Glastron GX 185 (August 2005)

words - David Lockwood

The 18ft bowrider market is the most hotly contested between local and offshore boatbuilders. Dave Lockwood measures up a relative newcomer - Glastron's GX 185 - against some of its competition and finds that in the sub-$50,000 bracket it's a difficult

At the height of today's trailerboat fashion, coming to a waterway near you, bowriders are no longer seen as one of life's little luxuries but ready-made consumables for finding instant gratification. Take Glastron's luxury new 18-footer. Wildly popular in America, the GX 185 comes with the works, lashings of fun on the side, and just maybe a big drink if the water's warm enough.

While you won't get a two-for-one deal, Glastron has made a tasty packaged boat for the burgeoning drive-through trailerboat market. There are few options and the simplified purchasing process is at least partly responsible for Glastron's rating as the world's fastest-growing boatbuilder.

There are three tiers of Glastron boat: the fully-loaded GX models, the mid-specced SX, and the base MX boats. The GX 185 is available with optional extended swim platform, high-altitude prop, stereo remote, canvas, hull colours and a few engine choices. But by any measure this factory-rolled GX 185 is a loaded boat.

If you like the price ticket and the looks - which I do - you can hitch her up, haul her to the servo, put some juice in the tank and go boating. And drive-by your local marina or boatshed for a burger on the run.

MOVIE MAGIC
Take-out boating wasn't about when Glastron first started in the mid-1950s in Texas when fibreglass was a relatively new medium. Over the ensuing years the company's handmade boats earned their fair share of marine-industry accolades and starring roles in movies including Boatniks and Weekend at Bernies.

The company also designed and built the original Bat Boat for Bruce Wayne and, get this, 26 boats for the James Bond film Live and Let Die. Apparently, 17 were destroyed during the practice jumps before what became the world record 110ft-long boat jump. A photo of that jump, of a Glastron GT-150 flying over two police cars, became a cover for Time magazine.

In the '80s, Glastron was acquired by Genmar Industries which went about improving production efficiencies. The boatbuilder headed in a radical new direction using less human resources and more robots. The GX 185 seen here is now one of 14 models founded on the company's much-touted VEC hull, itself a production of an automated line.

For a manufacturer producing thousands of boats-to-go, VEC is quicker, more efficient and cost-effective way to build them. And for the consumer, there are lifetime warranties on the hull, deck, floor, stringers and transom, and less pieces to go wrong.

Like most boatbuilders, Glastron starts with a bunch of boat architects sitting in front a pile of high-powered computers. Design programs are linked to programs that decide specifications for components. These details are then communicated to computer-assisted manufacturing machinery. Using an automated five-axis milling machine and router, plugs are cut that in turn lead to the creation of closed moulds. Closed moulds are a point of difference for Glastron. The hull is made in one piece in them, and the deck and floor are the only other components. When joined together they create a consistent line of stiff, monocoque boats.

The GX 185 hull also has a deep 21 degrees of deadrise - more deadrise than rival boats from Sea Ray and Bayliner - great for blasting across the wake and waves.

When not high-tailing it to a honey hole, this GX 185 has good low-speed efficiencies for getting into watersports. The upgraded 220hp 4.3 MPI engine lets you pull kids on fat skis, tubes and boards at big-wave speeds.

The stable boat might also be a handy platform for drift fishing for flathead or fudging about on the anchor. Certainly, its full-length lounge and sunpad are two nice places to unwind.

LAYOUT AND ABOUT
It goes without saying that you get an automatic bilge pump, engine-room blower and navigation lights, plus an 110lt sub-floor fuel tank that should cater for a typical day of boating. Though it has a very fine and raked entry, the beamy 2.13m wide platform has plenty of stability. The boat comes with a 544kg (six adult) maximum load-carrying capacity. While other 18ft bowriders may be deeper up front, the Glastron has plenty of freeboard for carrying at least a couple of teenagers on the bow seating.

Bow, helm and stern seating is nicely sculptured and topped with excellent upholstery. Secure stainless-steel grabrails, stainless-steel windscreen supports and snap-in carpet add to the finish. The dealers fitted pop-up cleats in the bow and gas struts on the lid for the underfloor ski hatch. Other nice touches included courtesy lights in the cockpit, a four-speaker Clarion CD/AM/FM radio, and the ubiquitous drinkholders for the Dr Pepper in the bow and cockpit.Together, these things made for the best finished Glastron I've seen to date.

Storage is never a strength of VEC-built hulls, however, the GX 185 wasn't too skimpy. There were lined lockers under the bow seating, a very small centre under-seat anchor well, recesses under the windscreen, split-level sidepockets in the cockpit, and a glovebox in the customary position ahead of the co-pilot seat.

Mid-cockpit is the underfloor wet locker, while rear lounge seat bases conceal a partly-lined dry storage area. However, the boat didn't have an icebox of any kind.

