Although we had a great summer this year with little rain and warm temperatures right into the autumn, there have been very different years - such as 2017.
Anyone who has tested our test boat, theFinnmaster P8who drives in adverse weather conditions with thick clouds, plenty of rain and cool temperatures is happy to be sitting in a sheltered cab and travelling comfortably or quickly.
But even on hot days with lots of sunshine, thePilothouse several advantages. The hardtop provides shade, while the opening side window, the side and rear doors and two hatches in the roof transform the cab into an open space. airy spacetransform.
A special feature of the test boat is theOutdoor driving position (extra) in the cockpit. From here, the skipper can not only moor well, but also chat with the crew. NumerousRod holder on the quay roof are available to sports anglers, but alsoFamilies will have a lot of fun with the boat.
You canbeautiful day trips as well as trips lasting several days by boat. The necessary comfort is provided by two cabins with double berths, a wet room, sun loungers, the cockpit, the bathing platform and the saloon with galley and dinette (can be converted into a berth for an extra charge).
Only outboards can be fitted as propulsion. With a boat of this size, it naturally needs a few more horsepower. Starting with a single engine and at least 200 hp, you can go all the way up to a twin engine with a total of 400 hp.
We are travelling with a300 hp Yamahawhich turns between 1000 and 1800 rpm in displacement mode and allows the boat to run at a maximum speed of 8 knots. Course corrections are hardly necessary as it runs straight ahead almost as if pulled by a string.
Even weight shifts by one person do not put the hull on the wrong track. With more throttle, the boat then raises its nose and the bow lowers again from around 4000 rpm. The trim tabs help to stabilise the boat during the transition phase and when gliding slowly. The motorised boat and trailer travels economically at 4500 rpm (23 knots).
That still gives you almost 150 nm on one tank of fuel plus 15% reserve. If you put the lever on the table, the GPS display shows just under 36 knots. The dealer has also realised that the outboard generates a lot of spray water at high speeds and wants to increase the engine speed.
ThePower trim The driver uses this by feel, because if you trim too high, the test boat starts to rock over the transverse axis. The hull reacts completely without rocking or hooking in fast, tight bends. Depending on the power trim setting, the propeller draws air.
In other words, the higher the trim, the faster it turns into the void. To stop this, simply turn the steering wheel to straight ahead and the journey starts again immediately. The hull reacts to waves from commercial vessels and the choppy waters of the Baltic Sea with little spray and a soft start.
The muffled sound in the cab sounds harder than it really is. The boat impresses with its good manoeuvrability, which is evident in tight turning circles and direct reversing behaviour in reverse. The bow thruster (extra) also ensures safety, especially on windy days.
In normal operation, the skipper operates a smooth and precise sports steering wheel and a single-lever control on the driver's platform in the cab. He sits on a firmly upholstered sports seat whoseHigh side panels provide good support give. If you want to ride standing up, fold up the front part of the seat.
The driver then has two options: Either he stands on the floor flap and looks through the open sun hatch or he folds it up, whereby he then stands lower and looks normally through the windscreen.
This consists ofSafety glass, has no tinting and has a windscreen wiper on the driver's side with a sufficiently large wiping area, at least as standard.
Praiseworthy are theDefroster nozzles in front of the windscreenon the test boat. The view of the instruments, i.e. engine monitor and Garmin chart plotter (extra), is unrestricted except for minor reflections.
Good idea: the sliding door with locking mechanism next to the driver, which leads directly to the side deck. The driver, or rather the co-driver, is seated on a two-seater bench on the port side. A handrail right in front of the co-pilots provides support.
Thespecial highlight However, the centrepiece of this bench is the folding backrest, which converts the front passenger seat into a saloon bench seat. Together with the bench seat opposite, this provides ample space for four people.
Cooking takes place on the starboard side at a galley block, which provides suitable equipment and storage facilities. To sleep and go to the toilet, you go down one level to the front. The two doors there have no stoppers and can therefore bump against each other if handled clumsily.
Access to the centre cabin is separated by a curtain. There is space for two people in a comfortable double berth with a special ventilation mat under the cushions.
The same applies to the bunk in the bow, which is asymmetrical. In the wet room there is a marine toilet with hand pump and a washbasin withExtendable shower hose.
Outdoor enthusiasts head into the cockpit, which is covered by a soft top. While the rear bench is part of the standard equipment, the table and benches that can be lowered into the side wall are on the accessories list.
Next to the aft bench is the access to theBathing platformwhich has been fitted with a door to protect children in particular. A wide bathing ladder makes it easy to get in and out of the water.
Technology: The installations are neatly installed. The lines between the outboard motor and onboard feedthroughs are located in a protective hose. Another positive feature is the fuel filter, but we were unable to find an easily accessible stopcock.
For the electrical system, Finnmaster relies onWell dimensioned batteries in firmly lashed battery boxes, three easily accessible main switches (starter, on-board power supply and AUX) and circuit breakers at the driving position. The shore connection is on the accessories list at just under €3000.
Other extras include cockpit tarpaulin, sunbed and cockpit bench cushions, diesel heater, stern anchor, hot water boiler, deck wash pump and rod holders.
In contrast, the shipyard provides the following as standardFender holder and fender. To stow the anchor, there is a self-draining anchor locker in the bow, which can be fitted with an electric anchor winch.
If you look inside the box, you will see a neatly applied protective coating. The deburred edges of the lid and the solid attachment points of the cleats, railing and hinges are also impressive.
You can read this test of the Finnmaster P8 in the December issue 2018 from BOOTE. Or you can download the PDF for the test below.
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