Steve: The following opinions are solely those
of boattest.com and it's test captain.
Hi, Captain Steve for boattest.com,
and today we'll be conducting a full features inspection
and performance evaluation on the all new
Yacht and NMMA certified 280 OSX Outboard from Chaparral.
The team at Chaparral tells us that
the 280 is the first production haul
in their OSX Outboard Sports line.
With features such as a swivel helm bench,
convertible aft and bow sun pads and spacious head,
along with her twin Yamaha 250's,
she appeared to not only accommodate, but deliver.
So, let's get right to it,
and see how she performed.
We tested two versions of the 280.
The first, with Yamaha 250's,
the second with twin Yamaha 200's.
The first version with
the twin Yamaha Four Stroke F250 XCA engines,
turning Saltwater Series Two stainless steel props
with 15 and a quarter diameter by 19 inch pitch.
She had a length overall of 27 feet eight inches,
a beam of nine feet, and a draft of two feet nine inches.
With a dry weight of 7,294 pounds,
30 percent fueling two people,
we had a test weight of 8,395 pounds.
At 6,000 RPM our speed topped out at 59.5 miles per hour.
Best economic cruise came in at
3,000 RPM and 28 miles per hour.
At that speed the 13.6 gallon per hour fuel burn
translated into 2.1 miles per gallon
and a range of 222 statute miles,
all while still holding back at ten percent reserve
with the boat's 120 gallon total fuel capacity.
A slow cruise of 600 RPM produced four miles per hour
with a 1.3 gallon per hour fuel burn.
The second version with twin
Yamaha Four Stroke F200 XCA engines,
turning 18 inch pitch stainless steel Reliance props,
obviously had the same dimensions.
But with a dry weight of 6,500 pounds,
25 percent fuel, and two people on board,
she had an estimated test weight of 7,507 pounds.
At 6,000 RPM that boat reached a top speed
at 51.5 miles per hour.
This time the best economic cruise came in at 35 hundred RPM
and 26.5 miles per hour.
At that speed the 12 gallon power fuel burn
translated into 2.2 miles per gallon,
and a range of 239 statute miles.
Her slow cruise setting of 600 RPM
produced three miles per hour,
with a point eight gallon power fuel burn.
She had very little noticeable bow rise getting onto plane,
with a 21 degree dead right
she cut through what little waves we had
on our test day with no adverse haul slap.
For excelleration with the 250's,
we reached 20 miles per hour in 5.5 seconds,
30 in 7.7 seconds.
With the 200's we reached 20 in 6.6 seconds,
and 30 in 9.7 seconds.
The 280's helm sits off to starboard.
Mounted to a tilt base,
the hand stitched wheel sits front and center.
Just forward are twin seven inch Garmin displays,
and the Yamaha engine display sits between them.
We'd like to see a compass somewhere on the helm.
Off to the right is the Optimus 360 joystick,
providing full maneuverability at the dock.
Below are the engines start keys
with safety lanyard and Lenco trim tab controls.
To the outside is the Optimus 360 joystick monitor,
which when engaged monitors the boat's thrust and movements.
The accessory switches are located above
and on the right of the helm,
while the 280's accessory lighting switches
are located to port.
To the left of the wheel is a cubby, audio and USB inputs,
a 12 volt plug, and the Clarion audio controls.
The engine control binnacles are located
on the starboard side of the helm.
Mounted at 30 degrees,
we found the controls to be ergonomic.
Courtesy lighting was located just abaft.
One of the boats six JL Audio speakers
is mounted just below the binnacles.
There's another speaker in the same location at port,
and the boat's only subwoofer
is integrated into the aft cockpit seating.
The helm breakers are located just beneath the console.
The helm seating is a conjoined two seating model,
with the bolsters down it measures
44 inches wide, 21 inches deep,
and from the deck to the top of the bolster, 21 inches high.
With the bolsters up, there's 21 inches of distance
between the bench and the helm.
Most notably the entire bench swivels to starboard,
transforming the cockpit.
Simply pull and twist the knob to revert back to helm mode.
There are stainless steel grab handles
mounted on the backside of the seats.
The windscreen measures seven feet three inches across,
and two feet five inches high.
There's eight inches of visibility
from the top of the helm to the windshield top,
and two feet two inches of forward visibility
from the top of the windshield to the hard top.
