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A Versatile Rocket - Astro 1852 SF
by The Go Boating Test Team
The Astro 1852 SF can fish, ski or cruise in style
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There are fishing boats – there are ski boats – and there are bowriders. But the all-new Astro 1852 SF is all of those things, and more.
Built by Tracker Marine – a company known for affordable, versatile fishing machines -- this Astro is a solid dual-purpose recreational boat. It’s ideal for taking the family waterskiing for the afternoon or daycruising to a favorite picnic spot. But add rod holders, bait and tackle, and it’s ready to do some serious fishing.
The 1852 SF offers a deep-V hull for stability and solid performance. The hand-laid fiberglass hull is built with Ashland high-performance resin, and Astro stands behind it with a five-year warranty. The hull color is off-white, available with your choice of Mediterranean blue or diablo red accents.
There’s seating for up to six, and a carrying capacity of up to 870 pounds of people and cargo. And the 1852 SF comes with a long list of standard convenience features for cruising, skiing and fishing.
A Short Hop
We tested the Astro 1852 SF on Missouri’s Table Rock Lake, on a sunny summer day in 10 to 12 knots of wind. We had 7/8 of a tank of fuel, with one adult and three very large grasshoppers aboard.
This proved to be one peppy little boat, equipped with an optional 150 hp Mercury XR6 outboard. We reached a top speed of 52.9 mph at 5,500 rpm and cruised at around 28 mph at 3,000 rpm.
At the helm, we had a molded dash console with faux burlwood accents and an instrumentation package that included a speedometer, a tachometer, a voltmeter, a depth finder and fuel and trim gauges (a compass is optional). There was also a dash-mounted switch to control the boat’s standard live bait well, which is located at the back of the boat.
The helm and passenger side had comfortable bucket seats. Flush-mounted, single-lever Quicksilver controls were conveniently placed at the helm, and were easy to use.
A glove box was built into the passenger side console, on the other edge of the boat’s walk-through windshield panel. There was also a provision for mounting an AM/FM cassette stereo -- which is now standard on Astro 1852s – or an optional CD stereo system.
Between the helm and passenger seats, a huge locker for skis or kneeboards is built into the floor. At the rear of the cockpit, our test boat had two jump seats and a compact rear bench seat. Ready access to batteries and mechanical gear was provided behind the seats – and the rear side seat backs pop down easily. Behind the center rear seat, there’s a storage locker with a mini-cooler for snacks or beverages. It’s also easily accessible.
A ski tow is built into the back of the boat, adjacent to a casting or swimming platform with a molded-in, diamond-design skid-resistant surface. A swim ladder folds out from the platform, for easy reboarding from the water.
An aereated live bait well with a 500 gallon per hour pump is built into the platform on one side of the boat’s outboard engine. A removable storage box or additional well, with a composite lid, is on the other side.
A convertible top with a boot is standard equipment, for all-weather cruising. Other standard amenities include interior courtesy lights, padded side panels in the cockpit, a bilge pump, a fire extinguisher and navigation lights.
Open Invitation
Forward, the 1852 SF’s open bow can be either a comfortable seating area or a great fishing spot. The bow area is carpeted – with 20 ounce marine-grade carpeting -- and it offers conveniently placed grabrails and beverage holders throughout.
The seating layout incorporates removable fishing chairs and removable bow cushions, for easy conversion to any on-the-water activity.
There’s a provision for adding an optional electric trolling motor at the bow – and our test boat was equipped with a 12v MotorGuide XB 4000 with a foot-controlled throttle. Whether you order your boat with the trolling motor or not, all the necessary wiring is already built in.
From the bow area to the cockpit to the swim platform, there’s ample area to stand up, walk around or maneuver a fish. And that roominess also makes the 1852 SF a very family friendly daycruising boat.
Wait – There’s More
Astro offers the 1852 SF as part of a complete, all-inclusive package. That means that along with the standard 125 hp Mercury outboard engine, a trailer is included in the package price.
The Astro 1852 SF’s single-axle trailer is color-keyed to match the boat. It has a tubular steel frame and comes with 14 inch tires and wheels, E-Z Lube hubs, submersible taillights, step pads, a tilt/swivel tongue jack and tie downs.
The package price for the boat, engine and trailer is $TK. But if you want to upgrade the package further, you can add an optional 115 hp Mercury OptiMax outboard, SST propellers, a cockpit cover, a tonneau cover, side and aft curtains, a custom boat cover and/or a swing-away trailer tongue.
Whatever you decide to add – or not to add -- the Astro 1852 SF will be ready to take you on family boating adventures or fishing excursions with friends. And it will do both types of boating very well indeed.
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This article first appeared in the December 1999 issue of GoBoating Magazine. All or parts of the information contained in this article might be outdated. |
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