Custom to the core, the 46 Limited Edition from Outerlimits is among the fastest and most efficient V-bottoms in its class.

In all regards, Mike Fiore and his hardworking team at Outerlimits Powerboats continue to push the envelope with their exquisite custom V-bottoms. So consistent is the construction quality and performance of the Bristol, R.I., company's products that it's easy to become blasé about them—until you realize you're flying along at more than 120 mph in a V-bottom that's as well appointed as many second homes.

Having tested our share of Outerlimits offerings, including another version of the 46 Limited Edition, we expected great things from the 46-footer. And it delivered.

PERFORMANCE

To power the stepped V-bottom, the builder chose staggered Mercury Racing HP1075SCi engines with No. 6 dry-sump drives that had 1.42:1 gear reductions. Getting the power to the water were a couple of 35"-pitch Hering propellers.

With Powerboat test drivers Bob Teague controlling the throttles and John Tomlinson handling the steering chores, the 46 Limited Edition topped out at 120 mph on both radar and GPS.

At that speed—and all speeds faster than 110 mph—a touch of negative trim on the Mercury Racing 380S K-Planes helped keep the boat stable and tracking cleanly.

With the K-Planes all the way down, the 46-footer popped right on plane in 4.9 seconds, which was particularly impressive for a boat of its size. The "acceleration show" went on for the next 15 seconds, where the V-bottom reached 89 mph.

"With the tabs down, the boat comes up totally flat," Teague said. "The bow never rises, so you never lose your forward view."

Even more of a dazzler in the midrange, the 46 Limited Edition ran from 30 to 50 mph in 4.2 seconds, completed the 40-to-60-mph drill in 4.3 seconds and went from 40 to 70 mph in 6.7 seconds.

We were unable to find any sea conditions during our tests that could remotely challenge the big V-bottom. In fact, it was tough to even feel the 2- to 3-foot swells, which were the best and "baddest" the Gulf of Mexico had to offer on the test day.

The 46 Limited Edition turned well at all speeds. Like most high-sided V-bottoms, it had a tendency to lean into the wind. But it stayed on track without steering correction whether accelerating or decelerating, and was completely unaffected by passenger weight shift.

WORKMANSHIP

Outerlimits did its typical bang-up construction job with the 46 Limited Edition, which was composite-built and autoclave-cured. Paintwork and tooling were immaculate, as was the installation of the flared acrylic section of the deck fairing and the molded-in, hand-finished bilge vents in the boat's hullsides. Protecting it all was a color-matched molded rubrail with a stainless-steel insert.

With the exception of a retractable cleat on the boat's bow, mooring hardware was limited to pushpin-style cleats/fender holders. Additional hardware included navigation and stern lights, as well as grab handles throughout the cockpit.

The engine hatch was connected to the transom on billet hinges and raised with a single hydraulic ram. The underside of it was color-matched to the boat's graphics. Access to the 1,075-horsepower engines installed on through-bolted offshore mounts was excellent. The flat-black bilge had been sanded to a smooth finish for easier cleanup.

Much of the engine compartment wiring was nicely protected and hidden in tubes that were fiberglassed into the boat. What wiring we could see, however, was supported in evenly spaced stainless-steel cushion clamps. All batteries were secured in billet boxes with step plates engraved with the Outerlimits logo.

INTERIOR

Twin helms (with the wheel-less steering hub properly capped) and an insert cushion to create a third cockpit bolster position created versatility in the 46 Limited Edition's deep cockpit. Like the bolsters, the rear bench had an "overstuffed" look and feel that provided security. Grab handles were within easy reach for its occupants.

Lay-in carpet covered the cockpit sole. Throughout the cockpit, gunwale padding was excellent—a must in a V-bottom designed to tackle offshore water.

The helm included a mix of Livorsi Marine and Mercury SmartCraft gauges, as well as Livorsi throttles, shifters and mechanical drive and tab trim indicators. Other instruments included a Garmin 3206 GPS unit and an Azimuth compass. Toggle switches activated the accessories.

To get on the boat's deck, the builder installed steps in the port-side observer's dash. Access to the cabin was provided by a radiused aluminum door, not unlike those found in vintage Apache and Cigarette models.

That's not surprising, as Fiore has consistently credited Apache for having a significant influence on his designs.

But the carpeted cabin of the 46 Limited Edition was far from the utilitarian affair found in early offshore boats. In fact, about the only belowdeck similarities between the Outerlimits and those venerable offerings were facing lounges and a V-berth.

Loaded with luxury, the cabin of our test boat included a head locker with a shower, a porcelain head and a stainless-steel sink. The cabin also had a galley with a sink and wood-grain cabinetry, a DVD system and a flat-screen television. That entertainment system, as well as the cabin lighting and all other appliances, were controlled via a touch screen.

Headroom in the 46-footer's cabin was excellent, as was the padded headliner.

Like that in the cockpit, the first-rate cabin upholstery was plush and durable. So, too, were the cabin's "zipper doors," which have become an Outerlimits' staple.

OVERALL

It wasn't all that long ago that V-bottom speeds faster than 120 mph were limited to stripped-down, barebones race boats. Thanks to reliable power and more efficient stepped hulls, those days are gone. The exceptional Outerlimits 46 Limited Edition is one fine—and very fast—example of the state of the art in custom V-bottoms.

Click to enlarge.