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www.pdbmagazine.com PDB Pontoon & Deck Boat AUGUST 2015 33 Custom, Kind Of Premier has created a solid reputation in the boating industry for itself by being willing to customize the boats they build to fit the needs of their customers. But even though changes are made for spe- cific customers all the time, they don't really think of them as custom boats. "We can build the boat however the customer wants and we've been doing it for so long we don't really think of it as being custom—it's just how we do it," says Premier rep Curtis Martin. "For example, it says 250 SunSation on the side, but we added two more feet on the deck with 27-foot-long tubes so it really should be a 270." Complete with its proven PTX per- formance hull—two 27-inch-diameter pontoons and a 36-inch-diameter center pontoon—the model on display at Yamaha's event was ideal for twin Yamaha 300s. This particular Premier was equipped with a 12-foot upper deck (two feet longer than its standard version) with a slide and a hydration hose hooked up on the back. Getting A Feel For It The sun was up early at the Bay Harbor Marina in Michigan the day of the test and I was once again eager to try out the Helm Master system, but this time on a type of craft I'm most comfortable with. We got out on Lake Michigan and decided to play around with the joystick. Once out in the water I pressed the "activate" button to en- gage the system that also locks out the steering wheel so all you have to worry about is the joystick. "It seems like the less boating expe- rience you have, the easier it is to learn this system," said Yamaha Tech Engi- neer Mike Krautkremer. "But really it just takes a few minutes for anyone and you'll get a good feel for the joystick and be able to dock like a pro." Helm Master puts you at the center of the action, literally. The system places the central axis near the helm instead of the transom so from the helm seat you have full 360-degree control of your pontoon. Whether you want to move forward or backward, sideways or Premier 270 SunSation Walk-On LOA: 29' 1.5" Beam: 10' Dry Weight: 4,150 lbs. Max HP: 600 Fuel Capacity: 80 gal. www.pontoons.com Yamaha F300CA / LF300XCA Horsepower: 300 Inductions: EFI Displacement: 4.2L Weight: 562 lbs. Gear Ratio: 1.75:1 Prop: Stainless 15 1/4 X 18 Saltwater Series II www.yamahaoutboards.com RPM MPH GPH MPG 1000 5.9 2.5 2.36 1500 8.9 3.8 2.34 2000 15.3 6.3 2.43 2500 20.3 9.1 2.23 3000 25.7 12.1 2.12 3500 30.9 16.2 1.91 4000 35.7 20.5 1.74 4500 40.6 27.6 1.47 5000 45.4 34.0 1.34 5500 49.8 41.9 1.19 6000 54.3 50.7 1.07