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SeaSport Offshore 3000 XCS
by Roger McAfee
Longest-running fiberglass boat builder proves its reputation
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When the oldest continuous manufacturer of fiberglass boats in the U.S. introduces a new model, it’s a “must test.” And when the new model incorporates a different production method, the test becomes even more interesting.
SeaSport Boats of Bellingham, Washington, has been continuously building fiberglass boats since 1955, longer than any other glass builder in the U.S. The company was producing glass boats two years before Bellingham’s best-known glass boat builder, Unflite, was even incorporated.
SeaSports have become known for their aggressively forwarded-slanted windows and their ability to handle the roiling waters of the Pacific Northwest, British Columbia and Alaska. They have a reputation for being fast and tough and are the preferred hull for many serious anglers. As the make’s reputation grew and larger models were added to the line, passionate cruisers began to include SeaSport in their “must look at” list.
In the past year, though, SeaSport decided to make major changes to its largest mono hull -- the 30-foot Offshore 3000 -- not only in the much improved, and volumetrically larger, pilothouse, but also in the way the hull is manufactured. The first hull was “show ready” just in time for January’s Seattle Boat Show. She first splashed into the ocean February 14, just 24 hours before Sea’s test -- the first independent test of the new 30-footer, called the Offshore 3000 XCS.
New Beginning
Until our test hull was manufactured, SeaSport used the open-mold method of building hulls and decks: Glass and resin are laid up in a female mold and the resin is forced through the glass fibers by hand, rolling with small, steel rollers similar to paint rollers but much smaller in diameter. This method yields a finished piece with approximately 70 percent resin and 30 percent glass.
Our test hull was manufactured using what is termed the “infusion method.” The resin is forced into the glass fibers either by pressure or sucked through by a vacuum. SeaSport uses a vacuum. Because of the efficiency of this method of wetting out the glass, the finished piece has 30 percent resin and 70 percent glass -- just the reverse of the open-mold method. This results in a lighter, stronger piece. An infused bare Offshore 3000 hull weighs 1,000 pounds less than her predecessors, and there is a similar weight saving in the deck. Strength increased by 50 percent.
SeaSport has a long and successful history of using infusion technology in making various internal components for all of its boats and decided it was time to make the move to hull and deck infusion. All components are cored.
Layout
Our test day dawned clear and cold on Bellingham Bay. In fact, skim ice had formed along the shore of the marina. Bellingham Bay can be a nasty piece of water even when there’s no wind. The bay is shallow and there are constant currents, which, when combined with tidal flow, can create a confused sea with 4-footers rolling in from all compass points. Add a 10-knot wind and things get really interesting. It’s an ideal location to test boats. If the manufacturer doesn’t put things together right, they’ll come unglued, even in a short test.
The layout of the 30 is fairly traditional for vessels of this type and makes good use of space. Entry to the cabin is through a center-opening rear door at the forward end of a large cockpit. The stove and sink are set into cabinets down the starboard side, across from the portside settee. The inside control station is located on the starboard side, across from a portside padded mate’s seat.
The forecastle contains a full standup head, hanging lockers and a large, comfortable V-berth. A port light in the forward vertical wall of the trunk cabin adds substantially to the lightness and brightness of the area. SeaSport is one of the few builders using this feature. This, combined with side ports and a large hatch, keeps the occupants of the fo’c’sle from feeling like they’re living in a basement.
Raise the Roof
The 3000 pilothouse’s main cabin sides have been raised so that the pilothouse roof is now 9 inches higher than the roof of the aft main cabin. The extra height was not so much for additional headroom (the old model had 6 feet, 9 inches forward), but rather for improved visibility and light. With the pilothouse roof raised, SeaSport has been able to insert two large ports on that new aft vertical surface; this has made the cabin brighter and allows for excellent visibility astern. In fact, the overall visibility from the helm station is exceptionally good -- among the best in this class of boat.
The stainless steel rails and cabin top grabrails make getting onto the foredeck easy and safe. The self-bailing cockpit is deep and secure, both features that will appeal to serious anglers. The stern cockpit door opens onto a swim grid that will make landing the “really big ones” much easier. Yet, these same qualities will appeal to a family boater with small children -- they can all board safely and easily and will be secure -- and pleasing both anglers and families is no easy task. The cockpit controls makes running a fish or docking very comfortable.
This Baby Bashes
As we idled away from the marina, the boat responded promptly and precisely to both helm and throttle, features that are becoming increasingly necessary in crowded marinas. Once around the breakwater and into the open bay, we slowly advanced the throttle and I got my first surprise. Boats of this type -- high-speed deep-V -- usually handle well at speeds up to about 6 knots. Between that speed and about 15 knots, they don’t handle that well, but above that, they are a dream, bashing through 5- and 6-footers with no problem.
This hull handled well in all speed ranges with no wallowing as she transitioned from displacement to planing speed. As we operated through the bay at speeds up to just more than 40 mph, the hull handled the various sea conditions without any fuss or muss. We sat stationary in a beam sea and the boat showed good roll stability. We ran with the sea astern with no problem; bashing into a head sea was what this boat was designed for -- and she met those design parameters very well.
At one point, we drove the boat hard into a steep, confused sea and “grabbed some air.” The vessel settled back into the water at the same attitude she left it and settled in softly, thanks to the bottom design. We cranked the helm quickly from hard astarboard to hard aport at full speed. The boat dug in and carved tight turns without skip or skid. With one of SeaSport’s employees at the wheel running flat out, I poked around in all the spaces on the boat and didn’t detect anything rattling or banging. There was no hull or deck flexing.
Our test boat was equipped with twin Volvo D4-260 hp engines coupled with the Volvo DuoProp outdrive systems. These 1,455-pound four-cylinder 226-cubic-inch common-rail injection engines produce their maximum torque at about 2,500 rpm.
According to the manufacturer’s specs, at those revs, the engines each produce 225 hp and drive the boat at 25 mph in almost any sea conditions. At that speed, the vessel gets about 1.78 mpg -- good for a boat of that size. With the engines spooled up to their full 3,500 rpm, the vessel topped out at 40.4 mph and still got 1.42 miles per gallon - a drop of only .36 mpg for a gain of more than 15 mph. These performance figures indicate that the engines are a good match for the hull they power. The tests were run with three adults on board and 75 percent fuel and water.
If you’re looking for a family boat that will satisfy the serious angler in you, the new SeaSport Offshore 3000 XCS should be right at the top of your “must-see” list.
Final Word
Improvement needed: SeaSport has finished its interiors in traditional oiled teak for many years. In the new 3000, the manufacturer decided to brighten up the interior by using different woods and finishes. The internal woodwork in our test boat was Brazilian cherry -- a truly beautiful wood. The wood fit-up was excellent, but the finish was not up to the standard of the glass work on the vessel.
Unusual feature: The two main cockpit cleats were mounted vertically against the port and starboard cockpit sides. They are positioned so that the line can be run through any fairlead and snubbed to the cleat. The unusual positioning makes it easy to secure a cockpit load, be it a small inflatable or a favorite bike or motorcycle.
CONTACT: SeaSport Boats Inc., Bellingham, WA; (360) 733-3380; www.seasportboats.com
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This article first appeared in the July 2006 issue of Sea Magazine. All or parts of the information contained in this article might be outdated. |
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