Discovering the Best Boat for You.
The idea that there is any boat out there that is better than all the rest is simply a myth. Likewise, there is no such thing as the best fishing boat, best family boat, best center console, or best bay boat.
What does exist, however, is a “best boat” for you – for your fishing needs, your cruising needs, your comfort, and your budget. In fact, somewhere among the 60-plus boat manufacturers featured in our 2016 Boat Buyer’s Guide, you’ll probably find more than one “best boat” that can provide many seasons of enjoyment on the water.
Key West boats are built by fishermen, for fishermen. Since 1986, the goal of Key West Boats has been to provide high-quality, high-value products enhanced by a commitment to customer service. Their line of outstanding boats is designed primarily for saltwater use, both inshore and offshore.
The latest addition to their growing Family Sportsman lineup and the biggest dual console, bowrider to date, the 239DFS is loaded with amenities, comfort, style, and performance. Like the rest of the fleet, this big runabout is self-bailing and foam-filled to provide level and upright flotation, giving your family one of the safest platforms on the water today. Standard features include a forward, in-floor fish box with overboard drain, a freshwater shower station with 9-gallon tank, and a molded-in swim platform with telescoping ladder.
By building affordable skiffs with catamaran hulls, Livingston offers small boats with the ride of a big boat. With 75,000 customers, they are the largest cat-boat brand in the world. The 19′ Livingston provides a price point comparable to flat-bottom skiffs but performance unlike any other skiff on the market. Whether your desires are for family fishing fun, a tender for a yacht, or a car-topper for exotic adventures, check out Livingston and see for yourself how a catamaran hull can make a skiff more capable and more fun.
The LV19 is the biggest boat in the Livingston line, and it is also big enough boat to go wherever the fish are, from Montauk to Cape Ann. Its shallow draft even makes it the right choice for flats fishing inshore. The catamaran hull provides greater load-bearing capacity, a shallower draft, quicker planing, and a smoother ride than a comparable mono-hull skiff. By combining these benefits with a single engine—it can handle up to a 115hp outboard—the extremely stable LV19 gives you high performance with high fuel economy.
The Mako brand has been a strong one in the Northeast for 45 years. They have a well-deserved reputation for being rugged, durable boats. It’s not uncommon to see anglers fishing on Mako boats that are 20 or even 30 years old! These boats incorporate super-strong transoms plus a unique stringer grid system that’s bonded to the hull to create tremendous structural rigidity. The whole assembly is foam-filled to produce a boat that’s incredibly strong and quiet, at rest and at speed. From their 18 LTS bay boat to the offshorecapable 284 CC, each Mako provides all the quality, features and peace of mind you need to take your fishing farther than ever.
The new mid-sized 214 CC is a serious fishing platform that can take you out to the fishing grounds but is versatile enough for nearshore family fun. At 21′ 5″ and with an 8′ 6″ beam, it’s rated for up to 10 people and can run up to a 250hp outboard. It’s fast and stable as well, something you’ll appreciate whether you’re chasing bluefin tuna or taking the kids out for a sea cruise. Storage can be found throughout, and fishing-friendly features pack the roomy deck. The rigged-out center console boasts nearly everything a captain needs to get underway and on top of the fish, and the high-density marine-grade vinyl upholstery is UVand stain-resistant.
Built in New Hampshire, Maritime Boats combine traditional New England looks with modern construction techniques and state-of-the-art bottom design. These wide-beamed, unsinkable boats are easily maintained, operate efficiently with low-to-moderate- sized engines and are convenient to rig and service.
Maritime’s Defiant series of center consoles features a wide, wrap-around non-skid deck that facilitates easy boarding; it also has flush-mount rod holders, pop-up cleats, and undergunwale rod racks. The Defiant 210 is a nimble, responsive, fuel efficient hull recognized for its dry ride and offshore capabilities. It’s self-bailing, but also has a functional bilge area and is designed to accommodate an optional 30 gallon livewell. The 210 comes standard with rear jump seats and large step-down area for additional storage, which allows boaters the use of a porta potti or a quick change of clothes.
