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WATERSKI MagazineIn 1996, Brendella Boats changed. Like the rest of the inboard industry, the company made a conscious decision to break the mold of “traditional” ski boat design by offering something bigger, something a little bit more comfortable than water skiers were used to sitting in and skiing behind. The alteration made sense. In a maturing market in which water skiers were having kids (and making more money), a larger, more comfortable ski boat for all types of skill levels and disciplines made perfect sense. Brendella not only broke the mold in '96 with the introduction of the 21-foot, 6-inch Calabria, it shattered it.
The company retooled it again in 1997 with the introduction of the Calabria Open Bow. Not only did the Merced, California-based Brendella add more comfort and passenger amenities by cutting out the deck of the closed-bow and adding a well-padded bow section, but the company put a monster under the hood. The limited-production MerCruiser Scorpion 377 took the performance level up a notch. Overall, it's a package that's dedicated to making drivers and passengers have as much fun as the skiers.
On the pleasure side, skiers-in-waiting (the Calabria seats eight) will have few complaints. The observer's seat is one of the few in the industry that actually seats two adults comfortably, and its back lifts up to reveal a plethora of storage – even enough for a kneeboard. Drivers get excellent forward and rear visibility from the adjustable seat, and look through a five-piece walk-through windshield. Glare, however, could be a problem.
Driving was a blast. What else would you expect from a 21-foot boat that's loaded with more horsepower than weekend skiers have ever managed? The Open Bow was extremely strong in the midrange to top end, and seemed to hold speed well for all types of skiing, even in the 15- to 18-mph area. While the Scorpion 377 doesn't have the low-end grunt of some of the lower-horsepower engines, it really shines when pulling footers and multiple skiers.
Handling was responsive for the oversized open-bow, and drivers will have no trouble taking it through the course or idling it around the dock. Tracking was excellent, and our skiers remarked: “It's really solid when the skier pulls.”
They'll be pulling a lot. Slalom wakes are family-friendly: slightly rounded and low when using 75 and 60 feet of rope, and flat when the line shortens to 22 off and beyond. The wake does become hard as the speed increases, but it's nothing an edged ski can't cut through. Skiers looking to train for competition can do so through 35 off, where we felt traces of spray.
All skiers appreciated the wide, solid teak platform; it handled our slalom skis, kneeboards and wakeboards with ease. We suspect it would be equally as pleasing to a pair of combos – further lending credibility to the Open Bow's promise of delivering something for everyone in the skiing family.
