Boats

Best New Fishing Boats 2014

A roundup of the latest and greatest fishing boats for this year.

By SWS Staff

Updated: March 11, 2014

Best New Fishing Boats 2014

New designs, innovations and fresh ideas make this an exciting year for boat buyers. This lineup for 2014 reflects a revolution toward doing more and doing it better to make your time on the water more enjoyable and productive. Several new designs feature stepped hulls that address performance and economy. In response to buyer’s demands for versatility, builders answer with sophisticated, smaller center consoles, with fishing features refined on the tournament circuit but able to transition smoothly to comfortable family-fishing duty. These 22 brand-new fishing machines represent the best of the coming season.

Boston Whaler 345 Conquest

Rugged design meets purposeful amenities in a layout geared for the way you fish. With the new 345 Conquest, offshore ventures become easier and more comfortable. The generous helm offers plenty of protected space and, like the cockpit, offers expanded utility. Under a convenient work surface, an optional slide-out grill tucks away securely. Large drawers provide additional storage underneath, contributing convenience to an area that’s optimal for entertaining. To aft, a roomy bench seat in the cockpit folds out of the way when you’re ready to fish, transforming the area into a huge platform. Offshore or close to home, this fishing machine performs. MORE INFO: bostonwhaler.com

Calcutta 390

Experienced offshore anglers know that while catamarans provide a stable angling platform, they may sacrifice on-plane handling. Not with the Calcutta 390. Its asymmetrical deadrise eliminates rolling for superb stability at rest and good handling at speed. The 14-foot beam provides a wide fighting cockpit with ample tackle storage and a livewell. The deck plan offers the perfect platform to build upward by adding a tower and second station. Comfort on deck comes from a triple-wide helm seat, aft-bench seat and a 7-foot lounge forward. Belowdecks there’s a spacious head, sink and shower, as well as sleeping quarters and a galley. Power options include dual Yanmar 315s or Volvo Penta 350s with digital throttle and shift, or a choice of outboard power. MORE INFO: calcuttaboats.com

Carolina Skiff Ultra Elite Series 23

Carolina Skiff built its reputation on stable, shallow-running, affordable craft. But evolution has struck. Designed as a two-in-one crossover, the 23 Ultra Elite functions as a bay or nearshore boat and may well be one of this company’s best-designed, best-running boats to date. The Ultra Elite still employs the company’s patented box-beam construction, augmented with a rich mix of standard and optional features that answer a broad range of angling demands. The 23 sports a roomy console with space for a head, a wraparound Lucite-windscreen to protect you from the elements, bow seating and an optional removable deck table. MORE INFO: carolinaskiff.com

Cobia 344 CC

The 344 CC features a twin-stepped hull designed to partner with twin Yamaha F350s or triple F300s with standard Optimus electronic steering and Yamaha’s Command Link Plus display. Angling features include twin 41-gallon livewells with an optional pressurizing pump box, two macerated in-floor fish boxes, and horizontal rod storage in the lockable console. The tackle center features a sink and rigging area, tackle storage drawers, and aft facing seat area for watching baits. Handy rod storage lies under the aft covering boards and on the optional hardtop. Topside amenities include a side door that opens inward for dockside boarding. MORE INFO: cobiaboats.com

Contender 24 Sport

The 24 Sport carries Contender’s proven fishing features, refined on larger center consoles, in a scaled down, family-friendly layout, well suited to both weekends on the water, and serious fishing ventures. Abundant storage for tackle and gear includes two 59-gallon storage compartments under the forward seats, 94- and 43-gallon forward fish boxes, and two 30-gallon aft fish boxes. The custom Sport console features a step-down  with space for an optional head. Additional insulated storage beneath the console seat keeps things cool; oversize in-deck bilge access simplifies maintenance, and the 26-gallon above-deck livewell tucks conveniently behind the transom seating. MORE INFO: contenderoffshore.com

Edgewater 280 CC

The Edgewater 280 CC, built to fish hard, features five shotgun rod holders, plenty of gunwale rod holders, and rocket launchers in the hardtop. A livewell nests in the transom, and there’s plenty of insulated fish storage in the sole. The rigging station drawers are conveniently configured for Plano utility boxes. But family comfort plays a leading role as well. The high bow and curved-glass windshield, integrated into the powder-coated hardtop, make for a cockpit that’s well protected from the weather. Forward seating options accommodate a cocktail table; aft, a hideaway seat drops out of the transom. The tackle center with stainless sink incorporates drawers beneath for gear or provisions. MORE INFO: ewboats.com

Everglades 255 CC

This latest in the open-water 5-series line of center consoles from Everglades, the 255 CC packs a surprising number of features and a spacious deck plan, belying its 25-foot nameplate. The roomy cockpit includes a hideaway transom seat. The leaning post features a freshwater washdown and bait station. Beneath a track slide carries a Yeti cooler for stowing drinks or bait. The standard hardtop provides mounting space ready for optional outriggers and even an upper station. Everglades factory-installs Garmin electronics on a dash that’s large enough for two 12-inch displays. The forward seating area easily converts to fishing space. Dual bucket seats on the console front give a secure, comfortable ride to the fishing grounds. MORE INFO:**** evergladesboats.com

