“Kapitan club” journal 4/2010. Grizzly 490 DC. How I ride a bear.

Not so long ago, looking at this or that boat “from abroad”, we enthusiastically celebrated interesting shapes, power and speed were amazed, amazed at the abundance and careful disposition of parts. Imported boats can be safely described as role models in the field of technology, and just in relation to the culture of production, the level of which does not hide. You do not even need to put a number of our models and zakordonnye. The same situation was observed with the car: on the background of Russian imported vehicles “vedrovery” hopelessly lost.

Since then, much has changed: domestic boats considerably “grown up” quality and equipment. One example of this – a new model of “the Grizzly 490 the DC” St. Petersburg company “Aquamarine”, good option for small motorboats universal fans of speed and drive.

The boat has a typical dual console layout “bowrider”, and to the features of the model include a decent-sized nose cockpit. In a three-compartment windshield middle section tilted to the side, removed the plastic shield underneath, and the passage from one to the other cockpit is free. The stern cockpit are different driver’s seat and passenger seat and a wide aft sofa. A decent seat there in the nose cockpit; under both lockers are arranged, the total volume of their boat reaches 700 liters! But where to store the awning covering the aft cockpit in bad weather? For feed-back of the sofa the whole width of the boat is made narrow niche where he fits, and the curtain racks hide in special grooves. Good decision, the importance of a small boat.

The instrument panel is simple but they are well-read, and all the tumblers at hand. The horizontal plane of the steering and the neighboring console under the windshield small molded recesses for small items. Then, if desired, you can install brackets for a plotter or sounder.

For music lovers audio provided “VDO” with a waterproof speakers.

For safe operation of the boat along the sides launched a solid club captain 4/2010 77 from the keel to the truck of the handrail of stainless steel, rolling in the bow pulpit. It is also useful to be slip coating in the bow and stern; on request on all horizontal surfaces can put tick.

Grizzly 490 DC “- a composite boat. The bottom and sides are made of marine aluminum alloy AMG- 5M 4 mm thick on the bottom and 3 mm on the sides, on a bilateral welding technology argon with sheet cutting plasma cutting on a CNC machine. At the bottom of each side of the longitudinal welded two Redan, it does not reach the inner transom about a meter. The deck and cockpit are made of fiberglass using vacuum forming, which, by the way, not all mastered working with composites company. Before installing deck intercase space – except for a small area along the keel – filled with polyurethane foam under pressure. On the one hand, it increases the maintainability of the body, on the other – has got into the water or condensation can drain to the transom, which is welded socket with drain plug. Therefore, the winter storage of boats not get any unpleasant: leaked water – and the calm before the next navigation. The connection between the hull and deck around the perimeter of neatly closed rubber profile which acts as privalnika. Designers successfully beat this line from the nose it is slightly rises to the midsection, and then drops to the arc of the transom. Stylistically her “soft swiftness”, together with the shape of the windscreen attached to the boat rather sporty look, and it corresponds to the speed.

Our boat was equipped with 4-stroke outboard “Suzuki” 70 hp with electronic injection and standard screws in increments of 17 ”. With driver and two passengers of “Grizzly 490 DC” planing for 5 seconds, and it was interesting to watch. For a moment she wondered if, but then abruptly began to rise from the nose planing: Output speed mode is approximately 30 km / h. Maximum speed at this load was 74 km / h (5600 rev / min.), And with three passengers, it dropped to 68 km / h.

The small size of the boat, the outboard motor and the average power … nor with the incomparable feeling of freedom. You are free to give maximum speed – and the boat will rush on the water surface; can anyone lay on the slope of a turn – she obediently fulfill a requirement. Just feel that overloading due to stronger dynamics than other, heavier boats. When the speed of 45-50 km / h begin to turn, physically feel like presses in the side or arm of the chair (in their absence, it seems that the boat is ready to slip out from under you). Circulation diameter does not exceed 5-6 enclosures with no special, harassing roll, swinging, sliding housing or air to break the screw on bends were observed.

The boat is easily operated and astern: the sub-niche though filled with movement back, but, thanks to a sufficiently large diameter scuppers quickly released from the water.

As I was informed, the maximum motor power for “Grizzly 490 DC” – 100 hp, and it is required from the driver a fair qualification. But even the 70-hp engine gives such a feeling that after this race on the ring road the road will seem childish prank. Perhaps this: in the power and speed – one can see parallels with medvedemgrizli. If such a chase you, the adrenaline will also be in abundance. Shipyard Employees say that for one customer, they stepped transom under the 140-horsepower engine. But it is not only the strength of the transom: in my opinion, the power of 140 hp for such a light boat is redundant.

And yet – on the static stability: even if the three men stand on one side, will remain still enough freeboard.
Model “Grizzly 490 DC” can be considered quite universal. Roomy and comfortable boat can be used for walking with family and fun weekends with water skiing, “cheesecakes” and “bananas”. Fast and reliable, it is suitable for fishing and, if it retrofitted holders spinning and trolling device for …

In general, look, the citizens of the potential buyers, This boat, in no way inferior “advanced” foreign analogues. We conducted a test of the boat and told about its results. A decision after comparing this model with other domestic and imported, as always, is yours. In any case, blindly “throwing” to “firm” has not necessarily.

** Specifications **

Length, m 4.85
Width 2.05 m
Draught hull 0.25 m
Freeboard, m 0.80
Height of transom, m 0.51
Deadrise 17 “
Weight, kg 350
Fuel capacity, l 70 (90)
PM Power, hp 50-100
Capacity, people. 5

The original text of the article: Andrew Roshin