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We build the ultimate offshore fishing machines.

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Every square inch is built for you—from the curvature of her hull to the stitching on your captain’s chair.

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Built for serious fishermen, our boats have the speed and durability you need to put you on the fish.

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All things being equal in power, size, load, and sea conditions, no other boat can match an F&S.

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EPIPHANY | #19

50’ | Unparalleled ability to maneuver

WARPATH | #29

75’ | Serious fishing abilities, striking good looks

Special Situation | #27

78’| Setting the bar for sportfishing performance

SOUL CANDY | #30

61’ | Artistry & charm converge in a spacious boat

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FOR THE SOFTEST AND FASTEST RIDES

LONGITUDINALLY STEPPED VARIABLE DEADRISE HULL

Unlike Anything Else On The Market

Our Longitudinal stepped variable deadrise hull creates the softest and fastest rides.

Our specially engineered hull mixes air into water in such a way that allows for soft easy rides. The design reduces air friction to ensure you are the first in and the last out.

How It Works

The hull mixes air into water in such a way that allows for soft easy rides. The design reduces air friction to ensure you are the first in and the last out.

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• Industry-leading fit and finish.

Handcrafted by experts

Led by world-renowned hull-designer Jim Floyd, the F&S team custom builds each boat—no assembly lines, ever.

Each F&S is custom-built to perfectly fit the owner’s needs

Using the latest technology and the highest quality materials, each yacht is created with speed, fish-ability, and durability in mind.

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Top 13 Luxury Sport Fishing Yachts You Need to See

• By Yachting Staff
• Updated: August 8, 2024

It is possible to fish from any type of boat, but a sportfishing yacht is purpose-built for angling aficionados to chase fish of all sizes and species, whether it’s fun fishing for sailfish and mahi-mahi off the beach in Palm Beach or campaigning a professional-level billfish crew on the high-profile (and big-money) tournament circuit from the Bahamas to Bermuda and back. The best sport-fishing yachts combine rugged, blue-water construction with performance, range, agile handling and the comforts of luxury-yacht living. On the outside, sportfish yachts are notable for their dance-floor size cockpits for fish fighting; livewells to keep baits kicking; in-deck fish boxes to keep the catch chilled; and an armada of rod holders for drift fishing, kite fishing or trolling. They also are known for big diesel horsepower and speed, often north of 40 knots. Sportfish yachts are also notable for luxurious interiors with supple leathers, granite countertops, high-end galley appliances and spacious staterooms. These are highly self-sufficient angling platforms geared for life beyond the horizon where the water is deep and the fish are big.

Top Luxury Fishing Boats

The following 13 sportfish yachts are all vessels we’ve reviewed. They are listed in no particular order.

• Viking 82 Convertible : A new breed of sportfishermen emerges from this iconic New Jersey boatbuilder.
• Royal Huisman 171 : This superyacht sportfish is touted as the biggest sportfish yacht ever built.
• Rybovich 94 : A 41-knot, super-sized sport-fisherman from a legendary name in the boatbuilding game.
• Release Boatworks 43 Gameboat : An owner-operator-size, custom-built competitor with classic lines and modern performance. 
• Viking 38 Billfish : One of the top inboard-powered sport-fishermen under 40 feet available today.
• Jarrett Bay Boatworks 64 : Rebelette is a 43-knot fish chaser from the custom North Carolina boatbuilder.
• F&S Boatworks 82 : Special Situation is special indeed: 82 feet of custom sportfisherman, with a top speed of more than 40 knots.
• Bayliss Boatworks 60 : The first walkaround model for this noted boatbuilder, Sequentis is designed to fish the competitive South Florida tournament sailfish circuit .
• Viking 90 Convertible : The flagship of the Viking fleet, the 90C leads a new breed of mega-yacht sport-fishing boats. 
• Merritt 88 Sky Bridge : The renowned custom boatbuilder introduces an 88-foot sky-bridge model designed for global sportfishing adventures.
• Duffie 70 : This 70-footer from Maryland’s Duffie Boatworks blends craftsmanship, performance and fishability.
• Albemarle 53 Spencer Edition : Blending production efficiency with custom-boat design was a dream several years in the making, and the result is well worth the effort.
• Winter 46 : The boatbuilders at Winter Custom Yachts have optimized the walkaround concept with this MAN-diesel-powered 46-footer.

Viking Yachts 82 Convertible

Viking Yacht Company recently debuted its newest sport-fisherman: the 82 Convertible . Hull No. 1 is serving as the factory demo for the busy summer tournament season in Bermuda and along the East Coast. Thanks to many factors, including the use of computational fluid dynamics, performance is exceptional: twin MTU 16V 2000 M96L engines provide a reported 42-knot top hop and a 36-knot cruise speed. This 82-footer also leverages several proven systems for ease of use and efficiency, such as digital switching from Octoplex as well as the Optimus electronic power steering system. The Viking 82 is engineered for many systems that were previously custom installations and are now on the options sheet, including omnidirectional sonar, multiple water makers and crushed ice machines, tuna tube bait systems as well as the extensive use of refrigerated storage boxes. The Viking 82 is available in three models: open bridge, enclosed bridge and sky bridge.

Quick Specifications

Royal Huisman 171

A 171-foot sportfisherman? Yes. That’s exactly what the six-deck Special One is, from Dutch builder Royal Huisman. The interior and exterior design is from noted Dutch yacht-design firm Vripack, which calls the vessel “a sport-fisher on steroids.” The hull and superstructure of the supersize sportfish is Alustar aluminum, a material known for its strength and relatively light weight. Even with six decks, Vripack has managed to create sleek lines. It starts with a high freeboard forward that seemingly dares the ocean to approach. Transitioning from the bow, the sheerline slopes downwards in a steady cadence. The flowing sheerline resolves seamlessly at the cockpit. The vessel’s raked house and stacked deck are juxtaposed against the long profile, creating a sinewy aesthetic, which is no simple feat in this 171-footer. Add in all of the expected angling accouterments and 30-knot speed, and you have a sportfish yacht ready to chase fish around the world.

Rybovich 94

Size, speed and agility is a unique trifecta in a sportfish boat, but the 94-foot, 41-knot III Amigos from Michael Rybovich and Sons checks all those boxes as well as a few more too. The sportfish boat, designed by Patrick Knowles with naval architecture from Dusty Rybovich, is built in cold-molded mahogany. Prop pockets help keep the boat’s half-load draft down to a Bahamas-friendly 5 feet. The Rybovich 94’s impressive speed is helped by a pair of beefy 2,600 hp MTU diesels.

