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CELEBRATING THE WORLD’S MOST POPULAR BOATS DEEP IMPACT’S 499 SPORT BEAUTY LANDED: MONSTER BLUEFIN TUNA DOMETIC’S STEADY REVOLUTION volume 6 number 1 | 2025$5.99 www.centerconsolelifemag.com TM FORMULA’S 457 CCF GAME CHANGER ESSENTIALS for Serious Anglers GUIDE 7 BOAT & OUTBOARD POWER CCL Cover 6-1.indd 1CCL Cover 6-1.indd 12025-10-27 1:24 PM2025-10-27 1:24 PM2200 West Monroe St. • PO Box 1003 Decatur, IN 46733 • 800.736.7685 www.formulaboats.com THE FORMULA CENTER CONSOLE SPORT series is your move forward for the ultimate offshore adventure! The CCS models push the boundaries of design, engineering and construction in the offshore center console world, celebrating the finish and amenities of Formula’s renewed entry into the CC market. Center console media, builders, and consumers alike were stunned and impressed by Formula’s recent introduction of the 387 and 457 Sport models, executing the ultimate in performance, ergonomics, and amenities in the center console market. At 45’7” with a 13’9” beam, and powered by triple Mercury 600 Verados, the Formula 457 will impress all comers, or choose the 387 CCS with your choice of power from triple Mercury 300 Verados up to twin 600s, and at 38’7” with a 12-foot beam, a true offshore performer. Built to your preference, the Center Console Sports will match your boating style. Opt for a sculpted aft lounge and spacious swim platform for sporting adventures or add some fishing battle-wagon touches – we will build a boat to suit your wants and needs. You will love the dual or triple 22” monitor dash and air-conditioned three-position helm. You can add AC to the 457 second row or aft-facing 387 seating for total crew comfort. And all will enjoy the entertainment-ready cockpit bow area with elevated sun lounge and wraparound seating with power-adjust table. Below, the cabin offers generous headroom and a full aircraft galley with a microwave, fridge, sink, abundant counter and cabinet space, and 8,000 BTU AC. It also has U-lounge seat- ing with a table for dining or entertaining, which can be converted to a two-person berth. A well-appointed, spacious head features a vanity, vessel sink and stand-up shower, which is separate in the 457. Visit formulaboats.com, a Formula showroom, or our head- quarters to learn more about these elite game-changers. The Center Console Sport series will exceed all expectations. You will love what you see – we can’t wait to impress you. MOVE FORWARD FOR ALL YOUR OFFSHORE ADVENTURES – in a Formula Cent er Console Spor t!EXPERIENCE ELEVATED OUTBOARD POWER LIVE WIDE OPEN MERCURYRACING.COM/500R C M Y CM MY CY CMY K 2023-MR-Canada-Ad.pdf 1 8/21/23 10:41 AMMercury R.indd 1Mercury R.indd 12025-10-30 4:24 PM2025-10-30 4:24 PM4 Center Console Life | Volume 6 Number 1 BILL TAYLOR Three years ago, Mercury Marine brought the marine media to the famed Lake X in Florida to show off the company’s latest technology. It was a look into the future of autonomous docking that has now arrived. Simrad recently released the AutoCaptain Autonomous Boating System, the public-ready version of the technology we saw demonstrated on Boston Whaler 350 Outrage. Developed under Brunswick’s ACES (Autonomy, Connectivity, Electrification, Shared Access) strategy, AutoCaptain brings autonomous docking, undocking, and short-range maneuvering to production boats. The technology combines cameras, radar, GPS, and onboard computing to build a 360-degree picture of the surroundings, then integrates with Mercury Marine propulsion and joystick systems to take precise control of the vessel. For boaters, that means less stress at the dock. Anyone who’s battled a crosswind or backed into a slip with a crowd watching knows that docking can be the most nerve-racking part of the day. With the push of a button, the system adjusts throttles and steering to slide a boat into position with deliberate, confident movements. What makes AutoCaptain different from earlier demonstrations is its adaptability, Simrad said. This isn’t limited to pre-mapped marinas or test conditions—it can “see” and interpret its environment in real time. The result is a system that can handle new surroundings and obstacles without pre-programming, giving it far broader