Panacea is loosely defined as a cure-all, and by that meaning, the moniker for Intrepid’s new 407 center console is spot on. Whether you want to troll or cruise, dive or snorkel, entertain friends or just chill on board with family and good food, this semi-custom 40-footer can remedy all of those needs. As both a day boat and an overnighter, it’s anything-goes design utilizes every inch of space to offer all the right features for family fun and serious fishing.
My sea trial began on a bright morning that dawned after a day of grizzly, late-fall rainstorms. I boarded the 407 at Intrepid’s sales center in Dania Beach, Florida, where winds were blowing 5 to 10 knots. From the dock, the Panacea impressed me with its symmetry. A sharply angled full-glass windshield met a slick fiberglass hardtop that hovered over the deck’s 11 foot 1 inch beam. From the gunwales down, the rich blue Imron paint job (an option worth considering) enhanced the boat’s handsome lines and put a cooly conservative spin on what is an aggressive and proven offshore-ready hull design with 22 degrees of deadrise aft. The test boat was powered by a trio of color-matched blue Mercury 400 outboards, although twins are offered, as are Yamahas. (If you have a thing for quad engines, that setup requires transom modifications.)
2019 Intrepid 407 Panacea
The dash layout is clean, key features being a Mercury Smartcraft screen and Bennett automatic trim tab control. If it were my boat, I’d also consider a slight shift of the SmartCraft screen to the left of the steering wheel for better visibility and access. The ability to modify features at the helm, and elsewhere, is one of the benefits of owning an Intrepid. Every boat produced by this builder is custom and Intrepid encourages its owners to get creative.
The Intrepid is well-equipped for a long day on the water, but it’s also at home on the hook for an overnight. If you’re cruising with one other person, the cabin can accommodate. It’s surprisingly spacious and includes a mini-galley with Isotherm refrigerator and sink, plus lounge seating that converts to a berth for two. All Intrepids are built with an FRP-infused hull, liner and deck and a wood-free PVC core. The company incorporates both unidirectional and infused hand-laid fiberglass fabrics that are knitted, not woven, for more tensile strength.
After we made our way out of the marina en route to a cruise off Ft. Lauderdale, I got better acquainted with the helm setup. Curiously, there’s no footrest for the bench, although a bar folds down from beneath the seat for support. (Intrepid says they’ll most likely make that bar two pieces so the captain and mate can choose individual positions.) At 5 foot 4 inches I first stood on tiptoe to see over the bow, but the boat then trimmed automatically, dropping its nose so efficiently that I felt comfortable standing at the helm with the seat folded up as bolster support. Offshore, the Intrepid handled smoothly in sharp turns in an unpredictable chop, and it cut through 3- to 4-foot seas easily while cruising at 39 knots. Top end was an exciting 52-plus knots. The company attributes the handling to their reputable and proven single-step hull. —Marilyn DeMartini
IIntrepid, 954-922-7544; intrepidpowerboats.com
LOA: 40’0”
Beam: 11’1”
Displ.: 17,750 lbs.
Fuel: 483 gal.
Water: 60 gal.
Std. Power: 3/400-hp Mercury outboards
Optional Power: 4/400-hp Mercury outboards
Cruise Speed: 39 knots
Top Speed: 52 knots