Seven hot new boats for Summer

Here are seven stand-outs amid the fleet of luxury cruisers, new yachts, sail craft and trailerboats at the 2016 Sydney International Boat Show. These are the latest on-water limos, racy runabouts and dapper dayboats commanding attention for the simple fact they are designed to travel fast, in fine fettle and high style.

The following hot fleet will tame the chop, blast offshore, catch fish in distant locations, explore outer islands and hit the waterfront precincts with a nod to good taste. From a Finnish commuter to a classic American day cruiser, from a cool centre console to an unstoppable power cat, here are seven hot boats to get you racing into summer.

1. Axopar 37: The fastest growing boat brand in Europe, Axopar breaks the mould with collar-less RIBS using a lithe outboard-powered hull without the worry of inflatable side sponsons. Importer Eyachts Australia has now ordered 26 Axopars in less than 12 months — talk about hot property — while 50 of the new 37 flagships were sold off the plan in Europe, we're told.

The running surface of the new 37 has a super sharp entry ranging back to a 20-degree deep vee at the transom. The hull is stepped for performance, with 51 knots top speed and a 32-knot cruise from twin 350hp Mercury Verado outboards on the Sydney launch boat.

You can customise your Axopar 37 with a cabin, twin cabins, T- Top or Sun Top as per the showboat. The new 37 Sun Top launched at the Sydney boat show had a trick opening sliding canvas roof, triple helms seats that spin around to create a lunch setting for six, three fridges and aft deck wet-bar with BBQ and sink.

Below decks, the forward cabin has a double berth and toilet. So you could overnight aboard. But buyers are jumping aboard for the incredible ride first and foremost, the rough-water performance on places like Broken Bay and Port Phillip Bay, and the crew comforts when used as a waterfront commuter and day-cruising conveyance.

2. Boston Whaler 350 Outrage: The Unsinkable Legend made a big splash at the 2016 Sydney International Boat show, with the world's first 230 Outrage centre console and this Australian debut of the 350 Outrage with triple 350hp Mercury Verados. Top Speed is 50 knots-plus and there's a range of more than 400 miles at cruise to pretty much wherever you want to go.

The new 350 Outrage model is engineered as a serious offshore fishing boat, with 23 degrees of deadrise in the deep-vee hull, but the onboard amenities cater for pleasure boaters and those in need of an upmarket yacht tender as well. Options include upper station and Summer Kitchen with electric grill. The in-built storage, tackle centres, live wells and the so on come standard

The 350 Outrage on show had an integrated hardtop with lighting, insulated fish and live-bait storage, rod holders and rod storage, fold-down aft seating with plush backrests, trick leaning post/helm seat, social bow seating, step-down console with full luxury bathroom, and cranking stereo. Oh, and that Whaler ride from a  23 degree deep-vee hull.

Specifications
LOA: 10.82m
Beam:  3.30m
Weight: 4990kg
Passengers: 14
Deadrise: 23 degrees
Fuel: 1514lt
Max Speed Range: 50+ knots
Outboards: Up to triple 350hp outboard
More at qmc.com.au.

3. Chris Craft Corsair 28: Chris Craft's don't get any more dashing than the Corsair 28.  Updated for 2016, the cool runabout now has a new large skylight on the foredeck, sink in the cabin, cabin sliding door, refreshed dash layout and smarter finish, improved room at the helm, revised cockpit seating arrangement with flipback chaise lounge cushions, and cool teak lunch table.

Overall, the new 2016 edition is said to offer more room, a more luxurious fit out, but plenty of that signature sportscar handling from a sharp 20-degree hull that sluices the wake with an air of superiority. Engines range from twin V8 300hp to 430hp petrol models and even a diesel couple. We sat aboard to rest our weary feet at the boat show and just melted into the lounges. Cool with a capital sea.

4. Formula 310 FX: Don Aronow founded Formula in 1962 in Miami, Florida. The original 233 deep-V hull was built at his direction and later earned notable victories on the national offshore racing circuit. Formula was the first of Aronow’s boat companies. Family-owed today, the company trades off that go-fast performance heritage, while adding considerable comfort to the equation.

