Buyers Guide to Center Consoles - 12/22/20
BoatTEST Newsletter December 22, 2020
Center Consoles
Center Consoles have been around for more than 50 years. They started out as utilitarian fishing boats that placed a premium on two things: being able to work a feisty fish all around the perimeter of the boat without the helm being in the way and the elimination of the foredeck so that an angler could safely cast from the bow. Today, center consoles span the horizon from simple, inexpensive bay and inshore boats to rugged, go anywhere sophisticated machines ready for big game and with overnight capabilities.
Following were the most popular center consoles in terms of research sessions by BoatTEST members. The boats aren’t ranked by number of views. Instead, they are in alphabetical order.
Best wishes for a happy holiday season and a healthy New Year from the BoatTEST team.
Video Buying Tips
What to Look For in a Center Console
A center console might initially appear to be one of the more straightforward boats on the water. The name pretty much says what she is, but closer inspection reveals there’s more to them than meets the eye. We take potential buyers through each section of a center-console and point out the important details to look for, and what sets one model apart from another. More...
Test Video
Boston Whaler 230 Outrage:
Creating More Utility and New Functions
One of the advantages of being the latest boat in a popular range — such as 23’ (7.01 m) center consoles — is that the engineers and designers get to survey the competition and incorporate all of the best current ideas. One would think that with the genre being more than 50 years old, there would be a commonality of attributes, and that has happened to a great degree. But Boston Whaler, which has one of the largest engineering staffs in the business, seems to continually refine an already good product. The latest addition to Boston Whaler’s Outrage series, the 230 goes farther to meld cruising functions and family features into a basic design originally intended for meat fishermen. That’s because the company’s customer feedback is pointing Whaler in that direction.
And, they must be doing something right, as it is the largest builder of these kinds of boats longer than 20’ (6.1 m). The 230 Outrage is larger inside because the manufacturer pushed the padded coaming panels out farther and narrowed the cap rails. This maximized deck space, legroom and seating throughout the boat, making her seem bigger even though she has the same external dimensions as her predecessor. The back of her helm seat serves double duty as bait (or lunch) prep counter and an aft-facing double seat. And, let’s not forget the fact that she’s the only boat on this page that states in writing the boat will float level if swamped. More...
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Test Video
Grady-White Canyon 336:
For Those Moving Up or Down
Go to a boat show where Grady-White has almost all of its models on display and you’ll notice an interesting phenomenon — most of the visitors are lined up not to see Grady’s most affordable boats, but rather to see the big boats in the line. Grady-White’s Canyon 336 has scored high in research among our readers this year, as did others in the 30’ range. The brand clearly appeals to boaters who are moving up and down, and little wonder since Grady has 11 models in the between 30’ (9.14 m) and 40’ (12.19 m). The 336’s console is bigger to accommodate larger electronics displays and the extra size means better protection behind the full-height wraparound windshield. Speaking of the windshield, it integrates cleanly into the redesigned T-top that was designed to accommodate an optional SureShade retractable awning. In the cockpit, the hullside door became standard equipment.
The console redesign also means more space in the cabin, including an increase of almost 2’ (.61 m) of headroom. The 7’4” (2.34 m) long berth is roomier and has a slick ratcheting cushion to convert to a sitting area. Perhaps the most important attribute of this boat can’t be seen in it — because it’s not there. It’s Grady-White’s corporate infrastructure. The company’s bench is deep with talent, and that’s why the boats are as good as they are, and its customer service is tough to beat. More...
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Test Video
Mako 236 CC:
Revised and Upgraded
In 2020, Mako Boats revived its 236 CC and the new design provided a solid mix of fishing and cruising features. The 54-year-old brand was one of just a few well-known trailblazing center-console brands back in the 1970s, and she has stood the test of time, under new management, of course. Mako is part of the White River Marine Group, formerly Tracker Marine, which is known for low-priced boats, but Mako marches to a slightly different drummer.
While the brand is value-oriented, the management team’s main thrust is on quality and features rather than rock-bottom pricing. Her side-entry door is a new feature, and there’s more than 6’ (1.83 m) of headroom in the console. She has an upgrade to twin livewells instead of a single. For modern convenience, Mako uses CZone digital switching, something that is unheard of in class, to control virtually all on-board electrical systems and it’s integrated into the multifunction display at the helm. She’s also available with twin outboards. More...
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Test Video
Robalo R230:
Creating a New Value Proposition
Prior to introducing a new version in 2020, Robalo last built an R230 in 2005. The new version is 23’ (7.01 m) long, a size that the manufacturer thought was a sweet spot for new boaters and for families looking to move up. She is also just large enough to take offshore in moderate conditions, so she is not limited to protected waters. To make the new version more family-friendly, Robalo designed the 2020 R230 with what it calls a “high-belt” design that increases cockpit depth and raises freeboard. The hull design has a deadrise at the transom of 20 degrees and a broad flare forward. Cruising features include folding aft jump seats and chaise-style lounges in the bow.
To facilitate entry to the private head, the entire front of the console is hinged and opens toward the bow, which not too many models have, and it makes entry and exit far easier than from side console doors. At $66,139 with a 250-hp Yamaha four-stroke outboard, she’s putting her competition on notice that there is a new kid on the block. More...
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Test Video
Sailfish 242 CC:
Distinctive Design Sets Her Apart
Three things come to mind when we hear the name Sailfish Boats: high freeboard, deep cockpits and the Variable Degree Stepped hull. This stepped hull design is different from most “stepped” hulls we see that have steps in the running surface that elevate sections of the bottom abaft them to provide lift and increase speed and efficiency. Rather, Sailfish’s “step” design is intended to give a more cushioned ride at speed and increase stability at rest. By having a 24-degree deadrise at the transom in its keel and garboards, 23-degrees in its longitudinal middle panel, and 22-degrees in the outboard panel that rises to the hard chine, Sailfish is trying to create the best of both worlds — good ride and stability.
The 242 CC’s cockpit is among the deepest in class at 38.5” (97.79 cm) amidships and 28” (71.12 cm) at the stern. In the bow, an adult sits shoulder-deep on the forward-facing lounges. In the console, there’s 5’7” of headroom (1.70 m). Sailfish uses Kevlar in its stern quarters to increase stiffness and carbon-fiber in the deck for extra, lightweight stiffening. More...
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Sovereign Boat Club
Rare Opportunity: $12,995
For Use of this 37’ CC in Palm Beach
Dad brings home the bacon and the kids see how it's done.
Sovereign Boat Club’s EdgeWater 370CC will only be available in the Palm Beach area until April 15, 2021 — then she goes north for the summer. For just $12,995, this boat is available for unlimited use until then, so long as the boat is only booked 4 days at a time, standard boat club protocol. It is not often that a brand new $750,000 boat with triple outboards, joystick, bow thruster, and a Seakeeper 3 gyro stabilizer is available for personal use at any price. Free hands-on boating safety instruction is included. Only a few memberships are available in this boat and first come, first served. Visit Sovereign Boat Club’s website for more info on the boat.
Boating News of the Week: Episode #34
We wind up this year’s Weekly BoatTEST Reports videos with an interview with Brunswick’s CEO predicting the next couple of years of boating activity. Then, we'll take a look at the affordable Alumacraft Competitor FSX 185, see the first video of Cruisers Yachts’ 42 GLS Crossover, check out Chaparral’s 23 Surf in action, and get a look at Everglades’s only dual console – the 340DC – and Absolute’s new 50 Fly. As always, there is boating news and a quiz for serious captains. More...
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