Freeman 33

This built-to-order cat provides an excellent deck plan for serious anglers. Freeman’s hull is designed for stability and predictably sweet handling. Hand-laid biaxial and triaxial glass mat, and premium vinylester resin yield consistent strength and uniform hull thickness. Bling it up with options like the console lounge seat on the coffin box forward of the helm station. Surround it with anodized-aluminum rocket-launcher rod holders. The helm console features an electronics panel with room for two large displays, stereo and VHF. Favored seating options are dual buckets on the leaning post with an all-fiberglass rigging station on the aft side. Tackle-storage compartments hold Plano utility boxes. MORE INFO: freemanboatworks.com

Grady White 251 Coastal Explorer

The 251 Coastal Explorer — the first of its kind from Grady-White — provides performance, practicality, utility, ease of use and comfort on inshore waters, beaches, waterways, sounds and inlets. First and foremost an inshore fishing boat, the SeaV2 hull offers more offshore capability and performance than typical inshore boats. The fishing features include rod storage, bow and stern fishing platforms, and Grady’s signature cockpit toe holds. Family-friendly features include a head area, storage for water toys, low gunwales for easy access to the water, and a bow ladder for beaching. MORE INFO: gradywhite.com

Hydrasports 4200 Siesta

The term “luxury” captures the feel of the 4200 Siesta with its below-deck berth. So does “hard-core sport-fisher.” Integrated styling carries the signature look from the powder-coated hardtop with tempered-glass windshield to the flowing sheer and flared bow. The spacious helm station accommodates three multifunction displays. The tackle center incorporates tackle drawers, a slide-out cooler below, and a bait-prep station on top with nearly full-width cutting boards and a stainless sink with fresh water. There’s a transom door handy for docking, and a tuna door on the starboard side. Comfortable seating abounds fore, and aft seating stows out of the way to provide access to the dual livewells. No slouch on performance, the 4200 clocks 54 mph with triple 350s and more than 65 with quads. MORE INFO:**** hydrasports.com

Invincible 42 WA

Designed by renowned naval architect Michael Peters, the 42 Walkaround incorporates the patent-pending, high-performance Stepped-V Ventilated Tunnel for unmatched hull drag coefficient, which provides more speed, better fuel economy, and a better ride. The proven level deck, design allows 360 degrees of maximized fish-fighting space, and the three individual bunks below and spacious sun pad in front of the cabin make it a comfortable weekender. Power options include triple or quad outboards. With top speeds in excess of 60 mph with triples, the 600-gallon fuel capacity provides a 500-plus-nautical-mile range. MORE INFO:**** invincibleboats.com

Jarrett Bay 34

Jarrett Bay’s consistent dedication to a growing family of owners who typically skipper large, custom yachts now throws open the door to access to this world through a semiproduction, all-fiberglass, outboard-powered 34-footer. They call this walkaround a “semiproduction” boat, but upon inspection, there’s scant similarity to other production craft. Its major components and bulkheads are fixed to keep the building process consistent from hull to hull, but fitting out features like fish boxes and coolers, and seating and accommodations below deck reflect the owner’s discretion and intuition. Wide walkways forward make fish fighting effective. Weighing in at 8,500 pounds, the model provides good fuel efficiency and satisfying speed with twin-outboard propulsion. MORE INFO: jarrettbay.com

Jupiter Marine 38HFS

The 38HFS from Jupiter Marine ushers in a new era with its innovative forward seating arrangement. This layout includes an extended Sun Lounge Console Cooler with storage for the most demanding fishing or cruising adventure. Available in twin or triple engine applications, the Jupiter Marine 38HFS aims to be first to the fish, with top speeds approaching 70 mph. Its 10-foot-7-inch beam provides the stability needed for big-game pursuits while providing all the amenities for comfortable cruising. MORE INFO: jupitermarine.com

Maverick 17 HPX-S

Said to “run big but fish small,” the new Maverick 17 HPX-S combines a sub-6-inch draft with the running performance and comfort of a much deeper drafting skiff. The absence of transom sponsons makes it uncommonly responsive while poling, yet it tracks straight and moves quietly, regardless of the boat’s position to the wind. With the range of a 19-gallon fuel and the speed of a 70 horsepower, the HPX-S affords the ability to comfortably and safely run farther from home, and then effectively stalk fish in ultrashallow water that other boats can’t reach. MORE INFO: maverickboats.com

Pursuit C 260

This luxury center console is plush but flush with fishability. Yachtlike is the buzzword of boatbuilders today, but in this one, the name doesn’t come just from polished hardware (it’s there) or cushy seats (got those too), but from an overall style designed in at every turn, much like you’d find in a sports sedan. The supports for the C 260’s standard hardtop, built right into the console, preserve walk-around space. Forward seating circles the bow and meets the console seat, leaving plenty of room to pass through this cozy conversation pit. MORE INFO: pursuitboats.com

