2001 Velocity 410

Testers Notebook: Velocity 410 Location: Sarasota, Gulf of Mexico. Test load: Driver, safety equipment, half fuel. Test day conditions: Winds moderate, Northwest 10-15 knots, swells on open sea, one- to two-foot chop in protected waters. Synopsis: The Velocity 410 is a big, comfortable, luxurious performance boat. Powered by twin Mercury Racing 500 EFIs, with a delta pad and notched transom, the boat easily reaches 80 mph. ..

By: Mark Rotharmel
     If you crave true high performance in big luxurious offshore boats you're going to enjoy Velocity's 410, the spacious flagship of the Florida boatbuilder's seven-boat fleet. At 41 feet long it incorporates decades of performance tricks learned by the legendary racer, designer and builder Steve Stepp, president of Initial Marine Co. of Sanford, Florida.
     Like all Velocitys, its tradition runs deep. Proud of his new creation, Steve Stepp personally delivered the 410 for our test on Florida's Gulf Coast. With a flat-deck design and deep hull sides, the 410 is one bold offshore machine that stands out in the crowd, with creative polyurethane graphics. 
     Steve Stepp prioritizes passenger comfort and safety, placing grab-handles and grab-bars throughout the cockpit.  The boat has a dash that really works - accessible thumb switches and Velocity-identified performance gauges framed by anodized bezels and installed within a carbon-fibre-like dash panel. 
     Elegant and functional, the beautiful custom steering wheel was carved from billet aluminum and finished with a colour-coordinated suede-leather grip. Outstanding!  The electric bolsters have contoured, formed sides and arm-rests for easier access to and from the helm. 
     Beneath the high-backed, L-shaped aft lounge is one of many storage compartments. The battery switch and labeled fuse panel is located there. The 410 boasts six feet of headroom in a cabin that's contemporary and pampering -- complete with Ultrasuede and ultraleather interior and mood lighting from fibre-optic lamps and twinkle-lights. An extra-large berth, head with a shower, hanging closet and compact galley with amenities make the 410 a perfect retreat. 
     A huge engine compartment houses twin Mercury Racing 500 EFIs. Surrounded by diamond-plate aluminum and neatly-routed wiring, cables and hoses, these powerful motors are force-fed air by Naca ducts on the side of the deck. Mercury's robust new XZ drives and 28-inch pitch Bravo One props were picked to push Velocity's famed Stepp Transom, pad keel, non-ventilated hull designs with efficiency.
     We had some great conditions out on the Gulf of Mexico for the test of the Velocity 410. This is a traditional style V-bottom. It's straight, there are no ventilated steps in the hull. It does have a delta pad and, of course, it does have the Stepp transom, the original notch transom that was introduced to the offshore community back in 1978 by Steve Stepp.
     The bow is down and the boat is on plane in 4.53 seconds; actually there are two stages -- 4.53 and 4.76 seconds to lay completely flat. That's with the drives all the way in, and the tabs level with the bottom of the boat.
     The concave chines actually work two ways, first helping the boat plane faster, then helping the boat run at slower speeds without losing plane. Getting used to running at mid-range speeds is pretty easy on this boat. At 50 mph, you're  running 3,200 rpm; then you pump that up to 60 mph and you're showing 3,900 rpm, and you push it up to 70 mph and you're showing 4,100 rpm. Then you nail it, you bring the drives out, and you're at 80 mph and 5,000 rpm in a flash.
     Velocity has chosen to use MerCruiser power in most of its boats. They go everywhere from the 496/420 hp right up to the 900 supercharged engines. This boat will handle 900s and as I understand will run 115 to 120 mph. But this particular boat is powered appropriately, I would say, with 500 EFIs from Mercury Racing, that produce 470 hp per side. They make the boat accelerate like a banshee.
     The boat picks up from up from 50 to 70 mph in 6.73 seconds. That's quick. A nice tight right-hand turn, at speed, is no problem. It's was fairly choppy water on test day and the boat hung in real tight. Exiting the turn, I got back on the drives, and trimmed the boat up.
     Our high-speed pass showed 84 mph on the speedo and 80.8 mph on GPS; that's cooking.
     These days, it's tough to be a non-conformist, but Steve Stepp has steadily perfected his traditional V-bottom design rather then join the ranks of builders who automatically boost performance by ventilating their bottoms. At 80 mph the 410 is a dream to drive; it's quick, it turns without hooking or sliding, and best of all, it's safe at any speeds.
     Isn't that exactly what a luxurious high performance boat should be?

Specs:

For the dealer nearest you contact:

Initial Marine Corp.,
1690 Fitzpatrick Point,
Sanford, Fla., U.S.A. 32771
(407)321-1340 Fax:(407) 321-1344