usability than the early prototypes shown at Lake X. It’s easy to imagine how technology like this could open boating to more people. Not everyone grows up around docks or learns to handle wind and current by feel. By simplifying one of the hardest parts of boat handling, AutoCaptain can make newcomers more comfortable and seasoned skippers less tense when conditions get tricky. Still, as impressive as the technology is, it’s not a replacement for seamanship. Electronics can fail, sensors can misread, and unexpected situations can develop in seconds. Every captain should still know how to dock, anchor, and maneuver without relying on automation. For now, AutoCaptain feels like a giant next step rather than a revolution. It’s the same way joystick controls once changed boating: first a novelty, then a convenience, and now a must-have for many. The technology will only continue to improve. But even as the digital systems get smarter, the same rule applies—boating still rewards those who know what they’re doing. Whether it’s trimming the engines, judging current, or tying up the lines, human awareness and practice will always matter. AutoCaptain makes docking easier, but it’s still the captain’s job to understand what’s happening and to be ready to take over when the situation calls for it. Technology will continue to fuel the boating industry. As captains, let’s not forget the basics. Bill Taylor, Publisher The Future Has Arrived © 2024 CENTER CONSOLE LIFE POSTMASTER Send all returns to Center Console Life 777 East Park Drive, Tonawanda, NY 14150 Center Console Life is published four times a year. Material in this magazine may not be reproduced in any form without permission. Editorial contributions must be accompanied by return postage and will be handled with reasonable care. The publisher assumes no responsibility for return or safety of artwork, photographs, or manuscripts. Center Console Life reserves the right to refuse any and all advertising and disclaims all responsibilities for claims or statement of facts made by its advertisers or independent columnists. LIFE Center Console Volume 6 Number 1 Publishers William E. Taylor btaylor@taylorpublishinggoup.com Editor Gregg Mansfield greggmansfield@gmail.com Art/Production Manager Giselle Bansal gbansal@taylorpublishinggroup.com Design Tamara Taylor tmtaylor@taylorpublishinggroup.com Contributing Writers Gordon McBride Gregg Mansfield Chris Kourtakis Walt Jennings Zenon Bilas Tim Banse Jarrett Matthews Contributing Photographers Duane Adams Jeff Gerardi Randy Nuzzo Kevin Peterson Todd Taylor ADVERTISING SALES Todd Taylor ttaylor@taylorpublishinggroup.com Kevin Peterson k7peterson@msn.com Jimmy Lorimer jlorimer@aol.com ADMINISTRATION President /CEO William E. Taylor Group Publisher Melanie Taylor-Wallis VP/Marketing Sales Todd Taylor VP/Special Projects Norm Rosen Accounting Nancy Mueller EXECUTIVE AND EDITORIAL OFFICES New York: 777 East Park Drive, Tonawanda, NY 14150 Tel: 1-800-354-9145 Florida: 131 Brandiwood Court, Debary, FL, 32713 Tel: 407-402-0300 Toll Free: 1-800-354-9145 Toronto: 268-44 Crawford Crescent, Campbellville, ON L0P 1B0 Tel: 905-844-8218 Subscription Inquiries Call: 1-800-354-9145 ext 4 www.centerconsolelifemag.com And it knows how to dock a boat. pub page new.indd 4pub page new.indd 42025-10-27 12:27 PM2025-10-27 12:27 PMCigarette.indd 1Cigarette.indd 12025-04-16 10:07 AM2025-04-16 10:07 AM6 Center Console Life | Volume 6 Number 1 www.centerconsolelifemag.com ith the state of politics over the last decade, it’s easy to tune out and focus on friends, family and fishing. Thankfully the folks at the National Marine Manufacturers Association weren’t tuned out when a bad set of regu- lations were introduced by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) back in August 2022. In the proposal, NOAA wanted to expand the current 10-knot (11.5-mph) restriction for up to seven months a year along the East Coast. The proposed changes have expanded the current 10-knot limits for boats from 65 feet to 35 feet, which would have pulled in many center consoles. Even more ominous, the regulations could have extended slow zones as far as 90 miles from the coastline. The regulations were proposed to protect the endangered North Atlantic right