Boat test for the 2007 Outer Reef 73 with boat pictures, boat specifications, and boat test results. Includes pricing, videos, engine test reviews, and ratings for the 2007 Outer Reef 73 .

Sightlines from the flying bridge were excellent except aft; the standard 14-foot Novurania RIB and cockpit overhang blocked my view of her stern. An aft-mounted camera, viewable on the Northstar 6000i chartplotter, is available, as is a docking station in the cockpit, equipped with controls for the standard hydraulic American Bow Thruster bow and stern thrusters. I was having such a good time maneuvering her, I was tempted to kick on the standard Simrad AP25 autopilot, throttle her back to 1250 rpm (12 mph), and set a course for Aruba; with a 2,134-mile range at this speed, she'd have made it with fuel to spare.

Also noteworthy was her quietness: At 1000 rpm I took a reading of 66 dB-A on the flying bridge, just one dB-A above the level of normal conversation, and at WOT sound levels there increased to only 78 dB-A. After a visit to the engine room—accessible via a watertight door from the aft captain's quarters—I believe that the multiple layers of Soundown insulation on the bulkheads and headliners here, as well as the soft Evolution anti-vibration engine and genset mounting systems, played a large role, as did the underwater exhaust. For comparison, I gathered decibel readings at her lower helm: 58 dB-A at idle and 72 dB-A at WOT.

After docking, I spent more time at the lower helm. Just aft of the handsome, ostrich-skin-finished instrument panel was a comfortable, C-shape settee with teak dining table that'll easily accommodate eight. Infinity speakers here are wired to the saloon's Denon stereo system (audio-visual components such as the stereo and LCD TVs onboard the 73 are optional but wisely pre-wired). And nearly within arm's reach, just aft and to starboard of the settee, are an ice maker, 46-bottle wine cooler, and a 4.9-cubic-foot refrigerator, all manufactured by Sub-Zero. They're set off with a handsome granite countertop that matches the galley's bar top, just across and separated from the helm area by a bulkhead.

The 14-foot Novurania RIB is standard.

One step down and aft, the saloon was just as inviting. I could easily have drawn the blinds on the six, 3'8"Lx2'10"W windows and turned on the 32-inch Sharp Aquos LCD TV and standard KVH TracVision satellite TV system. Sea Star's owners chose an optional cherry interior instead of the standard teak. In most areas the finish work was superb, with lovely joiner work and grain matching. But some surfaces—the rounded bulkhead near the saloon doors in particular—felt bumpy. Also, a few spots on stateroom bulkheads had inconsistent gloss.

Otherwise, the Outer Reef 73 shone: She's a lively performer with long legs, and with three staterooms and a convertible settee in the saloon, she provides accommodations for eight plus a captain. And the 73 displayed nearly all of the qualities that my friends' parents had grilled me about. So if they're willing to put her to the test in an Atlantic-to-Pacific trip via the Panama Canal, I have friends I need to see along both coasts.

For more information on Outer Reef Yachts, including contact information, click here.

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