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• Oct 9, 2022

Comparing XPM-78 Yacht Vanguard vs FPB Yachts

Updated: Nov 2, 2023

Our XPM-78 Vanguard has been making waves recently, particularly after being featured in a popular video tour of NavalYachts. This has sparked a lively discussion comparing Vanguard with the FPB-70, a successful series designed by Steve and Linda Dashew. As an explorer yacht builder , we find this comparison fascinating.

Let's dive into the facts and see how these two expedition yachts measure up against each other.

Vanguard was recently featured in a friend's Video following his trip to NavalYachts. It was a popular video attracting many comments, including a few comparing Vanguard to the successful series for FPB designed by Steve and Linda Dashew and built Circa Marine. Rather than becoming anecdotal at this point, what are the factual similarities and differences between our explorer yacht Vanguard and FPB-70?

FPB 70 - acknowledgement to Circa Marine

Firstly though, there is a confession to make, the owners of the explorer yacht Vanguard (us!) initially wanted an FPB 70 (think Buffalo Nickel). A competent and rugged explorer yacht design capable of being handled by a minimum owner/crew of 2. The only problem is that they will never make another to that design. So rather than roll belly up and opt for the typical US "Down East", we decided to build our own.

XPM-78 under construction at Naval Yachts

Xpm - extreme passage maker future-proof (possibly diesel-electric) portfolio (78, 85), fpb - functional power boat has been described as a paradigm shift for motor yachting.

Enter designers like Nigel Irens or Dennis Harjama, proponents of high "Length to Bean" ratio, efficient ocean-going yacht designs. Of these, Dennis of Artnautica is the most active in the space having plans from 58, 65, 68, and, latterly, 85 feet LOA. Comprehensive data on FPB-70 is sparse. With some digging, these are the comparisons that we can find and the differences we have highlighted.

Vanguard vs FPB-70 Yacht: The Hulls

To look firstly at the hull itself. FPB-70 yacht is the same length (LOA) but slightly wider and has a 20% deeper draft. XPM-78 design uses electrical and hybrid power, and that concept demands the lowest hydrodynamic resistance to achieve any practical range. Vanguard sacrifices internal volume to satisfy this, and the seakeeping is yet to be proven. Suffice it to say; Vanguard is a slightly skinnier hull for the same length. Her forefoot is slightly more pronounced to facilitate mounting the bow thruster forward in the narrower beam. Additionally a small bulwark has been fitted for aesthetics and to help keep the foredeck dry(er). She will carry the same crew and has approximately the same internal configuration, just a little less space in comparison but still large by most standards. Notable, though, is that both designs target MCA Category (0) operating envelope; they will both run in the arctic and antarctic regions in the summer months. Stability is perhaps more a marketing figure than something of practical importance. In theory Vanguard has no angle of vanishing stability and FPB-70 has 140 deg in its specification. Both angles are well past a knock-flat and if you ever find the vessel in that position then rollback may be the least of your worries. Let us agree they are both unusually stable and resistant to flooding. Let us also hope the motions are not too stiff then leave it at that. ( I remember once carrying a bulk cargo of finished steel and unable to ballast the wing tanks, horrible motion that went on for weeks. )

Read also: Designing a Robust Hull Structure

Vanguard vs FPB-70 Yacht: Performance

I am wary of quoting exact figures for performance as it is not, in truth, an exact science. It is tempting to simplify this to say that the performance and range are similar. The only notable difference is the maximum speed of Vanguard being somewhat over the theoretical hull speed. She has duplicated diesel with an additional twin hybrid drive to boost performance. Not a practical long-term option, but if you want instantaneous speed, then she has the edge.

Vanguard vs FPB-70 Boat: Structure

Moving on to the yacht structure, XPM-78 and FPB-70 boats are again similar. Both have relatively massive scantlings compared to acceptable construction codes; both are marine-grade aluminum and have identical plate thicknesses. The design is equivalent, with five water-tight compartments and extensive use of double-skin tank construction.

