Nor-Tech 3900 V
 

Nor-Tech's 3900 V is a substantial offshore offering.
From the moment the 3900 V from Nor-Tech arrived at the launch ramp in Sarasota, Fla., Test Team members couldn't quite figure out the boat's length. One staffer guessed it was a 43-footer, while another one ventured it was closer to 46 feet.

The staffers' guesses weren't bad, considering some of the offshore boats the crew had seen that week. But Nor-Tech's marketing manager Terry Sobo found himself reminding a couple of testers that the V-bottom was 39 feet without the swim platform.

But seeing the boat on the trailer and then at the docks, it appeared much larger than the size Sobo was telling us. Maybe it was the integrated 3-foot swim platform or the uncommonly deep cockpit. Or perhaps it was the cabin where most grown men could stand.

Regardless, the boat felt larger where it really mattered—offshore. During a photography session in the Gulf of Mexico, test driver John Tomlinson encountered some decent offshore swells. The stepped-bottom boat flew level and landed without jarring anyone in the cockpit.

Thanks to stellar build quality, there were no rattles, not even from the cabin where you expect to hear some noise.

"You feel nice and secure in the boat because you have a lot of deck around you," Tomlinson said. "It feels good. It feels like you've got a lot of boat."

Another plus is that the 3900 V is a 100-mph boat thanks to Mercury Racing HP700SCi engines and NXT1 drives. The 10,000-pound boat ran 101.7 mph on radar, a strong number considering the boat was loaded with amenities.

What our testers appreciated was how the boat cruised at 89 mph with the engines turning a comfortable 4,500 rpm. Running faster than 90 mph, the V-bottom had a slight tendency to wander.

It took 8.2 seconds for the boat to get on plane with the Mercury Racing 380S K-Planes down, and in 20 seconds it was running nearly 70 mph. In midrange drills, the 3900 V took 4.9 seconds to go from 30 to 50 mph.

Seating in the cockpit consisted of a deep rear bench and bolsters for the driver and co-pilot with electric dropout bottoms. At the driver's spot, there were Livorsi Marine Monster gauges and a Garmin GPS unit.

The fit and finish in the cockpit was top-notch, but the work was even better in the engine compartment. The Mercury Racing motors were staggered and installed on Mercury engine mounts. Steering hoses were hidden behind panels and diamond step plates were in all the right spots.

When it came to the cabin, the boat's owner wisely chose to install air conditioning. Friends will want to spend time in the space, which had a V-berth and facing lounges. Niceties included a galley with a large ice chest, a full head locker and a flat-screen television.

The 3900 V may check in at 39 feet but it feels and rides like a substantially larger boat. Anyone looking for an offshore boat with fine workmanship, heady performance and abundant amenities, needs to consider this Nor-Tech offering.

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