The engineers, designers and craftsman at NauticStar are rich in boatbuilding knowhow. Three generations of hands-on experience have led to the knowledge of what will simply work and what will work exceptionally well. Their popular Nautic Bay boat series offers bay boats from 18 to 28 feet, and the XS series includes fishing-first center consoles and a 20-foot dual console.
Expanding its XS series of offshore boats, NauticStar introduced the new 28XS in 2015, a serious fishing boat that doubles as a great family-friendly pleasure boat. The hull design is 21 degrees dead rise at the transom for stability at rest and 50 degrees at the bow, providing a soft ride in rougher waters. The extreme bow flare allows for more comfort and displaces water away from the passengers. The hull also has a reverse chine that helps the boat plane quickly, giving it more lift for a high and dry ride. For ease of boarding, there is a portside ladder, molded-in swim platform and walkthru transom door. Built into the aft deck are an 80-gallon insulated fish box and a 22-gallon baitwell outside the aft cockpit. The captain’s station includes a leaning post with baitwell, bait station with freshwater sink, and a Yeti cooler with slide out.
In the rich tradition of New England boatbuilding, the NorthCoast line has a blend of classic lines with solid performance and function. NorthCoast boats are built by C&C Marine, located in Bristol, Rhode Island. Jose C. DaPonte, president and owner of C&C Marine, has been building quality boats since the early 1970s and is one of the world’s foremost authorities in composite boatbuilding. These boats are built in a semi-custom fashion, always with the customer in mind.
Building on the success of the dualpurpose 23 Hard Top, NorthCoast Boats introduced the NorthCoast 27 Hard Top in 2015. This new hull blends classic New England lines with modern technology and can be built to impress the most experienced cruising captain, hardcore fishing fanatic, or anyone in between.
The North Rip takes its name from a well-known, striper-rich fishing spot off Block Island. North Rip began in 2010 with a small run of 21-footers. The brand was well-received, but production was suspended in 2011 at the height of the recession. In 2015, its new owners, USWatercraft, relaunched North Rip with the goal of giving fishermen in the Northeast a boat that focused on fishing first, eschewing seating and luxury items that only get in the way on serious fishing trips.
Bold and aggressive, the deep-V North Rip 30 was built for fishing and designed with input from Captain Jack Sprengel, a well-respected charter captain and tournament fisherman out of Rhode Island. Captain Sprengel collaborated with the engineers to achieve a layout with perfectly spaced rod holders, monstrous fish lockers and livewells, and well-thought-out storage. An ample, walk-around cockpit gives you a ton of room to maneuver and plenty of space to haul in your catch. Essential equipment includes a walkthrough tuna door in the transom, 48 cubic feet of insulated and macerated fish boxes, and fore and aft saltwater wash-downs. There’s a standard 42-gallon livewell aft, with the option for two additional livewells. The console is equipped with dual displays, and electronic power steering is standard.
Ocean Yachts, founded in 1977, started building sportfishing vessels ranging from 37′ to 73′ feet. Today, with attention to detail and continual innovation, they continue to build some of the finest fishing and cruising yachts on the water. Their main focus is delivering semi-custom yachts, using unique building methods to make a strong, fast, safe, and seaworthy vessel that can be built faster than custom builders but still cater to individual needs.
The new Makaira 64 is a sleek, ultrafast, semi-custom boat that pushes the limits of design and technology. The infused hull is fully cored with Corecell, and the vacuum process ensures that it is incredibly light yet strong from the keel up. Built for open water, the forefoot cuts perfectly through the waves and water peels off the chines for a dry ride. A unique transom design allows aggressive maneuvering and the 360-degree visibility from the helm is outstanding. Look for the Makaira as it makes its debut at the boat shows this fall and winter.
The On The Water staff is made up of experienced anglers from across the Northeast who fish local waters year-round. The team brings firsthand, on-the-water experience and regional knowledge to coverage of Northeast fisheries, techniques, seasonal patterns, regulations, and conservation.