Vanguard vs FPB-70 Boat: Propulsion

On the topic of yacht propulsion, there are some notable differences. Vanguard XPM-78 uses twin Brunton's Autoprops. These are similar to sail drives meaning she can voyage on a single engine without windmilling or incurring much drag. Thus engine operating hours are considerably reduced. She also has a modern diesel electric hybrid drive as the owner's indulgence. Great for in-port maneuvering (with full Dynamic Positioning) and even better for those huge 120kW.H power storage batteries meaning no generator running in port or at anchor, ever! It also means she can charge batteries by running the hybrid drive de-clutched from the propeller resulting in over 90kW charging capacity. Similarly, the solar arrays are larger, further increasing her power independence.

Read also: Hybrid Marine Propulsion - Why Bother?

Vanguard vs FPB-70 Yacht: Summary

Other differences noted boil down to personal choice, the tender design, and the type of stabilizers, painted or bare aluminum, interior facades. These are not fundamental differences and could fit either design with no notable modifications.

So, in essence, to answer the initial question? Yes, very similar, with the XPM-78 reflecting more recently available technology.

However, differences aside, the XPM-78 gives us all that we were looking for in the FPB-70. We also gain a Yard that will indulge our personal biases in a new build.

To conclude, if any reader has considered an FPB as their dream yacht, now consider an XPM a viable, attainable alternative in this size range.

Useful Links

- Berthon International FPB-70 details - HERE

- FPB-70, Buffalo Nickel Blog Site - HERE

- Steve and Linda Dashew FPB Blog Site, FPB-70 details - HERE

- Artnautica LRC/XPM yacht designs - HERE

- XPM-78-02 specification - HERE

Dincer Dinc/Chris Leigh-Jones

Read also: Sea Water Intake System Design Proves Problematic

Read also: yacht fuel and water tank capacities.

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New Dashew Go-Anywhere Motor Yacht FPB 130

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Written by Zuzana Bednarova

The all-new 40-metre motor yacht FPB 130 represents the latest and the largest ever design unveiled by Steve Dashew . Boasting maximum reliability and minimum maintenance, superyacht FPB 130 concept reduces crew requirement, while expanding where, when, as well as how comfortably you can cruise.

New 40m superyacht FPB 130 design unveiled by Steve Dashew

We have asked Steve Dashew about the inspiration behind this design: “ As to the inspiration, the FPB 130 is simply an evolution from the four FPB designs that preceded her .”

In terms of a sea kindly efficient hull form, attention to detail, as well as systems engineering, super yacht FPB130 sets the bar even higher than the four FPB yachts that preceded her.

FPB 130 yacht design – aft view

Launched last year, the Dashew FPB97 motor yacht Iceberg illustrates what is possible in a larger FPB form. She can reach an 11,8-knot cruising speed at 60 liters per hour from a range in excess of 4000 NM, has a six kW solar array, and her owners need only a couple as crew. Three FPB 78 yachts are currently in build, all for prior FPB owners.

As with all FPBs, the all-new FPB 130 yacht has been designed with a double bottom for maximum structural security and massive tankage.

FPB 130 superyacht design

Thanks to her twin 675 HP diesels, super yacht FPB 130 can achieve a top speed of 16,5 knots and a cruising speed of 14 knots at 40% engine load. Shallow 1,65-metre draft, mixed up with the ability to dry out in areas of moderate tides, give this highly innovative vessel a unique cruising capability.

Motor yacht FPB 130 dried out

In response to our question as to what superyacht charter destinations would the new FPB 130 yacht suitable for, Steve Dashew replied:   “The answer is easy: where other charter yachts don’t go. Think Svalbard and the ice pack at 80 degrees north,  Greenland’s Disco Bay, or the South Georgia islands on the way to Antarctica . If you prefer warmer weather, then how about wreck diving on Keeling atoll in the Indian Ocean .”

Please contact CharterWorld - the luxury yacht charter specialist - for more on superyacht news item "New Dashew Go-Anywhere Motor Yacht FPB 130".