Regulator 23

“The all-new 23 offers all the amenities serious anglers have come to expect from us, with big-boat features that allow you to catch more fun on the water,” said Joan Maxwell, president and co-founder of Regulator Marine. “And the performance is truly something special, as the all-new 23 tops out at 46.9 mph!” Regulator’s latest legend fishes big with a flush liner for enhanced fishability and loads of storage, including two 160-quart forward seat fish/dry boxes, 350-quart in-deck fish box or locking rod storage, a 23-gallon transom livewell and a 120-quart transom fish box. Plus, the all-new 23 offers creature comforts galore, from an optional head to a 55-quart insulated cooler seat for refreshments and plenty of seating for family and friends. Best of all, the 23 offers Regulator’s Legendary Ride powered by a single Yamaha F300. MORE INFO: regulatormarine.com

Robalo 226 Cayman

The 226 Cayman, the newest model in Robalo’s Cayman Series lineup offers a big-boat feel and the versatility to handle a range of fishing, from inshore and flats to reefs and offshore wrecks. With a trailerable 8′ 6″ beam, a centerline of 22′ 6″, and a variable 15-degrees deadrise —the 226 goes anywhere. Well-designed for both tournament and recreational fishermen, the generous freeboard provides a dry, comfortable ride in a range of sea conditions. Ample platforms front and back maximize angling space and contain three livewells, lockable rod storage and feature walkaround gunwales. The package includes a trailer and a 150 hp Yamaha outboard, with the option of upgrading to 250 hp, for which the hull is rated. MORE INFO:** **** robalo.com**

Scout 350 LXF

Scout has improved upon its popular 345 XSF forward seating center-console model by adding a double stepped hull, naming it the 350 LXF. The bow area has an optional, electronically actuated teak table. The cockpit seating consists of dual adjustable custom helm chairs with folding lean bolsters and armrests. Tackle-storage drawers sit underneath the aft-facing stern seat, which also houses a bait well. An optional 60/40-split helm-seating configuration is available, as well as an optional deluxe cockpit tackle/entertainment station that replaces the aft-facing stern seat. Scout has also developed this model with a triple-engine configuration**** with Yamaha F300s to reaches top speeds in the mid- to high 60s. MORE INFO: scoutboats.com

Seaborn FX25

The FX25 — designed and built by an old hand, Jeff Seyler, specialist in stepped-hull design — represents Sea Born’s first stepped-bottom bay boat. The wide bow flare keeps the spray on the outside, while the tumblehome transom preserves a cool look. The livewells, which are core to the effectiveness of bay boats in redfish and snook country, draw from a special induction tunnel on the keel at the transom. The “cheese grater” scoop that feeds the pumps nearly eliminates drag. Sea Born’s FX25, first in this new series, stands to become the flagship of the brand. MORE INFO: sundanceboats.com

Seahunter 45

Designed for speed and long-distance travel, the Tournament 45 offers the perfect marriage of stability, comfort and efficiency. SeaHunter rose to fame for its hull design, which delivers an extremely fast and smooth-riding boat born to hunt in the wide-open seas. The layout wraps a large fishing platform around easily accessible storage. The game-changing cabin boasts a queen size bed, air conditioner, sink, head, TV and microwave. The large lounge area forward of the console sits over a cooler space underneath. The boat features three large livewells and plenty of seating options, including standard helm captains’ chairs and second row seating for up to four people. MORE INFO: seahunterboats.com

Seavee 390z

SeaVee emerged on the spear point of the stepped-hull revolution with its Z-series boats. Designed to add a combination of speed and efficiency to give anglers the ability to reach distant grounds safely and with plenty of fuel in reserve, the 390Z combines the best of SeaVee’s fishing-friendly decks with its proven stepped bottom. Four-port air-induction steps prevent air blockage and speed rails — specially shaped strakes — prevent hooking and spinout. As a result the 390Z — safe, quick and maneuverable — gives the competitive sport fisherman everything he needs to stake his claim. And once there, the 390Z gets serious about fishing with features like the hull-side tuna door, up to five livewells, and storage for 40 rods. MORE INFO:** seaveeboats.com**

Yellowfin 42

This monster of a center console, the largest model from Yellowfin, ranks among a growing assortment of truly mammoth boats that convert 1,000-plus horsepower into ultimate performance with optimum fishability. Powered by triple Yamaha 350s, the 42 exceeds 60 mph in protected waters. Outside the inlet, the 42 creases choppy seas with nary a shudder, creak or groan — a testament to a well-bonded stringer and deck system. The helm station accommodates three, with two aft-facing jump seats behind. The broad panel offers a generous palette for flush-mounting large displays. Fishing amenities please any serious offshore fisherman. In the cockpit, you’ll find two huge in-deck insulated fish boxes, port and starboard — and those are the small ones. The mammoth box lies forward of the console and holds 530 quarts. MORE INFO: yellowfinyachts.com