• Australian Power Boat, December 2003/January 2004

Fundamentally, the new RV rearmount Century is the same as the centremount but there have been a few changes to the hull to allow for the weight moved aft by locating the engine at the back. These include the rudder and skeg, both of which are specifically
made for the Skicraft in just another example of the detail to which Ron goes to have the boat do just what he wants, the way he wants.

Interior
The big difference of course is the large open cockpit without any intrusion by a centremount engine. This adds enormously to usable onboard space. Up forward, three thickly-padded cushions form the usual Ushape in the open bow that has the same clever divider below the opening screen panel to provide protection for those in the main cockpit. On our cold test day at nine degrees, this was very much appreciated.

The layout for the driver’s and observer’s seats is pretty much the same as before with the latter concealing a brilliant ski locker. The instrument panel has been updated and fitted with Mercury’s Smart Craft system that provides information on revs, depth and fuel usage. The dash has a great looking cluster that has analogue displays for the tacho and speedo plus a matching dial the same size as the others that uses four pointers and scales to report on fuel level, oil pressure, volts and engine temperature. The throttle and shift control is also a Mercury unit with a safety interlocking button and with a trim button that electrically operates a cavitation plate mounted below the full width boarding platform. The throttle/shift is well positioned and, along with arm and foot rests, helps make the driving position very comfortable and hugely convenient.

The layout of the cockpit and its Ushaped lounges is outstanding and very spacious. At one stage we had eight people in the cockpit, and we all fitted easily without feeling that we were on top of each other. The cushions lift up on hinges to give plenty of stowage for wetsuits, ropes and what ever you can think of. A nifty little idea is the catch-net in the side of the hull into which you can stuff your T-shirt and towel as you are about to hit the water. This is very useful, and a safety plus because towels and clothes drifting around the floor have proven to be dangerous on occasion.

And so he was. Lift the boot lid and there sits a beautifully installed MerCruiser V8 with a Velvet Drive transmission and a Walter V-drive. Either side of the MerCruiser are stowage bins that are the right size and shape for heaps of wet suits, vests and ropes.

The unseen genius in this is the way that the power plant is placed unobtrusively so far back and still allows the prop shaft to be on a very small angle. There is no jackshaft between the V-drive and the transmission as the flanges mate directly to each other, eliminating a possible source of vibration and maintenance. The prop is a 14 by 18 inch Lundberg especially tailored for the Skicraft by Greg Lundberg.

As you move into the driver’s seat, grip the wheel and hand throttle and relax into it all, you feel so comfortable you could sit there all day. Vision is unobstructed all round and the screen is at an ideal height so the breeze goes over your head and you can see through it no matter how tall you are. The seat has a great slide and lift idea, so as you slide the seat forward it also lifts so everybody gets a
good view.

This is ideal for beginner skiers and drivers who no longer have to contend with any sudden burst of speed to get up on plane - which, more often than not, pulls skiers forward out of their skis and makes it difficult for drivers as they try to compensate by backing the power of and then back on. This rearmount Century makes life for skiers and drivers almost too easy with the moving onto plane positively seamless. This is

Over rough water, turns were just as surprising with all of the passengers waiting for the usual slap and bang along with those often encountered spine-shortening impacts. Well, it didn’t happen. The ride was incredibly good and I just had to have another go, and then another, because I still couldn’t believe that the ride was so smooth.

I’m glad I did though, because the Century RV was just as impressive when I was holding the rope as it was when I rode in it. From a deep water start, the tow was a steady and strong pull that effortlessly had me on the plane with no speed variance nor any jerking or fuss.

The boat was set up with two tow points - one being a transom-mounted hook, and the other being off the wakeboard high tower. There is no option for a centremount pole as this would compromise the cockpit space - makes sense, you don’t create the best lounge room and put a post in the middle of it.

However, my only criticism of the boat is that the rope is mounted a little low at the transom and, at times at shortline, the rope can touch the wake if you are getting serious. On the other hand, this would be of little concern to most skiers who would get behind this boat.

The hull has an outstanding wake and the boat has brilliant handling from the skier’s perspective. The wake was very low and symmetrical (suggesting that the boat is very well balanced), and the wake ramps were nice and easy

The wake table was flat and free from any serious ripple, and the turbulence very minimal. If you had a skier on tricks or a wakeboard, this would certainly be appreciated by them because they can do surface turns at any rope length without the worry of catching an edge due to the roughness of the wake. Even barefooting would be a snap as the wake was better than many of the centremount skiboats I have tried.

The boat held its speed and direction very well, bearing in mind it is 22 feet long and 8 feet wide with a weight of 1,450 kgs. You could run this boat through a slalom course with an advanced skier and be comfortable that the speed and course would be held firmly, allowing the driver to relax and not have to be correcting the whole time. When I had the rope on the wakeboard tower, there was a little rocking from side to side that could be felt, but nothing to disturb the boat crew and nothing that would affect the skier. Most skiers probably might not even notice this.

We were joined on our test day by a national competition-standard wakeboarder who braved the cold to test the boat with us, and he was just as impressed with the wake that was generated at the slower speeds and by engaging the wake control (the cav plate electrically controlled from a switch on the throttle) so the wake was artificially increased. The wake produced a great ramp that was quite large and progressive giving a good launching pad to do flips and other aerials. It was also pointed out that the wake table was great for the surface turns that would take a skier from beginner to expert without changing or updating boats or adding ballast. Peter advised us that they had made a decision to improve and promote safety and that they would not include any ballast.

Conclusion
Overall, this is the next generation rearmount that is outstanding in its performance and user-friendly characteristics. It’s the best rearmount skiboat I’ve come across, and it would also outperform many centremounts. Everyone from family social skiers and wakeboarders to experts will relate to this Century as it offers brilliant performance for both skiing and ‘boarding.

Looking at the finish, innovative ideas and the interior room that offers so much useable space, this is certainly a stand-out boat. The wakeboard tower is Skicraft specific; it also mounts the bimini so there are no holes or mounts on the deck and allows the bimini to be folded out of the way when not in use.
 

Courtesy by Australian Power Boat, December 2003/January 2004

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