Huron’s Les Cheneaux Islands©

www.lakelandboating.comwww.lakelandboating.com

THE SOURCE FOR GREAT LAKES BOATERSOCTOBER 2003THE SOURCE FOR GREAT LAKES BOATERSOCTOBER 2003

CHAPARRAL SIGNATURE 270CHAPARRAL SIGNATURE 270

C haparral’s new Signature270 smokes the water atnearly 50 mph, offering a

ride that’s as dry as a bone. Even bet-ter is the boatload of creature comfortsbound to keep everyone onboardhappy, be it for a weekend or on along-distance trip. This family cruiseris definitely easy on the eyes, too.

The 270 handles in a safe, con-trolled manner. Burying the throttlelever brings the boat up on planequickly with little bow rise. Under

way, tracking is as straight as anarrow. At wide-open throttle, crank-ing the wheel hard to port and thenback again does little more thanlower one rail or the other. Chaparralcredits the extended V-plane hull thatmakes the Signature 270 feel longerthan its 26-foot, 7-inch length. That’sbecause nearly its entire length isrunning surface. Tweaking and tun-ing of the shape and placement ofthe chines, keel and lifting strakeshelps the hull to stay the course dur-

ing radical maneuvers and improvesfuel efficiency.

My test boat came rigged with twin225-hp Volvo sterndrives. Top speedregistered an impressive 46.9 mph—and it gets even better with the maxtwin 270-hp motors. MerCruiserpower packages are also offered.

Belowdeck, headroom measures afull 6 feet, 3 inches. Because of theboat’s wide 9-foot, 6-inch beam, there’sample room to spread out. Aesthetictouches include soft vinyl and color-

2 Lakeland BOATING • October 2003

Chaparral Signature 270This fully appointed cruiser is no slouch when it comes to speedand performance.

boat test by Tim Banse

October 2003 • www.lakelandboating.com 3

coordinated Scotchgard fabric. Privacydrapes are lined and pleated, and snap-in carpeting is an ultra-plush weave.Cabin lights are flush-mounted.

Amidship, there’s a nicely appoint-ed galley that includes a full dinettewith maple table, pressurized water,an AC/DC fridge and a microwave,all standard. Cabinets feature a beau-tiful cherry finish and sturdy latchesthat won’t shake open when thewaves come a-rocking. I really appre-ciated the galley grabrail that wouldallow a cook to prepare hot meals nomatter what the surface conditions.Another nice touch was the wandfaucet that allows the user to directwater where it’s needed.

The fridge and microwave, alongwith the head, qualify the boat for thesecond-home tax deduction. The headcompartment is generously propor-tioned so you won’t feel claustrophobicwhen brushing your teeth. The stool ishigh-quality porcelain, and the hold-ing tank features a volume indicator.

One noteworthy option is the 7,000-BTU air conditioner. On a hot andsticky night, an AC makes sleeping ata mooring infinitely more comfortable.The unit mounts below the dinette seatinstead of in the V-berth. An importantcompanion to the AC would be the

(below) Just push a button, listen to

the whir and watch the cover hatch

open wide.

SpecificationsLOA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26'8"Beam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9'6"Draft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2'9"Weight . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8,200 lbs.Fuel capacity . . . . . . . . .100 gals.Sleeps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6Power as tested . . . .T/Volvo Penta

4.3 GXi SXs (225 hp)Price as tested . . . . . . .$103,867

Standard equipmentcherry cabinetry • woodgrainsteering wheel • shorepower cord• transom ladder • hideawaystainless steel boarding ladder •cedar-lined hanging locker •bimini top w/ full enclosure •cockpit & engine room lighting •compass • transom shower w/cold & hot washdown

Optional equipmentaluminum radar arch • Raymarinechartplotter • radar • cockpitcover • anchor windlass • deckpad • remote spotlight • TV antenna • rod holders • transom-mounted tilt control • icemaker •sliding screen door • CD changer •heater • auto fire-extinguisher system • Delta anchor • macerator• VacuFlush head

229-686-7481www.chaparralboats.com

optional generator, which frees youfrom shorepower. In the absence of AC,there’s a multitude of screened portsand a large forward hatch. With the airflowing through all of these, thingsshould be reasonably cool. I liked theway the ports are at eye level, making iteasy to look out over the water.

Forward lies the V-berth, whileamidship we find a convertible settee.There’s also an aft cabin. One must-have option is the camper canvaspackage that increases accommoda-tions from six to eight people. Tentingover the cockpit provides mosquitoprotection for those youngsters rele-gated to sleeping on deck.

One particularly welcome designfeature are the steps molded into the

gunwale—which mean you don’t haveto tramp across the vinyl cushions toboard. Another boarding point is fromthe swim platform through the tran-som door. Foredeck access is by way ofa molded, nonskid step at the splitwindshield. An aft bench, which seatsthree, hides away to free up deckspace. Simply fold the bench legs,drop the seat down and you’re readyto slip an array of rods into their hold-ers for a day of fishing.

The helm station is replete with atilt-adjustable wheel. Steering ishydraulic, which makes driving effort-less. I was pleased to see that the large-faced instruments (5 inches in diame-ter) were multifunctional, as opposedto the confusing array found on some

boats. A helm doesn’t need to look likeyou’re in the cockpit of a Boeing 747.With Chaparral’s Signature 270, fivegauges do the work of 13. This frees upspace on the dashboard that can beused for electronics. Another benefit:The gauges’ glass lenses won’t fog over.Breaker switches are illuminated, dayand night, so spotting the right buttonto press is easy. Directly opposite thehelm station is the companion chaise-lounge seat that can be configured toface either fore or aft.

My test boat came rigged with theoptional aluminum radar arch. Notonly does it add flair to the boat’sprofile, it accommodates overheadlighting (which helps you see whereyou’re walking on deck at night, andis good for stringing lights for theChristmas regatta, too).

Want to check the engine oil dip-stick? The hatch cover is ridiculouslyeasy to open. Just push a button, listento the whir and watch the cover openwide. Aft of the engine compartmentlies a large storage locker accessiblefrom the swim platform.

The self-bailing cockpit is alsodesigned to keep its sole puddle-free.Grooved channels and floor scuppersflow water directly overboard and notinto the bilge. The configuration elimi-nates running down to the dock after arainstorm to make sure the bilge pumphasn’t drained the battery bank. Thehull warranty runs five years and istransferable to a second owner.

Offering speed, easy handling andcomfortable accommodations, theChaparral 270 should be on the shop-ping list of any boater looking for afamily-oriented cruiser that won’t dis-appoint when it comes to perform-ance. h

boat test

4 Lakeland BOATING • October 2003

(top) Headroom measures 6 feet, 3 inches, and the wide beam offersroom to spread out.(bottom) Access the foredeck via themolded, nonskid step at the splitwindshield.