SPECIFICATIONS

Rising StarRising Star

NauticStar 230 Sport Deck

NauticStar , Dept. TBM, 500 Waterway Drive, Amory,MS 38821; 662/256-5636; NauticStarBoats.com Base Price $35,389 Price as Tested $43,498 Length 23’ 0” Beam 8’ 6” ENGINE AS TESTEDMake Deadrise at Transom 16 degrees MerCruiser 350 Mag MPI/Bravo 3 Weight (w/ base 5.0L I/O) 3950 lbs. Draft(drive up) 16” Horsepower 300 Fuel Capacity 63 gals. Number of Cylinders V-8 Maximum Horsepower 300 Displacement 5.7L (350 cid) Weight 1046 lbs. Gear Ratio 2.00 NOTABLE STANDARD EQUIPMENT WOT RPM Range 4600-5000 Bow and stern swimladders; pull-up cleats; automaticbilge pump; docking lights; JBL CD stereo; digital sounder; tilt steering; pressurized water system Propeller 22”-pitch stainlessprop set

The NauticStar carries much of its beam all the way forward, resulting in asizable playpen and a full-width bow swimstep. We like the built-in docking lights and wraparound stainless railing.

NOTABLE OPTIONAL EQUIPMENT Extended swim platform; snap-in carpet; MercurySmartCraft gauge package; bow filler cushions MerCruiser , Dept. TBM, 3003 N. Perkins Road, Still-water OK 74075; 405/743-6566; mercurymarine.com

quick-connect, stainless ball-and- socket fittings that make remov-ing or installing the top a snap. The 230 Sport Deck alsocomes with four pull-up cleats— although we feel a boat thissize would greatly benefit from the addition of springline cleats.These could be added by an own-er or dealer, but why not straight from the factory? All told, while we have a marine short“punch list” of items we’d like to see added or modified, we sawmany more things we reallyliked about the NauticStar. The230 Sport Deck handles and rides well in less-than-perfectconditions, provides comfort-able amenities and shows bet- ter-than-average build quality.When you throw in a 10-year,transferable hull warranty, it’s easy to see why we think thisnew kid is destined to becomea rising star. TEST RESULTS

RANGE

192

(Miles) MPG

32104567

10

3.4

GPH

010203040506070

x 1000 RPM

7.3

MPH

A Star is Born

Optimum Cruising Speed

While it’s true that new boat companies sometimes rise from theashes of builders that went down in financial flames, NauticStar isn’ta phoenix story. Or so says president and owner Phil Faulkner, whodescribes it as a “clean-sheet” start-up that began in 2002 with fresh designs and all new tooling.Although the company is only a few years old, Faulkner hasbeen building boats for more than 20 years. Prior to founding NauticStar, he was the principal behind Sprint bass boats, whichalso was based in Amory, Mississippi, where NauticStar is located. Faulkner says his new venture produced approximately 300 craftits first year, and he reports substantial growth, saying the plant willbuild 1500 boats in 2005.Not surprisingly, when you consider Faulkner’s fishboat heritage,NauticStar started with a line of bay boats that was augmented by a 20-foot deck model “so we could expand into family boats,” he ex-plains. Over the last two years, the company has added 21- and 23-foot deck boats — each is offered with your choice of outboard or sterndrive power. True to Faulkner’s roots, they can also be specced out with livewells, fishing chairs and trolling motors. “After all, they may be family boats, but that shouldn’t mean you can’t fishfrom them, too,” he quips.

Top Speed 45.6

mph

EngineSpeedFuelRange
1 (rpm)(mph)(gph)(mpg)(miles) 10004.91.14.5255 15008.22.43.4192 200010.54.52.3130 250018.36.13.0170 3000
2 25.17.33.4192 350031.39.93.2181 400036.613.22.8158 450043.515.72.8158 4800 (WOT)45.619.62.3130
1 Based on 90% fuel capacity
2 Optimum cruising speed ACCELERATION (seconds) 0-30 mph10.4 SOUND MEASUREMENTS (dBa) Idle at Helm (600 rpm)63 Idle at Transom (600 rpm)77 Cruise at Helm (3500 rpm)82 WOT at Helm (4800 rpm)89

50

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ARCH

2005 T

RAILER

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OATS

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