GROUPTEST


Cubbies, lockers and handy grabrails abound


Access to the double cabin beneath the sunpad is through one of two hatches


The helm seats have fl ip-up bolsters and armrests


SPEC UP Our pick of the


must-have options 300HP ENGINE +


PREMIUM PACKAGE + ESTECH PACKAGE + BOW THRUSTER + CANOPY


through waves like they aren’t there. The purring Merc Verado is a fi ne partner for the hull and effortlessly propels the boat through the troughs, reacting in a split second to every minute nudge to the fl y-by-wire throttle. Unruffl ed upwind then, but how does that narrow bow fair


when it’s being pointed down the back of the wave? At fi rst looks there seems a decent chance that a bow so light and sharp may be prone to being stuffed in a big following sea but that suspicion proved to be totally unfounded. It may be light but there is more than enough buoyancy in that slender forward section and a marked upward rake away from the water to keep it from burying itself into the back of waves. The hull is so capable that I keep wishing I had more power at my


disposal. The optional 300hp Verado or twin 150hp motors would give it usefully more punch but I can’t help feeling that, provided the transom is strong enough, its talented hull could actually cope with the 350hp Verado SCi or perhaps even twin 250s to create a genuine 50-knot boat. As it stands the 28 managed a useful 41 knots fl at out on test, which is enough for this versatile family dayboat but maybe not for the speed freaks, who are likely to be more at home in the slightly mad rocket ship that is the XO.


The premium pack includes this table, seat cushions, sunpads and anchor


But there is far, far more to the Axopar than the impressive


way it takes to the water, and one of the stand-out features is how much the yard has managed to pack on to the deck of such a slender craft. Starting at the (very) pointy end you have a bench to port with storage beneath and a teak table you can sit and picnic at while at anchor. The bow isn’t physically wide enough to allow full U-shaped seating but some padding on the starboard bulwark does at least mean people can perch in relative comfort. The forward section of the console then opens up to reveal a


surprisingly roomy toilet compartment, complete with a manual pump loo and a small sink. This is dayboat gold and just the sort of thing that those upgrading from a RIB will be looking for.


ELEMENTARY PROTECTION The helm position is cocooned by a tall wraparound windscreen, which provides a good amount of protection for an open boat. The driving environment is excellent thanks to fi rst-class ergonomics and a perfect view out no matter if you’re sitting in the fi rm, supportive helm seats or using the bolster function and leaning. The area is dotted with cubbies, lockers, cupholders and handy grabrails like only Scandinavian boats are, plus you get a slot in the


MAY2015 51


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