KING HELL

ATTITUDE 17 SPORT

Having rumbled to the end of the no-wake zone, you look around, and then twist the throttle on stylish ape-hanger handlebars. Your honey grips your waist, snuggling against your back, and the King Hell Attitude 17 Sport roars—and I do mean roars—onto plane,

dew drops on the bow deck’s varnished mahogany peeling aft in speedy rivulets as you head for a top speed of 36 mph.

The Attitude 17 Sport brings key attributes of a big, brawny V-twin motorcycle to the water. The handlebar steering, the twist-grip throttle, the V-twin engine, and the springer-style saddle seats all contribute to its biker vibe. These trappings come wrapped in a glossy, varnished, low-slung hull painted flag blue and boasting varnished wood topsides and a sweet sheer that incorporates oodles of tumblehome as it descends from the bow toward the transom. It’s a boat that’s got cool to spare.

Is it a PWC? You ride in this boat, not on it. And while cornering proved safe and sure, you won’t be

cutting any button hooks at wide-open throttle or looking for breaking waves to jump. If this was a motorcycle, it’d be a cruiser not a dirt bike—it reigns over comfort and style. Plus, there’s room in the boat to stow a paddle, life jackets and other gear. I even had room to arrange my test gear (fuel-meter display, GPS, sound meter and level gauge), and keep a pad and pen at my feet, things we generally cannot do aboard a PWC. Also, we never got wet, not a drop; although, our test day lacked any wind.

The hull is cold-molded, and the V-twin is a custom job, neither of which comes cheap. With that in mind, King Hell President Chris Ashley informed me just before press time that the company will offer a fiberglass version of the boat, the Reward model, powered by a water jet. Ashley expects that boat to retail between $60,000 and $65,000.

The King Hell Attitude 17 Sport is a great boat for an affluent couple seeking a unique ride to a waterfront bistro, out to a friend’s boat, or to catch the sunset.