whale, which migrates in the Atlantic off the East Coast. With the changing of presidential administrations in January 2025, the NOAA announced it was dropping expanded ves- sel speed regulations. The seasonal speed limits, which have been in place since 2008, remain in place. “The way this rule was drafted gave rulemaking a bad name and created an entirely preventable dynamic,” said Frank Hugelmeyer, president and CEO of the NMMA. “Coastal communities are part of the fabric of this nation, and their liveli- hoods should never be put at risk by the federal government.” The pushback from the marine com- munity was fierce. More than 90,000 com- ments were submitted with the NMMA leading the lobbying efforts to stop the regulations. The regulations popped onto my radar through Viking Yachts and its President and CEO Patrick J. Healey. Healey was willing to talk with anyone on why the regulations would have devastated fishing communi- ties along the East Coast. Healey addressed the issue at boat show press conferences and Viking Yachts included regular updates in its newsletters. “It was important to remind the public about what was being proposed,” said Chris Landry, Viking Yacht’s director of commu- nications. “If the regulations were imple- mented, it would have been draconian for boaters as well as the industry.” As Landry points out, no sane boater wants to see the North Atlantic right whales harmed. What was debatable was whether blanket vessel speed limits were the solution. The current speed limits vary by region along the East Coast, but generally the speed restrictions are from November to April. That’s when the whales travel between calving grounds in the Southeast to the feeding areas in the Northeast. Because the whales spend much of their time near the surface, they are vulnerable to colli- sions. Conservationists estimate the North Atlantic right whale population is less than 500. The NMMA’s Hugelmeyer argues the industry should be allowed to develop technology-based solutions to reduce whale strikes. If the technology is success- ful, it could even eliminate speed limits that were established by the George W. Bush administration in 2008. What could the new technology look like? Among the technologies being looked at are Automatic Identification Systems alerts, notifying boaters of the whales in the area. Other ideas being researched include using satellites to track the mam- mals and the development of whale-avoid- ance systems for larger commercial and recreational boats. There’s no timeline for when the new technology could come to market, but the marine industry has at least the next four years. The Trump administration is slashing federal regulations—not adding to them. Yet the marine industry needs to make good on a technology-based solution, rather than hoping the next presidential administration will maintain status quo. Over the years, I’ve seen many chal- lenges to the marine industry from luxury taxes to stricter environmental regulations for engines. Every time the marine industry played defense with state and federal gov- ernments setting the standards. Let’s hope the marine industry uses the time to develop the game-changing tech- nology. East Coast boaters and whales are counting on it. Gregg Mansfield Editor The marine industry won a major skirmish over expanding speed restrictions for whales. W EDI T OR ’S P A GE GREGG MANSFIELD A Whale of a FightAMP New.indd 1AMP New.indd 12025-10-30 4:22 PM2025-10-30 4:22 PM8 Center Console Life | Volume 6 Number 1 Contents COLUMNS: 6 EDITOR’S PAGE 10 IN THE NEWS FEATURES: 16 NEW MARINE TECHNOLOGIES From binoculars to new electronics, here are seven smart upgrades for anglers 18 FORUMLA 457 CCF The 457 CCF is an impressive model that covers all bases. 22 BORN TO RUN Deep Impact’s new 499 Sport is a 3,000-horsepower center console beast. 26 BOAT BUYERS GUIDE Find your next center console from this crop of new models. 22 40 FIRST IMPRESSION: HONDA, McLAREN 300-HP POWERHOUSE The M300 delivers midrange pop and stellar fuel economy. 42 STEADY AS SHE GOES: DOMETIC’S NEW GYROSTABILIZER Dometic joins the growing market of gyrostabilizers for improving the ride. @centerconsolelifemag @cclifemag www.centerconsolelifemag.com FOLLOW CENTER CONSOLE LIFE: 42 16Next >