The Aviara AV40 is the latest iteration of the Aviara “day extender” concept, resulting in a bowrider that segues seamlessly into a comfy overnighter. The cockpit, shaded by a rakish hardtop with a sunroof, provides ample seating for the whole family, including the doublewide helm bench and settees along both sides aft.
Standard equipment includes dual fold-down terraces, which convert the hullsides into beaches that stretch the 12-foot-3-inch beam to 18 feet. Add the available outdoor galley with dual grills and twin fridges, and the AV40 begs to entertain crowds at the dock or sandbar.
The after pod, with a forward-facing bench seat and convertible aft-facing seats, plus gas-actuated pop-up bar stools, is clearly aimed at the sandbar. Underway, you can move the troops forward into a secure bow lounge with high coamings (kid safety), wraparound seats, and a hidden anchor windlass. The entire cockpit, bow to stern, is covered with SeaDek that is nonslip, easy to clean, and cool on the tootsies even on the hottest days.
Our test boat was maxed out with twin Mercury Verado 600s, which are a perfect match. With the hammer down, these supercharged V-12s gave us 55 mph and, with the second gear feature, provided excitement—generating torque and still cruising at a fuel-efficient rpm.
The surprise of the Aviara AV40 is the unexpectedly spacious cabin, entered via a clamshell door next to the helm. With a 6-foot-1-inch headroom and a 5-foot-7-inch-wide V-berth forward, it extends day outings with an enclosed electric head and shower. Stretch to overnighting aboard with the queen-size berth aft, a mini galley with a microwave and fridge, and full air conditioning powered by the standard Westerbeke 7.5 kW genset.
Handling is a pure delight once you get used to the Mercury 600s turning with the lower units. It’s slightly eerie at first when the boat turns without any apparent outboard movement.
Aviara has nailed it for today’s boaters with this “day extender” that meets every possible need and is also great fun.
High Points
- Cockpit sole covered in great-looking SeaDek.
- Terraces add flexibility and space at rest.
- Curated colors, fabrics and features make this boat highly customizable.
- Designed to match Mercury’s big V-12 outboards.
How We Tested
- Engine: Twin Mercury Verado 600 hp
- Drive/Props: Outboard/twin prop, Verado 12 set, 18″ x 27.5″ stainless steel, 4-blade (front), 3-blade (rear)
- Gear Ratio: 2.50:1 Fuel Load: 300 gal. Crew Weight: 750 lb.
Pricing and Specs
| Price: | $1,098,425 (nationally advertised base price) |
| LOA: | 40’3″ |
| Beam: | 12’3″ |
| Draft (max): | 3’8″ |
| Dry Weight: | 23,800 lb. (approx.) |
| Seat/Weight Capacity: | Yacht Certified |
| Fuel Capacity: | 357 gal. |
Aviara Boats – Merritt Island, Florida; aviaraboats.com
