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DDDD DDDDVOLUME 39 NUMBER 5 SYLVANSYLVAN A-SERIES 268-44 Crawford Cres., Campbellville, ON L0P 1B0 2nd Class Registration Number #43638025 POKER RUNPOKER RUN NEW FAMILY CLASS NEW FAMILY CLASS Hits the WaterHits the Water Checkmate Checkmate PowerboatsPowerboats LEGENDS COME TOGETHER CANADA’S PREMIER BOATING PUBLICATION IMPRESSIVE CENTER CONSOLES 2525 $9.95 www.powerboating.com VALVE CLATTER GET IT CHECKED OUT Cover 39-5.indd 1Cover 39-5.indd 12025-01-22 4:34 PM2025-01-22 4:34 PMYour boat, your coverage Visit aviva.ca/nauticlife or talk to your broker to learn more. Sail | Jet | Sport | Fishing | Cruiser and cuddy | Houseboat Pontoon and deck | Runabout | Personal watercraft Insurance products are subject to terms, conditions, restrictions and exclusions, which are outlined in our final policy wording. Please speak with your Aviva insurance broker to learn more. Insurance products are underwritten by Elite Insurance Company, a subsidiary of Aviva Canada Inc. Product availability varies by province. Aviva and the Aviva logo are trademarks used under license by the licensor. CS-23-10937 11/23 © Aviva4 www.powerboating.comPower Boating Canada | Volume 39 Number 5 On The Cover: Checkmate Powerboats DDDD DDDD VOLUME 39 NUMBER 5 SYLVANSYLVAN A-SERIES 268-44 Crawford Cres., Campbellville, ON L0P 1B0 2nd Class Registration Number #43638025 POKER RUNPOKER RUN FAMIY CLASS FAMIY CLASS Takes over OntarioTakes over Ontario Checkmate Checkmate PowerboatsPowerboats LEGENDS COME TOGETHER CANADA’S PREMIER BOATING PUBLICATION IMPRESSIVE CENTER CONSOLE 2525 $9.95 www.powerboating.com VALVE CLATTER GET IT CHECKED OUT Cover 39-5.indd 1Cover 39-5.indd 12025-01-21 9:35 AM2025-01-21 9:35 AM features 24 THE DREAM TEAM Checkmate Powerboats gains insight from performance boating legends. 28 A WHOLE NEW CLASS We’re thrilled to introduce the Family Class to our exciting poker run events. 32 EDITOR’S CHOICE: CENTER CONSOLE BUYER’S GUIDE 42 VALVE CLATTER There may not be anything seriously wrong when you hear that mysterious ticking sound under your boat’s engine hatch. 46 WATERFRONT EATS Great eats on the water when travelling south this winter. 48 YACHT CHARTERING Private Motor Yacht Vacations: The Ultimate Boating Experience. 20 we test 20 A LOOK AT SYLVAN A-SERIES The perfect starter pontoon with affordable pricing, modern sleek design and comfort. 32 contentscolumns 6 PUB PAGE 8 LIFELINE 10 HANDLE WITH CARE 12 FISHING TALK 16 GEAR GALLERY 50 MAINSTREAM 48 Contents 39-5.indd 4Contents 39-5.indd 42025-01-22 1:24 PM2025-01-22 1:24 PMTHE ALL-NEW 457 CENTER CONSOLE – Make it Your Destiny! 2200 West Monroe St. • PO Box 1003 Decatur, IN 46733 • 800.736.7685 www.formulaboats.com THE FORMULA 457 CENTER CONSOLE WILL BE YOUR OFFSHORE AD VENTURE DES TINATION! Announced at the Fort Lauderdale Boat Show and debuting at the Miami International Boat Show, the 457 Center Console Fish and Sport models will 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. The center console world – media, builders, and consumers alike – were stunned and impressed by Formula’s recent introduction of the 387 Center Console Fish and 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. Built to your preference, from hard-core fish to upscale sport cruising, or a little of both, the 457 will match your boating style. Opt for foldaway aft seating and pressurized bait- wells for a fishing battlewagon or a sculpted aft lounge and spacious swim platform for sporting adventures – we will build a boat to suit your wants and needs. You will love the tri- ple 22” monitor dash and air-conditioned three-position helm. You can add AC to the second row and aft-facing seating for total crew comfort. Choose the bait station/wetbar or the entertainment-ready cockpit galley to your needs. And all will enjoy the highly styled bow seating with elevated sun lounge and wraparound seating with power-adjust table. Below, the cabin brings you 6’6” of headroom with a full aircraft galley with microwave, fridge, sink and abundant counter and cabinet space, as