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It was a cold, mid-November, I-should-have-stayed-in-bed morning when my plane took off from New York's Kennedy airport amid mist and fog. I was on my way to Fort Lauderdale to do a "turnaround" of Hull No. 1 of Tiara Yacht's 4200 Open, which meant I'd test the boat all day and head back to New York that evening. I was feeling grumpy about the winter and thought this trip would only remind me of what I'd be missing for the next several months. Little did I know that the 4200 would leave me with some breezy, palm-tree calm to help me endure another season in the tundra.
Arriving in Fort Lauderdale, I stepped off the plane and immediately felt the warmth of the 85-degree air and enjoyed the view of bright blue sky. The cold, gray morning behind me, I felt the grouch within melt in the same way that infamous Grinch had his change of heart. I was in warm weather and going for a boat ride. It looked like it was going to be a good day after all.
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I met up with Tiara's marketing manager, Rob Everse, at the Marriott Marina, and he wasted no time starting the optional twin 700-hp Caterpillar C-12 diesel inboards (535-hp Cummins QSM11s are standard). On startup I saw no smoke, and I'm sure the patrons having their breakfast on the dock just a few feet way appreciated the cleanliness of these electronically controlled powerplants as well.
With a bulkhead lying ahead and larger boats surrounding the 4200 (complete with anchors hanging out), our end slip was a bit tight. However, Everse, a skilled helmsman, demonstrated the maneuverability of the 4200 in close quarters. Pushing the standard Teleflex hydraulic controls forward, the 27x37 four-blade Michigan wheels bit the brackish water, and the 4200 exited the slip with purpose. A simple adjustment of the starboard shifter to reverse and port to forward, and the 4200 spun out of her berth effortlessly. I'm accustomed to the ease of finger-flipping electronic controls, so I'd recommend the optional Glendinning electronic controls, which run $13,750. This may seem pricey, but the benefits are worthwhile.
The ocean was flat like a checkerboard, so I can't attest to the 4200's seakeeping in a swell or a chop, but I can say that she made a top speed of 39.9 mph at 2300 rpm. I was impressed by her speed, and at WOT the Cats ate a respectable 70 gph, giving the 4200 Open a 232-NM range. At 2000 rpm, the 4200 easily made a 34-mph cruise while burning 48 gph and providing a 288-NM range.
The 4200's sweet speed comes courtesy of big power and light weight, but don't think for a second that Tiara skimps on construction to achieve speed. She has a hand-laid solid fiberglass hull bottom, and from the chine up she's balsa-cored for reduced weight and added stiffness. Composite stringers are integrated into the hull for even more strength. This combination keeps the Tiara 4200 Open lightweight at 28,000 pounds (dry).
My one issue with the 4200's running at WOT is that my decibel meter read 93 dB-A at the helm (65 dB-A is the level of normal conversation). That's not surprising given the fact that the Cats sit right below the helm, but the area was loud for my taste. An inspection of the engine room, which has access via a door in the cockpit to port, later revealed that these powerplants are a snug fit for the space. Although inboard access is adequate, getting outboard on these engines to do work is tough.
Everse offered me the 4200's traditional Teleflex destroyer wheel, and as I sat in the standard double-wide electrically adjustable—fore, aft, and vertical—helm seat, my transition from gray grouch to grinning captain was complete. Playing with the helm seat like someone who's never sat in one before, I went up and down repeatedly to find just the right setting. (Well, maybe I went up and down once or twice just for fun.) Seat adjusted and ready to run, I pushed the 4200's throttles to wide-open, and she sprinted up and down the coast. I noticed some air in the steering, which Everse also noted, and this caused some slippage in the wheel. The boat still handled well, even on hard-over (albeit wide) turns at WOT. I also tried to fill her cockpit with water while backing down quickly, but her reverse transom resisted, and what little water did squeak through the well-positioned, molded-in transom door was evacuated in rapid fashion.
Sightlines at the helm were excellent at all speeds, even with some bow rise before planing. The seat's adjustable nature enhanced viewing, but the newly designed composite windshield frame gets most of the credit here. The fiberglass frame is smooth and unobtrusive, unlike some more traditional aluminum windshield frames.
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