Do run run
It
was school holidays and we had the niece, 8, and
nephew, 11, aboard the 42-footer - a nice
comfortable boat for a family and a couple of
cute kids.
Outside, bitter winter winds were whistling
across the deck and there was a monstrous swell,
so we went hunting about and found a quiet bay.
The budding kid captain and cohort snuggled up
in the cosy cabin but, worse luck, things
deteriorated some more. A niggle here, a pinch
there, then not long after the two were at each
other. Holiday blues after two weeks of wet
weather and I had to deal with it. Yikes!
Doral to the rescue ... the stunning Elite 265BR
arrived just in the nick of time. While the
terrible tykes watched a previous boat test with
mild interest, they raced outside to greet the
dashing Doral. Their eyes the size of saucers,
they turned to me with that "can I, please,
please?" look. So I tossed them in the bow of
the big bowrider and planted the throttle of the
even bigger V8.
Moments later, there were shrieks of pure joy.
"Go around again," they begged, hugging each
other and cackling. If only it were this easy
all time.
But more than just a fun ride, the Elite 265BR
makes a fashion statement in the same vein that
'classic' fibreglass boats like those Chris
Crafts and, perhaps even, the Rivas say
something about their owners and their good
taste. With timeless retro lines, the Elite
265BR will appeal to discerning day boaters on a
number of levels.
"We sell it as the Aston Martin of boats," added
Brendan Wooldridge from the Doral dealership on
Sydney Harbour. "And with the optional cabriolet
interior décor and colour scheme it's a boat
that wows," came the spin, softened by a touch
of humour, as he pointed to the roll-bars on the
helm seats and added: "In case you roll."
DORAL DIFFERENCE
It's not surprising, when you know something
about Canucks and that they are like Aussies as
in being part of the Commonwealth, that Doral
isn't at your average mainstream (read American)
production boatbuilder.
Rather, French and European influences are
apparent in the design details and sweet lines
of Elite, which includes four boats from the 215
to 295 in both bowrider and cuddy cabin layouts.
All but the biggest of the Elite Series is
trailerable, perhaps with a permit, but by my
reckoning these boats will prove more
appropriate kept in a dry stack, in a berth at
the foot of the front garden, or in a marina
somewhere. Use them as dayboats to go.
Quite by design, the Elite 265BR boasts plenty
of freeboard and has a deep bow so you can ride
over rough water, with or without the kiddies
shrilling up front, and without shipping water.
Also, at slow speed when crossing big wake,
where many bowriders dip their noses and take on
water, it keeps its snout out. In other words,
this is a seaworthy boat for big bay and harbour
day runs.
What you can't see is the big-boat engineering
below decks (more on that later) and the hull
shape that, I can attest, runs fast and smooth.
Deadrise is a sharp 20 degrees, which amounts to
a deep-vee design. Doral reckons it's one of its
best hulls of all. Extra eye-candy comes by way
of optional Doral deep blue, black or merlot
hull colours, deep blue or black canvass, and
the leather-look French-stitched Cabriolet
upholstery or standard white vinyl instead.
While the boatbuilder uses CAD programs, 3D
modelling, virtual crash-test dummies, CNC
cutters and all that stuff, its hulls are
distinctive for their full composite and cored
construction with wood-free composite structural
stringer system and full fibreglass structural
hull liners. It's also nice to get stainless
steel fittings, everything from the drink
holders to the windscreen with solid frame and
struts, on what I would consider a boat built
for salt-water use.
DAY BOATING
Doral says special attention was given to the
forward cockpit on the Elite 265BR, especially
the adult-length seating, which doubtless
pleased our two live crash-test dummies having
so much fun aboard. Think room for four kiddies
at least. Besides the beautiful upholstery, the
plush seating has sculptured foam and saddle
structures made entirely from composite or
plastic materials and, kicking back in the bow,
it's just an agreeable place to be at rest and
cruising where the bangs are otherwise felt.
With a custom stainless steel Doral anchor and a
horn with real grunt, the Elite name is fitting.
There's also a folding bowsprit or fairlead with
roller to prevent the gelcoat being chafed by
anchor rope or chain, a forward ladder for
disembarking at the beach, stainless steel
drinkholders, a drop-in high-gloss timber
bowtable for lunching - it lives in a dedicated
locker - and big oval-shaped stainless steel
grabrail, plus upmarket timber trim. The
supplied anchor rope is the braided kind and
there's a snap-lock fitting for a deck wash so
you can hose the ground tackle.
A
folding acrylic door or wind dam can be swung
shut to close off the bow if you feel like a
winter run. The main cockpit features a second
solid high-gloss timber table, each of which is
protected by a custom storage bag, while
attention to detail extends to such things as
clip-in carpet infills around the table bases
for an unbroken carpet line, fully lined
underseat storage holds with plumbing drains,
and oodles of dry storage including a big hold
behind the helm for all your picnic gear.
COCKPIT CAPERS
The self-draining cockpit makes the most of the
Elite 256BR's 2.59m (maximum trailerable) beam,
providing plenty of floor space, underfloor
storage, and an easy thoroughfare through to the
transom. En route, there's an aft L-shaped
lounge for four people around a second drop-in
lunch table, opposite an amenities centre with
solid timber servery, stainless steel sink and
cold water, matching 12V fridge, and more dry
storage. Yet more storage exists in a massive
sub-lounge hold with divider handy for, say,
deflated watertoys.
