Glastron GTD 200 2018 Review

Overview

Glastron is a US fibreglass boat manufacturer with a rich heritage dating back to the 1950s. The brand is a household name in the US and well known in Australia. Locally, Glastron boats have been available, sporadically at least, for several decades, imported by a variety of different companies and boat dealers.

Now, Glastron boats are built in Cadillac, Michigan by a company called Rec Boat Holdings. The boats are built alongside sister brands Four Winns, Wellcraft and Scarab. Rec Boat Holdings itself is owned by the huge French boat builder, The Beneteau Group.

Under Beneteau ownership, Glastron has flourished. The parent company has financed the research and development of a range of new models, breathing new life into this iconic US brand. And the reward has been rejuvenated popularity with boat buyers.

Among the new Glastron models are the GTD deck boats. Available with the choice of outboard or sterndrive engines, and in three models sizes, the Glastron GTDs are low-profile, open craft with wide-bow, moderate vee hulls and spacious interiors with loads of comfortable seating areas and storage space.

Thanks to Queensland Glastron distributor, HiOctane Marine, we were able to get our hands on one of the first of the Aussie delivered Glastron deck boats, the GTD 200 powered by Mercury's brand-new V6 200hp four-stroke outboard.

Price and Equipment

HiOctane Marine has Glastron GTD 200 packages starting at just $72,500. This price includes a Mercury 150hp four-stroke outboard, a Dunbier tandem-axle galavanised steel trailer, 12 months QLD boat and trailer registrations and an inshore safety gear pack for six adults.

The base GTD 200 package looks a little different to the test rig as it does not include the port side console or windscreen. In Aussie vernacular, the standard GTD 200 might best be described as a side console. In that trim the boat is rigged with a starboard side helm station, but with comfortable bench seating to port, stretching the full length of the boat.

The standard boat also has wide, moulded u-shaped bow and stern seating, beneath which are storage lockers and/or insulated iceboxes. The moulded seats are topped by comfortable, yet durable looking clip-on padded cushions and back-rest bolsters.

With the addition of the deluxe, swivelling bucket helm chair, Glastron says there is seating space in the GTD 200 for eleven people -- quite remarkable for a 6.0m boat.

Some of the other great features include a walk-through transom with wide rear boarding/swim platform and recessed stainless steel ladder. A Kicker four-speaker sound system is standard, along with deluxe helm console with tinted windshield, tilt-adjust sports steering wheel and blacked-out dash and fascia. Underfloor ski-locker, drink holders, navigation lights, bow and stern rails and auto bilge pump are also included.

Our test boat was fitted with a number of options, the most notable being the port-side passenger console. It comes complete with a matching windshield as well as a sink with freshwater faucet, port-side seat back-rest and a pull-out icebox.

The test boat package was also optioned with two-tone hull paint, the Xtream wakeboard tower (with board racks and bimini), premium stereo system, bow and transom freshwater showers, a chemical toilet (stowed in a port side transom locker), patterned removable internal mats, a cocktail table, bow infill board and cushion, bow ladder, swim platform Sea-Deck matting and more.

With the more powerful Mercury 200hp V6 four-stroke outboard, the tow-away, turn-key price for the feature-packed GTD 200 rises to $89,900.

Although $90K is a fair sum for a 6.0m trailerable bowrider, there is one additional option you might want to consider… That's the Fishing Package which comes complete with infill boards and a pedestal seat to convert the bow seating area into a casting platform. A fish finder, live bait tank, and a bow mounting plate and pre-rigging for a 24 volt electric trolling motor are also included.

Design and Layout

With the port-side passenger console fitted to the test boat, there is slightly less overall seating in the GTD 200, but you do gain a neat freshwater sink below a tinted windshield to match the helm screen opposite.

The two windshields look the part but do not offer any real shelter. If this is of concern you can option the boat with a higher, full width windscreen with a centre opening section to provide access to the forward seating.

For a 6.0m boat, the forward seating area is very large and comfortable. This is due to the clever, nearly square bow hull shape and to the absence of an anchor well. There is space for an anchor and rode in lockers under the side seats -- although this does reduce the amount of space to stow safety gear, etc. Fortunately there are several more storage lockers aft, along with a big underfloor water ski locker.

With the optional infill boards and cushions slotted into place up forward, the bow seating converts into a great big sun-pad.

There is also provision to mount an optional cocktail table between the two bow side seats, as well as in the rear of the boat. The table can also be used on the port side where there is a gap between the moulded fibreglass seats.

Between these port-side seats there is also a short boarding door in the topsides. A removable board or step fits neatly between the seats so you can step up and out through the door onto a jetty, marina berth, etc.

Leave this removable infill board in place to create a full length lounge bench seat with the addition of an included cushion. Alternatively, fit the optional (removable) back-rest to produce a forward facing seat or chaise-style lounge.

Further aft the seating area continues around the perimeter of the cockpit and then forward to the deluxe pedestal helm chair on the starboard side.

The helm chair is quite the impressive bit of kit too. Pedestal mounted, the chair is deeply padded with a sculptured back-rest, fore and aft slider, and front flip-up bolster. These features allow the driver to perch up high on the bolster for improved visibility while manoeuvring, or to sit down low, comfortably ensconced with the steering wheel and side-mount throttle close to hand.

