Intrepid 375 Nomad
I arrived at the dock outside Intrepid Powerboats’ Dania Beach, Florida, facility about 15 minutes before my captain on the morning of my early-April test day—a calculated move that would allow me to privately peruse my test platform: the new 375 Nomad. As I scanned the marina to locate the boat, my eyes locked on a rakish, green-sided center-console powered by triple Mercury 400R outboards. Its ever-so-subtle sweeping sheer line, integrated hardtop and wraparound glass windshield put me in mind of a high-performance fighter aircraft. “That’s it,” I said to myself.
Later I would learn that the 375’s unusual, custom iridescent green hull is the same shade as that on a Chrysler Hellcat muscle car owned by Intrepid president Ken Clinton. I stepped aboard through the beefy dive door on the port side, and immediately noticed that the piping on the upholstery was color-coordinated with the hull color. Nice touch. Intrepid is used to implementing such custom detail work for discriminating buyers who want a look that says, “This is my boat, built the way I want it.”
Business in the Back The aft cockpit is all business, with 30-inch-high gunwales, twin 130-gallon insulated fish lockers belowdecks, and three huge scuppers to quickly drain any water. A comfy bench seat suitable for three or four people folds out from the transom. Three additional insole stowage compartments line both of the 22-inch walkways on each side of the deck.
I shuffled over to the helm and was immediately impressed by the 44-inch-wide dash. Though my test boat was devoid of fishing or navigational electronics at this stage, the panel could easily accommodate a pair of 16-inch multifunction displays. A motorized vent at the top of the windshield can usher in a cooling breeze on sultry days.
I settled into one of the twin helm seats, each featuring flip-up bolsters and folding armrests, and played with the motorized fore-and-aft adjustability. “If you like that, you’re going to love the height-adjustable platform,” Capt. Andrew Smith said, as he stepped aboard to join me. With the press of a button, Smith demonstrated that the helm raises 4 inches for a better view, and just as quickly descends to meld with the rest of the level deck.
Knack for Innovation Intrepid has a knack for innovating such cool features. I found several during my time on this boat, including a handy step that folds out from the inwale to make boarding easier and safer.
As I helped Smith load aboard tackle and provisions, I admired the rigging/tackle station abaft the helm seats. A cover hinges upward to reveal a sink and faucet set into a faux-marble countertop with cutting board. Below are three drawers for stowing tackle and tools. At the press of a button, a 60-quart Frigid Rigid cooler deploys from under the station and stows just as easily. A handrail spans the width of the station for security in rough seas.
We set most of the rods into a series of seven holders across the back of the full transom. There are also six rod holders on the hardtop, as well as three gunwale rod holders on each side of the aft cockpit.
Smith extricated the boat from its tight quarters, using a combination of the triple outboards and a Vetus bow thruster. While idling toward the Port Everglades inlet, I detached the fenders from the uniquely designed pullup cleats and stashed them in a dedicated locker in the port inwale. A similar locker on the starboard side is devoted to storing scuba tanks.
Beaucoup Bait Capacity Our first stop was to pick up live bait at the Lauderdale Marina fuel dock, where we purchased two-dozen goggle-eyes and split them between the 375’s twin pressurized 37-gallon transom livewells, both featuring aquarium-style viewing windows and served by a two-pump sea chest. An additional 52-gallon below-deck livewell lets you carry even more bait.
We were greeted outside the inlet with 3- to 5-foot waves, with an occasional 6-footer, at 4 seconds, driven by a stiff southeast wind—all of which promised to test the mettle of the 375’s stepped hull. We took the seas at a quartering angle at 3,800 rpm and about 30 mph. The 375 rode comfortably over the rollers, refusing to pound or stuff into the face of an occasional rogue wave. At that speed, the triple 400R outboards burned about 30 gph, resulting in fuel efficiency of 1 mpg.
As we turned to face the seas, I felt the solid construction of the fully resin-infused hull and liner, resulting in nary a creak or rattle as it challenged the faces of the combers and rolled over the backsides of each. Handling was superb, even in the rough conditions. Whether running up-, down- or cross-sea, the boat cornered nicely at speed.
A couple of miles outside the inlet, we spotted a school of flying fish and a jumping mahi on the edge of the blue water, and abruptly stopped to troll. Smith deployed the carbon-fiber outriggers. He set out a spread that included a couple of Ilander lures rigged with ballyhoo from the riggers and two flat lines: rigged ballyhoo behind small jet-head trolling lures. Smith also put out a rigged bonito strip from a planer in case any wahoo roamed these waters.
Bow loungers aboard the Intrepid 375 Nomad
Multipurpose Bow Seating We trolled at about 7 mph, and even in the cross-sea, the 375 remained remarkably stable, owning in some measure to its 10½-foot beam. While waiting for a bite, I explored the foredeck, which offers a place to entertain when fishing is not a priority. Plush wraparound seating in the bow is complemented by a motorized table, which retracts flush to the deck when not in use, but levitates at the press of a button to create an expansive sun pad (with the addition of a filler cushion). Raise it even higher to serve as a dining table.
In yet another configuration of this seating area, motorized backrests tilt up, converting each side to forward-facing loungers. The backs of the forward seating area fold down to reveal horizontal stowage for three rods on each side. Each lounger has its own cooler abaft the backrest.
The forepeak of the 375 features a massive anchor locker and a windlass that feeds and retrieves the anchor line through an in-stem chute/roller. I found a huge gear compartment behind the forward backrest of the seating area.
The front of the console sports an inviting bucket seat for two, and underneath resides an 80-quart cooler. Inside the step-down console interior (easily accessed from the starboard side), I found 6¼ feet of headroom, a flush toilet, faux-granite countertop, sink and freshwater faucet, and pullout shower hose. A cabinet accessible from the console interior offers access to the immaculate helm rigging and batteries.
Running the Numbers Unfortunately, our morning of trolling did not prove fruitful, and so we decided to drift a couple of goggle-eyes for an hour, but that too was unproductive. And so around noon we decided to retreat to the calmer Intracoastal Waterway to gather performance data.
For this test, the Intrepid carried 274 gallons of fuel, 30 gallons of fresh water, and full transom livewells. The triple Merc 400R outboards vaulted the 375 to plane in 5 seconds and 30 mph in 7 seconds en route to a top speed of 61 mph at 6,850 rpm, where the engines burned 120 gallons per hour for 0.51 mpg. In previous tests by Intrepid, the same boat posted a top speed of 65.5 mph at 7,000 rpm, burning 115.2 gph for 0.57 mpg.
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The most efficient cruising speed occurred at 4,000 rpm and 35 mph, where the Mercs consumed 33 gph for 1.06 mpg.
If you’re looking for a model that exudes style and innovative features, as well as outstanding functionality whether fishing or entertaining family and friends, the Intrepid 375 Nomad might be the boat of your dreams.
Performance
Power: Triple Mercury 400R outboards Load: 274 gal. fuel, two crew Top Speed: 61 mph @ 6,850 rpm Time to 30 MPH: 7 sec. Best MPG: 1.06 @ 35 mph (4,000 rpm)
Hull
LOA: 37 ft. 6 in. Beam: 10 ft. 6 in. Transom Deadrise: 22 deg. Dry Weight: 14,500 lb. (w/ engines) Draft: 3 ft. Fuel: 406 gal. Max Power: 1,200 hp Base MSRP: $363,000 (w/ triple Mercury 400Rs)
Intrepid PowerboatsDania Beach, Florida 954-697-9346 intrepidpowerboats.com