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First look: Dashew's largest-ever FPB130

Steve Dashew has shared the design for his largest yet FPB yacht, the 40.4 metre FPB 130, and reveals exclusively to Boat International that construction could begin next year.

Fresh from the launch of the FPB 97, Iceberg , Steve Dashew presents the new flagship designed for incredible efficiency and performance.

“It’s a natural evolution”, Steve Dashew tells Boat International . “Over the last few years, as more FPBs began to cruise and be visited by other yachtsmen and professional crew, we have had requests for a larger FPB”.

Ready for round-the-world cruising and adventure, the FPB 130 is ice-classed and heavy-water capable with capsize recovery systems.

“After the Yogi capsize the interest increased in designs with self rescue”, Dashew says about the capsize recovery feature.

According to Steve Dashew, his team have been working on the design that has now evolved into the FPB 130 since completing hydrostatics on the FPB 97 Iceberg a few years ago, but they weren’t ready to carry on with work on the new FPB flagship until sea trial data was back from Iceberg .

With tiny engines for a yacht of this size – just twin 675hp diesels – Dashew is expecting a range of 5,000 nautical miles at 14 knots with a top speed of 16.5 knots. They are the “most efficient propulsion and electrical systems ever offered in a large yacht”, he says.

Steve Dashew says that in order to address efficiency, he didn’t just look at propulsion but at the yacht’s entire systems and how they worked together, paying careful attention to displacement, weight and hull shape, “where waterline is the key driver, followed by wetted surface and form drag”, says Steve Dashew. “With our hull shapes, wave drag is a small part of the total drag package”.

Dashew notes that systems are key as well, and by reducing generator requirements, weight can be saved from machinery and put back into the hull structure – for needs such as ice classification. Keeping the structural weight low overall reduces the waterline beam, which adds to the efficiency. Smaller engines are needed to push a more efficient and lighter hull, which saves on fule. But at the same time, Dashew was able to use larger propellers.

“A side benefit is sea going comfort”, he says.

Steve Dashew says metal could begin to be cut for the construction of the first-ever FPB 130 around the first of next year.

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Designed to Travel

Kaizen was designed to travel. With a range of 9,000nm this yacht is serious about exploration, capable of transoceanic voyages and able to access remote areas that others cannot. In fact, the innovative 360-degree Furuno commercial sonar system, new in 2022, which retracts into the hull, facilitates all kinds of off-the-beaten track discovery, into uncharted bays that other boats wouldn’t be able to reach. The autonomy motor yacht Kaizen provides is next level – it’s well suited to Owner operation but equally has the onboard space to accommodate a crew Captain.

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Kaizen Through the Lens

Versatility at its Best

Clever Use of Space

The salon is optimised to make the best use of space, with a practical galley area and navigation station. There is comfortable seating and a dining table; the whole space is surrounded by large windows which enhances the feeling of space as well as allowing panoramic views of the scenery beyond.

Serious Exploration

The flybridge offers unparalleled views and features a large seating area and table, all of which is under cover for a sheltered exterior space. Down on the aft deck, there is more bench seating, a barbecue and easy access to the water for swimming, fishing, diving or fun with watertoys. There is also space to carry the tender, a 4.2m BRIG Falcon with 60 HP Honda Outboard, which is included in the sale.

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Double cabin with ensuite.

Second Guest Cabin

A double bed plus single bed allows for up to three guests.

Additional Cabin

The third single cabin can be used as a Captain's cabin.

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Robust & Efficient

Stability & Stamina

A robust explorer, Kaizen has transoceanic range (6500nm at 9.6kn / 9000nm at 8kn) and large solar assisted power bank. Her canoe shaped hull was designed for surfing, while an innovative, state-of-the-art sonar system, which retracts fully into the hull, allows access to the remotest of areas. With both Naiad fin stabilizers and roll stabilizers, known as flopper stoppers, Kaizen is an exceptionally stable and comfortable yacht, both underway and at anchor.

