CLOSE
Sign up to get news on contests, pro events, new products and special offers.
Risto
I'm not going to bore you describing all the work that was put into this issue because I don't have enough pages to whine about all of the blood, sweat and tears that our team surrendered to the cause. Instead, I'll lay out a brief synopsis of the new structure of our tests.
Instead of knocking out the tests in a two- to three-week period at a central location, this year we decided on a different approach. We traveled to every manufacturer's hometown and conducted the test in their back yard. (And speaking of back yards, a big thanks is due to each manufacturer for opening their doors with warm welcomes.) No, instead of hurrying to finish all the manufacturers' boat reviews hastily, we took the time to thoroughly get inside the manufacturers' heads as well as their boats.
Be thy boat, feel thy boat and know thy boat, I would tell myself before entering a factory. And believe me, we inhaled enough fiberglass resin to practically BECOME the boat. But, hey, we're boat testers. It's our job.
Not only did we measure, performance-test, ski and wakeboard behind each boat, we listened as well. Every manufacturer has a story of how they came to be and what their approach is to building the best boat that they possibly know how to build. We ventured to include some of that important info in these test results. Not only have a lot of these players been in the industry a long time and truly take pride in their products, but there is some heated competition between various companies. We bring some of this to light in our Q&A interviews with each manufacturer.
This type of reporting, we feel, is what drives manufacturers to build a better boat. Nobody likes second place, and there's not one company in this book that isn't trying to build the best boat possible and sell plenty of them within their means. They have your best interests in mind beginning with the design phase, through production, until you see the final product on the boat lot.
If you're in the market for a new boat, rest assured as you flip through these pages that quality and performance are an underlying factor in all the boats being manufactured for 2001. It's safe, after narrowing down the possibilities, to feel good about your choice, no matter which one it is. And if you're still a No. 3 after all this, lighten up, wouldja' Only 30 more days until we hit you with the core stuff again.
Categories:
Ski Boats
