Sugar Sand Tango Extreme Jet Boat      Jet boats have been around for many years, but only recently have they gained a profile and popularity within the recreational boat market place. Now, some companies may have added a jet boat or two to their traditional boat lineup. While others like Sugar Sand from North Dakota, specialize in this exciting line of boats.       At the top of the Sugar Sand's lineup is their high performance jet boat the Tango Extreme. The Tango Extreme is the boat that is made for the boater who wants the ultimate performance in a small package.

But just because it is a smaller boat, does not mean that the Tango Extreme lacks room aboard.
     Its 16 ½', 81" wide hull, has a legal seating capacity for six. With space for three forward, and three, in comfortable bolsters ab.  Which I found out later are important to keep you firmly planted in your seat. At the front of the boat you will find storage under the starboard seat, and for storing water toys there is a large ski locker.
     The helm seat is comfortable with a panel featuring a CD stereo and essential switches and instruments. To round out the helm, there's an adjustable mirror and a Moore shifter. The grab handles between the AB bolsters are a simple loop of rope, that lay flat and out of the way between the seats when not in use. With any little boat, you need to be clever with making use of every nook and cranny for storage and Tango is no exception.
     Although the Tango Extreme was designed for recreational activities out on the water, Sugar Sand did provide features for fun in the water as well. The Tango features a large swim platform and telescoping reboarding ladder. The ski pileon is standard, but what lies under the engine hatch is not.
     The Tango Extreme is the top of the Tango line, and with it comes a powerful Mercury 240hp v6, EFI engine, connected to a Mercury seven and a quarter inch jet drive. Heading out I had no idea of the fun I was in store for. 
      In the marina, I found steering precise and thought the Tango Extreme handled well at idle. However, I soon learned that this is a boat designed for a lot more than slow speed.
Out in the open water, I pushed the throttle down and Tango literally rocketed onto plane. In just under seven seconds I was passing 50mph, and was still climbing. At full speed handling was solid and responsive. The hull which features a 21-degree dead rise and a dry weight of about 1,500 pounds, comfortably smoothed out the moderate lake chop.
     Now you might think that setting up for turns is no big deal in a jet drive boat. With no drive to worry about, you just pick your speed and turn. But I soon learned that with the Tango Extreme it was more than just simple science, but also required a bit of art. The Tango only draws about 12", but with its high speed you are left with only a few inches at maximum. Without a drive hanging down, you need to use a balance of the natural v on the boat's hull and the application of power to make sure that you do not slide out of the turn.
      It took me a few try's to get that balance right, but when I did I began understand what makes the Tango so much fun. You have to fly it. Running at 4,000 rpm, the Tango has a comfortable cruise of 35.7 mph. Pushing the throttle to 5,000 the GPS was reading 46.6, and at wide open throttle about 5,550 rpm, the Tango danced along at over 57 mph.
      Of course the Tango's small size helps the speed, but aside from that, there is no disputing that the Tango Extreme is one fast, fun, jet boat. I found the Tango Extreme from Sugar Sand's to be an awful lot of fun on the water. But the key is to understand the interplay between the power and the steering, to get maximum performance out of Tango. And once you do perfect, this key combination, you are going to find her an exciting and responsive dance partner.

.
* taken from a transcript of our Power Profile on PowerBoat TV 2004 Episode 4 - Order a Copy of the Show