Self Sufficiency

Kaizen is well equipped to be at sea for long periods of time. The yacht has great redundancy meaning it is well set up for adventurous exploration with total peace of mind.

Expertly Maintained

Having been well maintained by an experienced and attentive Owner, motor yacht Kaizen has had several recent updates and upgrades to the onboard systems including upgraded navigation suite and autopilot, Lithium Ion battery bank, energy-efficient air conditioning systems in the cabins, upgraded bow thrusters in addition to the upgraded retractable sonar system. This is an FPB 64 that’s as ready as ever for new adventures.

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lovinlifenc Member

Earlier in the week, Steve Dashew announced that he is building another newly designed yacht for himself. This time the yacht will be 78ft, and part of the FPB design series. Over the past few days he has been releasing interesting details on his blog, setsail.

'RoundTheHorn Senior Member

lovinlifenc said: ↑ Earlier in the week, Steve Dashew announced that he is building another newly designed yacht for himself. This time the yacht will be 78ft, and part of the FPB design series. Over the past few days he has been releasing interesting details on his blog, setsail. Click to expand...

dec0guy New Member

I like the FPB series but got to say the FPB78 just does not look right to me. Am sure it will perform great but the superstructure looks too large and out of proportion, and the rear deck seems small. Also not sure of having a plastic clears on the upper deck for a supposedly all weather tank of the seas!

PacBlue Senior Member

As the OP states the design was for Dashew himself, I would not get to caught up with his personal preferences, and in my opinion, the loa accepts the deckhouse just fine. I am sure he has an idea or two about what is suitable for cruising in heavy weather.........

lobo Senior Member

dec0guy said: ↑ the superstructure looks too large and out of proportion, Click to expand...

olderboater Senior Member

lobo said: ↑ exactly what I thought when first seeing the renderings .... Click to expand...

84far Senior Member

She will roll at anchor I think with that added weight up top, plus she seems to have a skinny waterline too. Cheers Far

84far said: ↑ She will roll at anchor I think with that added weight up top, plus she seems to have a skinny waterline too. Cheers Far Click to expand...

PacBlue said: ↑ Have you run the righting-arm curves? How much more added weight have you figured than would be acceptable? You need more technical data in-hand before you make that kind of speculative statement, pure conjecture on your part............ Click to expand...

84far said: ↑ I'll cop that Pac, as I don't have any figures to back up my statement, but your not saying I'm wrong ... Just looking at some of her renders and hull characteristics - the vessel does in fact have a large beam around 2/3's aft of the bow (typical yacht hull)... BUT she has a fine entry, and fines back out in her stern section... she has a round bilge, alloy hull and superstructure - light weight, and so won't have a deep displacement, plus they are building the flybridge outwards - beyound the cabins boundary - not tapered back in like usual practice. Plus those Stabs really only work when water is going over them. This vessel was based on efficiency... good one too, and no hassel paint work... and clearly looks was left off the list . I was talking to the engineer off Exuma late last year about her performance, as this boat is a similar design... she is very efficient, even has titanium hand rails... But she rolls her guts out, even under way, and would have a better CG than the boat in question. Just liturally talking to a Nav Arch for a second opinion, who with more experience then anyone on this forum has hands down - said it will roll on wet grass. Not a hater of this concept, just an observer. Cheers Far Click to expand...

Ward Senior Member

I remember reading articles about the Dashews 30 years ago in Sail, and I stumbled onto their site in 2005 just as they were launching the FPB 83 and have been following the progression of their power designs since then. When you read their articles, it's obvious that they're making design decisions that work for them, based on their desire to cover lots of ground in comfort and safety. Until something shows otherwise, I'd presume that they've considered stability and are satisfied that the newest design will be at least as comfortable as the preceding ones. All the design criteria and engineering in the world ultimately are theoretical until real world applications verify or contradict. Perhaps this yacht meets what the owner wanted very well, but then you wonder about all the elements. Click to expand...

carelm Senior Member

Lowtech New Member

There are videos of the 64 and the 83 on youtube underway in less then good weather. Go watch them if you want to see how they handle, the 78 might be diffrent but anyway...

