Next to water, grilling should be the most important factor
when it comes to boating. It's true that you can't boat without water and in my
opinion you shouldn't be able to boat without a grill either. Sandwiches will
work, but I'll take a burger cooked from the stern of a boat any day. So when I
was given the opportunity to test the Monterey A10-1225 grill from Magma
Products, I didn't hesitate for a second.
The size of the box that the grill came in was a little
intimidating, but only minimal assembly was required. It's only real knock on
installation is that the mounting brackets are sold separately. Since there are
a variety of boats, it would be impossible for Magma to include one that would
fit all. But before you get everyone in the mood for a fat steak; be sure to
purchase a bracket as well. Also be sure to buy a disposable one pound fuel
container. Other than the food, you should have everything you need after that.
On the JC SportToon 23 test boat, I decided to mount the
grill on the rail by the rear entry. This gave me plenty of room to cook,
without blocking access to the stern. I used the Dual Square/Flat Rail Mount from
Magma and it worked great on this pontoon. Even while cruising at speeds over
35 mph, the grill was just fine. It was just as easy to disassemble too and it
cleaned up quickly. Plus with the full size inner safety shell, grease funnels into
the front-access tray, which reduces flare-up and heat discoloration. Any fear
that I had of dripping grease on my carpet was put to rest, I had zero
problems.
From a cosmetic standpoint, this 100 percent 18-9 mirror
polished stainless steel grill is a real beauty, while providing superior
corrosion resistance. And I found the easy to read all stainless steel hermetically
sealed thermometer to be quite helpful and it comes with 750-degree safety
glass to help protect it.
I was worried that the lid might come crashing down if another
boat roared by while I was anchored. But the perfectly balanced lockable lid
made sure it didn't slam shut on me or my spatula.
With a grilling area of 420 square inches, the Monterey Gourmet Series grill is
large enough to provide a banquet for even the hungriest crew. It was late in
the year so I was able to snag some fresh corn on the cob to go with my
cheeseburger. My lunch that day was so good that it makes me giddy just
thinking about it.
You can call or go online to find the nearest dealer. On the
average the Monterey
grill retails for $395.99. I've been on some pontoons where this grill would
have doubled the price value of the entire boat, but for the serious griller
that loves to entertain this is a must at any price. www.magmaproducts.com has all the info you need to make a purchase.
