2014 Boat of the Year: Chris-Craft Launch 36

The Launch 36 combines the very best elements of an open boat with those of a cruiser.
By Boating Tech Team Posted January 5, 2015


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LOA: 38'2"
Beam: 12'6"
Draft: 3'0"
Displacement: 16,000 lb.
Transom Deadrise: 20 degrees
Bridge Clearance: 7'7"
Max Cabin Headroom: 6'4"
Fuel Capacity: 286 gal.
Water Capacity: 50 gal.
Max Horsepower: 900
Available Power: Volvo Penta or MerCruiser sterndrives or Yamaha or Mercury outboards
More Information: chriscraft.com

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Enlarge Image


  Enlarge Image

btg1214_ft2_chriscraft_03.jpg
  Enlarge Image


LOA: 38'2"
Beam: 12'6"
Draft: 3'0"
Displacement: 16,000 lb.
Transom Deadrise: 20 degrees
Bridge Clearance: 7'7"
Max Cabin Headroom: 6'4"
Fuel Capacity: 286 gal.
Water Capacity: 50 gal.
Max Horsepower: 900
Available Power: Volvo Penta or MerCruiser sterndrives or Yamaha or Mercury outboards
More Information: chriscraft.com

Hollywood has the Oscar. Baseball has the MVP. The highest accolade awarded to a recreational boat is Boating’s Boat of the Year.

To make the cut, a boat must be tested for a published review by a member of the Boating Tech Team during the year of contention. More importantly, the winning boat must set itself apart by exceeding — not just meeting — industry standards and by impressing us with attention to detail, the subtleties of ride and performance, and the benefits of amenity and aesthetics.

Then, locked away in private debate, we judge the contenders by how they compare with other boats in the same category. The boat that stands out in its category, more than any other boat stands out in any other category, wins the coveted prize.

This year, Boating is proud to bestow the honor of 2014 Boat of the Year upon Chris-Craft’s Launch 36.

The Launch 36 advances the sport of boating. This boat runs like a blue-water fish boat and sports a bold layout that combines the very best elements of an open boat with those of a cruiser. On the basis of these facts alone, the Chris-Craft Launch 36 balances the compromises inherent in recreational-craft design better than most boats we’ve yet tested.

Chris-Craft further wowed us with functionality by incorporating hidden Bimini top stowage and impressed us with ingenuity for building a split-head arrangement into the cozy confines of a cuddy cabin. Congratulations, Chris-Craft!