A Sure Bet - Boaters seeking an inexpensive, featurepacked craft have hit the jackpot with the Tahoe Q4 May 1, PDF Free Download

A Sure Bet - Boaters seeking an inexpensive, featurepacked craft have hit the jackpot with the Tahoe Q4 May 1, 2004 With the Q4, Tahoe is giving buyers a lot of boat for relatively little cash. The 19-foot, 5-inch craft has a base price of just $13,995 with the standard 135 hp MerCruiser 3.0L stern drive. It seems like every bargain bowrider available over the past couple of years has been powered by a MerCruiser 3.0L stern drive, but we re not complaining. Given our druthers, we d choose the 3.0L motor over many of the more powerful engines out there. Our test boat was run by a much more powerful 220 hp MerCruiser 4.3L MPI stern drive, which is a bit like the 3.0L s much bigger brother, so many buyers are sure to believe it s worth the upgrade. With the more powerful 4.3L engine, the boat gets an added boost of speed in the top end, as well as out of the hole, and although the 4.3L MPI is the most powerful package available on the boat, the Q4 s price only rises to $18,065 with that engine (not including dealer prep and destination charges). You d be very hard-pressed to find a boat of this size and power at this price from any other manufacturer -- and as an added bonus, the boat is both attractive and well equipped. Lake Tahoe would have been too obvious a choice for testing the Q4, so we chose Missouri s much more low-key Table Rock Lake instead. It was a first visit to the lake for some members of our team, and they couldn t believe what a great testing spot Table Rock is. We did have to deal with some rain showers during our day on the water, but the lake s surface was otherwise glass-smooth. The 220 hp 4.3L engine packed a wallop, powering our test boat from 0 to 30 mph in 7.75 seconds. The boat went to plane at around 13 mph, between 2,000 and 2,500 rpm, where it shoots up from 8.8 to 24 mph in that small 500 rpm range. We had one person and _ of a tank of fuel on board for our run, and the boat was virtually empty of gear, so there was a very light load. However, even with the light load, we were taken aback by the Q4 s amazing top speed: 51.5 mph. Such velocity is possible due to the 4.3L MerCruiser and the boat s PowerGlide hull with HydroStep

strakes. The deft Q4 made turns a joy. The boat held onto corners nicely, and its fiberglassencapsulated stingers kept the ride quiet and the hull sturdy. Visibility was poor, for two reasons that might not be entirely the boat s fault. The first problem was that our skipper was particularly tall (6 feet, 2 inches), and his eye level was right in line with the top edge of the windshield. Usually, that can be corrected by moving the seat up or down, but that was problem #2: The seat on our tester wouldn t budge. Our skipper could see well enough to drive, but it would be annoying if that top line of the windshield were forever in your way. When test driving the Q4, just make sure the captain s seat on your prospective boat is adjustable. Don t Let the Low Price Fool You The Q4 should be able to successfully compete with the baseline models that other manufacturers are selling for just $9,995, because the boat has so many additional features that you won t find on those less expensive models. Plus, the Q4 has more interior room, since those $9,995 boats are usually 17-footers, not 19-plus-footers. A V-shaped settee takes up the bow of the Q4. The settee s upholstery comes with a stain-resistant coating, and the vinyl and thread used are UV-resistant. The two molded and insulated bow storage boxes built into the fiberglass structure can serve as coolers. The entire cockpit has fiberglass decking with a skid-resistant surface, but the naked deck is only exposed at the bow. The rest of the cockpit s decking is covered by snapin carpet, which starts at the walk-through windshield. That carpeting hides a large ski/wakeboard stowage locker that s built into the heart of the deck. The helm console is to starboard and includes a speedometer, a tachometer, a voltmeter, and fuel, trim, oil pressure and temperature gauges. The steering wheel is nothing special, but it is color coordinated -- and the boat does have rack-and-pinion steering. The helm is served by a bucket captain s seat that, in a nice touch, has a storage pouch built into its back side. That pocket makes a great place to keep maps, cell phones and other small items.

The passenger console, to port, also has a couple of great places to store smaller items. There s a small insulated cooler built into the console, as well as a padded storage tray for small items. Tahoe proves that inexpensive boats can still have quality design, thanks to such touches as the hook-and-loop fastener that keeps the cooler s lid from banging during bumpy rides and the two drink holders that are also built into the console. To top it all off, the console is also home to the Q4 s AM/FM stereo system with CD player and directional speakers. A starboard set of opposite-facing seats is located just abaft the passenger console, with one seat facing forward and the second seat facing the transom. The two seats can be folded down flat to become one big sunpad. A fixed seat is wedged into each of the aft corners of the cockpit, with the domed engine compartment jutting out between the two of them. Two cupholders are built into the compartment s lid, and having the ability to remove the lid entirely is nice, because it makes engine maintenance and repairs much easier. The very back of the boat is taken up by a huge integrated swim platform. A telescopic ladder is built into the swim platform, and a ski tow ring is also included. One of the boat s most important standard features is the custom drive-on trailer, which comes with 14-inch radial tires, submersible lights, a swing-away tongue and a color-matched powder-coated finish. For an additional $269, you can get a galvanized trailer instead of painted, and for $395 more, you can get trailer brakes, which we highly recommend. The Tahoe Q4 is one of the best entry-level bowriders available in 2004, and its very affordable price and slew of standard features are sure to bring in new boaters. If you re going to gamble with your money, go to that other Tahoe. If you want a solid investment in fun, the Tahoe Q4 is a sure bet. MORE INFO: Tahoe Boats; (417) 873-5900; www.tahoesportboats.com. focus on Tahoe Q4 Specifications Length - 19 ft., 5 in. Beam - 7 ft., 7 in.

Draft (drive up) - 1 ft., 5 in. Weight (hull) - 1,520 lbs. Fuel capacity - 23 gals. Maximum power - 220 hp Base price - $13,995 Engine Packages Available MerCruiser 3.0L/135 hp MerCruiser 3.0L (w/power steering)/135 hp MerCruiser 4.3L/190 hp MerCruiser 4.3L MPI/220 hp (test engine) For a complete list of test engine specs and available engine packages, visit goboatingamerica.com. Standard Features Speedometer, tachometer, voltmeter, fuel gauge, trim gauge, oil pressure, gauge, temperature gauge, color-coordinated steering wheel, rack-and-pinion steering, 12v outlet, courtesy light, 500 gph bilge pump, automotive-style fuse panel, custom driveon trailer, AM/FM CD player w/directional speakers. Optional Features Compass ($70), galvanized trailer upgrade ($269), trailer brakes ($395), Bimini top. GaugesTop speed - 51.5 mph RPM @ top speed - 4,600 Cruising speed - 36.2 mph RPM @ cruising speed - 3,200*fuel consumption at wide open throttle WHAT IT IS: A lot of boat for the money. WHAT IT ISN T: A long-distance cruiser, due to a fuel capacity of just 23 gallons. Speeds as Tested RPM MPH 1,000 5.1