Reviews
& Articles 35 Express
Boat Report: CABO 35 Express
Salt Water Sportsman
By John Brownlee
 An innovative express design loaded with fishing
features and high-tech engineering.
There are lots of express boats on today's market that offer large cockpits,
along with helm stations set on raised bridge decks that make it easy
to fish with only two people aboard. Cabo's new 35 Sportfisher is also
an express
design,
but it stands apart from the crowd, much as their popular 35 convertible
did when it was introduced a few years ago.
For one thing, the 35 comes with a lengthy standard equipment list. This
is no stripped-down platform that must have hundreds of options added
before it's ready to fish. The boat also features some very innovative
and intelligent engineering features that aren't found on many other
boats in this size range. As Henry Mohrschladt, President and co-founder
of Cabo puts it, "We made every effort to make this the best express
boat available in its size range. There isn't another boat around with
this level of engineering.
"
When my partner Michael Howarth and I set out to build the Cabo 35 Express,
it was our intention to produce the best-engineered and best-built boat
to be found anywhere. That we have succeeded is best demonstrated by
the people who have chosen to purchase the Cabo 35 over some well-entrenched
competitors.
" Michael and I have built nearly 2,000 are sure boats over the last 20
years, yet I can say without reservation that the 35 Express is the finest
boat we have ever produced."
After a statement like that, SWS was obviously curious to check out this
boat, and we finally got our hands-on one through Cabo's Fort Lauderdale
dealer, HMY Yacht Sales of Dania. Broker Larry Caldwell showed us around
the boat, then took us offshore Fort and extended sea trial. We started
at the dock by looking over the engine compartment, which lies beneath
the bridge deck.
Easy-Access Engine Compartment
The aft end of the deck raises via two hydraulic rams, and the entire
compartment becomes easily accessible with the deck raised. A
hydraulic hand pump will raise the deck manually in case of a power
failure.
Our test was equipped with the top-of-the-line engine option,
the 435-hp Caterpillar 3208-TA diesels. There are four Caterpillar
3208 diesels
options available, in 320-, 350-, 375-, and 435-hp configurations.
There is also a Crusader gas engine option, and other diesels
power options are available upon request.
The engine compartment allows
easy access to the huge raw-water strainers and fuel filters found
on the forward
centerline. Access points on the
big Cats are easy to get too, and the Westerbeke generator at the aft
end of the compartment should be a snap to service as well. The second
fiberglass fuel tank lies at the forward end of the compartment
amidships, with easy access to valves and sending units. Battery
switches are mounted on the forward the bulkhead, and the batteries
themselves or forward of the starboard motor. It's a slight squeeze
to get at them, but it's not a big problem.
Big Cockpit
The Cabo's cockpit is spacious, with about 81 square feet of room in
which to move about. Although claims a total of 105 square feet, but
that figure includes the bait-prep and transom door is 24 1/2" wide,
beneath a hinged covering board. Fishboxes are located port and starboard
of the centerline beneath the cockpit sole. They measure 56" long",
by 13" deep and 13 1/2" wide. The boxes, like all day catches
on the boat, are rubber-gasketed for a tight and quiet seal, and have
twisting cam locks for a tight fit when shut. There are positively no
squeaks or rattles from these hatches.
The lazarette patch concealed to the aft bilge pump, the hydraulic autopilot
unit, the Bennett trim-tab pump, the rudder posts and steering mechanisms,
as well as the macerator drainage pumps for the fishboxes. A spare anchor
was stored here in our test boat, and there was easy access to the tops
of the struts.
Rod and Tackle Storage
Rod storage was good, with a three rod racks per side beneath the gunwales,
two per side. The steps along the aft edge of the bridge deck opened
to reveal storage areas. A sure-power receptacle and a salt water washdown
bib was located to court, while to starboard was a fresh water washdown
hose. It is 36 1/2" from the tops of the covering boards to the
water's surface, and if you have to get to the bow, there's a six-inch-wide
side deck with a good non-skid surface.
The Cabo had the considerable tackle storage build into the bait-prep
stations at the forward end of the cockpit. The port units held a sink
and cutting board, with a swinging door that concealed additional storage
for six rods. The starboard unit contained a huge bait icebox that could
easily be converted to a freezer. It also had three large tackle drawers.
Stepping up to the bridge deck, we found another molded unit to starboard,
with a built-in refrigerator and five more tackle drawers. And L-shaped
settee with lots of storage was to port, and the helmsmen's seat had
even more storage, and an ice maker to boot! The helm station had the
switches arranged low and directly in front of the helmsmen, with the
engine gauges located high along the upper edge of the console. This
left a reasonably large, angled area which the electronics could be mounted.
Three Cabin Designs
 The Cabo comes with three basic cabin configurations: one with the centerline "Island" berth
forward with convertible settee aft; another with a forward dinette that
converts to V-births and an aft two-bunk stateroom; and one with the
diagonal berths forward and a convertible settee aft. Our test boat had
the latter arrangement.
The galley and head were to port, and the cabin sole was covered in the
optional teak-and-holly veneer. The fit and finish in the cabin was extraordinary
for a production boat, with burnished wood and polished surfaces
all around.
After our dock side inspection, Caldwell fired up the Cats and we headed
toward Port Everglades Inlet. The boat created very little whitewater
in the wake as we titled along, but it increased somewhat at faster trolling
speeds. Caldwell ease the throttle's forward as returned the corner in
the boat inlet and headed east, and the boat climbed onto plane effortlessly.
View from the Helm
The pleasant surprise was that the boat remained remarkably level while
rising onto plane. Many express boats prevent the helmsman from seeing
over the bow as they climb onto the plane, but the Cabo's bow lifted
only slightly, then immediately settled down into a very level running
angle. The 35 maintained to this same level angle at every throttle setting
-- an important consideration when running in rough head seas, where
a fast cruise is impossible.
The boat was very quick with the big Caterpillars, yielding a relaxed
crew speed of 26 knots at a mere 2300 rpm. At 2500 rpm, the GPS fluctuating
back and forth between 29 and 30 knots, while 2850 rpm produced a top
speed of 34 knots.
The 35's deep-V hull, with a 17 1/2-degree transom deadrise, handled
of the three-foot seas with no problem. The only negative was that are
test boat like windshield wipers as standard equipment.
Cabo is clearly aiming to for the top of the production express-boat
market, and has put a lot of clever design innovations into the 35, along
with an extensive list of standard features. These innovations set to
the 35 apart from the rest of the fleet, and may someday make it the
standard-bearer for the industry.
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