ALL HANDS ON DECK
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Got a big crew but still craving performance? NauticStars 206 SD's got you covered > STORY AND PHOTOS BY FRANK SARGEANT We all know deck boats are roomy and versatile, but let's face it: They're not always the fastest or best-looking rigs on the water. Some are downright dowdy — but not NauticStar's sleek new 206 Sport Deck. Looks good, runs well, carries two basketball teams, fishes and skis — what more can you ask? We tested NauticStar's latest at Lewis Smith Lake, an emerald sprawl of remarkably clear water stretching through the rock-ribbed foothills of northern Alabama. While running alongside to shoot photos for this story, one of the first things that struck us about the 206 was how high she rides. The chines are almost entirely clear of the water's surface at full plane; only about the last 3 feet are wet. HIGH STEPPER There's a step in the chine that NauticStar designers say helps catch air under the hull and improve lift. Although they're seen in many brands these days, we're not totally sold on the effectiveness of steps in a hull capable of mere deck boat speeds — but for whatever rea- son, the 206 does ride unusually high. That means it produces very little drag, and thus can generate plenty of speed on moderate horsepower. The hull's relatively shallow IS degrees of transom deadrise also helps squeeze per- formance from modest powerplants. And, in fact, our GPS-measured test runs bore this out: Powered by MerCruiser's basic 4.3L/Alpha package, a carbureted V-6 producing 190 horses, our boat reached 45.1 mph. And this is no small boat. This 20-footer measures a full 8V2-feet wide, with much of that width rried all the way to the bow, and scales 3600 pounds (including the V-6 sterndrive ). Rated to carry 10 passengers, it's an "all hands on deck" boat. To be sure, you can expect a decline in performance - load the boat with more and more guests, but when it's just you and the dog, you can get your hair ■straightened in a full-bore run. And if you really have the need for speed, order your 206 with a - MerCruiser S.0L MPI, which puts out 260 horses and should deliver speeds approaching or into the SOs. . Acceleration was also good. In just 4.4 seconds from "power up" we were on plane. Elapsed time from D to 30 mph was more middle-of-the-pack, and averaged 8.8 seconds. The 19-inch-pitch prop allowed us to wind the engine to 5000 rpm, 200 over the recommended operating range, but a 21-inch wheel would cut into its snappy on-plane times. Our test package fared well on fuel consumption, topping out at 4.5 mpg at 3000 rpm and 24.1 mph. You'll probably run the boat more often in the mid-30s, where fuel economy still averages a credible 3.9 mpg. With the 51-gallon tank, range is typical for the class, maxing at 207 miles.

DOUBLE THREAT NauticStar's Bryan Faulkner — a Mississippian distantly related to famed southern author William Faulkner — brought the boat from the factory at Amory, Mississippi, just 80 miles away, for the morning run. Pointing to the boat's wraparound, walkthrough windshield, Faulkner said, "The 206 Sport Deck is a nice fit for small families who want to ski, wakeboard or cruise, but it's got plen- dual console design with windshield is a format NauticStar has used well in other sport decks in its line, including socket Bimini room that also swim platform railing make 230 Sport Deck,...

Engine access is easy, thanks to the piston-assisted hatch, and there's plenty of room to get at the dipstick, spark plugs and other maintenance points. The 206 Sport Deck handles nicely in emergency turns, but as with most moderate-V hulls, it is possible to make it hop sideways if you take it to extremes. When it comes to handling quate for most that you'll have to deal with on inland waters — just drop the bow a bit and you'll soften IA stainless-framed reversible backrest makes the port seat a ski-watcher's haven. Cool touch. NauticStar uses a vinyl ester barrier coat on the hull to...