The owner of III Amigos also owns a 196-foot Feadship superyacht and, while he wanted the sportfish to be all business on the outside, he wanted luxury-yacht finishes on the inside. Subtle but telling touches are the solid doors to the staterooms; each mimics the owner’s Feadship with ¾-inch thickness. The doors close flush (each has hidden hinges), and the sound is of a Rolls-Royce door closing.

Release Boatworks 43 Gameboat

Reminiscent of arguably one of the most classic sport-fishing boats of all time—the 43-foot Merritt—the 43 Gameboat from Release Boatworks takes that design to a new level of sophistication and performance. These include a hull built using blister-resistant modified epoxy resin, which is vacuum-infused using Airex foam cores with E-glass hybrid fiberglass laminates to maximize strength while minimizing weight. The stringers are built with fiberglass encapsulated foam, and the bulkheads are vacuum-infused with composite cores. The extensive use of composite materials throughout the boat creates a strong finished product and saves a great deal of weight, providing admirable performance. With standard twin 550 hp Cummins QSB6.7 diesels, the 43 Gameboat cruises at 30 knots and tops out at 35 knots. Notable options include 600 hp Cummins QSCs or Volvo Penta D-8s, omni sonar, gyrostabilization and various tower options. The Release 43 Gameboat is also available in walkaround, flybridge walkaround or express layouts.

Viking Yachts 38 Billfish

The Viking Yachts 38 Billfish offers a special place in the hearts of bluewater sport-fishing enthusiasts around the world, with its combination of versatility, comfort and performance. The reasons are numerous. As an owner-operator vessel, the 38 Billfish offers simplicity and ease of maintenance, serving as a ready-to-go fishing machine that is equally adept at inshore and offshore excursions as well as for extended cruising with family and friends, thanks to its reliable inboard diesel power. It has a large cockpit as well as the speed and range to fish well offshore alongside much larger vessels, while also providing a fast, safe and comfortable ride in a variety of sea conditions.

Jarrett Bay Boatworks 64

North Carolina’s Jarrett Bay Boatworks latest build is the 64-foot beauty known as Rebelette . From its spacious tackle center to a one-of-a-kind walnut interior Hull No. 65 is a tailored fit, and it also has the latest in propulsion tech in the form of twin 2,025 hp Caterpillar C23B diesels. Taking full advantage of the Cat power, Rebelette cruises ­comfortably at 1,750 rpm while making an easy 31 knots. With 1,650 gallons of fuel, it has range to spare at this speed. Push this vessel up to 1,950 rpm to reach a fast cruising speed of 37 knots, which is impressive in any book. Wide-open throttle is 43 knots, fully loaded and ready to fish.

F&S Boatworks 82

F&S Boatworks’ stellar reputation stands tall in the world of custom sportfish builders so it’s no surprise that its latest creation, the 82-foot Special Situation , continues the tradition. One of the hallmarks of any F&S is the performance and Special Situation certainly doesn’t disappoint in that department. Powered by a pair of  2,600 hp MTU 16V 2000 M96L engines, at 2,000 rpm and 80 percent engine load, cruising speed is 36 knots, burning just south of 200 gallons per hour. Backing off to 1,650 rpm, it’s using 122 gph at 28 knots. At the other end of the spectrum, the top hop is more than 42 knots at 2,450 rpm.

Bayliss Boatworks 60

The 60-foot Sequentis was recently delivered to its new owners by the team at Bayliss Boatworks and it represents the first walkaround design for the storied North Carolina custom boatbuilder. Designed for live-bait tournament sailfishing in South Florida, Sequentis has 360-degree fishability as well as multiple livewells and pitch-bait tubes. And in a sport where having the ability to quickly relocate to a hot bite can mean the difference between finishing in first place or dead last, Sequentis is also fast. Powered by two MTU 12V2000 M96X diesel engines, it reportedly hit speeds of well over 42 knots during the initial sea trials in July 2024.

Viking Yachts 90

The flagship of the Viking fleet, the 90 Convertible , has improved elements including the builder’s latest lifting-strake design, a refined driveline and prop pockets, and advanced propulsion systems. Performance was optimized through the use of computational fluid dynamics software, allowing the Viking design team to analyze pressure distribution, study trim angle and trim tab effectiveness, and modify the strakes and chines to increase running efficiency.

Merritt 88 Sky Bridge

Merritt’s Boat & Engine Works introduces its latest, an 88-foot sky bridge designed for global sportfishing. Featuring luxurious interiors, advanced electronics and twin 2,600 hp MTU engines, this sport-fisherman offers yacht-level comfort, high performance and functionality for long-range angling adventures. The Merritt 88’s performance is greatly enhanced due to the extensive use of carbon fiber, Corecell and advanced epoxy in its construction, making this boat not only stronger, but also lighter weight and faster than its predecessors.

The new 70-footer from Duffie Boatworks , Dem Boys exemplifies exceptional craftsmanship, with notable features such as a luxurious four-stateroom layout and high-tech systems, including a proprietary closed-loop freshwater cooling system to virtually eliminate fouling. At 2,000 rpm, the Duffie 70 has a fast cruise of 36.5 knots, enough to make those long runs to the distant offshore canyons considerably quicker, while consuming less than 200 gph. At top hop, Dem Boys hit 43.5 knots.

Albemarle 53 Spencer Edition

Albemarle Boats and Spencer Yachts formed a partnership to design and build a semicustom Carolina boat, with the goal of bringing in the characteristic design elements, styling and performance from the custom world but to do it in a production setting, allowing for faster build times on the order of months rather than years. It was a dream several years in the making, and the result is the Albemarle 53 Spencer Edition .

Winter Custom Yachts

Tim Winters and his team of boatbuilders at Winter Custom Yachts in North Carolina have truly optimized the walkaround concept, taking full advantage of its inherent versatility. Anglers are no longer confined to the limited space in the cockpit and have the freedom to fight fish all the way around the boat from bow to stern. Even just taking the family on a shorthanded picnic cruise is safer and easier since everyone has full access to the bow without having to navigate a slippery deck. Its latest 46-footer , Thumper , is one of the most versatile boats in this size range on the water today.

• More: Albemarle Yachts , Bayliss Boatworks , Duffie Boatworks , F&S Boatworks , Jarrett Bay , Merritt , Release Boatworks , Royal Huisman , Rybovich , Sportfish Yachts , Sportfishing Boats , Viking , Winter Custom Yachts , Yachts
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FROM HUMBLE BEGINNINGS TO WORLD-RENOWNED BRAND

Meet the fleet.

