DCB FX-28 Extreme: 2004 Sport Boat of the Year

With 900 fuel-injected ponies tucked neatly under the engine hatch, the FX-28 Extreme was capable of 93.4 mph at 5,400 rpm.

It must be hard to work at Dave's Custom Boats. Not because we think company owner Dave Hemmingson is difficult, but because everything that we've seen come out of that shop is as meticulously designed, built and rigged as a custom boat can be. That's saying a lot, but if you think about it, we have the easier of the two jobs: testing them and writing about them.

Somewhere in DCB's shop there are guys with fingertips tattered and sore from sanding the bilge for hours on end, days at a time. Somewhere in the shop there are guys with headaches from fastidiously wrapping, running and rigging wiring harnesses to perfection. Somewhere there are guys with sore shoulders and necks from installing headliners and each part of the interior so that it fits in place as snugly as a puzzle piece. The workmanship is incredible. No wonder there's always a waiting list for a DCB.

And once the masses hear this, the line should get longer. DCB's FX-28 Extreme is our 2004 Sport Boat of the Year.

Beyond workmanship, which is as good as you'll find, the DCB FX-28 Extreme boasted the kind of features we love to see. Practical features such as twin F-16-style canopies to knock down the wind. Smart features such as black fabric atop the dashboard to eliminate glare on those canopies—and just plain cool features such as the deck-mounted scoop that provides fresh air to the passengers seated behind those canopies.

For your other passengers, DCB equipped the bow seats with gently angled backrests with side bolsters to help keep them in place in the turns. Inside the midcabin, there were two facing lounges with enough headroom so you could sit without slouching.

Then there was the performance, which will hold your interest long after the first boating season has come and gone.

With 900 fuel-injected ponies tucked neatly under the engine hatch, the FX-28 Extreme was capable of 93.4 mph at 5,400 rpm. Cruise speeds, where boaters spend most of their time, were downright respectable: 63 mph at 3,500 rpm.

That will get you home in time if you're racing the sun—without having to hammer the throttle.

However, you may want to hammer the throttles during your day on the water because the FX-28 Extreme was a lot of fun for rolling drag races. It raced from 30 to 50 mph in 3.9 seconds, from 40 to 60 mph in 3.8 seconds and from 40 to 70 mph in 6.3 seconds. That's acceleration you can feel and something not all that common in a sport boat.

In fact, the FX-28 Extreme delivers a lot of uncommonly good things, which makes it a perfect choice for our 2004 Sport Boat of the Year.

DCB FX-28 Performance Test Results

Centerline	28'3"
Beam	8'5"
Weight as tested	5,000 pounds
Price as tested	$182,300
Engine model and horsepower	Teague Custom Marine 900 EFI/900
Propeller	Hydromotive 15" x 32"
Acceleration: zero to 15 seconds	77 mph
Top speed	93.4 mph at 5400 rpm
Manufacturer contact	619-442-0300, www.dcbracing.com