84far said: ↑ Just liturally talking to a Nav Arch for a second opinion, who with more experience then anyone on this forum has hands down - said it will roll on wet grass. Click to expand...

Lowtech said: ↑ There are videos of the 64 and the 83 on youtube underway in less then good weather. Go watch them if you want to see how they handle, the 78 might be diffrent but anyway... Click to expand...

sunchaserv Member

lovinlifenc said: ↑ Earlier in the week, Steve Dashew announced that he is building another newly designed yacht for himself. . Click to expand...

PacBlue said: ↑ So people are buying them to experience the joy of rolling at rest/anchor/underway or even on some wet grass It's a wonder they ever built a second vessel! Maybe we should all reserve comments and let some one who has some sea time on them chime in.......... Click to expand...

Sorry, I wasn't calling you out on your own experience, see my PM.

84far said: ↑ Just his latest design is a good question in the top heavy department, if he has conquered that, good on him, another great boat. Click to expand...

Ept New Member

Real-world FPB experience Hi, just noticed this thread and since I have cruised on two different FPBs, I decided to sign up to Yacht Forums and share my experience. Have been on Windhorse, the original FBP 83, several times as guests of Steve and Linda Dashew. Cruising grounds there were the Med and the US Northeast. Have also briefly been on the FPB-64 in heavy weather in Whangarei, NZ during an open house event put on by Dashew and Circa Marine. Comments about the rolling/stability questions asked above are these: 1. Steve came from a sailboat/keel design background and his first FPB did have a shallow ballasted keel. It was also longer/thinner than the 64, which is a little fuller in center section than Windhorse. The two hulls differ in ride, though they are similar. The 83 has very high longitudinal stability and resists pitching. In a wave-piercing concept, this leads to a wetter foredeck, less pitching, but quicker motion in pitch. The 64 has a softer ride; it pitches a little more (though vastly less than typical fat trawlers) than the 83, but her motion in the pitch is slower in both rise and fall. It is probably a wash, but between them, the feel of the motion on the 64 has a slight advantage. 2. Questions about rolling. Barges and catamarans conform to the surface with high initial stability, but in turn are less able to "average out" energies from the sea. A typical monohull boat of any kind, round-bilged or other, has the usually good independence to roll at its designed frequency, but, as we also know, this can be bad if the natural roll is amplified by ill-timed wave motions. The question is not "if boat X rolls", since they all do. (You can rock them at the dock by hand up to surprisingly heavy displacement) The engineering question is, "what do you plan to do about it." The FPB approach has two aspects as mentioned above, the first is oversized fin stabilizers and actuators that are extremely effective in a seaway for several reasons: boat rolls easily and that actually makes the fins work better even if they must work more, hull is efficient enough to take the drag of one or two size larger fins than the manufacturer recommends, and the speed of the FPBs, especially in heavy weather and rough seas, is quicker than typical. In fact, FPB owners speed up rather than slow down in the cases that make some other hull designs need to take great care. This is important for roll-reduction since the power of the fins has a super-linear enhancement with speed. My judgement of the comfort level and roll minimization underway is that this is the one of the most stable small boats I've ever been on, and certainly the most comfortable. 3. Roll at rest. I've been on Windhorse at anchor in a number of places and the flopper-stoppers were generally deployed. The booms are permanently rigged, stout, and assisted with sailboat-style line handling chocks. I've deployed them myself and it takes maybe five minutes to do both sides. The effect is remarkable! I recommend them for any (small) boat. Not only do they reduce the total angle of roll from side to side, but they also have an inherent eased-curve of effect. That is, because of the speed-related drag of the plates in the water, the start of roll rate is gentle and then slows in what is basically a natural critically-damped system. The feeling of this is nice but hard to explain. The alternatives are easy to imagine, though. On the one hand you'd have too little roll-resistance and the boat would slowly but unstoppably go a full range to the limits port and starboard. On the other, you'd have too much power to stop the roll, and be pushed back toward the starting lean, then would push the other way, and the opposite way, and an ever decreasing series of pushes. This "ringing" is something you could feel and do feel in some stabilization at rest systems. The relative perfection of the simple, low-tech, and strangely named "flopper stoppers" is amazing. My summary is that the comfort (lateral roll and longitudinal pitch) of the 84 and 83 FPBs is unmatched in my experience, both underway and at rest. We'll have to wait to see how the 97 and 78 perform in similar circumstances. I'm not concerned, though, as the 64 was the challenging one being small and the other two longer designs are simpler to get right in these ways, not to mention the advantage of being later in the learning cycle. Hope this helps, Ept (as opposed to inept)

