SONIC 31 SS HARD BODY

Powerboat Magazine / March 1994

Straightforward construction gives the Sonic USA 31 SS a solid physique.

It's a simple theory, but one that is oh so effective when applied. The fewer pieces you use to put something together, the more solid it will be. Over the past 18 years, Sonic boats have proven this adage 1,500 times. That is the number of boats the company has built and none has come back with a structural warranty claim.

The Hollywood, Florida performance-boat manufacturer has been under new ownership since 1992. For the record, the corporate name is American Marine Industries and the boats are called Sonic, USA. The Andrews family, the new owners of the company, know that you don't mess around with what works so company general manager and founder, J. Ross, builds his boats the way he always has. We got a look at his building methods in the 31 SS and saw why things are slow in the warranty-claim department.

In addition to building its boats like a brick you-know-what, Sonic USA has found a way to keep prices down. In standard dress with a pair of MerCruiser 7.4 Ls. the 31' boat with S'6" beam goes for $99,500, while our test boat's twin 502 Magnum EFIs and other options, increase that figure to $127,495.

WORKMANSHIP

Like all Sonics, the 31 SS is constructed of three-molded fiberglass pieces: the hull, the cabin liner and the deck. After the hull is pulled from the mold, the cabin liner is fitted and glassed in place everywhere it comes in contact with the sides and bottom. Stringer cavities are filled with foam before the deck mold, which includes the cockpit liner, is bonded by hand to the hull. It's as close as you'll get to unitized construction in a 7,000-pound fiberglass boat. No seams. No screws. No bolts.

Hand-laid construction features vinylester resin, Divinycell high-density foam coring and bi-axial fiberglass. Openings cut into the cabin liner for stowage lockers do double duty, letting workers get to those hard-to-reach places when glassing together and foaming in the hull. Imron clear coat enhanced the luster of the white gelcoat and black and yellow PPG graphics, which are protected by a white plastic rubrail.

Stainless cleats at the nose, adjacent to the fairing and on the transom are convenient to work with. Two fuel fills mount flush into the starboard deck and Sonic put two optional freshwater flush ports ($600 each) on the transom. Attwood plastic bilge vents keep the engines cool.

In keeping with the all-fiberglass theme, the engine hatch, which includes the rear set backrest, is a molded piece that opens on a power ram. Our test boat's twin MerCruiser 502 Magnum EFIs were secured to aluminum L-angles that bolted through the stringers. Lights on the underside of the hatch help show off a flawless rigging job that includes neat wire and cable routing with support provided by aircraft-grade, stainless-steel cushion clamps. Sonic USA made sure you could get to the trim pumps by putting them on a flat section of the bilge on either side of the outside stringers.In fact, the only access restriction you might encounter is changing the center spark plugs. When you're done with repairs, you can wipe out the smooth epoxy-finished bilge with a rag.

A molded fiberglass base for the rear bench seat bracket-mounts to the cockpit liner. Bottom cushions have marine-plywood bases and heavy-duty, 40 ounce vinyl marine-grade upholstery that is triple stitched for long life. Stainless-steel bolster frames both through the cockpit sole and are tied into the gunwale for extra support.

Heading down into the cabin, finish work on the entryway door looked good with an aluminum frame, stainless piano hinge and rubber weather stripping to keep it from rattling. Mold work on the structural components in the cabin liner was flawlessly finished and Sonic USA did a nice job on the carpet and headliner installation.

INTERIOR.

Ross' construction approach helps in the passenger-space department because the liners butt up tight against the hullsides in the cockpit and cabin. In the former, two manually operated racing bolsters with drop-out bottom cushions and a three-person rear bench upholstered in white with yellow and black strips provide ample seating. Thick padding and slight down angle keep you snug in the bolsters, but the cushion in the bench needs to be a little thicker.

Stainless deck rails that run the length of the cockpit and graph handles on the backs of the bolsters give you something to hold onto wherever you are in the cockpit. Wide, nonskid walkways provide easy access to the bow or the aft swim platform, which has also been treated to improve traction. A grab handle just below the platform aids reboarding from the water, but there is no ladder. You can get one for $650. Sonic's optional fiberglass radar arch ($3,995) also has a rail that provides a grab handle when you board from the swim platform at the docks.

Below the windscreen, the white molded dash houses the standard grouping of Faria gauges in square black bezels. Bluewater mechanical trim indicators the Ritchie Powerdamp Plus compass. Trim buttons in the title wheel will help facilitate setting drive height and you can reset your elbow on the padded bolsters to work the Morse stainless throttles and shits. Black rocker accessory switches in a row beneath the gauges light up when in use and are all properly labeled. For safety, the boat has a gas vapor detector from Marine Technologies and a SeaFire automatic halon extinguisher.

Instead of going down into the cabin to get a cold drink, just open the glove box in the port dash. It's large enough to hold plenty of soft drinks and it drains into the bilge. Just below, a grab rail will come handy in rough water. On a boat this size, we would have liked to seen more cockpit stowage. There are gunwale lockers, but they're narrow--a trade-off for a few extra inches of passenger space. Additional space in the rear-seat base provides access to the battery switches and fuel-tank inspection plates.

