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40 Cabo Express

Cabo Yachts

40 Cabo Express Review

 

Source: Dean Travis Clarke, Yachting Magazine

Are they rag boaters or stink potters? How do a pair of guys with a reputation for building some of the finest,deep-ocean sailing vessels and trawlers stop in midstream and start building sport-fishing machines? And not just any fishing machine,but a marque that devotees and competitors alike consider to beamong the finest in the world – again.

Performance

Over the years, Cabo founders Henry Morschladt and Michael Howarth have improved the running characteristics of their boats. Sharper entries may take a little space out of the forward cabin, but they provide a smoother and drier ride in a head sea.

Running out Miami’s Government Cut in 6-foot,close-set, wind-against-tide seas tests a boat’s mettle with no compromise. We slowed down, no doubt, but stayed on plane as werounded the first buoy outside the jetties and accelerated up the beach in a still-healthy beam sea.

Slow trolling, this Cabo rolls a fair distance in a beam sea, but with gentle transitions – no snap rolls. You’ll like the classic two clear alleys appearing in the wake; turbulencedissipates by about the third wave back.

Standard power is your choice: a pair of MAND2876LE 401s, producing 700 hp apiece. Or twin Caterpillar C-12s,also 700 hp each. Running in calm water, the 40 Express hit 41.6mph at 2,262 rpm. When we dropped back to troll, idle speed with both engines at 600 rpm pushed us along at an ideal 9 mph. One engine drops that to 7.4 mph. It took a scant seven seconds to plane, and a very respectable 35-mph cruising speed at 1,800 rpm burned a total of 43 gph. Interestingly, dropping that to 25 knots at 1,720 rpm saved only 1 1/2 gph. Backing down at 6 1/2 knots, the boat handled predictably.

The Cabo’s hydraulic steering reacts instantly to any wheel action, though a hard over turn at cruising speed starts quickly, then settles into a more conservative course change

Fishing

Besides the obligatory features in the cockpit such as the deep freeze, bait-rigging station, freshwater and saltwater wash downs and in-gunwale rod holders, Cabo goes several steps farther. I’ve always considered good tackle to be works of art. Cabo does, too, and provides a handsome vertical locker in the salon for rod storage. In case that’s not enough space, open the hatch in the cabin sole to discover a huge rod-storage compartment that accommodates six 80-wide rigs.

Even more such storage can be found in the bulkhead lockers in the forward cabin. there’s additional rod storage under the L-shaped settee on the bridge deck, under the gunwales – and if you get a tower, the rocket launchers on the stanchions. No, it’s not all in one place. But if you organize your rods by weight, style or species, tackle storage aboard this express borders on an embarrassment of riches.

The cockpit’s padded coaming hit me about mid thigh. It was a bit of a stretch to bill a sailfish and release it, but doable.

Other fishing features include big insulated fish boxes with macerators and a large transom door with top gate. For those who back down hard, all the hatches for the lazarette and the fish boxes sport heavy-duty O-ring seals to keep your fish iced and your bilges dry.

Design and Construction

As you can readily see, this express has very handsome, classic lines. Those lines define a hull of molded-fiberglass construction that uses premium vinylester resin sand stitched, biaxial-fiberglass fabric. The solid fiberglass bottom ensures strength where it’s needed most. From the upper chine to the gunwale, the hull is a cored laminate for strength with considerably less weight, lowering the overall center of gravity.

Below decks, the palatial richness will sway even the most stubborn distaff mate. The 6-foot 3-inch headroom in the cabin eliminates any sense of cave dwelling. I always prefer aradius to a sharp angle, so the beautiful stand-up head with its curved shower door and bulkhead and marble like sole suits my tastes perfectly.

An island berth in the bow with numerous lockers,all with Cabo’s signature teak grating, makes a romantic and comfortable cabin. However, if you should happen to want to bring children or another couple along, the L-shaped settee to starboard hides a multitude of goodies. The seat back of the straight section lifts on hinges to form a Pullman berth, and the base of the Lfolds out into a hideaway single.

You’ll find plenty of examples of fine engineering aboard this Cabo, but one benchmark example is the electrical distribution panel. It has great little closure clips that allow you to pop the panel open, revealing the most incredible collection of butt blocks and perfectly executed wiring you’ll ever see in a yacht. I can’t imagine it could be done any better. Likewise with the engine room. At the touch of a button, the entire helm deck lifts, exposing this compartment, and suffice it to say that no builder – custom or production -engineers an engine room better than Cabo.

This column could be twice as long and I still couldn’t cover all the innovation and “jobs well-done” I found inthis boat. you’ll just have to see it for yourself.

Engine Specifications

MAN D2876LE 401, 700-hp diesel

TYPE: 6-IL

DISPL: 781 cid

HP/LB RATIO: 0.26

GEAR RATIO: 1.5-3.5:1

WEIGHT: 2,673 lb.

ALT. OUTPUT: 100 amps

MAN offers no electronic controls, so the Glen dinning controls provided smooth operation and features like synchro and low idle.

Boat Specifications: 40 Cabo Express

LOA: 42 ft. 10 in.

BEAM: 15 ft. 9 in.

DEADRISE: 16 1/2 deg.

DRAFT: 3 ft. 5 in.

WEIGHT: 28,000 lb.

FUEL: 600 gal.

MAX POWER: T700-hp diesel

Notable Standard Equipment