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Offering exceptional sea keeping and vast range, the FPB 64 fleet is well proven and is the perfect tool for a couple with guests to cruise far aboard. 11 x FPB 64s are on the water and they continue to put significant sea miles beneath their keels, including a voyage from New Zealand to the Channel Islands against prevailing winds and currents – undertaken by #5. They provide a safe and reliable platform for their owners and guests, with a range of over 5,000 nautical miles, a single John Deere, and a Yanmar get me home on a separate drive train.

The FPB 64 also had an extended swim platform to enhance surfing performance. Earlier yachts had these retrofitted. As with all FPBs – they have the ability to recover from capsize and an accessible engine room that is easy to work in. The FPB 64 fleet has a significant number of nautical miles beneath its collective keel.

The second class of FPB to launch, the FPB 64 was developed as a result of Steve and Linda Dashew’s experience with FPB 83 WINDHORSE. Learning from their time long distance cruising aboard the yacht, the two of them steamed over 60,000 nautical miles with her. They designed the FPB 64 at that time, considering her to be the perfect fit for a couple like them. In common with other FPBs their Naiad stabilisers are housed in coffer dams and are oversized providing a faultless ride and they are also robust enough to allow the yacht to dry out.

Forward there is a large owners’ stateroom with separate bath/shower cubicle and a great room with 360 degree vision, which houses the large and well equipped galley, seating and dining area and inside helm. Beneath the great room is the basement which is a vast storage area.

Aft is a double cabin for guests, heads compartment, office area and single berth cabin with access into the engine room.

The matrix deck is a simple helm area above the coachroof with comfortable seating and great vision. Her booms easily deploy the dinghy on the aft deck and can also be used with flopper stoppers when at anchor.

The FPB 64 has a large bowthruster and is easy to handle in close quarters and, like her sisters, surfs easily in the correct conditions.

Residual values on FPB 64s have been constant and as owners complete their cruising projects and want to do other things, they do come to the brokerage market. They always sell well.

Currently for Sale

Fpb 64, jack is currently for sale., available yachts.

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1996 Chevrolet Corvette vs. Malibu Corvette Ski Boat

In which the age-old question is once again raised: Can you water ski behind a car?

From the February 1997 issue of Car and Driver.

The Corvette is based on Malibu's Ech­elon tournament ski boat, except that virtually everything but its hull shape was changed, including the fiberglass deck, the floor, the seating, the interior panels, the dashboard, and the instrument panel. With the approval of GM, the Torch Red boat was also given a C4-style rear-fascia treat­ment (using the taillight openings as bilge vents), instrument panel, glove box, and shifter and a dozen (count 'em) Corvette and Collector Edition emblems. Luxo touches include dash heater vents, a leather-covered tilting steering wheel, a 12-CD changer, a driver's air lumbar adjuster, and—something the car needs badly—an in-dash ice chest. A tandem trailer, dressed up with Corvette wheels and P225/45ZR-17 tires, is also included. Callaway soups up a GM Vortec engine to give the boat Corvette-quality performance. In Old Lyme, Connecticut, the engine is stripped and reconfigured with a 3.75-inch stroker crank and a 0.030-inch overbore to bump displacement from 350 cubic inches to 383 cubic inches—the same as Callaway's SuperNatural Cor­vette. The engine retains its roller cam fol­lowers but gets stiffer valve springs, forged rods, 10.5:1 pistons, four-bolt mains, and remapped ignition and electronic-fuel­-injection programs. Callaway refers to the engine as the SuperNatural 383 Marine.