Jarrett Bay Boatworks, a premier builder of custom sportfishing boats, began in 1986 when Randy Ramsey led the construction of a single 52-foot charter boat, the Sensation , in an old tin shed. Since those humble beginnings, Jarrett Bay has constructed & delivered over 100 custom & semi-production sportfish boats and serviced tens of thousands of vessels. Our one-of-a-kind custom construction process allows us to finely balance our customers’ needs for fishing performance, fuel efficiency and luxury – all while never sacrificing the legendary Carolina ride.

World-Class Service

The award-winning Jarrett Bay service department can handle virtually any project on vessels up to 300 tons. Centrally located adjacent to the mid-Atlantic seaport of Beaufort, North Carolina, Jarrett Bay Boatworks boasts highly skilled craftsmen and technicians at the most competitive rates.

Jarrett Bay Insider takes you behind the scenes to inspect the incredible craftsmanship that goes into the construction of our world-class custom sportfish boats and yacht refits.

Furnishings

In the news, why jarrett bay.

We feel so strongly about our boats, we’ve identified 11 in-depth reasons to build a Jarrett Bay. If you are seriously considering a custom build, we’d love to teach you more about the value of our boats.

On The Water Bayliss 60′: Sequentis

On the water bayliss 82′: catch 23, on the water bayliss 75′: wave paver, on the water bayliss 67′: overtime, boat in production bayliss 64′: max bet, boat in production bayliss 75′: big deal.

Every detail, no matter the size, won’t go unnoticed on a boat. Paying attention to details helps us gain satisfaction about the quality of our product. In the end, our favorite part of the collective task is the privilege that comes in building something that will outlive us all.

John Bayliss

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BUILDERS OF THE WORLDS FINEST CUSTOM SPORTFISHING BOATS SINCE 1919

Combining the best riding and fastest hull designs on the water, the most innovative methods and systems in the industry, and an uncompromising attention to detail, Michael Rybovich & Sons delivers the most advanced, best riding sportfishing yachts built today.

Our never-ending pursuit of perfection means exactly that — no corners cut and no aspect left unfinished, to delivery the highest performing, best finished product in the industry.

We offer a  full-service team with expert new construction, service, repair, and renovation services for all sportfishing boat builders.

Custom Build // 64' Walkaround - Lizzy Bee

Custom Build // 86' Sportfish - Persistence

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Custom Sportfish Boats For Sale

Custom Sportfish boats are designed and built taking into consideration the client’s needs and objectives. Browse our Custom Sportfishing Boats for sale featuring Sportfish Boat builders such as Spencer, Jim Smith, Buddy Davis, Sunny Briggs, Mark Willis, Jarret Bay, Rybovich, Gillikin, Weaver, Ronin, Out Island, Jersey Cape.

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From the custom yacht builders at Winter comes a product crafted to outperform with distinction.

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wintercustomyachts

We rang in the New Year with the delivery of our latest 24 CC, T/T Triton II. We look forward to following her throughout 2023 as she tests her new waters. Thank you for the beautiful photography @fishhuntphoto 📷 ...

Merry Christmas from Winter Custom Yachts! Wishing you a relaxing Holiday Season🎄🛥 ...

Start ➡️ Finish Happy First Day of Winter❄️🛥 Check out the preliminary drawings from W35 our latest Walkaround Delivery! ...

We’re dreaming of a Winter Custom Christmas 😉❄️🛥 Hull: W30 LOA: 39’2” Power: Triple @mercurymarine 400 Verados Name: Ricochet 📸: @fishhuntphoto ...

A “Boujie” Interior ❤️‍🔥 She is outfitted with a horizontal walnut grain and leather details can be found through the boat. We can wait for her fishing adventures with her crew next year! #wintercustomyachts #wintermagic #winterishere ...

Beginning ➡️ End Here at Winter Custom Yachts we believe that each build is perfected down to the details. Our team is fully committed to giving you the boat of your dreams 👏 Check out these construction photos from Hull W33, our 53’ Express “Reel Risk” ...

Order your favorite Christmas Present today! Prop boxes available in sizes: 35”, 40”, 45”, and 50” Check out our website or Call 8048944227 for more information! ...

What’s Santa working on this year? Tag your favorite elf and tell them which one you want! Or pick multiple 😉 1- Hull W29 50’ Express 2- Hull W28 63’ Convertible 3- Hull W27 46’ Walkaround 4- Hull W26 37’ CC 5- Hull W25 46’ Walkaround 6- Hull W23 65’ Express 7- Hull W22 60’ Convertible 📸: @fishhuntphoto ...

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2023 RANKINGS – The Top Custom Sportfishing Boats On Earth

Our Top 3 Picks for the Top Custom Sportfishing Boats on Earth!

Our #3 pick.

https://www.releaseboatworks.com

Release Overall Score: 8.7 Price: $$$ Time to build: 8-12 months Custom: Yes

Release Boatworks has earned a rapid and well-deserved reputation for excellence in the sportfishing community. With a track record of innovation, the builder has garnered praise for their personalized service. They have cultivated a loyal following of passionate boat owners who vouch for the brand’s reliability and exceptional performance. Accolades from various media outlets and a presence on the offshore tournament trail have elevated the profile of Release. They certainly appear to be a rising star as their score here reflects.

OUR #2 PICK

https://www.michaelrybovichandsons.com/

Rybovich Overall Score: 8.8 Price: $$$$$ Time to build: ? Custom: Yes

Rybovich Boats represents a timeless legacy of craftsmanship and excellence in the sportfishing boat market. Their choice of hull material, unwavering structural integrity, and attention to fit and finish set them apart as the premier boat builder. The enduring reputation of Rybovich as an industry leader is a testament to their unwavering commitment to creating exceptional sportfishing boats that stand the test of time. Owning a Rybovich boat is not just an investment; it’s a tribute to a storied past and an invitation to partake in a new chapter of unforgettable sportfishing experiences.

OUR #1 PICK

http://www.merrittboat.com/

Merritt Overall Score: 8.9 Price: $$$$$ Time to build: ? Custom: Yes

The meticulous craftsmanship and attention to detail that define Merritt vessels often result in longer construction periods. While this level of quality also justifies the cost and ensures a high-quality end product, some buyers may have time or money constraints. Merritt sportfish boats are luxury vessels that showcase unparalleled craftsmanship, premium materials and advanced construction techniques. Those seeking a more budget-friendly option or looking to enter the sportfishing boat market at a lower cost may find other brands more suitable.

The unparalleled reputation of Merritt as a respected builder is a testament to their unyielding commitment to producing exceptional sportfishing boats that captivate the hearts of anglers worldwide. Owning a Merritt boat is not just owning a vessel; it’s embracing a tradition of craftsmanship and experiencing the pinnacle of sportfishing excellence.