Ahead of the co-pilot's seat is a swing-out door
leading down to a lady and girl-friendly, say,
head and change room. More upmarket than most,
the WC includes an electric loo, sink, classic
circular opening porthole, vanity and mirror,
and trick European fittings. Back outdoors,
trick courtesy lights and plush carpet add to
the creature comforts.
The transom has on oversized teak-topped swim
platform with recessed grabrail, so you can hang
on while floating, a deep-reach ladder and the
obligatory albeit cold-only deck shower. There's
a dedicated storage hatch for mooring lines and
nice big popup cleats, along with a battery
switch panel nearby linked to twin batteries.
The central aft sunpad, traced by stainless
steel rails, offers somewhere sumptuous for two
couples to work on their tan. Twin electric rams
raise the sunpad, whose upholstery doubles as
sound insulation, for access into the engine
room. There's a step down to the single V8 Volvo
Penta motor, all labelled seacocks, separate
high/low bilge pumps, Fireboy system, big-boat
fittings, and a battery charger and Shorepower
connect.
DRIVE TIME
Sliding in behind the dash, the Elite 265BR
looks and feels sporty. Sight lines are great
and, with a wiper, you are assured of good
vision during wild, windy runs and even on rainy
days. Both helm seats have bolsters and trick
(optional) roll bars purely, one hopes, for
extra sporty spice.
The walnut dash is fitted with a sports wheel, a
full spread of Faria engine gauges, depth
sounder and a trick spread of aircraft style
toggle switches. The Elite 265BR is fitted with
optional trim tabs to offset crosswinds, as most
deep-vee hulls are inclined to lean into them,
or counter an uneven crew load. A marine stereo,
a decent CD, some lunch and refreshments, toys
and togs, and you're set.
With the trim tabs half deployed and the
sterndrive leg down, the bowrider shot straight
out of the hole and, with some trim adjustment,
rode along wonderfully comfortably at 19kts at
2500rpm. With tabs and engine leg out, the boat
held a slippery 24-knot cruise at 3000rpm, a
30-knot fang at 3500rpm and a fast fling of
35kts at 4000rpm.
Top speed was 45.6kts - the benchmark 50mph for
a Yankee-made sportsboat - at 5000rpm and, all
the while, the Volvo Penta was smooth. Rip the
wheel around and, although the hull turns off
the bow, it doesn't bury it. Thus, this is a fun
but safe day boat whose appeal will extend to
everyone lucky enough to ride aboard.
The big bowrider is at once a fabulous family
boat, a neat harbour commuter for reaching a
waterfront restaurant or anchorage, a pretty
boat with plenty of poke from a big-block 375hp
Volvo Penta V8, plus a comfortable craft with
integral comforts that are very much a hallmark
of this Canadian boatbuilder. Oh, and the Elite
265BR is most definitely a pacifier for a couple
of pesky kids.
HIGHS
-
Plenty of wow factor from a dashing dayboat
-
Fully composite hull
-
Details like the stainless steel anchor and
'roll bars' on the helm seats
-
Sporty big-block V8
-
Wind-in-the-hair ride that will please the
sophisticated sports boater
-
Plenty of freeboard and inherent seaworthiness
-
Comforts that go beyond what you would expect
to find in your average bowrider
-
Great spread of amenities including marine
head, sink, iceboxes and plenty of storage
LOWS
-
Lots of upmarket timber trim, smart upholstery
and a blue hull will require due diligence to
keep the boat looking at its best
-
Not a lot of weather protection
-
Bimini top should be standard issue
-
Big block V8 doesn't mind a drink
-
Limited market, so the boat mightn't enjoy the
best resale value
-
Though trailerable, you will need to moor or
berth what should be a dayboat to go
|
DORAL ELITE 265BR |
|
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HOW MUCH? |
|
Price as tested: $ w/ Volvo Penta
8.1Gi and options |
|
Options fitted: Prestige real-wood trim
package, Cabriolet interior, wooden lunch
tables, trim tabs and full covers, deluxe
sound system, teak boarding platform,
cockpit wet bar, Shorepower and battery
charger, electric head, and more |
|
Priced from: Approx $ |
|
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GENERAL |
|
Material: Composite balsa-cored hull with
E-glass |
|
Type: Deep-vee deadrise planing |
|
Length overall: 8.08m |
|
Beam: 2.59m |
|
Draft: Approx 0.7m |
|
Deadrise: 20 degrees |
|
Weight: Approx 2136kg (dry w/ Volvo Penta
8.1L motor) |
|
|
|
CAPACITIES |
|
Berths: n/a |
|
Fuel: 330lt |
|
Water: 49lt |
|
Holding tanks: 49lt |
|
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ENGINE |
|
Make/model: Single Volvo Penta 8.1Gi DPI |
|
Type: Big-block V8 petrol |
|
Rated HP: 375 at 4600rpm |
|
Displacement: 8.1lt |
|
Weight: 570kg |
|
Gearboxes (Make/ratio): Aquamatic sterndrive
leg |
|
Props: Duoprop |
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* Prices & data correct at time of
publication |
