The combination of a V-hull and three powerful outboards is effective and also makes offshore cruising with the Wellcraft 28 T-Top a positive experience.
Wellcraft has been around for seven decades. The brand became famous through the series "Miami Vice" in the 1980s, in which Don Johnson, alias Sonny Crockett, went on a gangster hunt with a Wellcraft Scarab 38 KV. The shipyard started out with fast wooden boats; the "Miami Vice" version, on the other hand, had a Kevlar hull and a very unusual paint job. The shipyard now belongs to Groupe Beneteau, the world's leading boatbuilding group. The hull design of our test boat, the Wellcraft 38 T-Topis the work of Michael Peters from Florida, who has also designed for Bertram and Azimut as well as the RIB manufacturer Zodiac.
Who the Wellcraft 28 T-Top is suitable for
The test boat is positioned as a versatile centre console boat designed for both offshore cruising and water sports activities. It has a T-top, which is often found on boats of this type. The roof protects the carpool from sun and rain. It is held in place by a solid tubular frame. Radar and VHF antennas can be easily installed on the roof. A towing device is also mounted on the top. This enables the towing of Water sports equipment such as wakeboards from an elevated position, which has a positive effect on running and jumping characteristics when wakeboarding. A second major use is fishing. A special Adventure Fishing Pack is available for this fun, which is on the options list for a good €2,400 and includes a fresh water tank for fish, three fishing rod holders at the stern, saltwater washing facilities (cockpit and anchor) and a bait drawer. Overall, the Wellcraft has numerous storage spaces for water sports equipment.
Particularly attractive areas on the boat can be found in the open air with spacious seating and lounging areas; the shipyard refers to them as social areas for the travelling community. A double lounger and a table sunk into the floor are installed on the foredeck of the test boat, which can be raised at the touch of a button and forms a cosy round table together with the bow bench seat. There is also comfortable, spacious seating in the cockpit.
The bathing platform with ladder allows easy access to the water. The same applies to the additional bathing ladder, which can be attached to the starboard deck. Wellcraft provides a cockpit shower (hot/cold) as standard for rinsing off after bathing. For preparing snacks and chilling drinks, the accessories list includes a cooker, fridge (drawer cabinet), microwave and cockpit grill.
Another highlight is the cabin, which is located under the driving position and the bow sunbed. Access is via a sturdy door on the port side, and steps lead down to the lower deck area. Here, the test boat offers a large double berth, a separate shower room with toilet and a cupboard unit with washbasin in the entrance area.
How the Wellcraft 28 T-Top performs in the test
To drive: The boat is offered in five different engine versions: It starts with 2 x 350 hp (Mercury) in the entry-level version and goes through the 3-x-300 hp outboard variant up to a maximum of 3 x 350 hp engines. With the triple systems, you can choose between Mercury and Yamaha. We travelled with three 350 hp Mercury outboard engines. The shipyard has installed three identical, firmly upholstered sports seats on the driving position, which offer good lateral support. The driver sits in the centre, has an unrestricted view of the monitors and can easily reach the steering, gearstick and joystick. With the latter and the bow thruster, the Wellcraft can be easily moored and unmoored.
During our test drive, the three engines show what they are capable of: they get the Wellcraft planing in no time at all, the foresight is always good and the top speed is a good 52 knots. The boat glides economically at 26.4 knots. This results in a range of 203 nautical miles plus 15 per cent reserve.
Further out on the Mediterranean it became choppier, but the hull showed soft, good handling behaviour. Even when cornering at around 35 knots, the hull tracked safely and comfortably. Even slalom courses can be steered safely and directly. The same applies to abrupt steering movements with the smooth steering.
Technical data
- CE category: B/10, C/12
- Length over everything: 11,69 m
- Width: 3,30 m
- Displacement: 6,4 t
- Depth: 0,80 m
- Clearance height: 2,86 m
- Fuel tank: 1.006 l
- Max. motorisation: 772 kW (1,050 hp)
- Test motorisation: 3 x Mercury 350 V10 with 257 kW (350 hp) each
- incl. freight: 356.557 €
- Dealer proof: wellcraft.com
Conclusion
The Wellcraft 38 T-Top is a boat that is ideal for a wide range of activities and offers plenty of space and comfort. The test boat has sporty handling characteristics. It is easy to manoeuvre with the joystick and bow thruster.
