Wellcraft 241 Bay (2016-)

Brief Summary

Wellcraft designed the 241 Bay (formerly the 241 Fisherman) to be a big bay boat that can venture into the shallows thanks to a 14'' (0.35 m) draft. Her deadrise at the transom is 15-degrees, making her fast and fuel-efficient. She can handle offshore fishing when conditions are right. She comes packaged with a tandem-axle, saltwater grade trailer, and the Family Package adds seating cushions and a console head. Pricing begins at $60,015 with an Evinrude E-TEC G2 200.

Key Features

• 5 gallon bucket in holder
• Bait well/livewell, 34 gallon with bluecoat, light and timer
• 72 quart carry-on cooler
• Leaning post
• Rear folding bench seat
• Storage/Fishbox with overboard drain
• High speed livewell pick-up
• Changing room
• Rod holders
• Custom tandem axle trailer with brakes

Test Results

Specifications

Length Overall	24' 4'' / 7.42 m
Beam	8' 6'' 2.59 m
Dry Weight	4,000 lbs. 1,905 kg
Tested Weight	5,142 lbs. 2,332 kg
Draft Up	14'' 0.35 m
Draft Down	31'' 0.78 m
Deadrise/Transom	15-deg.
Max Headroom	open
Bridge Clearance	8' 3" 2.5 m
Weight Capacity	2500 lbs. 1,134 kg
Person Capacity	8
Fuel Capacity	87 gal. 329 L
Water Capacity	N/A
Total Weight	5,142 lbs. 2,332 kg

Acceleration Times & Conditions

Time to Plane	4.1 sec.
0 to 30	9.3 sec.
Ratio	N/A
Props	17-t X 15 1/2
Load	2 persons, full fuel, no water, 50 lbs. of gear
Climate	92 deg., 74 humid.; wind: 0-0 mph; seas: calm

Engine Options

Tested Engine	1 x 250-hp Yamaha F250 XCA
Std. Power	Not Available
Opt. Power	Four Evinrude engines from 200-hp to 300-hp Four Mercury engines from 200-hp to 300-hp Four Yamaha engines from 200-hp to 300-hp

Learn More
Watch Our Video

Overview

Wellcraft designed the 241 Bay to be a big bay boat that can venture into the shallows with 14” (35.6 cm) of draft and still have the size and seaworthiness to venture offshore when conditions allow. She’s available with up to a single 300-hp outboard and comes on a tandem-axle trailer. Option packages include the Tournament Edition for more serious fishing or the Family Package that includes bow cushions and an optional portable head in the console.

Features Inspection

The Design.

For the 241 and the 221 Bay, most people would assume that the bigger boat is simply a stretched version of the smaller one. A closer look shows that, obviously, the 241 Bay is longer, but there’s more to the design than just two extra feet. The simplest way to describe it is that Wellcraft took a 221 and cut it in half at the console and added to the boat’s length in the middle of the hull, not at the bow or stern. The result is that there’s more usable space on both sides of the console as well as in the bow and stern.

The Stern.

Stepping aboard the 241 Bay, we’ll start at the stern where there are twin 34-gallon (128.7-L) livewells in the outboard corners that are painted blue, lighted and have timers. Some might carp about the solid hatches instead of clear acrylic ones, but they’re designed for an angler to walk on. Between the wells, a bench seat folds up so passengers can relax en route to the fishing grounds. When it’s stowed and all the hatches are closed, the stern has an elevated fishing deck. There are dedicated tackle boxes in each aft corner, and a hatch in the sole beneath the bench seat provides access to the livewell pumps and other equipment.

The Leaning Post.

Moving forward, there’s dedicated space in the bottom of the aluminum leaning post frame for the 72-quart (68 L) carry-on cooler. The upgraded version of the leaning post that comes with the Tournament Edition package includes a backrest with four rod holders on the aft side and storage under a hinged bottom cushion. The standard leaning post has space for two to lean or sit.

The Helm.

The 241 Bay’s helm is laid out for a companion to comfortably join the captain with the stainless steel steering wheel position to port and the controls in the center. To starboard, there is a pair of cup holders and a 12-volt power plug. There’s plenty of space in the vertical section of the dash for the optional Garmin chartplotter/fishfinder. Above, the toggle-style stainless-steel toggle switches that illuminate when activated are in a single row. If an owner opts for the Deluxe T-top, it has speakers for the Fusion stereo, an electronics box and LED lights.

Fish and Rod Storage.

Outboard of the console on each side are insulated fishboxes that drain overboard and can be equipped with macerator pumps. There are racks in the gunwales that can be used to store rods or accessories such as a gaff, boat hook, or cleaning brush. In the Tournament Edition, there are mats in the gunwales to protect reels from banging against hard fiberglass.

The Console.

Wellcraft paid attention to the details on the 241 Bay’s console’s rod holders. There are three on each side, and its height is staggered so that reels won’t knock against one other. The seat on the front of the console has a padded backrest, and the entire console front opens to provide access to the batteries and storage pockets on each side. An optional portable head is available.

The Bow.

The standard 241 Bay’s bow has raised casting decks around the perimeter that an angler can walk on when fighting a fish. Outboard on each side, hatches open up insulated draining lockers that can be used for icing down fish or storing gear. The boat comes with a 56-quart (53-L) cooler in the step that can be replaced with an optional 14-gallon (53-L) livewell with blue finish, a light, and a timer. Forward of the cooler, there’s another locker that has a dedicated holder for a 5-gallon (19 L) bucket, and at the very front, the anchor locker has space for grounding tackle and the rode.

Power and Performance

The Numbers.

The Wellcraft 241 Bay was powered with a single 250-hp Yamaha F250 XCA during our test. With an empty weight of 4,200 lbs. (1,905 kg), full fuel and two people onboard, we had an estimated test weight of approximately 5,142 lbs. (2,332 kg). The motor was spinning a 17-t X 15 1/2 propeller. Top speed was 50.1 mph (43.5 knots) at 6100 rpm.

Best cruise

came at 4000 rpm where the boat ran 34.6 mph (30 knots) and burned 11.9 gph (45.05 lph), which gave the boat a range of 227 statute miles.

In acceleration tests

, the 241 Bay planed in 4.1 seconds and ran to 30 mph in 9.3 seconds.

Construction.

Wellcraft builds the 241 Bay with a foam-filled fiberglass stringer system. The stringers are finished and the cockpit is made from a one-piece liner. The standard boat comes with a white gelcoat, and the hull-to-deck joint is capped with a plastic rubrail with a stainless-steel insert.

Engine Options and Pricing

Optional Packages

Individual Options

Observations

With her taller hullsides and deeper cockpit, the Wellcraft 241 Bay is kind of a bay boat/center console hybrid. She still has a draft of 14” (36 cm) that lets her chase bonefish in shallow water, but she’s more seaworthy than a low-profile model so she can fish more bodies of water. Throw in the Family Edition package with the bow seating, and she becomes a versatile craft for fun on the water.
An owner can choose power from Evinrude, Mercury, or Yamaha and the boat comes on a tandem-axle trailer with brakes and Gatorhyde corrosion-fighting paint. With the engine and boat weighing in at 4,200 lbs. (1,905 kg), a vehicle rated to tow about 5,500 to 6,000 lbs. (2,495 kg to 2,722 kg) should be up to the task and that includes many mid-sized SUVs and pickups.