well as U-lounge seating with a table for dining or entertaining, convertible to a two-person berth. A well-appointed, spacious head features a separate, stand-up shower. Learn more about this elite game-changer at formulaboats.com, then make plans to climb aboard the first 457 in Miami. You will love what you see – we can’t wait to impress you. 457CCbothPokerRuns.MY24.indd 1457CCbothPokerRuns.MY24.indd 12023-12-14 12:03 PM2023-12-14 12:03 PM6 Volume 39 Number 5 Publisher William E. Taylor bill@powerboating.com Group Publisher Melanie Taylor-Wallis melanie@powerboating.com Editorial Director Norm Rosen nrosen@taylorpublishinggroup.com Assistant Editor media@taylorpublishinggroup.com Art/Production Manager Giselle Bansal gbansal@taylorpublishinggroup.com Design Tamara Taylor ads@powerboating.com Web Design Moe Basha mbasha@taylorpublishinggroup.com Contributing Writers Tim Banse Zenon Bilas / Boat Testers Mike Burns Tom Dillion Garth Cane Gordon Cruise McBride John Gullick Kenny Hohwiesner Bill Jennings Walt Jennings Mark King Chris Kourtakis Gregg Mansfield Jarrett Matthews Hasan Nasir Mark Rotharmel Todd Taylor ADVERTISING SALES Todd Taylor todd@powerboating.com Eric Spath spatheric@gmail.com Kevin Peterson klpetersonmarketing@gmail.com Subscription circulation@taylorpublishinggroup.com Lifestyle Coordinator Todd Taylor todd@powerboating.com Events Co-ordinator Melanie Taylor-Wallis mtaylor@taylorpublishinggroup.com ADMINISTRATION President /CEO William E. Taylor Group Publisher Melanie Taylor-Wallis VP/Special Projects Norm Rosen Accounting Nancy Mueller nmueller@taylorpublishinggroup.com EXECUTIVE AND EDITORIAL OFFICES Toronto: 268-44 Crawford Crescent, Campbellville, ON L0P 1B0 Tel: 905-844-8218 Fax: 905-844-5032 Montreal: Tel: 514-856-0788 Fax: 514-856-0790 Vancouver: Carole Taylor, 1745 Rufus Drive North Vancouver, BC V7J 3L8 New York: 777 East Park Drive, Tonawanda, NY 14150 Florida: PO Box 530584, Debary, FL 32753 Subscription Inquiries Call: 1-800-354-9145 Power Boating Canada is published six times a year by Power Boating Canada, Jan/Feb, Mar/Apr, May/ Jun, Jul/Aug, Sep/Oct, Nov/Dec, including Annual New Boat Buyers Guide with a subscription price of $35.00 + HST included for one year and $50.00 + HST including for two years. US $45.00 + HST for one year. Other $75.00 + HST . 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. Power Boating Canada 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. PRINTED IN CANADA CANADA POST PUBLICATIONS MAIL SALES PRODUCT AGREEMENT NUMBER 43638025 MONTREAL, QUEBEC © 2024 POWER BOATING CANADA Attention Post Office: Return all undeliverables to Toronto office only ® RVDealer NEWS CANADA’S INDUSTRY MAGAZINERVDealer NEWS CANADA’S INDUSTRY MAGAZINE ® ® ® RVDealer NEWS CANADA’S INDUSTRY MAGAZINE BOATCANADA Pontoon & Deck William E. Taylor Publisher bill@powerboating.com Follow us on Facebook! @PowerBoatingCanada Follow us on Instagram! @powerboatingcanada At Season’s End! NEXT YEAR JUST GETS BETTER AND BETTER. PUB PAGE There’s an old saying that goes something like, “When one door closes another one opens,” and that can’t be more true for boaters than at the end of each season. As we put our beloved boats to bed – perhaps with a list of items to be repaired by our marina over the winter – we close the “using the boat” door, and open the “planning and dreaming” door. In this issue we look ahead to first the winter season – when Canadians dream of escaping mother nature’s cold grasp (or strangle hold?) – and we’ve got just the thing for you: a winter escape on your boat somewhere warm with some good eats from down south! Check out our feature story on page 46 and begin planning your vacation now – it’s not too late! We also look ahead with Mark King, sharing some tips for use and best practices to protect your boat with fenders – check out his Lifeline column, and you’ll learn a few tips like I did. Patrick Campeau shares with us stealth fishing with electric outboard power in his Fish Talk column on page 12. Speaking of features, our Editor shares two new boats this issue – the