2001 Svfara 609

Testers Notebook: Svfara 609 Location: Lake Elsinore and Castaic Lake, California, U.S.A. Test load: Light load, two adults,  ¾ fuel, safety gear. Test day conditions: calm water, light winds. Synopsis: Svfara, a newcomer in the tow-boat market, set out to create a great ski boat; the company did that, but the Svfara SV 609, powered by a MerCruiser MAG MPI Ski, rated at 315 hp, is also a great wakeboard boat and a good ride for all-round recreational boating.

By: Peter Wilson
     Strong acceleration, amazing straight-line tracking, and turn-on-a-dime cornering. Sounds like a high performance boat, but it's not… it's a tournament ski boat, the Svfara SV609. A new boat, from a new company that has some new ideas on what it takes to make a great ski boat.
     The Svfara SV609 starts with the traditional mid-engine ski boat cockpit layout, but that's where tradition seems to start and stop. Breaking from the usual port side/starboard side bowrider seating configuration -Svfara has opted for a forward facing bench seat - accessible by way of a walk-through windshield. A different approach that results in one large storage compartment - instead of two smaller ones, and plenty of legroom.
     The helm arrangement is as good as it gets -- principal gauges are up high and in good view. The two competition analog speedometers are computer-balanced -- a system that ensures the driver receives steady and accurate speed-readings. Secondary gauges and switches are all easy to see and reach, as is the premium Clarion sound system. The port-side rear-facing observer's seat is not only well-padded,  it provides easy access to a gigantic ski/wakebaord storage area.
     Borrowing a page from fishing boats, Svfara has cleverly designed the full-width rear cockpit seat to be another large storage area -- or it can be totally removed to increase cockpit space. The rear sunlounge lifts to reveal yet another storage area large enough to hold wakeboards or skis, and of course there's a hot and cold transom shower.
     The upholstered engine hatch lifts high enough to provide easy access for minor engine servicing and checking. Standard power for the SV609 is MerCruiser`s 350 MAG MPI Ski - rated at 315 hp and mated to a Velvet-drive transmission that turns the four-blade 13x13 1/2 stainless prop through a 1:1 gear ratio.
     The Svfara hull is computer-designed to control water flow underneath, through channels that aid in tracking. Additional tracking control is provided by the triple bronze tracking fins located slightly ahead of midships down the centreline. The beautiful teak swim platform sits slightly above water level while at rest, making it easy to get on or off.
     I really liked the swivel feature that I found on both the cockpit-mounted ski pylon and on the wakeboard tower; this should reduce wear and tear on the new breed of expensive towlines. The optional removable wakeboard tower in our opinion is a must; once you try boarding behind the SV609 you'll know why. Once behind the wheel it was time to see what performance we could get from 315 direct-drive horsepower. The SV609 planes in 4.22 seconds. Using a hand-held GPS and two tournament speedometers we ran an average wakeboarding speed of 20 mph at 2,200 rpm and skiing speeds of 30 mph at 2,900 rpm and 36 mph at 3,500 rpm. At 4,800 rpm we recorded a top speed of 46 mph on the brand new engine.
     After pulling Ryan Augustine - a competitive wakeboarder from California, here's what he had to say about the Svfara: "There was great take-off power for this boat considering there was a lot of weight in it; no problem pulling me up, didn't have to drag in the water for long. For this wake it had a good transition from the flats cutting in and going up the wake. It has a nice transition going into the peak and right at the top you feel a good little pop that's always nice to have and it's solid at the top of the wake. This boat would be a good boat for recreational riding because it's got all the seating, lots of room, there's a heater and a shower and that makes it  really nice." 
     With tournament skier Gary Athans in tow - the Svfara provided pulling power and tracking second to none, with a slalom wake that proved to us that Svfara got it right the first time. Svfara set out to create a great ski boat, and from what we can see they did. They also ended up building a sweet wakeboarding boat, but the best part is the price, thousands less than any of their competitors.

Specs:

For the dealer nearest you contact:

Svfara Marine Inc. Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2R 0G3
(403) 244-2202  fax (403) 245-6261
http://www.svfara.com/