potentially rough waters of the open sea. &amp;quot;Most people get into trouble because they go offshore in a boat that&amp;#039;s too small,&amp;quot; says Ralph Delph, a charter captain with 35 years of offshore fishing experience. At just over 26 ft., the 260 Sportfish center console from Scout is sized for safe blue-water exploration, and at 8-1/2 ft. wide, it&amp;#039;s still trailerable. The 260 SF is rated to carry a pair of 175-hp four-stroke outboards and can go an impressive 300-plus miles on the 145-gal. fuel tank. Its deep V-hull cuts through chop while the wide bow flare makes for a dry ride. A helm leaning post and a foldaway transom seat provide a comfortable cruise to the fishing grounds and alleviate the lack of seating that usually plagues center-console designs. And there&amp;#039;s an enclosed head in the 260 SF&amp;#039;s oversize console. Other features include a 27-gal. aerated livewell with divider, two 120-quart port and starboard fish boxes, a large insulated fish box in the bow, a bait prep station with a freshwater sink, a raw-water washdown system, and generous protected tackle storage. The helm station has a locking cover to secure valuable electronics when at dockside. These days, most saltwater fishermen use a fishfinder. For $3925, you can put together the Raymarine C-Series with a 10-in. multifunction navigation display, an integrated RayStar RS125 GPS, and the DSM300 digital fishfinder--the first all-digital sounder on the market. SALTWATER SCOUT 260 SPORTFISH  SPECS LOA: 26 ft. 2 in.  BEAM: 106 in.  DRY WEIGHT: 4100 lb.  MAX. POWER: 350-hp outboard PRICE: $93,212 with twin Yamaha F-150s FUEL: 145 gal.  INFO: scoutboats.com KEY ACCESSORIES  Raymarine C-Series ($3925) The C120 display is available with RayStar RS125 GPS for chart plotting and a DSM300 digital fishfinder. raymarine.com  Shimano Torsa 20 ($689) can adjust for eight drag cams to suit different techniques. shimano.com FLOATING PARTY Like a patio on the water, pontoon boats are the ultimate friends-and-family party craft, and are best suited for lakes. The design theory is simple: A flat deck mounted on floats sets the stage for limitless customizing. But, modern pontoon boats are a far cry from the original sheets of plywood fastened to empty oil drums. Bennington Marine&amp;#039;s 2275 RL is built on the company&amp;#039;s trademark round pontoons, which offer superior stability and buoyancy over conventional oval pontoons. The 2275 RL can be configured with either two or three pontoons. With three of the largest, 25-in.-dia. pontoons, the 2275 RL is rated for 2000 pounds, or 14 people with gear. The seven-ply 3/4-in. plywood decks are through-bolted to a beefy aluminum support structure. Together, these carry a lifetime warranty. Each Bennington 2275 RL is built to order and has a surprisingly short delivery time of three to six weeks. Options include ski and fishing setups and canvas enclosures for camping on the water. PONTOON BENNINGTON MARINE 2275 RL  SPECS LOA: 22 ft.  BEAM: 102 in.  DRY WEIGHT: 2300 lb.  MAX. POWER: 175-hp outboard PRICE: $32,000 with a Yamaha F-150 FUEL: 26 gal.  INFO: benningtonmarine.com KEY ACCESSORIES  Magma Catalina stainless steel gas grill ($460) bolts to the safety rail and uses an on-board propane system or canister. magmaproducts.com  Tailgator two-stroke 2-1/4-hp 24cc portable gas-powered blender ($300) is one of the most powerful around and makes short work of ice.  tailgatorzone.com COMFORT CRUISE Part sports car, part sedan on the water, a sport cruiser is the boat to buy when your main goal is to get there fast, in comfort and in style. Founded by the legendary Miami powerboat racer Don Aronow, Formula has a history of American Power Boat Association wins. The Formula 260 Bowrider has clocked out at over 55 mph in manufacturer&amp;#039;s tests with the optional 8.1-liter Volvo GXI engine--good speed for a cruiser. Its performance hull is a call back to the company&amp;#039;s racing heritage, but this boat really stands out for its luxury. The 260&amp;#039;s molded interior comes with an integral head compartment and a lavish helm station. The walk-through windshield leads to a cushioned open bow area. Other amenities include a pedestal cocktail table in the cockpit, a wet bar with a sink and a Corian countertop. At the stern, the transom door opens to a built-in swim platform with a concealed stainless steel ladder and a shower. CRUISER  FORMULA 260 BOWRIDER  SPECS LOA: 25 ft.  