What the 31 SS lacks in cockpit stowage space, it makes up in the cabin. Cushions on the eight-person facing settee lounges pull out to uncover large, carpeted boxes. They drop into place and are held down with hook-and-loop fasteners, and their backs unzip so you can clean them. If you have a stowaway, pull out the sliding filler cushion that fits under the V-berth to convert the lounge into a second bunk. Shelves molded into the cabin liner, behind the settee, look good and come in handy for small items.

Although Sonic USA doesn't market the 31-footer as having stand-up headroom in the cabin, it holds its own with 4'8". You'll get a good night's sleep in the V-berth atop a comfortably padded, one-piece cushion, which also has a removable cover and stowage underneath. There are also gunwale shelves in this area.

When you first enter the cabin, the optional port refrigerator (S950) is within easy reach, with a Maxxima marine stereo above. Sonic USA uses the same type accessory switches in the cabin as in the cockpit, housed in a conveniently located panel.

Directly across, the stand-up head has a Porta-Potti 735, courtesy lights, a stowage compartment, a sink and a hot- and cold-water pull-up shower with a weighted curtain. A rubber nonslip sole and white headliner give the compartment a sanitary look. Open the mirrored hatch to access the gauge backs.

A mini gallery features a sink, a cutting board, bottle holders and a cooler that drains into the bilge, and is large enough to hold a case of your favorite beverage. Dishes stow underneath in a locker fitted with a strong hatch that will stay closed when the boat is underway. Two Bomar deck hatches provide natural light when the sun is out and after the moon comes up, pivoting spots and indirect lights take over.

PERFORMANCE

On the market for a little over a year, the 31 SS has more hot-roddish intentions than Sonic USA's other boats. Ross gave it a 23-degree deadrise at the transom and a more rounded bottom. A departure from Sonic's straight deep-V models, the 31 SS features wider turned-down chines and strakes, which include an inner pair that ends about 4' from the transom and an outside set that runs full length.

Our test model had a top speed of 74 mph with the twin MerCruiser 502 Magnum EFIs turning Bravo One drives with a 1.50:1 gear ratio and 15 1/2 x 26 four-blade Hydromotive Intimidator Quad IV props.

Coming out of the hole, the K-planes didn't make much of a difference, with the boat leveling off in six seconds. You can't really nail the throttles coming up on plane or the props will cavitate before the boat comes over. Feather the levers a little and you'll hit 21 mph in five seconds. Once the props get a good bite, you'll see a whopping increase to 54 in 10, 66 in 15 and 74 in 20. Checking speed at rpm, we saw a 9 at 1000, 19 at 2000, 42 at 3000, 50 at 3500, 59 at 4000, 68 at 4500 and 74 at 5000. Radar showed 74.4, while the Faria speedometer, not surprisingly read 78.

Going into turns, you'll want to trim the tabs under just a little to keep the boat from hopping. It'll stay on track and complete the turn, but the tabs help settle the ride. Steering wheel torque didn't exist and the boat worked well around the docks.

Drivers may find the 31 SS deck kind of high, but it's the trade off you make for cabin headroom not normally found in a 31' boat. Optional MerCruiser Silent Choice exhaust cutouts ($3,000) reduced cockpit noise by 9 decibels at 35 mph. Bolsters held us in place and we liked the drive-trim in the wheel. The throttles were comfortably positioned, but we had to reach around them to get to the tab buttons.

OVERALL.

In addition to purchasing a comfortable, smooth-handling boat, Sonic USA 31 SS owners get something a little extra--peace of mind in knowing they've invested in a consistently well-built product.

STANDARD EQUIPMENT: Full instrumentation, K-planes, bilge blowers, electric engine hatch, compass, built-in dash copier, sundeck, power steering, convertible settee, ice box, sink, enclosed head w/Porta Potti, shower, vanity, toneau cover, three-tone paint, swim platform, twin MerCruiser 7.4 Ls.

OPTIONS ON TEST BOAT: Upgrade to twin MerCruiser 502 Magnum EFIs ($21,000), radar arch w/rail ($3,995), depthsounder ($850), freshwater flush ($600), refrigerator ($950), Silent Choice ($3,000), hydraulic steering ($4,400), bow rail ($1,200).

ENGINE: Model twin 502 Magnum EFIs Cylinder type V-8 Bore and stroke 4.47" x 4" Cubic inch displacement 502 c.i. Lower unit gear ratio 1.50:1 Max prop hp at rpm 415 @ 5000

PROPELLERS: Hydromotive 15 1/2 x 26" s.s. four-blade Intimidator Quad IVs.

POWERBOAT TEST RESULTS

SOUND LEVEL: 88 dBA

FUEL CAPACITY: 150 gallons

Test conducted at sea level in Panama City, Fla.