Larson Cabrio 310

Maybe it’s a sign of the current climate, an end to the rise of the bigger and more luxurious liner, but 30-something sportscruisers – those entry-level big boats beyond trailerables — appear to be gaining ground. With the space to cruise in comfort, amenities to stay aboard, full head room below decks, and the ability to be dry-stacked and racked or put on a marina at considerably less than a private liner, sportscruisers appear to make sense.

But what of the V8 petrol engines? Well, yes, you can use more than 100lt/h if you want to. But for half that amount of gas you can also range to your favourite far away anchorage and enjoy a whole weekend aboard. Except for the provisioning, there should be no additional expenses – good-value entertainment, indeed.

What’s more, that waterfront lapping at your toes is entirely your own, the lounges are already assembled and waiting, the barbecue is beckoning on the rail, and there’s a movie to watch on the flatscreen TV after dinner. Then there’s the effect that a weekend of hanging out, listening to the water lap gently on the hull and camping with your family, has on the soul. Then, when it’s time to head back to reality you can always hightail it home on a V8-inspired run. And you won’t have to contend with Sunday traffic.

Among the sportscruiser marques, Larson promises all these things and plenty of bang for your buck. Part of the Genmar Group, the world’s second largest multinational boatbuilder in terms of units made, Larson has a nine-boat range of sportscruisers from 22 to 37ft, each supported by a lifetime transferable hull warranty, priced to slot into a niche and, with some deft selection of options, equipped with everything you need to get away for a weekend. What’s more, Larson’s sportscruisers look good with their signature bronze hull colour, fair mouldings and fast lines.

 The 310 Cabrio packed plenty of the boating life’s necessities aboard. But the local dealer met the market call by fitting an optional 5kW Kohler petrol generator and reverse-cycle air-con, shorepower, fire-suppression system, cockpit fridge, windlass, holding tank, television with DVD player, remote spotlight and cockpit table with filler cushion. Add fuel, turn the keys, cast the lines, advance the throttle to go. That’s sportscruising.

BUILDING BLOCKS
Construction is nothing too high tech – all solid GRP supported by glass-encapsulated stringers with a stainless steel rubrail on the hull and deck join. The hull shape is what Larson calls a Patented Duo Delta Conic and has a deep 20 degrees of deadrise ranging back to a flat 14 degrees at the transom. Keep the bow down for a smooth ride and use the flat aft sections when cruising and for at-rest stability. Don’t push the boat too hard and you will travel comfortably.

As with the smaller 260 Cabriolet, the 310 had colour-coded wiring looms, shorepower and water connection, and a 20-amp battery charger linked to the two house and engine-start batteries. I also noted an adequate 606lt fuel supply, just 174lt of water and a 140lt holding tank, all of which would be just fine for weekends and quick transom showers – hot/cold handheld provided – and brief showers indoors provided you’re careful.

The injection-moulded engine hatch didn’t escape my attention and I was able to perform at-a-glance engine checks and access the main servicing items. However, room was tight outboard of the twin small- block 260hp 5lt V8 MerCruiser MPI petrol motors and it was a squeeze to check the oil on the genset – minor compromises for the availability of 240V power.

Through-hulls below the waterline were double clipped, with the main battery breaker panels and isolators back in the cockpit where they are easily accessible and the boating life is destined to be played out.

OUTDOOR LIVING
Waterfront living on the Larson is improved by an extended swim platform and swim ladder, which have handy grabrails. I found the hot/cold handheld shower in the aft boot, along with phone and television jacks and room to stash fenders and ropes. The aft cleats were easy to access, though all the cleats on the Cabrio are too small for my liking.

Seating comes by way of a U-shaped lounge for four (it converts to a sunpad with the optional infill) around a moulded dinette, which can be removed for extra floor space. The portside co-pilot lounge for two can be used as a daybed and there’s a two-person helm seat with flip-down bolster for extra driving space.

Drinkholders are dotted about the cockpit, there was an optional and welcome 12V fridge and sink, plus lunch-prep space in the moulded amenities centre.

