From The Helm: Pursuit 3000 Offshore

The ideal boat for a charter captain in the Northeast with an unlimited budget is actually two boats – one that is quick and fast (a center console with twin outboards) and another that is a battle tank and can withstand rough seas (a Downeaster).  Well, this charter captain does have a budget and can’t purchase two boats, so I had to find one single boat that could meet as many of my goals and objectives as possible.

I looked long and hard for this boat. My wish list was clear: I wanted a vessel that could be used for all my charters, from nearshore to offshore, and that could accommodate up to six anglers. I wanted good fuel economy from a boat that, if necessary, could go fast and handle rough seas.  And I wanted to have the ability to run offshore to the canyons.

My previous boat was smaller, and it was equipped with outboard engines. I wanted inboard engines because I like the cockpit space they open up and I like the fact that you do not have to navigate around them while battling fish – which is especially important with unseasoned anglers on paid charters.

The Pursuit 3000’s twin Cummins diesel engines provide good fuel economy at a cruising speed of 18 to 20 knots at 2200 RPM burning approximately 1.1 gallons of diesel fuel per mile. The 12.5-foot beam provides extra room in the cockpit as well as increased stability.  If we have to go quick, we can go up to 25 to 28 knots in calm seas. (Although with the price of fuel today, we have slowed down considerably.) The boat may be small for the canyons, but it can handle the trip under the appropriate conditions and with the help of extra fuel storage in bladder tanks.

The vessel rides heavy, and that is likely due to the wide beam. The hull provides a stable ride in rough seas at a reasonable speed. I have fished in some nasty conditions with small craft advisories and was pleased with the way the vessel handled. When drifting in rough seas the boat rocks a bit because of its tendency to drift parallel to the waves.

Most importantly, the boat is laid out for fishing.  The helm is placed at the center of the vessel, with the livewell, storage and washdown area centrally located behind the helm as you proceed to the cockpit. Rod holders and rocket launchers are everywhere, offering plenty of options for active fishing rods and standby fishing gear or equipment. There is plenty of rod storage with overhead rod racks and rod storage underneath the bed and bunks.  The marlin tower provides a nice view of the trolling spread, the surrounding waters, and (hopefully) schooling fish. It is fully equipped to control the vessel, and includes a Furuno unit that is linked to the Furuno unit at the helm.

For overnight trips to the canyons, or spending a few days on the water, the vessel is equipped with a bed for two (or one, depending on your size) and two bunked beds as well as a kitchen space with a microwave and refrigerator.
We fish from April to November and target what fish are present north and south of Cape Cod, Massachusetts as the season changes. The boat provides us the ability to comfortably bottom fish, drift with live bait, troll or venture to the canyons with some help from some bladder tanks.

Early in the season we bottom-fish for cod, pollock and haddock out on the open waters of Stellwagen Bank. The seas don’t always cooperate in early spring, so I appreciate the extra stability provided by the wide beam of the hull. The roomy cockpit can comfortably accommodate up to six anglers for a groundfishing trip, ideally with four actively fishing at a time. There’s plenty of room to store up to 500 pounds of groundfish.

During the striped bass migration, we use live mackerel and drift for big bass in Cape Cod Bay or chase blitzing fish with spinning outfits off Provincetown.  When the fishing settles down in summer, we vertical jig or troll wire line outfits for stripers.  If we are chasing blitzing striped bass, bluefish or bluefin tuna, we can place two anglers at the bow of the boat with the remainder in the cockpit.  I have two rod holders located on the bow rail for temporary rod storage.

I have to admit that run-and-gun fishing for bluefin tuna with this vessel is difficult.  The diesel engines are noisy and can be a problem if the fish are finicky or noise sensitive. If we do run after blitzing tuna, I prefer using only one engine to reduce the noise.

Luckily, the outriggers and rod holders in the cockpit give us the ability to troll up to 8 to 9 rods when tuna fishing.  When trolling, I typically engage one engine in order to achieve the appropriate speed to present our trolling spread. We can also drift and use live bait and kites to hook up to tuna or sharks.

The helm is surrounded by canvas and plastic windows. There is no windshield.  The upside is that the plastic windows and canvas can be removed to cool things down when it gets hot.  The downside is that occasionally the visibility through the plastic window at the helm will be poor, during heavy rain or when there’s periodic ocean spray from rough seas. This is my only real complaint about the boat. A little RainX on the plastic windshield has helped with poor visibility.

There’s no such thing as a boat that can do it all, but this vessel is the closest I’ve found, and it serves as an all-around boat for the wide range of charter fishing I do. What I enjoy most about this boat is that the layout of the helm, cockpit and marlin tower is made for fishing, and that the location of the fishwell, storage and rod holders provides a well-organized platform to chase and land the fish or beast of the sea!