"We knew we wanted 400 pound-feet for acceleration and 400 horsepower for speed," Malibu president Bob Alkema says. "We went to Callaway and said, 'Four hundred and four hundred, please.'" What they got was exactly 400 horsepower at 5200 rpm and a stump-pulling 415 pound-feet of torque at 4200 revs.

We wondered where we could test the boat in Merced, which is farm country. As it turns out, Malibu knows a very rich man who built his own ski lake nearby. This seemed to have possibilities, not the least of which was that he might have a very rich and bored daughter with her own boat and motor.

The lake is nearly a half-mile long by 275 feet wide but just five feet deep, which means when a skier does a header after jumping the wake, his noggin strikes the bottom. Unless it strikes a catfish first. In which case you'll be billed separately because they also raise catfish for sale here. "I smell a tax deduction," I said to photographer Lorentzen as we drove from the airport.

"I smell a fish farm," the photographer said as we turned into the driveway.

We already knew the boat wasn't going to put any Corvette LT4 on the trailer in terms of top speed, but we weren't so sure about acceleration. Stalking the boat with radar proved we were half-right. From 0 to 20 mph, the boat outgunned the car by a slim margin—about a 10th of a second—­testimony to the boat engine's low-end torque. From 20 to 40 mph, the car pulled even and then forged ahead by about a half-second. But above 40 mph, the LT4 was simply gone.

The crucible of street performance, 0-­to-60-mph acceleration, was thus no con­test. The LT4 romped to 60 mph in 5.1 sec­onds, whereas the Malibu Vette took 11.6 seconds to reach 57 mph, its top speed. The boat held this speed for the rest of the quarter-mile, which it covered in 18.5 sec­onds. This is unheard of in a production ski boat. Most ski boats won't hit 50 mph. The LT4 dispatched the quarter-mile in 13.7 seconds at 104 mph.

As sobering as the drag-strip compar­ison turned out to be, the top-end differ­ence was even greater. The Corvette LT4 convertible can storm to 160 mph—some 103 mph faster than the boat. But why? Das Boot weighs 960 pounds less than the car and has 70 more horsepower. For starters, ski boats have a one-speed trans­mission and a single-pitch prop that essentially serve as governors. Tournament ski boats also carry their engines amidships to generate minimal wake, but this creates copious hydrodynamic drag. In short, boats need to get up and out of the water to go fast, which also means they tend to handle spookily at speed. (This does not bode well for the weekend warrior tanked on margaritas.)

A much as the wet stuff holds the Malibu back at its top end, it doesn't seem to contribute anything to stopping the craft. Whereas the LT4 can grind to a halt in 166 feet from 70 mph, the boat is relatively helpless at scrubbing off speed. Deceler­ating from 50 to 10 mph—the only mean­ingful range our Stalker radar gun could record—takes 231 feet.

There is another way. Turns out that if no tort attorneys are looking, a ski boat can be made to spin like an AMC Pacer on black ice. (We did not, repeat did not , learn about this from anyone at Malibu Boats.) First, apply throttle until the boat achieves a velocity that seems vaguely dangerous. Then crank in full left rudder, chop the throttle, and pop 'er into neutral. The boat snaps left in a neat 180 (picture Roberto at Indy), leaving your spleen and any other unnecessary organs on the marine-grade carpeting. There is no purpose to this, except that it drives spousal units insane and makes them vow never to ride in a boat with you and your stupid friends again.

Indeed, cornering is the Malibu's baili­wick. Running a 300-foot "skidpad" around buoys on nearby Yosemite Lake, the boat was limited by power rather than adhesion, unlike the LT4. The car aver­aged 0.87 g on the skidpad; the boat was just a click behind at 0.83 g—the equiva­lent of a Volvo 850R, which is not bad territory. And whereas the car has to be carefully balanced with the steering and throttle, the boat can be cornered at full throttle. The nose drops, the hull tilts inward, and the Malibu just sticks .

