Crownline hits the nail on the head with the 340 CR. Its first large cruiser is big, with a 36-foot overall length and an 11-foot-8-inch beam. It’s also fast. With twin 375-hp 496 MAG MerCruiser sterndrives with Bravo III drives, Boating World records a test speed of 49.5 mph — greased lightning for a 36-foot cruiser.

But Crownline doesn’t sacrifice comfort for speed. The whole boat feels spacious, with plentiful seating both up at the helm and in the aft part of the cockpit, which includesa wet bar with an Isotherm fridge. The airy, wood-trimmed cabin has a maximum of 80 inches of headroom below and a big aft cabin area. The 340 boasts some nice standard features that include a teak swim platform with integrated storage bins, flat-screen TV, pressurized water system, automatic windlass (with controls at both the helm and foredeck), Lenco trim tabs, 10-inch pop-up cleats, and 7.3kW gas generator, among many others. The 8-inch steps up to the bow through the walk-through windshield are a bit narrow, but that’s the only thing Boating World would change. In fact, this is a home run for Crownline and effectively puts it in the big leagues of express cruisers. Both Volvo and MerCruiser power, including diesel options, are available. www.crown-line.com.