Pursuit OS 355 (2022-)

Brief Summary

Regular readers know that we like express fishboats because of the inherently better seakeeping abilities of the type compared to an open boat. Pursuit’s new OS 355 has a number of important improvements to this breed and we made a video to explain them. Don’t miss it.

Specifications

Length Overall	37' 11" 11.56 m
Beam	12' 0" 3.66 m
Dry Weight	17,470 lbs. 7,924 kg
Deadrise/Transom	20°
Fuel Capacity	388 U.S. gallons 1,469 L
Water Capacity	50 U.S. gallons 189 L

Captain's Report

For a person buying this boat, the most important decision is going to be choosing between triple 300-hp Yamaha outboards or twin 425-hp XTO Offshores. Sticking with the basics, the triples give 50 hp more than the twins and the OS 355 is not a light boat, so the extra power could come in handy. When it comes to torque, the twins could have an advantage because they have V8 powerheads displacing 5.6 liters compared to a 4.2-liter V6 for the 300s. Combined the XTO offshores displace a total of 11.2 liters versus 12.4 for the triple 300s.

Looking at the charts above, the triples are 3.6 mph faster at top speed. At best cruise, the triples are about 2 mph faster, and the range is the same. A big difference between the engines is the weight. At their lightest, the triple 300s weigh 1,686 lbs. (764.76 kg) combined while the twin XTO Offshores weigh 1,904 lbs. (863.64 kg). The triples have a weight to power ratio of 1.87 lbs. (.83 kg) per hp while the twins calculate out to 2.24 lbs. (1.02 kg) per hp.

Now let’s look at some financials. A single Yamaha F300 outboard is priced around $29,000 so three would price out around $87,000 combined. The XTO Offshore has a price around $45,000, so two would be $90,000 or $3,000 more than the triple 300s. We contacted a local dealer and spring commissioning for triple 300s or twin 425s would be about $1,100. Winterizing for a single 300 is $580 the same process for a single 425 is $645.

Finally, what accessories to the engines have? The 425 XTO and the 300 both come with integrated digital electric steering, Helm Master EX Digital Electronic Control and Joystick Control with  Set Point and Autopilot. They also both interface with popular multifunction displays. The 425 XTO has Yamaha’s electronic engine flushing system, but this feature is not listed with the 300.