COMFORTABLY NUMB
The helm seats are "SuspensionAire" wraparound adjustable bucket seats with flip-up bolsters. Think of them as the Recliner Rockers of the bowrider world.

Impressively, the cockpit is long enough - and quite deep at 750mm from floor to gunwale - that guests riding on the rear lounge have plenty of legroom. The full-width three-seater has good back support.Behind here is a full-width sun lounge with ribbed upholstery.

The blunt end also has an integrated moulded boarding platform, a telescopic three-step boarding ladder and a stainless-steel grab to help you from the briny, river or dam. Of course, the boat comes with a ski tow ring and a trick dashboard.

The kitted-out GX 185 model has faux walnut panel with gold-rimmed Faria engine, fuel and trim gauges; a digital depth sounder and hour meter; and tilt steering wheel with rubber grip sections. A drinkholder and glovebox are nearby. At the helm I liked the handy toggle switch to instantly kill the stereo and the 12V accessory plug for your mobile.

A low-glare brow assists with your vision through the clear windscreen, but I found its leading edge at my eye level. As such, I drove somewhat slouched. Also, the open sides of the windscreen let a lot of cold air in when running beam-on to the wind.

Hull colour options include blue, red, yellow and black, with optional matching Sunbrella canvas packs.

THE BIG EASY
I'm told the Glastrons sell themselves, and they virtually drive themselves, too. Unlike some early models, this 185 was nice and quiet. As with all Glastrons I've been aboard, the deep-vee hull on the 185 was a highlight. It consumed the choppy water nicely, with only minor porpoising when running down sea from crest to trough to crest.

Using an Alpha One drive, the boat was responsive, quiet and agreeable on the water. It was also efficient, giving 18kt (34kmh) low-speed towing power at 2000rpm and 28kt (52kmh) cruise at 2500rpm. Fast cruise speeds of 32kt (60kmh) at 3000rpm up to 37kt (69kmh) at 3500rpm were recorded.

Flat out the boat hit 48kt (90kmh) at 4500rpm, perfectly in the middle of MerCruiser's recommended rev-out range for the 4.3 MPI. While we were rocketing along the V6 was quiet.

And while it was a windy winter's day, we had to try our best to put spray on the windscreen.

Back in the 1950s, Glastron used the motto: tomorrow's boat today. At the time, its boats were considered radical, especially the Fireflite with its tail fins and side spears mimicking the cars of the Deco era. In many ways the company remains at the forefront of boatbuilding technology today. What you see is what you get with the GX 185 - there are no nasty surprises.

Indeed, the Americans are unbeatable at building boats to go.

HIGHS

VEC technology hull with lifetime warranty
One-piece deck and cockpit sole layout
Comfortable seating
More fuel capacity and sharper hull than its main competitors
Good acceleration, drive and performance
Generous storage space
Stainless-steel grab and windscreen rails
Priced and packaged to go

LOWS

Leading edge of windscreen at eye level
Open-sided windscreen leaks cold air
Have to step on upholstery when coming aboard from the water
No built-in icebox
Very shallow anchor well and pop-up cleats on bow were a dealer-fitted item
No wind dam between bow and cockpit
Weak second-hand market due partly to new boat affordability

GLASTRON GX 185

PRICE AS TESTED: $44,990 with 220hp MPI MerCruiser motor on dual-axle EzyLoader trailer

OPTIONS FITTED

Covers, dealer-fitted pop-up cleats and gas struts on hatch lid, and safety gear

PRICED FROM: As above with MerCruiser 220 MPI motor

GENERAL

Type: Deep-vee planing hull

Material: Foam-filled GRP hull using VEC process

Length overall: 5.49m

Beam: 2.31m

Deadrise: 21º

Weight: About 1247kg with 4.3 GL Volvo motor

CAPACITIES

Rec/max hp: 135/220

Fuel: 110lt

Water: n/a

Berths: Camp on deck or try the sun lounge

ENGINE

Make/Model: MerCruiser 220hp MPI

Type: Inboard V6 fuel-injected four-stroke petrol motor

Rated hp: 220hp @ 4400–4800rpm

Displacement: 4.3lt

Weight: About 393kg

Gearboxes (Make/ratio): Alpha One Sterndrive

Props: Alloy

SUPPLIED BY: Webbe Marine, 541 Princess Highway, Kirrawee, NSW, tel (02) 9521 7944, website www.webbemarine.com.au or visit www.glastron.com

Published : Monday, 1 August 2005
Issue : August 2005

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disclaimer

Prices and specifications supplied are for the market in Australia only and were correct at time of first publication. BoatPoint Australia makes no warranty as to the accuracy of specifications or prices. Please check with manufacturer or local dealer for current pricing and specifications.