Scott Kinney, the national sales manager for North Rip Sportfishing Boats in Warren, R.I., jokes about how he once figured out what the price per pound was for fish caught during a day on the water, after you factor in the costs associated with the boat. "It might be the most expensive fish dinner ever," Kinney says with a laugh. "But it’s a lot of fun, too."
It’s true that it’s better to own a sportfishing boat for the sport than for the fish. "The real pleasure of it is the camaraderie, especially in the tournaments," says Kinney. Fishing is also a skill that you can practice frequently when you own a boat, Kinney points out, and you can enhance that skill with a vessel that is as well equipped for the sport as these are.
BERTRAM 360 OPEN
Length: 36 feet
Beam: 13 feet, 6 inches
Draft: 3 feet, 9 inches
Standard power: 500 hp
Fuel capacity: 870 gallons
Starting price: $550,000
The Hooks: Fishing-centric standard features include a live well, an insulated fish storage box, and a fully equipped bait-and-tackle station—all located behind the 84-square-foot cockpit. Seating directly behind the cockpit folds away to give you more room to maneuver when fishing. The deep-V shape of the hull enables the yacht to ride with stability and at top speeds in rough conditions. The master cabin has closing doors, which, according to Bertram, is an unusual privacy feature in a sportfishing boat of this size.
DEEP IMPACT 360C
Length: 36 feet
Beam: 10 feet
Draft: 3 feet
Maximum power: 1,400 hp
Fuel capacity: 320 gallons
Starting price: $290,000
The Hooks: With its eye-catching navy blue hull and tan interior and absence of any visible screws or fasteners, the 360C might seem a bit too stylish to take fishing. Yet it’s a solidly built center-console craft, with a hull designed to eliminate noise and vibrations and to handle rough waters. The boat also is fast, capable of reaching a top speed of more than 70 mph. And yes, it is equipped for fishing. The leaning post has a sink, a cooler, and storage drawers. The C in the boat’s name refers to its cuddy cabin, which is air-conditioned and contains a bed that converts into a table with seating. The cabin also has a bathroom with a shower, and it includes a kitchen with a cooktop, a refrigerator, and a microwave oven.
GRADY-WHITE CANYON 366
Length: 36 feet, 7 inches
Beam: 13 feet, 2 inches
Draft: 2 feet, 5 inches
Maximum power: 1,050 hp
Fuel capacity: 420 gallons
Starting price: $403,000
The Hooks: The Grady-White literature touts the family-fun qualities of the Canyon 366, the flagship of the company’s new center-console Canyon series. But make no mistake: This boat was designed with fishermen in mind, beginning with the helm area, where the skipper’s seat is on the centerline instead of offset to the port, as it is on many other center-console boats. This configuration enables passengers seated on either side of the helm seat to come and go—to tend bait or handle lines—as they please, without the skipper having to move. The 85-square-foot cockpit area contains a number of other features that fishermen will appreciate. These include a 41-gallon lighted live well, a rigging station with a freshwater wash-down system, a 291-quart fish box, tackle drawers, and plenty of rod holders and bulk storage space. The bow area features a pair of 263-quart insulated fish boxes that double as seating.
BOSTON WHALER 370 OUTRAGE
Length: 37 feet, 6 inches
Beam: 11 feet, 6 inches
Draft: 1 foot, 10 inches
Maximum power: 900 hp
Fuel capacity: 450 gallons
Starting price: $384,000
The Hooks: The leaning post on this, the largest Boston Whaler ever, contains a large live well, tackle storage, a refrigerator/freezer, a freshwater sink, and a grill. The optional “summer kitchen” leaning post replaces the live well with an additional refrigerator and electric stove top, in case you plan to use the boat’s spacious deck for entertaining as well as fishing. Under the lounge located in front of the center console is lockable storage for rods, dive gear, and other items.
NORTH RIP NR 36
Length: 35 feet, 10 inches
Beam: 13 feet
Draft: 2 feet, 11 inches
Maximum power: 550 hp
Fuel capacity: 425 gallons
Starting price: $600,000
The Hooks: The NR 36, which is built by Pearson Composites, a company that has built more than 25,000 vessels over the last 50 years, promises an exceptionally smooth ride because of the boat’s weight distribution. And the cockpit’s spacious design gives you plenty of room to maneuver while you’re hauling in a trophy catch. Pearson’s construction process produces a hull that is durable enough for the company to offer a 20-year warranty on it.
VIKING YACHTS 46 OPEN
Length: 46 feet, 11 inches
Beam: 16 feet, 6 inches
Draft: 4 feet, 4 inches
Maximum power: 1,100 hp
Fuel capacity: 870 gallons
Starting price: $1.2 million
The Hooks: In addition to a spacious, 121-square-foot cockpit, the 46 Open has a number of other features that will appeal to fishermen. These include flush rod holders, plenty of tackle stowage, fresh- and raw-water wash-down systems, a nonskid deck that provides secure footing, a mounting plate on the deck for a fighting chair, and insulated in-deck boxes to hold the catch of the day. The boxes can be converted into a live well with a pump-out system that lets you clean it easily. Toward the stern are an L-shaped lounge (where you can stow rods) and a refrigerator/ice maker. The yacht can be configured to include one or two staterooms as well as a galley with a three-burner cooktop and a salon with a 22-inch TV. All of this below-deck space is air-conditioned.
EASTERN BOATS EASTERN 31
Length: 31 feet, 4 inches
Beam: 11 feet, 2 inches
Draft: 3 feet, 6 inches
Standard power: 330 hp
Fuel capacity: 100 gallons
Starting price: $212,000
The Hooks: Even if you’ve never before baited a hook, the Eastern 31 will lend you instant credibility because it looks like the boat that a fishing veteran would own—especially one from New England. In fact, Eastern does a lot of business building boats for maritime pros. The New England Aquarium, the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries, the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services, and the Wolfeboro, N.H., fire department all own vessels built by Eastern Boats.
PURSUIT BOATS OS 375
Length: 36 feet, 11 inches
Beam: 13 feet
Draft: 3 feet, 6 inches
Maximum power: 1,050 hp
Fuel capacity: 370 gallons
Starting price: $356,000
The Hooks: In the transom of Pursuit’s largest outboard model is a 300- quart refrigerator/freezer fish box equipped with a digitally controlled thermostat. Other fishing features include a lighted 50-gallon live well; two in-deck, 68-gallon insulated fish boxes; six lockable gunwale storage compartments; and six gunwale rod holders. The cabin contains six more rod holders. Behind the helm are a refrigerator/freezer, an electric smokeless grill, and a hot- and cold-water sink.