![]() ![]() Another place you’ll want to take a peek is in the head, which features a separate shower stall. The cabin also features a full galley with a two-burner cooktop, a microwave/convection oven, a refrigerator/freezer, and a sink. Add in the dinette berth, and three smelly fishermen on an overnighter at the canyons can catch a nap without packing in like sardines. Instead of sporting the usual V-berth, there’s a split over-under double and single berth forward. Surprisingly, however, one of the better fishing perks is actually found in the cabin. There’s also a tackle station on the upper deck, behind the helm. Forward cockpit units hold a bait freezer to starboard and a rigging station to port. Naturally, there’s a raw water washdown, under-gunwale rodracks, a pair of integrated fishboxes in the deck, and flush-mounted rodholders atop the gunwales. The unencumbered cockpit is capped at the transom with a 40-gallon livewell, which could be improved upon by adding a gasket to the hatch to prevent slosh-out. But what else does it have to offer, especially for the angler? After all, this is supposed to be a hard-core canyon runner, right? Youbetcha. Okay, so the Cabo 36 Express with ZF pods has better efficiency and maneuvering, as well as position-holding and running attitude perks. The interior layout features a double bunk forward with a single crossing diagonally above. There’s no shaft angle to contend with, and automatic hydraulically-actuated trim tabs integrated into the system keep the boat running at its most efficient angle. And there’s yet another advantage to running with pods – it’s in the attitude of the boat. Remember an embarrassing docking experience or two? They’ll be things of the past. Also consider just how much easier it will be to push a joystick in one direction or another instead of turning the wheel and opposing the engines when you’re trying to get into your slip. And when fishing over reefs or wrecks you can try the spot for a while before deciding whether or not to drop the anchor and stay. Forget about turning circles while you wait for an opening at the fuel dock. You’ll no longer have to play throttle-jockey while killing time before bridge openings. The possibilities this type of dynamic positioning opens up are endless. We merely crabbed out of the way, pressed “go,” and sat right where we had parked until all of the other boats had passed and the canal was clear. Thanks to independently-steered pod drives, GPS, and sheer chip-generated brainpower, this boat has the ability to maintain its position against the wind and current. Normally, jiggling a 36’boat sideways into a 40’ wide slot and holding it there against the current for several minutes would be like trying get a 747 to hover-read: suicidal-but in this case, all it required was pushing the joystick sideways and pressing a button. There was, however, an opening between two piers to starboard, which was about 40 feet across and 20 feet deep. After casting off the lines we made it halfway down the canal and hit a traffic jam three other boats were coming in the opposite direction, and there wasn’t enough room to pass each other. Our test run took place in Fort Lauderdale during the boat show, and to say that the marina was crowded would be the understatement of the year. But after taking one off the dock, we have no doubt that this new configuration’s biggest asset isn’t even related to the efficiency boost. And the net result seems like some hocus-pocus must be involved: The boat can maintain its 30-knot speed (originally provided by 575-hp diesels coupled to traditional straight shafts) while posting a significantly reduced fuel burn (around 35 gph at cruising speed as opposed to about 40 gph). But with new pod technology, rising fuel prices, and diminishing discretionary budgets, it made sense to redesign the belly of this beast to hold a pair of 460-hp Caterpillar C9 ACERT diesels coupled to ZF pod drives. The 36 isn’t an old model by any measure, having been introduced a few short seasons ago and getting an interior upgrade just last year. With ZF pod drives the Cabo 36 Express can move out or maintain a stationary position with equal ease. ![]()
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