Picking the top 3 sportfishing boats wasn’t easy…  We looked at these boats from many different angles and made sure to have a hands on experience and even fished on most of the Sportfishing Boats on this list.  While anyone lucky enough to own any of the boats featured on our list should be overwhelmed with pride and satisfaction, these 3 brands stood out from the crowd.  We feel as though all of these boats on our list are like the top 5% of sports athletes in the world – meaning, our top 3 picks would be considered the Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods or even Tom Brady of Sportfishing Boats.

Now on to our full report, including the rest of our picks!

There has never been a better time to buy an offshore sport fisherman  than today. It is in the nature of fishermen to be attracted to beautiful, bright and shiny things. Just walk into any reputable tackle shop and you’ll see what we mean. The docks at boat shows and big dollar offshore tournaments are no different for those same anglers in search of the ultimate Gameboat – except they are the quarry not the prey. Just show interest in a boat at these venues and it won’t take long before you’re being stalked by a dealer or, even worse, a yacht broker. They seem to materialize from nowhere, swooping down like a Man-o-war on a bait ball. So, how do you as a buyer avoid ending up with the gaff stuck in you on a multi-million-dollar purchase? Like white elephants and unicorns the perfect boat only exists in your mind. For any true angler it’s the quest that fuels our passion – so let’s go for it.

For the angler who dreams of a boat to ride the ragged edge where the fish are big and wild and traveling to the ends of the earth and to the loneliest oceans chasing billfish and tuna.The vessel must be durable, fast, and easy to maintain. This boat is everything you would expect from an offshore battle-wagon yet refined to be a simpler fishing platform with all the necessary features required to be a global tournament competitor.

Lest you think our editors simply take a walk around Sunset Marina during the White Marlin Open (one of our favorite places to see boats) before sounding off about a boat’s build quality, performance, and fishing dynamics, we’ve actually owned most of these brands. From 13’ Boston Whalers to 60’ custom sport fishers.  We’ve created a step-by-step process for capturing and organizing our impressions. We call it the editor’s observation sheet, and this form allows our editors to perform exterior and interior walkarounds while collecting a significant number of individual observations using an iPad or laptop and sometimes bar napkins.

Upon starting a new review, the editor starts by rating each category on a ten point scale. For this article we focused on hull material, structural integrity, fit & finish, wiring & plumbing systems and finally the fishability. Builder reputation is perhaps as important as all of the above combined, so if they are on this list, the builders tried and true reputation can be assured.  All of our data is based on the subjective observations from the owner’s perspective, not those of professional captains and mates. Although we certainly collect and value their opinions as well.

While the thought of a live-aboard 90 footer is nice, we’re not billionaires. Besides, the best spots to chase gamefish are usually in close proximity to world-class resorts or at least 5 star accommodations. So we will limit our search to 45 to 65 footers. This size range seems to be the sweet spot for owners wishing to either run their own boat or have a captain and small crew.

All of us here have explored the boat market extensively, so let us share some valuable insights on the top five things to consider in the construction quality of a sportfishing yacht:

• Hull Material: The choice of hull material plays a crucial role in the construction quality of a sportfishing yacht. We’re going to focus on the top four materials. 1. Solid Glass Hulls: While solid fiberglass hulls have been a popular choice for many, many years, they do have some drawbacks. One of the main disadvantages is their weight. Solid fiberglass hulls tend to be heavier than other construction methods, which can affect the boat’s performance and fuel efficiency. Additionally, solid fiberglass hulls are more prone to osmotic blistering, which is the formation of small blisters on the hull due to water absorption. This can lead to costly repairs and maintenance. Another drawback is that solid fiberglass hulls are less flexible than other construction methods, which can make them more susceptible to cracking or damage in rough seas. These are most often found in the larger production builders. 2. Balsa Cored Hulls: Balsa cored hulls consist of a layer of balsa wood sandwiched between two layers of fiberglass . This construction method offers a good balance between strength and weight. Balsa wood provides excellent insulation and soundproofing properties, making the boat quieter and more comfortable. However, it is important to ensure proper sealing and maintenance to prevent water intrusion into the balsa core. This material has become somewhat antiquated and has evolved into the next method. 3. Closed Cell Foam Infused Hulls: Closed cell foam infused hulls utilize a foam core material that is injected with resin during the construction process. This method creates a lightweight yet strong hull with excellent buoyancy and impact resistance. Closed cell foam infused hulls also offer superior insulation properties, reducing noise and vibration. This is most often found in use with the smaller custom builders.4. Cold Molded Hulls: Cold molded hulls are constructed by layering thin strips of wood at alternating angles, which are then saturated with epoxy resin. This construction method results in a strong and lightweight hull with excellent resistance to impact and flexing. Cold molded hulls offer a traditional look and feel. While captains may feel a wooden boat raises more fish which is unfounded, most builders favor this method because of the low capital investment into a “disposable” jig upon which the hull is built. When choosing the type of material for your sportfishing yacht, it is essential to consider factors such as your specific needs, budget, and intended use.
• Cost vs. Value: Determining the cost-to-value paradigm involves researching and comparing prices, considering the features and customization options, assessing the quality and craftsmanship, and evaluating the potential resale value. By carefully considering these factors, you can make an informed decision that aligns with your budget and desired boating experience. As always, you get what you pay for but there is a clear and obvious diminishing return factor that should be considered.
• Fit and Finish: Attention to detail is essential in the construction quality of a sportfishing yacht. Check for smooth and even top coat finishes, properly aligned hardware, and well-finished interiors. A yacht with superior fit and finish not only looks aesthetically pleasing but also indicates the builder’s commitment to quality.
• Wiring and Plumbing Systems: A reliable and well-designed electrical and plumbing system is crucial for a sportfishing yacht. Look for properly labeled and organized wiring, high-quality components, and well-installed plumbing fixtures. A well-executed system ensures safety, reliability, and ease of maintenance, it’s also a pretty good tell for attention to detail on the rest of the build.
• Buying Experience: Buying a new boat is a big deal, we believe you should be part of the process and involve as much as time allows.  Designing a boat can be and should be fun, so enjoy it. However if you prefer to just stoke the check there is a path for you. A Broker will essentially be your surrogate throughout the process. However, during the process from time to time it will become necessary for you to get involved. In our experience this is usually not the “fun” part. Building a new boat is like getting into a relationship – it’s emotional and lasts a long time. So if that’s not for you, hire a broker. If you’re like us however, you’ll want to be there. From the day the naval architect first sits down at their drafting table. We also like to be able to deal directly with the owner of the company for first-hand knowledge. To paraphrase Harry Truman, the buck stops there. All builders have a high level of expertise in the construction of their boats. Most have been involved at some point in their career in every aspect of boat building – hands on. Many builders are also captains and master anglers that have fished all over the world. If you have a question or need advice they usually have the answer based on their own experience in the field. The builder/owner should be your most valuable resource and if he or she won’t make themselves available, it’s a pretty clear indicator that they either don’t care or are too busy for new customers.
• Reputation of the Builder: When considering the construction quality of a sportfishing yacht, it is important to research the reputation of the builder. Look for builders with a track record of producing high-quality yachts and positive customer feedback. A reputable builder is more likely to deliver a yacht that meets or exceeds your expectations.

