Above: On the surface, the cockpit offers a lot, yet it still has its-secrets.­

~_~~~---,_~_;--_--",-RigId: A-'II1ique step notched into the transom makes side boarding easy •

..

•

1 By Capt. Jim

Gorant

Look only once at

the Crllisers 2420 Aria and YOll may miss something.

easures o you know what the plate test is?"

Gene Gooding, a regional sales manager for Cruisers, put

this question to me as we sat in the cabin of the new 2420

Aria. I panicked. He slid open a cabinet above the sink and turned to

look at me. "The plate test?" I asked. Bluffing seemed too risky and

honesty a bit too embarrassing, but Gene was staring at me, waiting for

an answer. A pregnant pause filled the air between us. Looking up from

APR ll1 994 • POWER AND MOTORYACHT 81

my notebook, I reverted to an old math

class tactic: " Uh, could you repeat the

question?" It worked. The moment

passed, Gene shook his head and contin­

ued on. "Sometimes you get one of

these big, beautiful 37-footers that can ' t

pass the plate test. However, this boat

can pass the plate test. " And they say

high school doesn' t prepare you for the

real world.

As 1 later leamed, the plate test con­

sists of taking an II-inch plate and trying

to store it flat somewhere on the boat. A

feat, as Gooding pointed out, often taken

for granted, but seldom easily accom­

plished. That Cruisers has taken such

pains to make this a part of its 24-foot,

do-everything sports utili ty boat reflects

not only the comforts hidden in the de­

tails, but the effort to utilize the space in a way that is, well, useful.

The 2420 caters to people who spend

their time above deck but still want the

occasional comforts of a cabin . Cruisers

assumes you spend 80 percent of your

time on the boat outside and plans to

help you keep it that way. Want a soda?

The refrigerator is right there. Need to

wash your hands? Use the cockpit wet­

bar sink. Have to get at any of your gear?

You can stow anything from skis to sun­

tan lotion right in the cockpit. There 's no

need to run in and out of the cabin all

day. Dayboaters who cruise, waterski,

fish , dive, or just layout in the sun will

be right at home.

However, when you want to stay

overnight, you won 't have to run back to

the dock or register at the nearest hotel.

The 2420 has a cabin; not bare-bones

cuddy accommodations but real live­

aboard features. A forward dinette drops

down into a double berth whi le a small

galley offers a sink, optional microwave,

plenty of counter space, and roomy

stowage above and below. In the stand­

up head, a shower, venti lation system,

and eleclTic head with macerator are op­

tions. Abaft the bulkhead and under the

helm sits a huge s towage hold. At

2 '61 x4 '6" it provides almost 20 square

feet of space and hold everything from

the complete canva package and ex tTa

cushions to ovemight luggage.

82 PO WER AND MOTO RYACHT • APRIL 1994

CRUISERS 2420 ARIA Boat type: overnight cruiser Base price: $33,400 Standard power: 1/235-hp MerCruiser 5.7L Bravo Two or 1/245-hp Volvo Penta 570 DP gasoline ste rn drive Optional power: 1/300-hp MerCruiser 7.4L Bravo Two or 1/300-hp Volvo Penta 740 DP gasoline stern drive; 1/120-hp DP Volvo Penta AD 31 diesel stern drive Notable standard eqUipment: bimini top; cabin car­peting ; AM/FM stereo cassette; cooler; wet bar;

SPECIFICATIONS LOA: 25 '8" Beam: 8'6" Draft: 2'9" (drive down) Approx. displacement: 5,500 Ibs. (dry) Bridge clearance: 8' 1 "

to top of arch Maximum saloon head­room: 6'2" Fuel capacity: 80 gal. Water capacity: 20 ga l. Sleeping capacity: 4

windsh ield wiper; 2 fire extinguishers Notable optional equipment on test boat: cabin dinette; sun lounge sleeper: cockpit table; micro­wave; cockpit refrigerator; portable butane stove; electric-pump Ilead; cockpi t shower; Maxwell wind­lass; Cruisair AlC Hull type: modi fied deep-V with reverse chines Designer: Cruisers design team Construction: hand-laid FRP with vinylester resin and balsa coring

DRIVE TRAIN Test engines: 1/235-ilp MerCruiser 5.7L gasol ine V-8 Drive: Bravo Two Propeller: 17V2X21 alu-

minum Steering: Telefl ex rack and pinion power Controls: Morse Trim tabs: Bennett

TEST RESULTS: Conditions: temperature: 60°; humidity 45%: wind 12 knots: seas: light chop; load 0/,0 fuel, minimal water, 2 persons, minimal gear.

