Messing About

New ways to hit the water

By Bill Ando

If you enjoy “messing about in boats,” and we assume you do, we’ve taken a look at some of the toys that a family or a gathering of friends can enjoy when they’re out and about on the water. This summer, why not expand your horizons beyond your usual boat or boating activity and find some new ways to hit the water.
It doesn’t have to be big and loud to generate interest. There’s nothing like playing with something round to get every one out in the water. Welcome Waboba, it’s the acronym for Water Bouncing Ball—knowing that makes it easier to say. There are three versions. We like the Extreme ball; it has more bounce so it can launch off waves or smoother water surfaces. Start by throwing sidearm to skip it across the water then work up to bouncing it. Each ball comes with game instructions. Though, you’ll no doubt make up your own.
MSRP: $8.99 – $9.99 waboba.com

Liquid Image’s Scuba Series HD is the world’s only dive mask that has an integrated waterproof digital video camera, plus it shoots photographs at 5 mega pixels. It operates to a depth of 130 feet, so it’s ideal for snorkeling, Snuba and scuba. The goggle lenses are made of tempered glass and have integrated crosshairs that help you line up shots. Turn the camera on, and press the shutter button to record in the desired format. An LED inside the mask tells you if you are in still image or video mode. Four AAA-lithium batteries will power you through 2000 still images or two-hours of video.
MSRP: $250 liquidimageco.com

The best way to kick off boating season is to sit back, float and enjoy.  A rigid, floating party island, the Bev Barge from Weekend Products is easily the heart of on-the-water festivities and great way to relax at the sandbar.  Featuring two recessed serving areas, 12 cup holders, a 36-quart cooler, an umbrella and eight inner tube attachment lanyards, it ensures snacks and drinks are never too far out of reach.
MSRP: $249 weekendproducts.com

Is there anything more fun than laying on an inflated platform and getting dragged behind a boat at high speed? Age doesn’t matter, fun is fun.  We looked at two towables from Rave Sports. The Slingshot accommodates one to three riders. The two on the outside sit with backrests while the center position rides prone. The Mambo was introduced in 2005, but remains one of Raves’ more popular models It holds three riders, all lay prone. This one is great fun and catches serious air. Both got big raves from our official testers who are both under 30.
MSRP: $219 – $270 ravesports.com

The Airis Velocity is Walker Bay’s top of the line, one-person, inflatable, performance kayak and weighs just 33 pounds. The dual action pump fills the boat rock hard in no time. An experienced paddler, our tester loved the boat; “The seat was so comfortable I didn’t want to get out of it.” At the end of the day it deflates and fold into its portaging backpack. Features include integrated storage, three foot rest positions, splashguard, rear skeg, four molded carrying handles and a cup holder—hey, it’s supposed to be relaxing. This 12-foot kayak holds paddlers up to 275 pounds. Walker Bay makes the same boat into an angler’s model with a camo skin and 32 attachment points for gear as well as smaller Plat and Sport models.
MSRP: $1,299 walkerbay.com

Although Nautica’s XP Jet Line comes in five models 9, 10, 12, 13, and16 feet, it was the nine-footer that caught our attention. It seems rather personal. It’s large enough to take a couple of friends along for the ride yet small enough not to feel too big when you’re solo. The PWC-style seating, steering, and throttle controls enhance its cool. The XP Jet line is powered by a 143HP turbo charged 4-stroke Weber motor. You can order it with custom hull, deck and console colors, as well as two tone tube colors—select colors to match your big boat or your mood—custom color cushions and teak decks.
MSRP: $24,275 nauticaintl.com
Perhaps you need a day boat to entice the grandkids to visit more often. The Regal 2100 with the RX package features cool graphics, arena seating and plenty of room to carry skis and wakeboards and up to 10 people. The combination of its FasTrac hull design and lightweight, composite materials allows the boat to reach performance numbers with the standard 4.3L engine that rivals the competitors larger engine, while delivering astonishingly economical fuel consumption. A performance stereo system with eight speakers and a subwoofer keeps the crowd enthused. The collapsible sport tower is standard.
MSRP: $42,473 regalboats.com

You can use a boat to dock and dine in Palm Beach style. There are times when plastic just belongs in your wallet, not your boat. Bill Coffman of CF Boatworks in Fort Lauderdale is crazy about two things: mahogany and speed. A naval architect turned boat builder, he and his team create hand-built, trailerable wooden runabouts that are anything but retro and deliver high speeds (60 mph+) in real sea conditions. You can’t have this 33-footer, it’s a just completed tender for a 230-foot megayacht, but its 27-foot sister is nearing completion in Fort Lauderdale.
MSRP: Inquire (based on power and customization)
cfboats.com

From the folks who gave us the Hobie Cat comes the Mirage Tandem Island. It’s one of the coolest, most versatile toys we found. This 18.5-foot two-person kayak has attachable outriggers that turn it into sailing trimaran with a 10-foot beam—affectionately referred to as a “Sail/yak”. It even has a kick-up centerboard to keep leeway to a minimum. To reef the boomless mainsail, simply roll it up around the mast. If the wind dies, pedal the dual Mirage Drives, use the paddles or resort to the optional Torqeedo electric motor. Optional trampolines hook between the crossbars to allow you to carry the gang. Weight, rigged190 lbs.
MSRP: $4,699 hobiecat.com

This may be the ultimate water toy. Glasair’s Sportsman is a serious user-built aircraft with dazzling performance specs.
The company’s “Two Weeks to Taxi” program assures that you will build the plane in two weeks at its facility. The wings fold back creating a manageable 8.5-foot width for on-deck stowage and it weighs only 2,500 pounds. With two pilots and full fuel tanks, the Sportsman will haul over 300 pounds of gear, cargo, or extra passengers in two jump seats. The standard model has a top speed of 145 knots, an 18,000 foot ceiling an1d can take off and land fully loaded in less than 400 feet. You can cover 600 miles in four hours and still have half-an-hour fuel reserve.
MSRP: $200,000 (with floats) glasairaviation.com