Remember, investing in a sportfishing yacht is a significant decision, and considering these factors will help ensure that you make an informed choice and get everything you hope for out of the experience. Good luck and happy building!  Keep reading for our reviews of what we consider the top builders and vessels available today.  These are not in any particular order, but if you want a spoiler, jump to our top 3 picks.

Viking Yachts

https://www.VikingYachts.com

In the realm of sportfishing boats, Viking Yachts have long been synonymous with excellence and innovation. With an extensive brokerage network they are truly the 800 pound gorilla in the industry. Go to any marina, look left you’ll see Vikings, look right you’ll see Vikings. Their reach is extensive.  If the idea of having wating months for your brand new boat and proudly cruising into you port of choice only to see the 5 or more of the exact same boat to your left and right, then Viking may not be for you.

• Hull Material: Viking Yachts’ commitment to build a better boat everyday is apparent. They employ top-grade materials, such as fiberglass and advanced composites while still using their traditional balsa wood core in many applications. While this is common among production builders, they lose some points for this in our opinion. They have grown beyond the delamination issues of the early days. Now their rigorous construction process delivers a vessel that inspires confidence. While not known for an exceptional ride, they will get you there and back even in the most challenging offshore conditions.

Hull Score: 7/10

• Cost vs Value: Each boat is extensively designed with precision, utilizing cutting-edge technology powered by a massive engineering department that smaller builders can only dream of. They have their construction process down to a science, it has to be to move down the assembly line at the pace they set. While this negatively affects a customer’s ability to customize their pricing they have narrowed the gap between them and custom builds. This hurts their score in this category.

Cost vs Value Score: 6/10

• Fit & Finish: Even though this behemoth has built thousands of boats in all sizes, their unwavering dedication to fit and finish is impressive. Every detail, from the elegantly designed helm station to the polished stainless-steel hardware, exhibits a level of engineering and planning that is impressive. The interior spaces are expertly appointed with high-end materials, demonstrating the manufacturer’s keen eye for aesthetics and comfort. The interior layout is intelligently designed to optimize space utilization and practicality without compromising on style. The cabins are well-appointed and spacious, offering a relaxing retreat after a day of rigorous fishing.

Fit & Finish Score : 8/10

• Wiring & Plumbing Systems: This industry giant’s engineering prowess extends to their wiring and plumbing systems, which are engineered for peak performance and reliability. The electrical systems are carefully organized, using marine-grade components and industry-leading techniques to minimize the risk of malfunctions. Wiring is conveniently hidden behind false walls, away from the critical eye(they loose fonts for this. Likewise, the plumbing systems are designed to withstand the demands of saltwater environments and prolonged use, ensuring seamless operations and minimal maintenance.

Wiring & Plumbing Systems Score: 8/10

• Buying Experience: Viking uses an extensive brokerage network. Some of the biggest brokerage companies in the world. You won’t be hands on in the process. But you’ll know in advance exactly what you’re going to get because there are dozens of other ones out there just like the one you’re building. In our opinion this is not the experience we prefer. The score is as high as it is because there are so many brokers in their network.

Buying Experience Score: 6/10

• Reputation of the Builder: While the other industry giants have gone by the wayside or been acquired by international conglomerates, Viking has garnered a sterling reputation among boating enthusiasts and professionals alike. With over five decades of boatbuilding experience, the company has established itself as a pioneer in the industry. Their relentless pursuit of excellence have earned them the trust and loyalty of customers worldwide.

Reputation of the Builder Score: 9/10

Conclusion: One concern with Viking is the use of balsa coring in some of their hulls. While balsa is a lightweight and relatively strong material, it can be susceptible to water intrusion and rot over time if not adequately maintained. Although they are known for their rigorous construction standards, some buyers may be hesitant about potential maintenance issues and long-term durability related to balsa coring.

Viking primarily sells its boats through authorized yacht brokers. While this can provide a level of professionalism and expertise during the buying process, it may lead to additional costs. Yacht brokers often charge a commission on the sale, which can increase the overall price of the boat for the buyer. Some potential buyers might prefer a more direct purchasing process or a manufacturer that offers options to buy directly from the company.

Over the years, Viking Yachts has been immensely successful in the sportfishing boat market, leading other manufacturers to follow similar design trends and features. Some critics argue that some of their models might lack distinctive innovation. While Viking Sportfish boats undoubtedly deliver on performance and quality, those seeking a more unique or groundbreaking design might consider exploring alternative brands.

In conclusion, while Viking has earned a well-deserved reputation for craftsmanship and performance, there are certain considerations that potential buyers should take into account. The use of balsa coring in some hulls, the dependence on yacht brokers for purchase, and the perception of a “Me Too” design philosophy are factors worth pondering before making a final decision.

Viking Overall Score: 7.3 Price: $$$ Time to build: 8-12 months Custom: No

Bayliss boatworks.

https://www.baylissboatworks.com/

Bayliss Boatworks is located in the boat building community of Wanchese, North Carolina. The company’s founder John Bayliss got his start as a charter Captain out of the famed Oregon Inlet. He has earned an impeccable reputation in the sportfishing community. With a legacy spanning decades, the builder has established itself as a true leader in the industry. Their commitment to customer satisfaction, personalized craftsmanship, and unwavering attention to detail has garnered them a loyal following of passionate owners who swear by the quality and performance of their Bayliss boats. Although they haven’t put out as many boats as other builders, every one of them is a work of art

• Hull Material: Bayliss utilizes the tried and true cold molded construction process. This offers unique advantages in terms of strength, customization, and aesthetics. However, buyers should be aware of the increased construction time, higher cost, limited availability, and maintenance requirements associated with this method.