1000 5.0/(4.4) 1.7/(14) 120 74

1500 6.2/(54) 1.8/(1.5) 128 80

2000 7.9/(6.8) 5.0 1.6/(14 ) 113 80

2500 11 .8/(10.2) 7.0 1.7/(1.5) 121 82

3000 19.6/(17.0) 8.9 2.2/(1.9) 159 89

3500 28.0/(24.4) 11 .0 2.6/(2.2) 184 93

4000 34 .5/(30.0) 16.2 2.1/(1.8) 153 95

4400 39.2/(34.1) 21.5 1.8/( 1.6) 131 96

2.7

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CRUISERS 2420 ARIA

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Speeds are IVlo·way averages. measured Wllh Decalur dlgllal radar gun. Fuel flow oblalned IVllh Fl oSacan lueHlow mele, Usable range IS 90', 01 10lal advertised capacily. Decibels measured on A scale uSing GenRad GR1565-B acousllcal meier (60 dB IS lire level 01 normal conversalronj.

The entire cabin is made from one

piece, which adds to the boat 's rigid­

ity and eliminates moving parts that may

squeak or break. The design makes for

less noise and more durability. An over­

sized hatch for plenty of natural light,

carpets, and an AM/FM cassette stereo

make for a homey atmosphere .

Meanwhi le 6' I" of headroom and a lot

of open space make it possible for occu­

pants to stand up and move around, not

bend over and shuffle about like some

lower-order mammal in a cage. These

are certainly not the home-like comfOits

you fmd in some larger express cruisers

out there, but for a 24-footer, they ' re

pretty impressive.

The single-unit design wasn' t applied

just to the cabin. Cru isers builds the

cockpit the same way and includes an ar­

ray of welcome features: the helm with

full instrumentati on and space for flu sh­

mounted electronics, double helmseat,

refri gerator/cooler option, wetbar with

stowage cabinet underneath , optional

stovetop, drink holders, and wraparound

benchseat with two-pos ition d inette. But

what sets the 2420 apart are the things

you wouldn ' t notice on a quick walk

through.

A huge stowage hold lies below the

sole. Measuring 4' 11"X [ '8 I x7'0", it can

hold all the equipment a recreational

boater could think to bring along, and it

houses the tables and cushions for the

various COCkpit configurations. In the aft

section of the cockpi t, the seating ar­

rangements can be modified to serve any

number of uses. The dinette lifts out and

can be replaced by a long cushion that

creates a sun lounge.

If you have more than one sunbather,

you can insert another cushion into the

bracket system, shift the sun lounge

cushi on into a second position, and the

entire aft third of the cockpit becomes a

padded sun deck. With the optional

camper canvas, this arrangement serves

as sleeping accommodations for two

more adults.

However, if lying about isn ' t your

thing, all the cushjons stow neatly below

decks. And , if you need more room, the

entire aft bench seat, which runs from the

gunwale to the transom door, also lifts

out. It stores away as easily as the rest of

the cushions, leav ing the cockpit wide

open for anything from fi shing to work­

ing out that tap dance routine for the

talent show down at the yacht club.

Thi s multi function cockpit arrange­

ment was somethi ng Crui sers fi rst in tro­

duced in its successful 3020 Ari a, a 30-

This multifunction

cockpit arrange-

ment was something

Cruisers first

introduced in its

successful 3020 Aria.

foo t dayboat that max imized cockpit

space while still offering ovemight ac­

commodations. Crui sers dec ided there

was room for a boat with a similar mis­

sion yet was trailerable. Company de­

signers took tile 2470 Rogue hull and re­

configured the interior with less cabin

and more cockpi t.

