Maxum 4100 SCB Review

Maxum is best known in this country for their superb range of bowriders, cuddies and small sportscruisers. But backed by the expertise of sister company Bayliner, they have extended the range to include sedan and aft cabin cruisers up to 46ft.

The 4100SCB, second from the top, is a detailed and versatile flybridge cruiser that can slip between weekending, corporate entertaining and family cruising roles. Well proportioned and well planned, it doesn’t crowd in too many cabins or offer the convertible facilities found so prominently on local flybridge sportsfishing cruisers. Rather it concentrates on comfortably accommodating two couples or a family of four – a sensible number.

Also, this is not a boat where you will find a moulded fibreglass interior. Every area, every cabin, every part of this boat is finished and lined to emphasise the quality of lifestyle and leisure time that this craft was created to provide. There is excellent headroom and well proportioned spaces – from the two cabins, through the well equipped galley, to the generous flybridge deck. The test boat had the dual helm station option, which best satisfies Australian market demands.

The lower station was the place that we chose to run for the first couple of hours of our test on a chilly morning. As the sun found its way over the hills we gravitated to the flybridge for an enjoyable cruise along the Sydney coastline. The flybridge helm station is typically American in its execution, quite different from the sports convertible designs that Australians are familiar with. As the Maxum makes no pretences to backing down on fish, the console is located forward and is quite low and wide. It takes some getting used to, particularly if you want to stand to drive, but after a while you forget about it and begin to appreciate the thorough array of instruments and electronics that fall within arms length of the skipper. There’s plenty of space on this flybridge, with the deck extending almost completely over the lower cockpit. This affords space for an optional davit and small tender or PWC.

Powering the beast are twin turbo-charged 370hp Cummins, which are ample for getting the boat up and away. Top speed is just under 30 knots, while cruising in the 20 to 22 knot range keeps the engines under 2000rpm. The hull affords a smooth ride offshore even when speeds are pushed up towards the 24-25 knot range. Carving a smooth wash through the seas it will get from one port to the next in no time.

Options on the test boat included cherrywood interior, ice-maker, vacu-flush head, bridge sunlounge pad, windlass, spotlight, vacuum system, washdown, bimini and bridge enclosures, aft cockpit covers and entertainment package. All that you’d consider adding are air conditioning, generator, plus electronic navigation. This is luxury cruising at it best, and if you’ve grown out of the limited accommodation and living space provided by your sportscruiser, the Maxum 4100SCB may be the next step.