On the surface, the 310 FX sparkles. Out of the factory, these boats feature custom dimensional logos and snappy metallic finishes, custom embroidered upholstery and decor, Wenge wood, solid stone counters, brushed aluminium finishes, blue LED indirect lighting, chrome-finished speakers and custom carbon and chrome accents. The showboat was more austere and more than just show... think go.

The American muscle came from a race-bred Formula hull with 22 degrees of deadrise powered by 430hp 8.2L MerCruiser V8s with digital shift and throttle and switchable exhaust. There's also sleeping for two, an enclosed bathroom, hot water shower,
fridge, plush seating, dinette, convertible aft-facing sun lounge and a
lot of undeniable race-boat performance to blast from one end of Sydney Harbour to the next.

Specifications
LOA: 9.96m
Beam:  2.90m
Weight: 4423kg
Passengers: 10+
Deadrise: 22 degrees
Fuel: 492lt
Max Speed Range: 45+ knots
Power: Standard 2 x 430hp MerCruiser 8.2L V8
More at www.chapmanmarinegroup.com.au.

5. Force 21: Taking centre stage on the Mercury stand at Glebe Island was a Force 21S with a Mercury Racing 1350 QC4V for a top speed of 130mph or, in layman's terms, almost 210km/h. And that's with skiers out the back in race mode.

Dressed in TR MarineWorld and Mercury Racing livery, with a custom-matched trailer, the Force 21S ski race boat will compete all over Australia in the Superclass. Mercury's 1350 has fly-by-wire digital throttle and shift, so the gears just drop in and out seamlessly, and the engine is twin turbocharged. Vroom.

With 420lt of fuel and 500lt of water ballast, carbon fibre seats and a vacuum-bagged 21-degree hull using foam sandwich construction, this is a performance weapon. The 1350 features Mercury Racing’s exclusive 9.0lt quad-cam four-valve (QC4v) cylinder V8 block and head.

Mercury says the intention was to provide big power with luxury-car-like driveability. The 1350 was coupled to a NXT6 low-drag race sterndrive and acceleration is obviously snappy but also smooth with the digital throttle and shift.

6. Haines Hunter 2100R: Trading off the 2100SO, the new 2100R is the result of dealer and customer feedback for a go-fast Haines Hunter. There's a completely new hull and a fully redesigned deck with modern lines and features to fulfil the needs of modern-day sportsboaters.

A key point of difference with the old model is that the new 2100R has a significantly wider, yet far more streamlined, hull, with remodelled running strakes to improve handling. There is also more cockpit space and a rating to carry seven people.

The boat was designed for family cruising, the occasional ski, wakeboarding and hardcore offshore racing with a 300 horsepower rating. Haines Hunter says it’s quick yet safe at speeds of 72mph (115kmh or 62 knots) with a Yamaha Vmax SHO VF250 outboard or 300 Merc.

Specifications
tba
Fuel: 200lt
Max Speed Range: 60-65 knots
Power: Up to 300hp outboard
More at www.haineshunter.com.au.

7. World Cat 320 Dual Console: It's the multipurpose boat with the lot, an all-in-one powercat with twin 300hp V6 Yamaha outboards, a huge cockpit for fishing, barbecue and fridge, then a bowrider seating arrangement that converts into a giant casting platform with fish storage below.

In the port side console in sleeping for two, while the helm console conceals a full step-down head with shower. Sold at the Sydney boat show, the demo boat had Garmin electronics and upgraded electric-hydraulic steering.

Top speed is more than 45 knots with a 30-35 knot cruise from the 300hp outboards. The perfect island hopper. Rottnest, Kangaroo Island, the Whitsundays beckon. The new owners are planning on blasting around Sydney and you could cruise the coast to nearby ports in a flash.

Basically, you pick your purpose and the World Cat delivers.

Specifications
LOA: 9.65m
Beam:  4.00m
Weight: 5262kg with max. power and options
Passengers: 14
Deadrise: 21 degrees
Fuel: 1056lt
Max Speed Range: 45 knots
Power: Standard 2 x 300hp Yamaha V6 outboards
More at www.fishingandleisureboats.com.au.