Located in the bow anchor locker
is an electric Lewmar windlass,
controlled locally or from the helm.
There's a manual hand wrench to port,
and a six inch tie off cleat just forward.
Attached to the windlass road is
a 14 pound galvanized DTX plow anchor,
two six inch pull up Mooring cleats
sit to port and starboard.
Additionally, the bow can be used as a point of entry
and egress with this non skid decking.
The boat's mechanical compartment is located
beneath the aft center seating section,
both struts being attached to heavy duty brackets.
Access to the fuel tank, fuel lines,
and digital fuel sending units are located
beneath the step down into the compartment.
Off to port are the house and engine batteries.
To the outside is the blackwater holding tank.
A 20 AMP battery charger is mounted just above.
Both engine fuel water separators
are located to either side.
The bilge pump is to center,
along with a low in high level float switch setup.
Both engine hydraulic steering pumps are mounted aft.
The Optimus 360 joystick steering unit sits in between.
The thru-hull transducer is located
beneath the starboard fuel water separator.
It's worth noting that the 280 OSX is also bonded,
which is crucial in terms of preventing galvanic corrosion.
LED lighting is located throughout the compartment.
A break on the starboard strut
holds the entire section securely in place.
To close, simply squeeze the break and pull the seat down.
The bow area was a defining feature aboard the new 280,
and it's accessed from the one foot seven inch
port side walkway.
There was a safe and spacious feel
thanks to the nine inch by two and a half inch bolsters,
which wrap around the inside of the bow area.
From deck to bolster top it's two feet eight inches high.
The bow converts to a sun pad
with Chaparral's innovative center seat.
Re-transformation from a sun pad
back to conventional seating is just as easy.
A dinette table further accommodates,
along with speakers and drink holders
both to port and starboard.
The head is accessed by the door
to the port side of the helm.
Headroom is four feet nine inches
with seated headroom of three feet three inches.
A sink was set into the countertop,
an opening port was to starboard.
The electric head slides out on a track,
and is hid just below the door.
The head lighting and flush buttons
are mounted on the aft bulkhead.
In the cockpit area there's an L-shaped
seating section to port.
The star of the aft seating is the convertible sun pad area,
which easily converts to aft facing lounge.
Off to port the bench seating lifts to reveal
storage for a 25 quart removable cooler.
An inflator/deflator for toys or floats
is stowed in this compartment
as well as the boat's dinette table.
There's no shortage of JL Audio speakers in this area,
as we have two to port along with the grab rail,
and a third to starboard behind the helm seat.
Wrap around bolsters continue throughout the cockpit.
The hardtop provided a much needed refuge
from the sun as our test day was hot and sunny.
It was a strong, structural design
that seemed to follow the contour of the windscreen
to port and starboard.
The three and a half by two foot skylight is bonded in.
And here's a cool feature,
a blind system that goes from
transparent to opaque with ease.
Recessed lighting is located
at either end of the hardtop as well.
Moving aft we pass a unique feature for a 28 footer,
the dive door.
A heavy duty magnet keeps the door securely open,
the door handle has a push bottom lock
that engages when closed.
A wash down hose is mounted just abaft the door.
The swim platform measures eight and a half feet long
by two feet ten inches wide off to port and starboard.
The center transition platform measures 11 inches,
and the entire platform is covered with sea deck.
Off to either side are both a six inch pull up cleat,
and a six inch aft facing mounted cleat.
The boat's fuel fills are just above
and to either side of the fixed cleats.
The starboard side seating reveals
convenient battery and holding tank access.
Just below that is a pump out port,
Clarion audio controls, and water fill.
A retractible battery charging cord is mounted to port.
A partition door divides the cockpit
and swim platform areas,
and the 280's main breaker panel is located
on the starboard side behind that door,
and contains the main house and engine battery shutoffs.
The all new 280 OSX from Chaparral
is certainly a strong player in the game.
With her convertible helm, bow and aft seating areas,
roomy head, swim platform and dive door,
along with hardtop and engine packages,
it's easy to turn a few hours
into an entire day of safe and fun boating,
with style and comfort.
And that's my full sea trial and features inspection
of the new 280 OSX Outboard from Chaparral.
For boattest.com, I'm Captain Steve,
we'll see you on the water.