Hull Score: 8/10

• Cost vs. Value: Their limited production and labor intensive techniques contribute to a very high cost. Its not just the labor but the skilled labor required to build a Bayliss. Their saving grace here is that they command a very high resale value – IF you can find one for sale! However, they’re price point can’t be overlooked. So, high cost negatively contributes to their score.
• Fit and Finish: The builder’s attention to detail and dedication to perfection shine through in this category. Bristol may not be a strong enough term here. This level of fit and finish comes at a price, not just financially but extended build time as well. Their interior layout is thoughtfully designed to optimize functionality and comfort without compromising on style

Fit & Finish Score : 9/10

• Wiring and Plumbing Systems: Their expertise extends to the wiring and plumbing systems as well. Each boat is equipped with state-of-the-art electrical and electronic components, skillfully integrated and organized to ensure seamless operations and ease of maintenance. The plumbing systems are designed to withstand the rigors of saltwater environments, providing hassle-free functionality during long fishing expeditions. They believe in sticking with tried and true systems to reduce the potential for failure.

Wiring & Plumbing Systems Score: 9/10

• Buying Experience: When you build a Bayliss, you’re not treated like a customer. It’s more like joining a private club. The ultimate level of interaction is encouraged. However, expect to be taking a lot of trips to Wanchese.

Buying Experience Score: 9/10

• Reputation of the Builder: Bayliss Boatworks has earned an impeccable reputation in the sportfishing community. Now entering their third decade, the builder has established itself as a true leader in the industry. Their commitment to customer satisfaction, personalized craftsmanship, and unwavering attention to detail has garnered them a loyal following of passionate owners who swear by the quality and performance of their Bayliss boats. This give the high honors.

Reputation of the Builder Score: 10/10

Conclusion: Bayliss focuses on crafting larger custom boats. While this level of personalization is appealing, it also means that the builder may have limitations on the number of projects they can undertake at any given time. As a result, potential buyers might encounter waitlists or limited availability for a build slot for a mid-size sportfisherman. They are renowned for their top-tier quality and custom features, but such craftsmanship comes at a premium cost. These boats often have a higher price point. While the investment reflects the exceptional craftsmanship and luxurious amenities, it might not be within the budget of all potential buyers. Owning a Bayliss boat is not just an investment; it’s an affirmation of uncompromising quality and an invitation to experience the joy of sportfishing at its finest. Bayliss Boatworks is undoubtedly a standout among them. It you have the time and money and if they have the room, a Bayliss should be on your short list.

Bayliss Overall Score: 8.5 Price: $$$$ Time to build: ? Custom: Yes

Release boatworks.

Release Boatworks stands tall as an exemplary manufacturer of mid-size sportfishermen. They began life in Miami and a few years ago moved to their current location in the New Jersey boat building town of Egg Harbor (no relation to the Ira Trocki owned Egg Harbor Yachts). Their style gives a nod toward the Florida builders of old. In fact they freely admit to their purposely identical hull sides of a 43’ Merritt. Unlike the other builders listed here, their largest build to date is a 55’ flybridge walk around. In fact they definitely own bragging rights for the top walk around model as it is clearly their specialty. We can see the benefits of their design, particularly in that mid forty range and while walk arounds are their specialty they shine on every design they put out.

• Hull Material: Release uses the vacuum infusion method to build their fully composite boats. As a result their boats are stronger and lighter, the end result being improved efficiency and superior performance. Their construction method delivers a high-quality hull that also features a clean wake while on the troll. This helps them earn a top rating as well as their move away from wood coring.

Hull Score: 10/10

• Cost vs. Value: Their moderate volume production and advanced construction techniques should contribute to a high cost. However, Release claims their goal is to be priced at the same level as the production builders while building at the custom boat level. Their construction methods alone would enable them to charge a premium. However, favorable they’re pricing can’t be ignored and we expect it won’t last forever.

Cost vs Value Score: 9/10

• Fit and Finish: Release Boatworks’s fit and finish, as expected, is superior to all production builders. Their interior layouts are well designed using teak or cherry wood, as you would expect from a builder at this level.  While not quite at the level of Rybovich or Garlington, a bell curve on price would put them in the conversation for sure as the hugely inflated price of their custom competitors does not accurate depict the advantages.  If talking pound for pound, Release Boatworks is ahead of just about any builder we have reviewed.

Fit & Finish Score : 8.5/10

• Wiring and Plumbing Systems: Their wiring and plumbing systems are typical of a mid-size sportfisherman. Most closely compared to Viking. With the company founder’s background in charter boats, you can clearly see their focus is on reliability and easy maintenance. Their goal is obviously worry-free functionality and well thought out use of space. Nothing revolutionary here, just good engineering.
• Buying Experience: Working with Release, you know you’re dealing with hands on boatbuilders. This means you need to be patient. These guys are usually found inside a boat not at a sales desk. Their start and build times seem to be a little better than the others on this list. When you do get them going, they can talk boats with the best of them. If you happen to go there, which they encourage, Atlantic City is about twenty minutes away, and you will likely find yourself talking boats and fishing at lunch with the founder, Jim Turner.

Buying Experience Score: 8/10

• Reputation of the Builder: Release Boatworks is the youngest company on our list but the fishing community knows their name and they are a clear force to be reckoned with in the sportfish world. Their factory is full of hundreds of years of combined experience in boat building and their relative youth has translated into cutting edge materials, strategies, and technologies.

Rybovich and Sons

The iconic Rybovich and Sons has been building boats in Palm Beach, Florida since the 1940’s. With their storied history and reputation for excellence, they are in a class of their own. The exceptional qualities that define Rybovich boats include their choice of hull material, unwavering structural integrity, exquisite fit and finish, advanced wiring and plumbing systems, and their enduring reputation. Before Hull #1 was splashed, there was no such thing as a sportfish boat. Need we say more?

• Hull Material: Rybovich utilizes the tried and true cold molded construction process. However, they take it to the next level. Mike Rybovich actually hand selects the mahogany planks used in their hulls. Their hulls run like a Rolls Royce, stately and comfortable in every condition. All this equates to more time and cost to own a Rybovich This of course negatively affects the score here.
• Cost vs. Value: Yes, this brand is at the upper limits of the cost scale and you have to get in line to get one. Most of their new builds go to previous owners looking to move to a bigger boat. When you build a Rybovich you are building an instant classic. They even have a book about them. Again, they’re price is high and build time is measured in years not months – but so is their wait list. But we would argue that you can’t put a price on a work of art.  Despite their dedication to perfection, or perhaps because of it, high cost and extreme build times negatively impacts their score.
• Fit and Finish: We could argue that every Rybovich is a masterpiece. Museum quality is a term that comes to mind. Once again, this level of fit and finish comes at a price, not just financially but extended build time as well. If Mr. Rybovich doesn’t like the way his cabinetry looks, he rips it out and starts over, increasing the cost and build time. However, you will not find a better fit and finish anywhere. We’re still taking a half point off for the time and cost.
• Wiring and Plumbing Systems: The craftsmen at Rybovich have been there for many years and it’s evident in their systems. It is incredibly difficult to be both innovative and traditional at the same time but they somehow manage to pull it off. They build what works and always have. Over the years, they’ve integrated a bell and whistle here and there. It eventually becomes an industry standard.
• Buying Experience: When you goto Rybovich and Sons, you immediately feel like you’ve known them forever. They are very proud of their family tradition and put the pressure on themselves to live up to it. The buyer will never have to give Rybovich a motivational pep talk. The downside here is there is an extensive amount of planning and pre time before anything begins to happen and they lose a little off their score for that. Yes, you will have to go to Palm Beach often. But c’mon, it’s Palm Beach!
• Reputation of the Builder: To say Rybovich and Sons has would be like saying George Washington was a pretty good president. Rybovich invented the sportfishermen – that is not a legend. Their boats have only gotten better since. They take their legacy very seriously and it shows. If we sound like Rybovich fanboys, we are. Spend time on one. If there were a higher score than a 5 they would get it..

