The Defiant 270 TC can handle a 2- to 3-foot chop at a good rate of speed. Its twin Mercury four-strokes are more fuel-thirsty than other four-strokes, but the standard power steering can’t be beat.

You can gauge the quality of many boats by inspecting a single component or area. On the Defiant 270 TC, that component is the boat’s stainless steel rubrail. Every rubrail screw is lined up in the same position—the grooves in the screw heads form a perfect cross.

This kind of attention to detail (or lack thereof) is often a microcosm of how the rest of the boat is built. And that holds true for the Defiant. Beneath the rubrail, the hull-to-deck joint is virtually impregnable. It’s bonded with 3M 5200 and through-bolted. The Defiant 27, which is a catamaran, showcases the same high level of construction and workmanship found on boats…