The new Hood 43 was just named Best Powerboat at the Newport, Rhode Island, boat show.
By Peter A. Janssen
The new Hood 43 was just named Best Powerboat at the Newport, Rhode Island, boat show by a panel of expert judges appointed by the show's management. More than 700 boats, from 16 to 85 feet long, were displayed at the four-day show, one of the largest in-the-water shows in the United States.
The judges praised the Hood 43, with its low, classic lines typical of a Down East express, for its design, overall quality and innovation. Its unbroken sheer line sweeps gently from its fine bow all the way to the transom. The major design breakthrough is that the helm station is aft in the salon, set up in a centerline pod. Chris Hood, head of CW Hood Yacht Yard of Marblehead, Massachusetts, says the idea is to increase the captain's ability to interact with guests when under way. "You don't have to turn your head around to talk to everybody on board," he says, "as you do in a traditional setup." Visibility, even from the aft stance, is still excellent all around. The galley is down, facing a large settee (almost the size of a second salon) and leads to an open stateroom forward. The entire interior, which is elegant with satin-finished cherry with white panels in the classic Herreshoff style, is essentially open from the cockpit door all the way to the bow.
The new Hood 43 is powered by twin Cummins 550 hp electronic diesels driving Sea River propellers. An Onan 9 kW genset and a Side-Power bow thruster are standard. Chris Hood estimates the boat will top out at about 46 knots and will cruise comfortably at 32 knots. At that speed, it will have a range of 622 nautical miles. We will have a full review of the Hood 43 in an upcoming issue. Specifications: LOA: 45'9". Beam: 13'11". Draft: 3'. Disp.: 28,000 lbs. Fuel: 800 gals. Water: 78 gals. www.cwhoodyachts.com
The new Flanders Bay 27C was named Best Powerboat Under 30 Feet by the judges. This is a classic cuddy cabin cruiser made in Maine with a single 50 hp Yanmar diesel that moves the boat to a cruising speed of 8 to 10 knots. The boat also has classic lines, with a slightly elevated bow and a teak-capped sheer line with a slight curve that runs unbroken to the transom. Another line of teak runs all the way from the windshield and encircles the entire cockpit, which has an oiled teak deck. There's sleeping for two in the small cuddy. A base price of $99,000 makes this an affordable pocket cruiser or day boat for many potential owners. Specifications: LOA: 26'7". Beam: 8'4". Draft: 2'1". Disp.: 3,600 lbs. Fuel: 50 gals. Water: 20 gals. www.flandersbayboats.com
To be considered for judging, a boat had to be made since April of this year and be displayed at the Newport show. Other boats that made the judges' short list for Best Powerboat include the Sabre 40, Hunt 52 and Minor Offshore 31 by Skarne Marine. Motor Boating has reviewed all of these boats.
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