You cannot talk about sportfishing boats without this legendary brand. The boatyard opened in Pompano Beach, Florida in 1948. Since hull number one in 1955, Merritt Boat and Engine Works has been building boats for one purpose… to catch sportfish. The Merritt name not only represents outstanding service and repair, but also ground-breaking boat construction and expertise. While the 37 footers have grown to include yachts up to 86 feet, with many luxurious enhancements, the small Mom & Pop ambiance of the boat yard has basically remained the same. Many of the boat yard staff have remained dedicated to the company for decades, becoming truly a part of the Merritt family.

• Hull Material: Merritt utilizes advanced composites known for their high strength-to-weight ratio. This means their boats are lighter, resulting in improved efficiency and better performance on the water.Their hull construction show exceptional strength and durability, making them ideal for a sportfisherman. Their construction method delivers a high-quality, high-performance hull earning them top marks.
• Cost vs. Value: Their limited production and advanced construction techniques contribute to a very high cost. Their reputation and quality enable them to charge a premium. However, they’re price point can’t be overlooked. So, high cost affects their score in this category.
• Fit and Finish: Merritt’s fit and finish, as expected, is at the top of its class. However, this level of quality is pricey by any standards. Their interior layouts are well designed using everything from exotic wood to granite.
• Wiring and Plumbing Systems: Their expertise extends to the wiring and plumbing systems as well. As a full service working boatyard for the past nine decades they have seen all the potential problems. Each boat is built to ensure long term operations and ease of maintenance. Providing hassle-free functionality during the life of the boat. They use what they know will work.
• Buying Experience: When you go into Merritt Boat and Engine Works, you know you’re in a working boatyard. They even offer a full brokerage division. It seems everything is always humming along at full speed. You can expect to bump into a legendary captain, after all, they are running a Merritt. Like the other builders at this level, plan on spending a substantial amount of time before anything begins to happen with your build so they lose a little off their score for that. Therefore, plan on spending time in Pompano.
• Reputation of the Builder: If Rybovich is like Washington then Merritt is Jefferson. Their boats have continually improved since the “Pompano Pounder” days. They also are extremely proud of their legacy not resting on their laurels for a moment. As you can tell we’re also Merritt fanboys. They get top marks here.

Founded by Richard Garlington and located in Stuart Florida since 1980, this builder has a reputation for crafting beautiful sport-fishers that perform and meet the discerning needs of their owners. The Landeweer family purchased the company and has upheld the quality and integrity of the custom boats, building on the broad based history and experience of the brand. From the cult like following of their 44 Express to their iconic 61 Sportfisherman, Garlington stands out as a builder in a town known for outstanding builders.

• Hull Material: Garlington Yachts are built with cored composites of Glass, Kevlar, and Carbon fiber. The great advantages of cored hulls are well known, cored hulls are stiffer and perform better in heavy seas as well as being lighter. They are insulated, therefore quiet, and more comfortable riding boats. Resin infusion is their preferred method of construction. This is a process where the voids in a porous material are filled with a liquid resin. When the resin solidifies, the solid resin matrix binds the assembly of materials into a unified rigid composite. A key part of the process is the evacuation, or removal, of the air from the porous material prior to admitting the resin. In its simplest form the process can be broken down into the following stages: Air Removal, Injecting of Resin, Maintaining Vacuum During Cure. They score high marks here.
• Cost vs. Value: Their limited production and top shelf materials along with their advanced construction techniques contribute to a very high cost. Their beautiful lines and quality are an example of the classic Stuart builders. However, the price and long build times can’t be ignored and tier score here is affected.
• Fit and Finish: Garlington’s fit and finish are exemplary. Born in a boat building town known for their quality builders, they are at the top of the food chain. Their quality control leaves nothing to chance. It is a testament to the builder’s commitment to quality. Every inch of these vessels exudes luxury, with a focus on providing comfort and elegance for the offshore angler.
• Wiring and Plumbing Systems: Garlington boats are equipped with top shelf electrical components, thoughtfully integrated to ensure seamless functionality and ease of maintenance. While not necessarily state-of-the-art, at this price point that hurts their score here. The plumbing systems are designed to withstand the demands of saltwater environments, making them highly reliable during long fishing trips in any ocean.

Wiring & Plumbing Systems Score: 6/10

• Buying Experience: If you’re a serious buyer, Peter Landerweer might take you out fishing on a boat in Costa Rica, we think that’s pretty cool. The builder’s commitment to customer satisfaction and personalized service has fostered a loyal following. They encourage the owner’s participation and they are always welcome in the shop. What we like about Stuart is that there are a lot of great boatbuilders to visit while you’re there. If you time you visit right, the fishing can be great out front.
• Reputation of the Builder: Garlington has earned an impeccable reputation in the marine industry. With a legacy that started four decades ago, Garlington has become synonymous with exceptional craftsmanship, innovative design, and unparalleled performance. of passionate boat owners who proudly stand by their Garlington vessels. You will find there boats wherever they chase gamefish

In conclusion, Garlington Sportfishing Boats are a true testament to excellence and precision in the sportfishing boat market. Their superior hull material, state of the art construction methods and impeccable fit and finish make them stand out among their peers. The well-earned reputation of Garlington as a top-tier builder is a testament to their unwavering faith in their design. While not as well known as other brands, owning a Garlington is a testament to the owner’s eye for quality, luxury, and a commitment to the pursuit of exceptional fishing adventures. It’s one of those brands that if you know, you know.

Garlington Overall Score: 7.8 Price: $$$$ Time to build: ? Custom: Yes

Jim smith tournament boats.

