2014 Princecraft Sport 177 Boat Test Notes
Princecraft’s newest fishing boat will also please the watersports lovers in your family.
December 1, 2013
Watch the 2014 Princecraft Sport 177 Video Boat Review
The Princecraft Sport 177 is fun for an entire fishing family.
Concept: Provide excellent performance, 100-percent fishability, and water skiing or wakeboarding abilities in a relatively small package.
Construction:
- 5052 H-36 aluminum hull plating is doubled at the bow and along the chines.
-Deck is constructed from pressure-treated ply, and is covered in rugged, easy to clean vinyl.
-High-gloss Urethane paint looks as sharp as a fiberglass boat’s finish.
-Drop-in ski pylon is heavy-duty, and locks in place via a sturdy pull-pin.
-Steering system is no-feedback.
Performance:
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Length | 17'5" |
| Beam | 7'6" |
| Max Draft | 2'6" |
| Deadrise | NA |
| Displacement | 1,330 |
| Fuel capacity | 26 gal |
-With the 150-hp Mercury on the transom, this one’s a screamer – we came darn close to hitting 50-mph.
- 5.5 miles to the gallon at a speed of 36-mph is excellent efficiency.
Handling:
-Between the speed and the no-feedback steering, this one makes you feel like you’re in a sports-car at the helm.
-Seas were calm during our test, but the 177 handled boat wakes nicely and threw little spray (thanks to reverse chines).
-At wide-open throttle (and with little gear and just one passenger on board) the boat goes so fast it can chine-walk a bit when over-trimmed; keep the engine tucked in a hair.
| Performance Data | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Test conditions: Five knot breeze, calm water, one person on board. Fuel consumption figures are approximate. | |||
| RPM | MPH | GPH | MPG |
| 1000 | 5.4 | 0.9 | 6.0 |
| 2000 | 10.1 | 2.3 | 4.4 |
| 3000 | 25.1 | 3.3 | 7.6 |
| 4000 | 36.0 | 6.6 | 5.5 |
| 5000 | 43.5 | 10.9 | 4.0 |
| 5800 | 49.2 | 13.8 | 3.6 |
| Power | 150-hp Mercury four-stroke outboard with a 14 5/8” x 19” 3-bladed SS Tempest prop. | ||
Unique features:
-Bow double-plating provides extra piece of mind.
-Aft jump seats are well-designed, sturdy, and fold down into a casting deck.
-Handholds are everywhere, and no matter where you sit down there’s one close by
-The big dual windscreen was much appreciated in our chilly test conditions.
Princecraft’s newest fishing boat will also please the watersports lovers in your family.
