2003 Powerquest 380 Avenger

Testers Notebook: 2003 Powerquest 380 Avenger Location: Biscayne Bay, Miami Test load: Light load: one adult, 1/2 tank fuel, no water or waste. Test day conditions: Winds variable, 3-foot seas. Synopsis: From its graphics to the way it performs, you'd never know the PowerQuest 380 Avenger is a production-built boat.

By: Mark Rotharmel

     From humble beginnings back in the 1980's, PowerQuest Boats of Holland, Michigan has earned itself a solid, enviable reputation in the performance boat world.  The bold and colourful 38 foot offshore rocket known as the 380 Avenger is the company's pride and joy.  Pride for the accolades it continues to receive, and joy for the excitement it brings to boaters with a need for speed.
      Powered by twin Mercury Racing 525 E.F.I.'s, the Avenger promises to be fast, but that's only one of its qualities.  Another is how well it's built.  Using premium construction materials, the Avenger's exterior blends with a colour-matched interior consisting of a wave impact seating system amongst other highly rated features.  Drivers will appreciate this well-organized helm along with the placement of the chrome gaffered shifter, gaffered performance instruments, and a full range of switches and indicators.  With a flick of a switch, PowerQuest's mirror-backed engine hatch lifts to reveal the engine's heart: a pair of Mercury Racing 525 E.F.I.'s putting out a total of 1,000 horsepower.  For quieter times, the elegant, air-conditioned cabin comes well-equipped with a built-in television, ergonomic port-side galley, and a v-berth package known appropriately as silver passion.
     We tested the 380 Avenger in Biscayne Bay off Miami. Come on aboard for our test for PowerBoat TV:
     "Now, this is one incredibly hot-looking boat, and we're about to see if it runs as good as it looks.  This boat is 37 feet 9 inches long has an 8 foot 6 inch beam and weighs 9300 pounds.  Lots of boat to get out of the water.  Let's see what the 525's will do for us.  Here we go.  Trimmed in.  Away we go.
     Down at 6.6 seconds, so it takes awhile for the revs to come up, but there's no ventilation on take-off, and once you're running the boat runs nice and smooth, out in these 3 foot seas, this boat is handling like a rock out here.  It's solid.  It's constructed very well.  It's meant to run out on the ocean or in the great lakes, gets lots of air and come down soft.  Now, let's try some acceleration here.  Now, coming out of the hole the boat will run up to 30 miles an hour in 12 seconds, up to 40 miles an hour in 16, and up to 50 miles an hour in 18.  So it's got lots of bottom end.
     Let's take a shot from 30 to 50.  6.9 seconds, nice.  Back down again.  Run along at 50 miles an hour, which out here seems dead slow in a big boat like this.  From 50 to 70 in 9.2 seconds, very good.  Now,  you can cruise along pretty nicely in this boat, at 4500 r.p.m.'s, you're running 76 miles an hour and, I mean, the steering's good.
     It's I.T.S. Mercury steering, there's a couple of unique features on this boat.  The trim tabs are actually rockers, which lets the boat come up but keeps the bow down so you have a nice level angle of attack on the waves.  On those trim tabs, you also have skid bits like you'd see on a race boat, a hydroblade or something, and that helps in turning, which we're going to do right now.  So coming into a turn, want to keep the bow up.  You don't want to plant it too far in.  Beautiful!  Nice, tight arc.  Power right through it.  Flat out.  Coming out of the turn, right back up to 80 miles an hour in a flash.
     Powerquest has always built lots of the best into the bottom of the boat.  You've got a 24 degree "V" it's a modified "V" pad that actually ends at the second step forward.  The boat runs real clean.  Now, having done some acceleration runs, we know this boat runs pretty good at mid-range.  Let's see how she does at top end - 2, rev it up.  6,7 on the gaffered indicators, gaffered throttles.  Speed's climbing.  79, 80, 82, 84, 84.5, that's it holding at 84.5 - good run.
      My clipboard shows a cruising speed of 50 miles an hour at 3500 r.p.m., a top speed of 84.5 miles an hour, and with a 50 to 70 mile per hour sprint in 9.2 seconds, Mercruiser's 525's show excellent punch. 
      Well, from its graphics to the way it performs, you'd never know this is a production-built boat.  Running at over 80 miles an hour in 3 to 4 foot waves means nothing to the Avenger.  It's great choice for big water or tighter areas where manoeuvrability is needed.  Clearly, this is a boat that could be powered for higher speeds without any impact on its handling, but with the 525's you've got plenty of excitement and a safe, secure ride at that."

*this profile taken from a transcript of Mark's test of the Powerquest 380 for PowerBoat TV.

Specs:

For the dealer nearest you contact:

PowerQuest Boats
2385 112th Avenue
Holland, Michigan 49424
tel 616.772.9474
http://www.powerquestboats.com/