As noted earlier, the windshield on the test boat is too low to give the driver any real weather protection, but it does shelter the retro-looking chrome framed engine instruments which are set into a blacked-out dash and fascia. Faux carbon-fibre insert panels add further dressing to the console and surrounds.

There is no fascia space for a flush-fitted fish finder/GPS, but you could bracket mount a small display behind the steering wheel (between the engine gauges).

Additional cockpit features of interest include the starboard side walk-way and steps out to the large rear swimming platform, cockpit hand rails, pop-up stern cleats, four cupholders, and access to the bilge and battery beneath the stern centre bench seat.

The test boat also had the optional change-room/toilet enclosure - which can be set-up in a few minutes, suspended from the overhead bimini cover.

On The Water

The Glastron GTD 200 was a whole lot more fun to drive than we expected. Indeed, it performed superbly during our test on the Gold Coast Broadwater.

Nestled in the hip-supporting bucket helm chair, behind the low-slung windscreen, we found you can really chuck the Glastron about. Throw it into a high speed turn and the hull bites into the water, cornering tightly and with a limpet-like grip.

There was no cavitation from the big Mercury four-stroke, and when we came out of the turn, the boat responded instantly to the throttle, rocketing forward.

It was a real blast… To the extent that we think it would be a shame to have anything less than 200hp on the transom.

The new Mercury 3.4L V6 four-stroke is a stunning new motor too. It's whisper quiet at idle, remarkable smooth running and smoke free.

Most impressive, however, is the V6’s grunt in the mid range. Hit the throttle at around 3500rpm and you get a big shove in the back -- the boat hurtling forward like it's been kicked in the ass by a imaginary giant horse.

Running the performance numbers, the test boat is not quite as quick as it feels, topping out at a 41.8kt (77.4km/h) at 5800rpm. Still, anything over 40kt is ample for social family boating and tow-sports.

With regard to ride comfort and stability, we could not fault the Glastron either. Despite its mild 17-degree transom vee and conservative bow entry shape, the boat rides comfortably and quietly in choppy water, while also being exceptionally stable at rest.

About the only criticism we could make is that the hydraulic steering had too many turns from lock to lock. You’re kept a little too busy working the steering wheel during slalom turns. Having made this observation, having a slower response to steering input is safer for novice skippers.

Verdict

The Glastron GTD 200 is a stunning new addition to the bowrider and social tow-sports market. It is one of the most enjoyable and rewarding boats this writer has driven in some time. It’s wonderfully balanced, moderate vee hull, combined with an excellent helm set-up, makes it a perfect match for the power and torque of Mercury's excellent new V6 200hp four-stroke outboard.

The Glastron is also beautifully finished, sturdily built, and can luxuriously accommodate up to 11 seated people onboard.

For social boating with an extended family, or a crowd of water-sports loving mates, the Glastron GTD 200 is unquestionably one of the best new boats on the market.

PERFORMANCE - SPEED
4.4kts (8.1km/h) @ 1000rpm
5.1kts (9.4km/h) @ 1500rpm
6.8kts (12.6km/h) @ 2000rpm
12.9kts (23.9km/h) @ 2500rpm
18.1kts (33.5km/h) @ 3000rpm
22.3kts (41.3km/h) @ 3500rpm
26.4kts (48.8km/h) @ 4000rpm
30.1kts (55.7km/h) @ 4500rpm
33.9kts (62.8km/h) @ 5000rpm
38.4kts (71.1km/h) @ 5500rpm
41.8kts (77.4km/h) @ 5800rpm (WOT

PERFORMANCE – ECONOMY
3.8 l/ph @ 1000rpm
6.1 l/ph @ 1500rpm
11.0 l/ph @ 2000rpm
13.6 l/ph @ 2500rpm
15.9 l/ph @ 3000rpm
22.3 l/ph @ 3500rpm
31.0 l/ph @ 4000rpm
39.4 l/ph @ 4500rpm
57.9 l/ph @ 5000rpm
67.7 l/ph @ 5500rpm
69.3 l/ph @ 5800rpm (WOT)

MAXIMUM RANGE ON 95% OF 151L FUEL TANK: 163.30nm @ 3000rpm

Specifications: Glastron GTD 200
Price: $89,900 including a Mercury 200hp extra-longshaft (25") V6 four-stroke outboard with hydraulic tilt steering upgrade, digital controls, Dunbier tandem axle galvanised steel braked trailer, 12 months registration and a 6-person inshore safety gear pack. Notable options included two-tone hull paint, port side console with windshield, sink, back rest and removable cooler, Xtream wakeboard tower with board racks and bimini, premium stereo system, bow and transom freshwater showers, chemical toilet, Sea Grass removable internal mats, cocktail table, bow cushion and infill, removable bow ladder, swim platform Sea-Deck matting, XL Package and more.

Priced from: $72,500 with a single Mercury 150hp extra-longshaft (25”) in-line four cylinder four-stroke outboard with hydraulic steering, digital controls, 12 months registration and an inshore safety gear pack for six adults.
Length overall: 6.2m
Beam: 2.54m
Draft: 890mm
Deadrise: 17 degrees
Hull weight: 1,361kg
Weight on trailer: Approx: 1,950kg
Maximum power: 200hp
Engines as tested: Mercury 200hp four-stroke outboard
Fuel: 151L
Freshwater: 45L
Flotation: Level standard
Maximum load: 1089kg
Maximum persons: 11

Supplied by: HiOctane Marine