Sylvan Pontoon A-series where sleek, modern design meets performance. We take a look at Checkmate Powerboats where industry legends come together to gain insights on boat building – see the story on page 24. This past summer Power Boating Canada had a blast on the water bringing a whole new aspect to the poker runs sport by including a family class boat division to the runs. Now everyone whether running a 40-foot performance boat or a family pontoon can join the excitement. So here we are, as the Canadian in-water boating season has chilled to a halt, and the excitement is shifting to the many venues across North America, where boating enthusiasts gather indoors to experience the excitement of the winter boat show season. As I write this column, the weather outside is perfect - with only a few flurries, and I am reminiscing about the wonderful events of the past summer, and remembering those great days with the family Stay safe and see you at the winter boat shows! Power Boating Canada | Volume 39 Number 5 Pub Page 39-5.indd 6Pub Page 39-5.indd 62025-01-22 4:38 PM2025-01-22 4:38 PMMeticulously Designed with Boaters in Mind Scan the code to start building the perfect Starcraft for you starcraftmarine.com smokercraftincorporated.com8 www.powerboating.comPower Boating Canada | Volume 39 Number 5 Mark King o begin, they are called fenders, not bumpers. Bumpers go on cars and trucks. The items that are draped over the side of boats to protect your hull and its finish are called fenders. Traditionally fenders were made of rope. A quick search of the internet and you can still find instructions on to make your own magnificent for your boat, including YouTube videos. You can also purchase rope fenders – made with traditional hemp or nylon – but they are a special order item and it is unlikely you will find them on your local retailer’s shelf. What you will find on shelves today includes a wide array of fenders, from large round fenders, all the way to hull-hugging flat fenders covered in vinyl. All modern fenders have high energy absorption but a low reactive force as they regain their shape. They can take a pounding but do not spring back into shape too quickly quickly, minimizing abrupt movements or turbulence in the water. Each has a purpose and some are better suited for the situation than others although they will all absorb shock, keep your hull clean, and return to their original shape ready to protect. Types of Fenders There are several main types of fenders, round, cylindrical, and flat. Round fenders are common on larger boats and boats with highly flared bows. They are also commonly seen on mooring buoys and sometimes when boats of different sizes and shapes are rafted together. They have one attachment point. There are two major drawbacks to round fenders on smaller boats. The first is the distance away from a dock that a boat has to be due to the size of the fender needed for the best protection. The second issue with round fenders is that they tend to roll out of the way as the boat moves with wave action. Storage is also difficult as they take up a great deal of space. Cylindrical fenders are by far the most commonly seen on pleasure crafts. They come in several types and configurations. Smooth sided cylindrical fenders will roll along the edge of a hull easily while those with ribs will not have the same tendency. They can have an eye in one end, an eye in both ends to use the fender horizontally, or a hole in the middle along the length to pass a line all the way through which makes it convenient to hang the fender, both horizontally as well as vertically. Contour fenders which are flat and lie against the hull, tend to have a joint in them to fit along the gunwales and sides of small boats, folding at the joint to follow the curve of the hull. They are not common. Safety Considerations There are a few safety rules that you should bear in mind when using your fenders. First, they should not be deployed before you dock. Fenders hanging off the side of a boat can become tangled and caught in unseen hazards and piers or items