| Hallett Boats 400-T | | Print | |
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Seismic Shift Small changes to Hallett Boats’ 400-T makes a good boat even better.  Southern California may be the land of earthquakes and laid-back surfers but Hallett’s 400-T is proof that it can also build a quality full-size V-bottom. PERFORMANCE Hallett made subtle refinements to the running surface of the twin-step boat, including changes to the angles of the strakes and moving water-release points. While on the surface the improvements may not seem like much, it made a good-handling boat even better. For power, the 400-T was equipped with Mercury Racing HP700SCi engines with the NXT1 package and the optional Super Speed Master drive. The drive and propulsion package was ideal for a boat such as the 400-T because a buyer won’t have to make a costly jump to No. 6 drives yet still get excellent reliability. While top speed is important for any performance-minded boat owner, Hallett set up the boat without sacrificing acceleration. With the boat stopped in the water, it was running 66 mph in 15 seconds. Shortly thereafter, it reached its top speed of 91.6 mph at 5,400 rpm on Stalker Radar. The 40-footer was just as snappy in midrange acceleration drills with the boat taking 5.6 seconds to go from 30 to 50 mph and 5.8 seconds to run from 40 to 60 mph. In a drill that usually reveals power limitations, the 400-T took 8.8 seconds to go from 40 to 70 mph. Having driven earlier 400-T models, lead test driver Bob Teague said the running surface changes made noticeable improvements to the handling. Putting the boat through sharp turns, Teague said it was “like it was on rails.” The boat went directly where the test driver pointed it and the bottom didn’t slide out. “The changes they made were much for the better,” Teague said. We know the wakes from boat traffic on the Colorado River aren’t exactly offshore conditions. But while running the 40-footer we did come across some wakes from pontoon and wakeboard boats and, needless to say, the wakes were no match for the 400-T. WORKMANSHIP Because any boat in the Hallett lineup is built to order, the guys in the shop have the time to spend on finer details. Take the entrance into the cabin where under the steps there were small lockers with drains. Not only were the tubs clean and white, the inspector couldn’t find a single rough spot in the locker.  Now if the builder applies that kind of attention to detail to small lockers, you can imagine its approach to the engine compartment. The Mercury Racing engines were painted orange to match the boat’s orange and silver graphics, which were done in the gelcoat. Sea strainers from Teague Custom Marine were mounted in front of the engines, and the lines for the steering system and the fuel tank were in a loom on the port side of the engine compartment. Hallett used vacuum-bag technology to build the 400-T, which included four full-length stringers that were tied into seven bulkheads. The gelcoat work was exceptionally shiny and protecting it was a stainless-steel molding. Eight cleats were situated at all the right spots on the boat and the stainless rails on the deck also could be used to hang fenders. On the transom, there was a fold-down ladder on the nonskid-covered swim platform. A remote trim switch made it easy to raise the drives when pulling the boat out of the water. INTERIOR When coming up with a design for the 400-T, Hallett wanted to maximize headroom in the cabin. Not only was there plenty of headroom, designers had lots of space to work with because there was no head locker in the cabin. (Potential buyers can opt for a head locker.) Up front was a large V-berth with racks above that could hold water skis or even wakeboards. Underneath the V-berth cushion was a large stowage locker. The test boat came equipped with a beach access door, something you don’t typically see on a big lake boat from an East Coast builder. Out West, boaters like to pull up to the beach or a sandbar at the local lake and spend the day relaxing. The door, while it adds $8,000 to the price, makes getting in and out of the boat a breeze. The cabin also had a galley with a Formica countertop and cabinets (including an ice chest). The facing lounges were done in leather, and beneath the cushions were nicely carpeted lockers. The boat received high marks from our workmanship inspector when it came to the headliner and the carpet finished with the company logo.  Out in the cockpit, Hallett went with a traditional rear bench and individual buckets for the driver and co-pilot that had electric drop-down bottoms. At the driver’s spot to starboard, the Livorsi Marine Monster-style gauges were set in carbon-fiber panels manufactured by Bluewater. The tilt helm featured full hydraulic steering from IMCO Marine, and Dana Marine provided the throttles and shifters. A Mercury SmartCraft RaceView screen was situated above the steering wheel. Hallett finished the cockpit sole in a teak veneer and protected it with a single piece of snap-in carpet that included the company’s logo. A nice feature was the stowage underneath the rear bench, which contained fiberglass tubs that drained. OVERALL Anyone shopping for a big offshore V-bottom would be smart to look beyond the East Coast builders. The 400-T was well constructed, and thanks to a few bottom tweaks, it handles as well as any boat in its class.
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