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2008 Kavalk Adriatic 24 Photos
2008 Kavalk Adriatic 24 Test Details
| Category | Runabout |
| Length | 24ft / 7.32 m |
| Beam | 8 ft / 2.4 |
| Fuel Capacity | 80 gals / 300 litres |
| Weight | 4,250 lbs |
| Dealers | Contact Kavalk Boats Dealers |
| Buyers Guides | Search For Kavalk Boats Buyers Guides |
| Boats For Sale | Search For Kavalk Boats For Sale |
2008 Kavalk Adriatic 24 Description
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The story of Kavalk boats is also the story of the Kazulin family, with its deep roots in boatbuilding in both Europe and North America. The newest Kavalk, the Adriatic 24, honours that history and the sea that first inspired Kazulin boatbuilders. But, as Adriatic 24 builder Tony Kazulin makes perfectly clear, his boats (like him) are all-Canadian.
Born in Croatia,Tony immigrated to British Columbia with his father,Velko, and the rest of the family in 1974. In 1978, father and son began building a series of luxury speedboats under the Kavalk name. The semi-custom boats soon earned them a reputation for savvy design and high quality workmanship.
Kavalk boats have the design DNA of classic wooden Mediterranean runabouts, but are built with fibreglass hulls and bright-finished wooden decks. The 19- foot Continental was the companys first, but Kavalks 19-foot Classic, with a twoseat cockpit and a vast expanse of mahogany foredeck, was the breakthrough boat. Styled as an updated gentlemens racer, it was introduced to great acclaim in 1988 and sold around the world. A twin-engine 29-foot SportCruiser complete with a wellappointed cabin for overnighting or weekend cruising followed and also proved popular.
The new millennium has brought a change in venue but no change in Kavalks commitment to boatbuilding excellence. Velko Kazulin retired in 1996 but Tony, working with his wife and business partner Marice Pelletier, has carried on.Now called Kazulin Boats, the company moved from Vancouver to Ontario about two years ago.
The move has also brought a change in marketing. After years of selling directly to the public, Kavalk now has an exclusive Canadian dealer, Woodland Marine in Utterson, Ontario. The Adriatic 24 is available at Woodlands Skeleton Lake facility and its new location at Woodland Windermere Marina on Lake Rosseau.
Woodland Marine president Brian McComb is also a Kavalk owner and longtime fan of Kazulins work. The arrangement means Woodland handles all Kavalk retail sales. That allows us to concentrate on what we do best, which is build and develop boats, Tony Kazulin says.
To prevent anyone from circumventing that sales arrangement, the exact location of the Kavalk boatbuilding facility is a closely guarded secret. I visited the Kazulin Boats shop in Vancouver about nine years ago. It was well-organized and well-equipped; Im sure the new facilities are no different.
As well as giving Kavalk a chance to change its marketing techniques, the move to Ontario has also put it closer to many current boat owners. Since moving to Ontario, the company has refinished 15 Kavalks, mainly from Muskoka-area owners. The boats have aged well, says Kazulin, who estimates that at least 60 per cent of Kavalks are still in the original owners hands.
There are also plenty of Kavalks at Lake Tahoe and Newport Beach in California and in Monaco and Antibes on the Mediterranean anywhere you find a fair concentration of boaters with big budgets and a taste for speed and quality.
If you want a new one, prepare to shell out at least $168,000 for an Adriatic 24. What you get is a beefy deep-V runabout that seats six comfortably, tops out at about 65 mph, will handle big seas with ease and has classic good looks that will never go out of style. With options such as a belowdecks V-berth and head, a foredeck rumble seat, leather upholstery, and teak or mahogany flooring the price can rise to $180,000 or more.
I have not yet driven the Adriatic; thats on my must-do list this spring. But if its anything like the 19-foot Classic, which I have sea-tested, the Adriatic will provide a solid, comfortable ride, taking all sea conditions in stride and turning with confidence and ease.
Like all Kavalks, the Adriatic 24 has a hand-laid solid fibreglass hull with a four-stringer interior frame. Unlike earlier Kavalks, it has a stepped hull. The moderate step, about two-thirds of the way forward, will likely improve initial acceleration to plane. The main reason for the step, though, is elimination of trim tabs.
Kavalks arent built just for comfort or for speed, but for comfortable speed. Potential buyers want quality, classic beauty and convenience, says Kazulin. They just want to get in and go.
Equipped with a 420-hp fuel-injected Volvo Penta 8.1 GXi driving a DuoProp drive, the 24 promises speed and easy handling. DuoProp drives, with twin counter-rotating stainlesssteel props, contribute to improved acceleration and cornering. They usually need little trim. Its a good power package for a luxury sportboat.
The Adriatics gorgeous good looks, of course, need little explanation. The dark hull usually black, green or blue shows off the flawless fibreglass and gelcoat work. Bright-finished African mahogany decks with Canadian maple seams are set off by highly polished stainless-steel fittings. The Adriatic boat on display at the Toronto International Boat Show had red vinyl seats; the forward seat-backs are reversible, allowing owners to create a more intimate conversation area onboard.
The wooden steering wheel is set off by a distinctive K badge. The dashboard is pure nautical artistry executed in wood and stainless steel, with a full set of gauges. Because individual owners select different options, there is little chance of any two Kavalks being identical. And because Tony Kazulin is always thinking and working, theres something new on the horizon.
Theres a 27-foot runabout, based on the design of the 24-footer, on the horizon. Drawings show a slightly larger boat with more tumblehome in the topsides and a lovely counter stern. Its distinctive, timeless and like the rest of the Kavalks its sure to be drop-dead gorgeous.
2008 Kavalk Adriatic 24 Test Specifications
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TEST BOAT ENGINE: Volvo Penta 8.1
GXi, 420-hp, 8.1 L (496 cid) gasoline
engine, pushing twin stainless-steel
propellers through a DuoProp sterndrive.
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