BEAM: 102 in.  DRY WEIGHT: 5800 lb.  MAX. POWER: Mercruiser 496 MAG HO 425 hp inboard/outboard PRICE: $88,290 with a Volvo Penta 5.7 Gi-DP 280 hp FUEL: 92 gal.  INFO: formulaboats.com KEY ACCESSORIES  O&amp;#039;Brien Super Screamer 70-in.-dia. tow tube ($180) is a good introductory model and size that carries two riders. Rope is sold separately. obrien.com  Garmin GPSMap 376C chart plotter and navigator with satellite weather interface ($1000). It moves from car to boat, and can be loaded with charts and road maps.  garmin.com  MS6200 6-1/2-in. waterproof speakers ($99 per pair) and JBL MR-17 stereo ($299) with a Sirius-ready AM/FM/CD player.  prospecelectronics.com  FINE-TUNED ADRENALINE Waterskiers crave the blank canvas of flat water to carve turns, but wakeboarders want the biggest waves they can get to launch their tricks. Until the late 1990s, big wakes for boarding were only created by loading waterski boats with ballast. Then, in 1995, Correct Craft introduced the Super Sport, which had the first hull intentionally configured to create a large wake for boarders. It opened the market for tow-sport-specific hulls. The new Air Nautique SV-211&amp;#039;s design accommodates both tow sports and is the first V-drive to be sanctioned by the USA Water Ski association for competition towboats. A stainless steel plate at the stern, called the Hydro-Gate, controls the flow of water behind the transom and sculpts the size and shape of the wake--creating a flat wave for skiing or a tall one for boarding. In the cockpit, drivers can fine-tune the wake signature to accommodate particular skiing or boarding styles by adjusting a helm-mounted control. Well-designed bottom edges--known as stepped reverse chines--help this 23-footer track straight, improve control and handling, and reduce spray on skiers. Carefully placed lifting strakes on the bottom and the 330-hp Excalibur PCM 5.7-liter V8 engine get the towboat and skiers up on plane quickly. The SV-211 tops out at 45 mph. A 375-hp PCM 6.0-liter V8 is also an option. In the Air Nautique&amp;#039;s V-drive design, the engine is installed at the rear, &amp;quot;backward,&amp;quot; with the gearbox facing the bow. As a result, the engine is positioned close to the transom, making the cockpit roomier. The shift of the engine weight rearward also improves stability and wake formation. The Air Nautique has 55 cu. ft. of storage including space under the rear deck and an in-floor ski locker. The Defcon I and III carbon-encased speakers are optional. SKI/WAKEBOARD  AIR NAUTIQUE SV-211  SPECS LOA: 23 ft. 1 in BEAM: 93 in.  DRY WEIGHT: 3350 lb.  MAX. POWER: PCM 6.0-liter V8, 375-hp inboard PRICE: $57,544 with a PCM Excalibur 5.7-liter 330 hp FUEL: 38 gal.  INFO: correctcraft.com KEY ACCESSORIES  Goode 9700 carbon-fiber slalom ski ($990) and bindings (up to $220) are produced in limited numbers in a small shop by competitive skiers for all-around recreational use.  goode.com  The Law by O&amp;#039;Neill ($130), a Coast Guard-approved personal flotation device made of neoprene and foam, has break points between internal foam sections to improve flexibility and fit.  oneill.com  MS6200 6-1/2-in. waterproof speakers ($99 per pair) and JBL MR-17 stereo ($299) with a Sirius-ready AM/FM/CD player. prospecelectronics.com  The 70-ft. three-section Microfusion Mainline rope ($80) has a tight weave and two 5-ft. detachable extensions.  masterlineusa.com "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.popularmechanics.com/adventure/outdoors/a479/2278766/>