With a MerCruiser 5.7L Bravo Two

our 2420 popped out of the hole quickly

with plenty of acceleration to pull a skj ­

er. Although the top speed was slightly

less than the 40 mph Cruisers predicted,

the boat was certainly fast enough for

most recreational use. At cruise, our test

boat rode smoothl y and maneuvered

well . At one point we came off a fe rry

wake while in the midst of a tum, took

some air, and landed while moving side­

ways. The 2420 didn't rattle, pound, or

wash out on us.

The modified deep-V hull is to thank

for that and is another hidden part of the

2420's success. It keeps her runnmg effi­

ciently when on plane and , combined

with the 80-gallon fuel tank, makes for

hours of cruising fun . At 3500 rpm she' ll

produce a 28 mph cruise with al most 184

miles of range. That' s a lot of waterskj­

ing. The hull constTUcti on features hand­

la id FRP w ith v in yles te r res in for

strength and solidity, while the decks are

cored with Baltek end grain balsa to re­

duce overall weight.

One feature sure to be appreciated by

The cabin holds plates, people, and everything else you would need for an overnight stay.

ACTUAL SIZE.

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I

II

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This rugged plotter combines accurate GPS position­ing data and detailed cartography in a compact package . And its FSTN screen zooms in to disp lay charts and words with superb clari ty.

It uses popu lar C-MAP electronic [[ MI\Pl chart. which can work with ove rl ays - 1\ of you r own data. It's availab le with L'Hln"",,, c",""~N%M black-and-whi te or co lor screens, with or without GPS, and everyone operates with NM EA 0183 GPS or Loran equipment.

The co lor Shipmate Chartp lottE' r with diffE' rential-ready GPS is pr iced uncleI' $3800, while the black-and-white model wi thou t G PS is priced under $1900.

POI' the big pictme on th is new line of plotters, see your loca l Shipmate dealer. Or write Sh ipmate, Inc., 400 Oser Avenue, Su ite 1400, Hauppauge, NY 11788. Phone: (800) 234-SHIP. Pax: (516) 231-3178. * Manufacture"rs suggested retail price.

SHIPMATE:~ MARINE ELECTRONICS ®

FREE INFORMATION CIRCLE 64 ON THE REAOER SERVICE CARO

Cruisers assumes you spend 80 percent of your time

on the boat outside and plans to help you

keep it that way. families intent on using the 2420's unique cockpit is her high

freeboard. It may produce a design that's not as sleek as some

other boats, making her look a little short and squat, but it does

give her a certain style and the space to make her truly versa­

tile. The whole design mixes safety and function in a way that

mirrors the company's desire to do the little things right all the

way through.

Non-skid integral steps and a walk-through, wraparound

windshield provide access to the foredeck. An integral swim

platform features a molded recess for fender storage, space for

the optional outdoor shower, a bifold ladder that goes deep for

easy boarding, and a transom door. And, a truly unique feature

is the molded-in side-entry step.

With the 2420 docked beam to, her high freeboard could

make boarding djfficult. You would either have to climb over

the gunwale or vault yourself over the hull sheer where it de­

scends from the transom to the swim platform. In either case,

this is a less than desirable situation. To get around this,

Cruisers notched a step into the normally steep sides of the

platform. Side mounting is now an easy step from the dock.

This is the ftrst such step I've seen, but noting the popularity of

the integral swim platform, I smell a trend.

One of the options that really seems to turn the 2420 into

more of a weekender than just a dayboat is the water pressure

system. It provides fresh water from a 20-gallon tank for the

cabin sink, the cockpit sink, and the transom shower-all

useful features overnighters seek, but day boaters may not care

that much about. The 2420's best feature may be her ability to

serve both types of use.

Little things like the side step combined with big ones like

the open cockpit layout make the 2420 Aria the consummate

sport utility boat. It has everything you need to make your days

on the water enjoyable, and when you want to settle down for

the night or need the comforts normally found only on bigger

boats or land, the 2420 can still provide. Cruisers has supplied

the boat, so all you need to do is bring along the skis, the fish­

ing poles, the snorkeling gear, the sun block, the friends , and

the family . And of course, the plates. 0

For more information. contact Cruisers. Dept. PMY. Box 78. Oneonta. WI 54153. "iff: (414) 834-22][ . Fax: (414) 834-2797.

(Or circle Reader Service No. 242)

APRIL 1994 • POWER AND MOTORYACHT 85