Suzuki Goes High-Performance with New 250-hp Outboard

Bass fisherman have another choice for powering their low-to-the-water rocket ships, thanks to Suzuki’s new-for-2008 DF250 SS outboard. Introduced to the press two weeks ago, the potent four-stroke engine is sure to turn a few heads. Look for the engine to go head to head with similar-output direct-injection two-stroke outboards, particularly the Mercury Optimax 250 ProXS and the Yamaha V-Max 250 HPDI. Charlie Plueddeman has the complete—and the first—review of the engine on “The Outboard Expert” on boats.com. Check it out at www.boats.com/news-reviews/article/suzuki-df250ss-outboard-engine-review.

King of Shaves and Roscioli Hotels Triumph In Powerboat P1 Italy Event

Let’s face it: When it comes to V-bottoms, the domestic offshore powerboat racing scene is all but dead. For V-bottom action these days, you’ve got to look to Powerboat P1 in Europe, which has plenty of American-made boats and even a factory-backed team—Outerlimits. But in the second race of the season in Naples, Italy, a Fountain bested the Evolution-class field. Looks like the Fountain versus Outerlimits battle that was so hot on the homefront will reach a boiling point overseas. Check out the news from the Naples event at www.boats.com/news-reviews/article/powerboat-p1-naples-italy-results.

Good Run Video Rocks

OK, I’m usually not a sucker for nostalgic marketing pieces designed to pull on your heartstrings, but “Good Run” on the Discover Boating web site is just amazing. In less than 4 minutes, the producers of this online video manage to take you through one man’s entire on-water life, from fishing with his father to fishing with his grandson. If you want to be reminded of why boating matters—and how powerful it can be—check it out. Visit www.boats.com/news-reviews/article/discover-boating-good-run-video for a quick review and a link to the Discover Boating site.

Malibu Wakesetter 20 VTX is Powerboat Magazines’s 2007 Tow Boat of the Year

Malibu has continued its winning ways in Powerboat magazine’s Award for Product Excellence Program. For the fifth consecutive year, one of the company’s models has taken the publication’s Tow Boat of the Year honor. This time around, the award went to the Wakesetter 20 VTX, a relatively compact wakeboard with surprisingly generous interior space and an endless array of features. Definitely worth checking out if you’re in the market for a top-shelf towing machine, the complete review of the Wakesetter 20 VTX is at: www.boats.com/news-reviews/article/malibu-20-vtx-review

Great Deal with Sea Tow

Spend enough time on the water and eventually something will go wrong—that’s a fact. From mechanical breakdowns to running aground, anything can happen. And even if you’re one of the lucky few who never has a problem, it’s nice to know that if you do help will be on the way. Sea Tow, the nation’s leading marine assistance provider, delivers that kind of peace of mind. Now boats.com customers can get a free 60-day trial to Sea Tow, and Sea Tow customers can get $20 off any “for sale by owner ad” they place on boats.com. Check out this great deal at: www.boats.com/news-reviews/article/sea-tow-promotion

Baja 277 Islander is Runabout of the Year

Beating out a strong field, the Baja 277 Islander took Powerboat magazine 2007 Runabout of the Year award. A new model, the 27-footer combines bow rider form with sport styling and performance. That latter two qualities were particularly compelling to the Powerboat test team, which praised the boat for its driveablity and predictable handling manners. You can find the complete reviews of the 277 Islander on boats.com. In fact, every week for the next few months the site will have a review of one Powerboat magazine’s 2007 award-winners.

Powerboat Racing In Malta

If the current state of domestic offshore powerboat racing has you less than thrilled, you’ve got to check out what’s happening overseas—especially in Powerboat P1. That’s the hottest V-bottom series going, and the Union Internationale Motonautique-sanctioned circuit just kicked off its season-opener in Malta. Everything about the event, from the conditions to the competition (not to mention the party) was huge. Take a look at the boats.com story on Powerboat Racing In Malta. And don’t miss the upcoming feature on the race in the July 2007 issue of Powerboat, which should hit the newsstands by early June.

More New Outboards from Yamaha

As the world’s most powerful production outboard engine, Yamaha’s F350 has rightly been getting the lion’s share of press when it comes to the engine builder’s 2007 line. But Yamaha has other significant releases for the new-model year, like the four-stroke F225TLR and, on the smaller side of things, the 9.9-hp “mini-kicker.” And Yamaha has reportedly improved the reliability of V-Max engine series. Charlie Plueddeman covers it all in “The Outboard Expert,” so check it out on boats.com.

Outerlimits Wins Coveted Powerboat Magazine Award

Right now, no custom V-bottom builder in the world is doing better work than Outerlimits Powerboat in Bristol, Rhode Island. The company builds composite stepped-bottom models from 37 to 51 feet long, and their quality is unmatched. But Outerlimits also leads the custom V-bottom field when it comes to performance, which is why the company took Powerboat Magazine's coveted 2007 Outstanding Offshore Custom V-Bottom Performance award with its 46 LTD. Check out the complete review in the High-Performance Boat: Outerlimits Powerboats 46' Limited Review.

Yamaha F350 Outboard Tested

We’ve all heard the hype, but no one actually knows how well Yamaha’s new F350 outboard engine will do—until now. Charlie Plueddeman has reviewed the 350-hp outboard in his column, “The Outboard Expert,” on boats.com. It’s the first actual hands-on review of the outboard, and Plueddeman tested it in twin- and triple-engine applications. It’s safe to say he was pretty impressed. Check out the story on Yamaha's new F350 outboard engine on boats.com.