PDB Shootout: Qwest

First Glance
Lanai is a Hawaiian word meaning back porch and clearly there is a lot of emphasis placed on the swim deck of this Qwest. However, another word that we feel better describes the entire model is smart, but we must admit Lanai does sound a little more exotic.   

Details
Starting with the back deck, the rear-facing bench not only provides a porch-like feel to it, but doubles as a large storage box. There is also a curved five-step boarding ladder along with a massive ski/tow bar in the aft. As you enter the boat through the stern gate the standard high-pressure washdown is right in the corner to help keep the interior clean. Of course with the Infinity Diamond Seagrass woven vinyl flooring, cleanup has never been easier.

The rear bench includes matching throw pillows. Yep, you read that correctly. Nothing makes a boat feel more like a home couch than throw pillows! As part of the L-shaped rear bench that includes a rear-facing chaise lounger is a slide-out cooler below one of the bench seats. No one likes to have to hop up so someone else can access the compartment below where you’re sitting, so we particularly love this design.

At the fiberglass helm console is a built-in Humminbird Helix 5 GPS that is perfectly centered between well-labeled rocker switches with a PTM mirror from Protomet mounted on the side so you can keep an eye on what’s behind you. The helm also includes an Infinity stereo, RAM Mounts cell phone holder, a 12-volt outlet and USB/Auxiliary port, storage compartment for the driver and a tilt steering wheel. And as an added touch, there is even a refrigerated cupholder for the captain.

Keeping passengers happy is important, so having a built-in compartment on the side of the helm stand that includes another 12-volt and two USB ports to help charge those electronics is something we wish all boats had.

Comfort Touch linen-textured vinyl seating completes the interior look and a nice added touch is the lighted LED cupholders and speakers. Speaking of speakers, the Avanti series comes standard with a six-speaker stereo system with a 10-inch subwoofer under the helm and a class D amplifier.

One last key feature worth noting is the power Bimini top that allows you to raise and lower the top with just a single push of a button. The Qwest engineers have truly thought of everything. 

Closer Look
Below deck the three 24-inch diameter pontoons are made from .90-gauge aluminum with lifting strakes on all three. It’s all part of the optional Q3 Gen. II Triple Tube package that also includes a full aluminum skin. Up top there is nearly 13 feet of usable deck space from the bow gate to the rear bench seat and the rigid wall design with a horizontal truss center rail stands a safe and consistent 27 inches tall around the entire boat. 

Throttle Down
Powered by an Evinrude G2 ETEC 150, that is plenty of solid power for this 21-footer as we easily reached speeds over the 40 mph mark at full throttle. She’s quick to plane, extremely responsive and is capable of making tight and flat turns with ease.  

Why Buy
Clearly the team of engineers behind these layouts are true boaters who spend quality amounts of time on the water. We love all the added touches and key features and options that as-tested create a solid boat that many families will be able to appreciate.

St. Louis, Mich.
977-463-0356
www.qwestpontoons.com

Specifications
Number of Occupants             11
Price As Tested With Power  $55.7K
Maximum Speed                     41.5 mph                   
Wild Ponies                             150 hp
No. of Gates                            3
0-20 MPH                                4.60 seconds
Ladder Measurement              3’ 6” deep

Why we love this boat… Well-built, plus it has those little added touches such as extra USB ports, washdown, cell phone mount, power Bimini, etc. to make it enjoyable too.

Just being picky… Great to have amenities like a pop-up changing room, but at just over 5 feet tall we wish it was a little bigger to accommodate more people.  

NOTABLE STANDARDS
All-fiberglass helm stand/side control panel, wood grain dash, stainless steel cupholders, stainless spoke steering wheel w/soft grip and woodgrain accents, adjustable tilt steering system, quick-release windshield, dry storage tube, charging station w/12V and two USB connectors, refrigerated driver seat cupholder, Humminbird Helix 5 Sonar Color Combination GPS/FishFinder, Infinity PRV 315 stereo system w/Bluetooth audio/mp3 adapter, Infinity subwoofer/Class D amplifier/six speakers, RAM universal cell phone mount, blue LED lighting on cupholders/speakers, LED docking/navigation/helm courtesy lights, hand-crafted upholstery w/proprietary Ultra Flow seat base ventilation system/custom Incamat seat base liners, Comfort Touch linen textured seating vinyl, Dura-Lite composite seat bases w/increased storage space, Pillow Top layback seats w/storage, high back reclining captain’s seat w/self-leveling arm rests, rear Lanai seat w/full length storage box/pillow backrest, portable cupholder, wood grain table, WEAVE Luxury Woven Vinyl flooring, electronic power Bimini top, color-matched Sur-Last top/boot fabric, proprietary two-tier wall system w/integrated “HT” horizontal truss center rail/chrome bumper guard/modern large front radius, custom color-matched graphics/autochrome accents, heavy-duty gate latches/pinch protectors, full-length keels, “contoured” aluminum rear entry ladder, battery disconnect w/Voltage Sensing Relay, high-pressure raw water washdown system, and ski tow bar.

OPTIONS ON TEST BOAT
Q3 Gen. II Triple Tube Pkg., Diamond Seagrass flooring upgrade, in-floor ski locker, bench seat cooler drawer w/cooler, layback w/privacy enclosure, and Evinrude ICON digital controls.

VITAL STATS
LOA                  21’ 4”
Beam                 8’ 1”
Hull Design     Three Pontoons
Dry Weight       2,475 lbs.
Fuel Capacity    35 gallons

TEST DRIVE
Engine                                                             Evinrude G2 ICON II 150 FXH
Cylinder Type                                                 V6
Cubic-inch Displacement/Horsepower           167ci/150hp
Lower Unit Gear Ratio                                   2.17:1
Propeller                                                          15 3/8 / 18 Evinrude Rebel TBX  

RPM     vs.      SPEED     vs.    DB-A
600                  2.5                   81
1000                4.6                   82
1500                6.6                   86
2000                8.5                   85
2500                11.7                 91
3000                15.3                 97
3500                21.1                 97
4000                26.7                 102
4500                31.6                 102
5000                35.8                 104
5450                40.5                 106
5700                41.5                 110

PRICE
Price As Tested           $55,655
(Boat and Motor)

Base Price                   $34,976
(Boat Only)