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2023 Legend V-Series Aqua Tower

Boat Reviews

Boat Review by: Rick Layzell

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Legend has jumped headfirst into the luxury pontoon boat market with the introduction of the V-Series. Available in four model configurations including the Lounge Sport Pro, the Dual Lounge Sport Pro, the Entertainer Sport Pro, and the Aqua Tower, these new watercraft open up the door to countless new customers for Legend.

The Boatdealers.ca team was grateful to have the opportunity to test the Aqua Tower model, and you can be sure the bets were flying over who would be first to go down the slide. Wait! Yes, you read that correctly: the V-Series Aqua Tower features an upper deck with a slide. More on that, and the outcome of the bet, shortly.

First up – curb appeal, or ‘dockside appeal’ if that’s your style. The Aqua Tower series is a stunner with beautifully sculpted multi-hue exterior fencing featuring anti-vibration foam backing. These smooth panel fence designs could readily be mistaken for fiberglass. Two colour choices are available for 2023: an all-black version, or our test ride which featured a black upper fence and beautiful soft blue and grey trim. Pure eye candy.

Her interior includes a variety of well- sculpted and plush seating. Then there’s the quality vinyl on the lounge seats and backrests – all flawlessly built to provide maximum comfort. The mix of vinyl colours and textures give the interior great aesthetic appeal from bow to stern. The plush and soft Teak Weave flooring features black accents to further accent the overall colour scheme.

At 26’ 6” and with an 8’ 6” beam, she is still trailerable while also being an on-water entertainment machine! She carries 27” pontoons underneath and comes standard with lifting strakes to get you and your crew on top of the water in a hurry. Our test boat was nicely upgraded with a Mercury 200 hp four-stroke engine on the transom.

Legend includes a lengthy list of options in the Preferred Equipment Package (PEP) with the Aqua Tower, and there are several key features to note. The in-dash Smart 80 Medallion 7” Configurable touchscreen gives you total control of all systems right from the helm. From controlling a seemingly endless array of Blue Ice LED Mood lighting options – in the cockpit, underwater, helm, beverage holders, dock lights, and more -- to activating the pump for water on the slide, this system is simple and easy to use. PEP also includes a stainless steel tow bar for skiing, boarding, or tubing.

In addition to the Medallion screen, PEP also incorporates a Fusion Bluetooth sound system with Sirius XM and four speakers. Another helm station highlight is the ultra luxurious ‘Admiral’s Seat’ which lovingly wraps itself around you and offers up a super high backrest as well as slide and swivel capabilities.

The L-shaped lounger on the port side houses a unique and cleverly shaped dinette table that gives everyone easy access. When the Aqua Tower is at rest, this is when the helm seat readily swivels to give the captain full access to this lounge area.

As your eyes drift forward from the helm, it’s striking how much room sits between the helm and the bow gate. The forward loungers could very easily and comfortably seat five friends on either side. Both loungers feature moveable cup holders, and I love that there isn’t a dinette table here. The spacious feel is awesome.

We tested on Lake Simcoe in early June, and the water decided to give us a bit of a battle. We faced heavy sustained winds and gusts in the 50 km/h range for most of the day. Kempenfelt Bay is over 130’ deep in spots, and the bay was alive with top water action and winds pushing the waves in every imaginable direction.

The Mercury 200 XL performed without hesitation and the Aqua Tower had no issue cutting through the waves. I will fully admit that the 17 degree Celsius temperatures weren’t the warmest, but we got the job done. Hole shots consistently landed in the 4-second sweet spot which is perfect. Cruising on my own with the Smart gauge reading at 70% fuel capacity (she carries 219 L / 58 US gal), we found a wide range of cruise speeds. I readily found 22 mph at 3,700 RPM to be comfortable, and was pleasantly surprised to find the Aqua Tower stayed on plane at as low as 16 mph and 3,000 RPM. Those lifting strakes were absolutely doing their job underneath.

We got a bit of a weather break, so I was granted an opportunity to settle her into cruising speeds and really work the boat – pushing her into a series of tighter and tighter turns. I am very pleased to say that she never missed a beat. Pay attention to trim position when turning (as always) and you’re good to go. With the winds soon howling on us again, I realized I had not yet taken my top speed run. As our ‘photo boat’ moved back to calmer waters, I stayed out and pushed the Aqua Tower to a modest top speed of 34 mph at 5,150 RPM. I’m sure the 35 mph+ I was anticipating is achievable, just not on a day like ours. Keep in mind this boat is literally a water park on the lake, so let the entertainment value be your focus.

The entry into luxury pontoon models is a natural fit for the Legend brand. Starting off with four unique and smart layouts makes excellent sense for new and existing customers alike. Even if you just want to dream about your tomorrow boat, go talk to a Legend Ambassador today about these incredible watercraft.

As for the bet of who was going down the slide…on this day the right call was to simply stay on board and appreciate how well the V-Series Aqua Tower performed in cool temps and rough waters. Hopefully there’s another slide opportunity in our future. It’s simply too fun of an option to miss!