2014 Princecraft Nanook DLX WS Boat Test Notes
The Princecraft Nanook is a boat for serious anglers.
November 17, 2013
Watch the 2014 Princecraft Nanook DLX WS Video Boat Review
The Princecraft Nanook is a boat for serious anglers.
Overview: Princecraft’s latest fishing boat designed for the hard-core anglers among us.
Concept: Offer multiple (full windshield or side console) lay-outs in a boat designed with gobs of fishing features.
Construction:
- 5052 H-36 aluminum hull plating, which is doubled at the bow and along the chines.
-Deck is constructed from pressure-treated ply covered in vinyl.
-High-gloss Urethane paint looks as sharp as a fiberglass boat’s finish.
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Length | 16'6" |
| Beam | 7'3" |
| Max Draft | NA |
| Deadrise | NA |
| Displacement | 991 |
| Fuel capacity | 20 gal |
-Cleats are nylon, and PrinceTrak extruded aluminum allows for mounting accessories on the gunwale.
-Plastic glove box hatch should be beefed-up or replaced.
-Steering system is no-feedback.
Performance:
-Our test boat’s 115 four-stroke provided plenty of pep, with a top-end of 46.9-mph and a cruise of over 30-mph.
- Peak efficiency of 7.3 mpg comes at a fairly fast cruise, of 27.7 mph.
Handling:
-Banks into turns, and throws little to no spray when hitting boat wakes, even at high speeds.
| Performance Data | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Test conditions: Five knot breeze, calm water, one person onboard. Fuel consumption figures are approximate. | |||
| RPM | MPH | GPH | MPG |
| 1000 | 4.0 | 0.4 | 10.0 |
| 2000 | 6.9 | 1.3 | 5.3 |
| 3000 | 17.5 | 2.5 | 7.0 |
| 4000 | 27.7 | 3.8 | 7.3 |
| 5000 | 36.1 | 6.6 | 5.5 |
| 6000 | 43.8 | 10.4 | 4.2 |
| 6200 | 46.9 | 10.6 | 4.4 |
| Power | 115-hp Mercury four-stroke outboard with 12 1/8” x 17” 4-bladed aluminum prop | ||
Unique features:
-Six seat bases between the aft deck, cockpit, and forward deck, mean that you can fish from anywhere on the boat.
-Livewell holds a whopping 34 gallons, has a removable divider, and has an anti-spill hatch cover.
-Rod stowage box can hold rods up to seven feet long.
-The boat comes pre-rigged for a trolling motor and up to three trolling motor battery holders, plus a transom transducer mounting plate.
-With an as-tested MSRP of about $25,000, this boat is priced well below much of the competition.
