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Topside, bow access along the sidedecks and the wide working space on the foredeck are, again, best in class. Cockpit action centers around the wetbar abaft the helm. Its bilevel counter, with a 11⁄2" reveal, incorporates a stainless-steel sink, icemaker, and 20" retractable LCD TV. The helm deck is on one level, which I like better as a safety factor (one less thing to stumble over) than boats that force you to step up and down. Aft is a lounge that converts to a sunpad transom bench. This lounge also lifts electrically to reveal the engine room.
Here, I reveled. White fiberglass bilges reflect light so well that you can spot the tiniest drip. Seacocks at the foot of the ladder make for no-reach access. Batteries stowed on a rack on centerline are easily replaced. However, according to ABYC, the charger shouldn't be directly above them lest acidic charging fumes cause corrosion. Chaparral says a shield will be installed. Both cabin shower drains are plumbed to a sump here, so the smell of mung won't infiltrate the cabin. They even fitted the hydraulic pump for the swim platform with a manual handle. Sorry to repeat myself so much, but this is the nicest engine room in its class. Then again, so is almost everything else on this boat, which is why its our 2008 Boat of the Year.
Pricing: Standard power - $614,667 Test power - $634,607
Contact: Chaparral Boats, Inc. P.O. Drawer 928 Nashville, GA 31639 229.686.7481 www.chaparralboats.com
