Phantom 21

My history with phantom dates back over 20 years, i have been a phantom dealer In the past selling and rigging many of these versatile craft for the pleasure Market. Although cobra specialise in ribs, when the opportunity came along To purchase the moulds of an iconic boat such as this it seemed too good an opportunity to miss, as many of today’s performance powerboaters cut their Teeth behind the wheel of a Phantom. Cobra bought the moulds for the Phantom 21 in June 2007 and the first boat was produced just one month later. The boat we tested was built with performance in mind, the layup of our test model had been slightly altered from the standard pleasure version to make the boat stiffer and lighter, more suitable for higher horse power. The rig had a V6 2.5 EFI Mercury 280 HP on the transom. The boats are still produced out of the original moulds made by Steve Baker and looking at this particular model, none of the beautiful shine and fl owing lines have been lost as sometimes happens if moulds aren’t stored or preserved correctly Cobra have kept very close to the original layup and build specifi cations in the standard boats just making a few changes to incorporate newer and more modern techniques and materials. Certain changes also had to be made to comply with current CE marking, something the original designer didn’t have to worry about as the regulations were non-existent back then! The standard leisure boats are now a little heavier than they used to be with the centre of gravity moving slightly towards the bow, this is perhaps not such a bad thing if you consider the weight of modern outboards compared with older models. For example, a 200HP engine in the 1980s would typically weigh around 175kgs, today a similar engine will weigh appro ximately 234kgs resulting in an extra 59kgs hanging over the transom! And if your engine choice was to be a 4 stroke outboard the weight would be even greater. The ‘performance’ model tested had a good solid feel due to the extra stiffening (Kevlar and carbon) and as I put it through its paces it felt every bit as exciting as the one’s I used to run many years ago. The hydraulic steering gives the craft the ability to carve turns effortlessly as in the early days boats like this were often fi tted with ‘twin rack and pinion steering’ or wire and pulley’s, meaning sheer brute force was the only wa y to get the steering wheel to turn the engine in the direc tion you wanted to go. In fairly calm sea conditions the boat ran at a respectable 79.3 MPH average speed, with a 0-60 time of 13 seconds. My thoughts are that a different prop selection would enhance this particular boats performance and I understand that Cobra are still searching for that elusive prop. After my test we had a call from Cobra informing us that they have now found a prop that will take the boat over the 80mph barrier. Driven at a more leisurely pace the boat responds to the helm and foot throttle in positive fashion, with an almost instantaneous reaction as if it already knew what you wanted it to do. The conveniently placed ‘trim stalk’ placed just next to the steering wheel enables the driver to adjust the trim without taking his hands off the wheel Running the boat over some fairly large wakes presented no problems, the craft landed with a nice attitude. The balance of the craft was good and there were no signs of ‘porpoising’ from the hulls ‘pad keel’. Although there was no bow tank fi tted on this particular model, the boat jumps and fl ies as you would expect from a thoroughbred. I have to admit that on a personal note I would always choose to have a bow tank whenever possible as this will enable the driver to push the craft to its extremes in choppier conditions Performance orientated boats need to be able to achieve more than just high speeds in a straight line, for instance it’s no good travelling along at a fast pace if you can’t steer clear of the lobsterpot you spotted at the last minute without your boat high siding, spinning out or sliding into the very thing you are trying to avoid. This Phantom 21 didn’t show any adverse behaviour when put into sudden changes of direction gripping well and coming about without any of the possible pitfalls of high speed manoeuvring The low seating position gives the feel of sitting in the boat as opposed to on it. The driver and passenger have the comfort of high backed bucket seats which hold you securely in place, the bench seat in the back is comfortable and there is plenty of leg room, one thing I did notice was the lack of grab handles in the back, this seems to be a common failing with many manufactures as this is certainly not the only boat I have tested to have this issue! Storage for fenders and other paraphernalia was limited to under the back bench seat and two pockets in the sides, although there is more than enough space in the back should you wish to strap in bags or boxes This boat is as much fun as it always was; even with the heavier modern day engines the razor like handling has not been compromised. The performance orientated model of the Phantom 21 is ideal for total performance enthusiasts or even maybe a budding racer!, and with the reasonable price tag it shouldn’t break the bank.