that are rigged along the docks. They can get wedged under docks or act as T BOAT FENDERS 101 TIPS FOR USE AND BEST PRACTICES TO PROTECT YOUR BOAT. LIFELINE Ribbed cylindrical fenders are the most popular. With eyes at both ends they can be tied vertically or horizontally. Flat fender like this SENTRY Boat Fenders 2.0. Round fenders are large and usually come deflated. They can be difficult to store. Lifeline 39-5.indd 8Lifeline 39-5.indd 82025-01-22 11:38 AM2025-01-22 11:38 AM9 Volume 39 Number 5 | Power Boating Canada www.powerboating.com springboards and cause handling problems for the skipper who might not be aware that there is a problem due to limited vision along the side of the boat. They should be prepared just before landing and rigged immediately upon arrival to be fine-tuned once the boat is securely tied up. An exception to this could be when a vessel returns to its home dock. If fender lines are rigged to fit and there is no danger of handling issues than deploying them prior to docking can be appropriate. The second rule is as much a tradition as a rule. Fenders should be pulled back onboard once you’re underway. Left hanging they can become flotsam if their knots release and other boaters may not see them on the water, tangling lines in propellers. The final rule is to ensure that you use a knot on your cleat or rail that will not release either under pressure, or when the pressure is released. Additionally, avoid using polypropylene rope as they can be extremely slippery and do not hold knots well. 705-657-8752 • 14 Fire Rte 25, Buckhorn, ON Canada K0L 1J0 • KawarthaPropeller@gmail.com • www.kawarthapropeller.com OVER 40 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE • Propeller Repair & Sales • Lab Finishing & Blueprinting • Propeller Laser Scanning • Lower Unit & Full Drive Repair • Shaft Straightening & New Shaft Manufacturing • Rudder & Strut Repair • Hardware & Accessories WHEN PRECISION MATTERS Canada Sizing Your Fenders Make sure that you use the correct size fenders. You should be looking at a minimum of one inch in diameter for every five feet of boat but this is just a rough rule of thumb. Larger is always better. Fenders are manufactured to standards and they should be inflated to two pounds per inch at 68 degrees Fahrenheit – a little less in hotter weather. The number of fenders you deploy will depend on the size of the boat and where you are using them. At your home dock you will typically have three or four. One at the stern, one at the beamiest section of the boat and at least one more in-between these two. Boats over 30-36 feet may have more. Again, the more you have the better the protection that will be provided to your boat. Fender Use Tips After you have docked, hang the fenders where they will provide the most protection and secure them to the lowest part of the boat that you can reach to help prevent them from rolling. Typically there will be cleats for this purpose on the deck or gunwale. Keep fenders and lines out of the water to prevent algae formation on them unless you need to float them horizontally to prevent chafing against a rough dock. If you are docking alongside pilings, it is best to secure the boat and hang the fenders horizontally, or better still, to hang two or more fenders vertically and attach a fender board to take the blow from the piling. A fender board typically is a two by four or two by six with holes in both ends for lines. It is secured horizontally to the boat, positioned outboard of the vertically hung fenders. In a crowded anchorage, or when rafting, hang fenders from both sides of your boat. In active water, with different sized boats tied up together, a fender board works well. When transiting canals it is also advisable to have fenders on both sides of the boat. Fender boards can also be useful here too. With a wide variety of fenders available it is important to think about what you will need and ensure that you purchase quality items that will protect your boat. Lifeline 39-5.indd 9Lifeline 39-5.indd 92025-01-22 11:38 AM2025-01-22 11:38 AMNext >