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Ebbtide 2440 Z-Trak Bowrider

Fast, sporty luxury - that's the first impression the 2440 Z-Trak makes. And in our test and in-depth examination, that first impression held up well.

Fast, sporty luxury – that’s the first impression the 2440 Z-Trak makes. And in our test and in-depth examination, that first impression held up well.

We started with the snug hug of the helm seat. It’s made for comfy riding and secure handling. In front of it is a heat-shrink vinyl dash with Beede instrumentation and a sporty Dino wheel on a tilt base. For the passengers, we found leatherlike vinyls in three textures, snakeskin insets, and butter smooth and hand-stitched checkerboard accents to beef up the racy feel.

The morning sun glinted off the gelcoat gloss. Layup techniques eliminated print-through, so the finish was slick. Inside, we found the gelcoat fashioned into a nonskid pattern that showed more quality attention in layup.

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Ebbtide’s molding quality is more than skin deep, too. Our test ride was on a smooth lake, so we pulled back the throttle and ploughed up some strong wakes. Then we throttled up and loped back over them, listening for noise and feeling bracing our backs against the shock. It was an unnecessary move on these rollers as the boat cleaved a path and glided through them.

Strong layup doesn’t matter if the hardware isn’t up to holding hatches, latches and cleats in place. No worries there with hefty, polished stainless-steel hinges and through-bolted hardware where they’re needed. Stainless-steel cup holders complemented the upholstery. Docking and boarding hardware is equally strong. The rub rail is stainless steel. Cleats at stern, bow and amidships bear the Ebbtide logo and are solidly anchored to hold securely. Boarding ladders are telescoping under stainless hinged hatches and are easy to deploy from the water.

Even in the hidden corners of Ebbtide’s construction, we found special finishing details, like a Corian top in the head compartment and the port light that can be opened for fresh air. Storage compartments are lined and gelcoated. The engine compartment is foam-insulated to reduce on-board sound and contain heat from the engine.

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But the true test looks for the inner workings of the engine technology and hull interaction. Volvo Penta’s 8.1-liter Gi engine and DuoProp drive did not disappoint in speed or acceleration, hitting nearly 60 mph and stepping up to 30 mph in under six seconds with little noticeable bow rise. Many bowriders this size take that long to tip over to plane. One advantage of equipping the 2440 with the dual propeller drive is the way it stays hooked up in hard turns. Perhaps most important to families is the slow, easy minimum planing speed of just 17 mph – ideal for building up wakeboard ramps.

Tommy Trabue is the founder of Ebbtide and an aficionado of speed and fun. His team’s new 2440 Z-Trak shows a special commitment to fine workmanship, too.

Notable features
* Bow backrests lift up for easy entry to storage compartments.
* Anchor locker has hanging brackets for a fluke anchor and a boarding ladder.
* JBL marine stereo is under the dash and controlled by a dash remote.
* Optional Corsa exhaust adds fun, an extra mph and silent marina idling.
* Built-in cooler in the bow gives easy access to refreshments.

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At a Glance
For a strong combination of performance, style, comfort and luxury, the Ebbtide 2440 will bow to no other brand.

Vital Stats
Length Overall (w/ platform): 25’5″
Beam: 8’6″
Dry Weight: 4,650 lb.
Seating/Weight Capacity: 13/2,050 lb.
Fuel Capacity: 70 gal.
Maximum HP: 320
NMMA Certified: Yes
MSRP (base boat): $52,160
MSRP (test boat): $73,580

Test Drive
Test Engine: Volvo Penta 8.1L Gi DuoProp
Test Props: F7s
Test Load: People (400 lb.); Fuel (35 gal.)
Top Speed: 59.3 MPH @ 4,800 RPM
Time to Plane: 2.9 sec.
Time to 30 MPH: 5.6 sec.
Minimum Planing Speed: 17.5 MPH @ 2,000 RPM

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