Following a skier's slalom course is a good measure of overall handling. The official ski slalom uses an entry gate, six turn buoys, and an exit gate. In ski com­petitions, the boat drives straight through the middle of the 850-foot-long course while the skier zigs and zags left and right around the buoys. At Catfish Lake, the Malibu Vette followed the skier's zigzag course in a best time of 19.5 seconds. The steering is massively heavy when you've fed in lock, but it's feather light on-center. You'd be excused for complaining that this kind of feel belongs in a million-mile Checker, not a $45,000 boat. But that's the nature of inboards: Prop thrust is forever trying to straighten the rudder.

We thought it would be interesting to run the car through an identical slalom marked by cones instead of buoys. It was. The car ran through the slalom at 21.69 seconds, or about 3 mph slower than the boat (albeit braking for the turns). This shows that in low-speed, tight maneuvers, at least, the car and the boat are close to equal.

With testing completed, there remained only one question anyone really cared about: Can you ski behind a car? It was Alkema who suggested that someone try. Shane Stillman, a Malibu product researcher and national-caliber skier, was perfectly willing to grab a ski and join the 50,000 catfish in 55-degree water the color of your Morgan's engine oil after the head gasket blew.

Alkema drove down to the water's edge and attached 75 feet of ski rope. He hit the throttle, and when the chocolate spray set­tled, water skier Stillman sat in six inches of water, sporting a bright, new gravel rash on his legs. The LT4 had yanked him ashore. No matter. With a bit of practice, Stillman got up and skied, only to reach the end of the frontage road before he dropped back into the soup. He did this over and over—mostly because the photographer begged him, but also because it was fun.

At least, he said it was.

Specifications

1996 Chevrolet Corvette Collector Edition Convertible Vehicle Type: front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 2-passenger convertible

PRICE Base/As Tested: $46,671/$51,067

ENGINE pushrod 16-valve V-8, iron block and aluminum heads, port fuel injection Displacement: 350 in 3 , 5733 cm 3 Power: 330 hp @ 5800 rpm Torque: 340 lb-ft @ 4500 rpm 

TRANSMISSION 6-speed manual

CHASSIS Suspension, F/R: control arms/control arms Brakes, F/R: vented disc/vented disc Tires: Goodyear Eagle GS-C F: 255/45ZR-17 R: 285/40ZR-17

DIMENSIONS Length: 178.5 in Width: 73.1 in Height: 47.3 in Curb Weight: 3460 lb

C/D TEST RESULTS 30 mph: 2.1 sec 60 mph: 5.1 sec 1/4-Mile: 13.7 sec @ 104 mph Top Speed: 160 mph Braking, 70–0 mph: 166 ft Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.87 g 850-ft Water-Ski Slalom Course: 26.7 mph

Malibu Boats Corvette Limited Edition Ski Boat Vehicle Type: mid-engine, 5-passenger boat

PRICE Base/As Tested: $45,000/$45,000

ENGINE pushrod 16-valve V-8, iron block and heads, port fuel injection Displacement: 383 in 3 , 6276 cm 3 Power: 400 hp @ 5200 rpm Torque: 415 lb-ft @ 4200 rpm 

TRANSMISSION 1-speed

CHASSIS Brakes: reverse prop thrust; single anchor Prop: 13-inch stainless steel

DIMENSIONS Length: 240.0 in Width: 90.0 in Height: 36.0 in Curb Weight: 2500 lb

C/D TEST RESULTS 30 mph: 2.4 sec 57 mph: 11.6 sec 1/4-Mile: 18.5 sec @ 57 mph Top Speed: 57 mph Braking, 50–10 mph: 231 ft Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.83 g  850-ft Water-Ski Slalom Course: 29.7 mph  

C/D TESTING EXPLAINED

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