Pull the canopy across and your lunch setting will be partially shaded from the midday sun. Views from the seats ranged in all directions.

Moulded steps lead up the dash and through the opening windscreen – a preferable route to the narrow walkaround sidedecks leading from the cockpit – to the flat foredeck where a sunpad was held in place by tracks. There were stainless steel grabrails, but I would like to see a middle wire on the bowrail to keep kids and crew contained. The non-skid is a bit lame.

The concealed anchor rope locker isn’t such a smart idea should the anchor rope tangle, with access only from inside the boat, but at least the dealer had the foresight to fit an optional windlass for hands-free anchoring.

CABIN CAPERS
What appears to be an industry-standard open-plan layout has been adopted below decks, with up to 1.91m of head room in the saloon and plenty of elbow room throughout the 3.2m wide hull. You can sleep from two to six depending on your willingness to convert the lounges and, with the genset fitted, the interior is (reverse-cycle) air conditioned.

 The permanent bed is an offset owner’s double in the bow flanked by lined hanging space for weekend apparel. The dinette amidships can be converted to a double bed, as can the U-shaped lounge in the amidships cabin, which doubles as a loungeroom when the curtain isn’t drawn.

The finish was in keeping with American production boat standards, with mock cherrywood laminated joinery, Granulon moulded benchtops and dinette, and soft-touch vinyl upholstery on the lounges.

The carpeted floor adds to the comfort, with a hard-wearing timber- look section at the foot of the galley, three overhead hatches and four opening portholes for fresh air.

The galley is one continuous cabinet with abundant storage, a fridge, square sink, hot/cold water, small Tappan microwave oven (give me a decent convection unit any day), two-burner electric stove (alcohol/electric option should you not have a genie fitted), opening port and grab/fiddle rail. There’s room for a cappuccino machine on the bench, too.

A key selling point is the boat’s big head.

It has an electric loo and holding tank, mirror-backed vanity and hatch for ventilation. There’s a decent shower area, but watch that water. And the holding-tank gauge would be more useful if it showed incremental levels. But, all in all, a comfortable cruiser and a fast one at that.

SPORTS CRUISING
I’m a fan of the double helm seat that let’s you cruise as a couple and the flip-up bolster that makes driving more reassuring when on your feet at a slightly elevated position. Ahead of me, on good ol’ Botany Bay, was a maze of crab traps, marker poles, ship and mooring buoys, anglers in tinnies and the odd sea chicken with wings.

 But the Bravo III’s sterndrive legs with counter-rotating propellers provided welcome off-the-wheel steering and, moreover, in reverse they let you easily slot the boat back in its pen. But with twin 260hp multipoint injected V8 petrol engines, it won’t be reined in for long. The Larson Cabrio 310 is eager, something of a rocket, in fact. The low-glare dash with walnut facia has plenty of room for additional electronics – needed on the demo boat – while featuring a full spread of Faria gauges, digital depth meter, rocker switches for things like wipers and windlass, and spotlight, stereo remote and VHF radio. The tilt wheel, double-throttle box, trim tabs and individual or dual sterndrive leg trim actuators will let you compensate for all weather and load conditions.

Lightly laden, with everything trimmed in, the boat held a low-speed plane at 2600rpm, where it appeared quite trim sensitive. Low cruise of 15 to 17kts was clocked at 3500rpm. Family cruise of 21kts was recorded at an efficient 4000rpm with nominal trim, and noise levels were still acceptable at the fast cruise of 27kts at 4500rpm and even maximum continuous cruising of 28kts at 4800rpm.

The rev limiter kicked in when the throttles were floored on the light boat, but at 5200rpm I recorded a 32 to 34kt top-end speed, which slots this boat into the middle of the sportscruiser performance range. Handling was good, the ride dry in the calm conditions and, with the twin motors at my beck and call, I’d feel comfortable heading to sea and ranging up to Sydney Harbour for a party or, preferably, Port Hacking or Pittwater to escape the throng. A well-equipped weekender, indeed.

HIGHS

LOWS