Stuart built boat builders share similar traits. If their rakish profiles bear a resemblance it’s for good reason. They are all part of the family tree that began with Jim Smith ‘s first performance sport fisherman over 60-years ago. The story behind Jim Smith Boats, headed now by Stuart, FL builder John Vance, has served as the inspiration for boats by Spencer, Sculley, Weaver, Hines-Farley, Bayliss and scores of others. Jim Smith Tournament Boats defined what a modern day sportsfishermen should be. Radical in thought and action, Jim Smith was an innovator who could turn corn into brandy, bikes into motorcycles and canoes into hydroplanes. But that’s another story…..

• Hull Material: Like all Jim Smith builds, Donald Blount and Associates designs their cold-molded hulls with performance and efficiency in mind. “We’ve been building boats like this for the last 30 years, with Douglas fir stringers fore and aft, okoume plywood bulkheads and African mahogany in the bottom. The builder goes to composites in the deckhouse, floor, structures and furniture. They are built with both offshore fishing and cruising in mind.
• Cost vs. Value: Their limited production and traditional cold molded construction techniques contribute to a very high cost. Their reputation and quality enable them to charge a premium. They’ve built everything from 48 Walkarounds to 105 sportfishermen. All have been the best of Stuart. However, they’re high cost is a big factor in their score.
• Fit and Finish: Very nice fit and finish, It is definitely a boat you want to use. Like a fine English side-by-side shotgun, it yearns to be used. It’s hard to explain it, like a fine custom drawing room – but not a museum. You wouldn’t feel bad about scratching it – but you should. As always, this level of fit and finish comes at a price, not just financially but extended build time as well. We’re still taking a little off the top for the time and cost.
• Wiring and Plumbing Systems: A Jim Smith is meticulously wired by master marine electricians. You’ll find wires that are neatly loomed and tucked away. The systems are cleanly laid out and clearly labeled. All this careful attention to detail amounts to distinguished and unmatched quality. This is what a fishing boat should be.
• Buying Experience: Whether you’re meeting John Vance of Jim Smith Boats for the first time or you’ve known him for many years, you soon realize he is not only a master craftsman but also a historian of the sport-fishing industry. He is just a great guy to spend time with. This is very important because it will be a long wait and a long build time. In the end it will be a great experience.
• Reputation of the Builder: While their reputation foe being very fast but a less than stellar ride may be a thing of the past, it is there. We can attest to the fact that this crew builds a great boat. They are the pride of Stuart and that means something. They miss top marks here due to an old and inaccurate past – but they shouldn’t.

Jim Smith says: A traditional build for a modern world. While not the most advanced technology, a great boat nonetheless. Cold-molded wood construction has been used successfully in construction of boats since the early 1900’s. As John Vance says, the technique creates a hull that is extremely strong and lightweight, making it optimal for building fast long-range sport fishing boats. Each boat starts as a clean sheet, with it’s own unique hull design, hydrodynamics, interior layout, power, performance, and efficiency. The result is a one-of-a-kind Sportfishing Yacht built to the highest standards and to meet the owners desires.

Once again, those seeking a more budget-friendly option or looking to enter the sportfishing boat market at a lower cost may find other brands more suitable. However, it can’t be argued the John Vance and his crew build a great boat.

Jim Smith Overall Score: 8.3 Price: $$$$ Time to build: ? Custom: Yes

Not a big reader   click here to see our top 3 picks.

There has never been a better time to buy an offshore sport fisherman  than today. It is in the nature of fishermen to be attracted to beautiful, bright and shiny things. Just walk into any reputable tackle shop and you’ll see what we mean. The docks at boat shows and big dollar offshore tournaments are no different for those same anglers in search of the ultimate Gameboat – except they are the quarry not the prey. Just show interest in a boat at these venues and it won’t take long before you’re being stalked by a dealer or, even worse, a yacht broker. They seem to materialize from nowhere, swooping down like a Man-o-war on a bait ball. So, how do you as a buyer avoid ending up with the gaff stuck in you on a multi-million-dollar purchase? Like white elephants and unicorns the perfect boat only exists in your mind. For any true angler it’s the quest that fuels our passion – so let’s go for it.

For the angler who dreams of a boat to ride the ragged edge where the fish are big and wild and traveling to the ends of the earth and to the loneliest oceans chasing billfish and tuna.The vessel must be durable, fast, and easy to maintain. This boat is everything you would expect from an offshore battle-wagon yet refined to be a simpler fishing platform with all the necessary features required to be a global tournament competitor.

Lest you think our editors simply take a walk around Sunset Marina during the White Marlin Open (one of our favorite places to see boats) before sounding off about a boat’s build quality, performance, and fishing dynamics, we’ve actually owned most of these brands. From 13’ Boston Whalers to 60’ custom sport fishers.  We’ve created a step-by-step process for capturing and organizing our impressions. We call it the editor’s observation sheet, and this form allows our editors to perform exterior and interior walkarounds while collecting a significant number of individual observations using an iPad or laptop and sometimes bar napkins.

Upon starting a new review, the editor starts by rating each category on a ten point scale. For this article we focused on hull material, structural integrity, fit & finish, wiring & plumbing systems and finally the fishability. Builder reputation is perhaps as important as all of the above combined, so if they are on this list, the builders tried and true reputation can be assured.  All of our data is based on the subjective observations from the owner’s perspective, not those of professional captains and mates. Although we certainly collect and value their opinions as well.

All of us here have explored the boat market extensively, so let us share a summary of our valuable insights on the top things to consider in the quality of a sportfishing yacht:

Release Boatworks stands tall as an exemplary manufacturer of mid-size sportfishermen. They began life in Miami and a few years ago moved to their current location in the New Jersey boat building town of Egg Harbor (no relation to the Ira Trocki owned Egg Harbor Yachts). Their style gives a nod toward the Florida builders of old. In fact they freely admit to their purposely identical hull sides of a 43’ Merritt. Unlike the other builders listed here, their largest build to date is a 55’ flybridge walk around. In fact they definitely own bragging rights for the top walk around model as it is clearly their specialty. We can see the benefits of their design, particularly in that mid forty range and while walk arounds are their specialty they shine on every design they put out.

• Fit and Finish: Release Boatworks’s fit and finish, as expected, is superior to all production builders. Their interior layouts are well designed using teak or cherry wood, as you would expect from a builder at this level.  While not quite at the level of Rybovich or Garlington, a bell curve on price would put them in the conversation for sure as the hugely inflated price of their custom competitors does not accurate depict the advantages.  If talking pound for pound, Release Boatworks is ahead of just about any builder we have reviewed.
• Cost vs. Value: Yes, this brand is at the upper limits of the cost scale and you have to get in line to get one. Most of their new builds go to previous owners looking to move to a bigger boat. When you build a Rybovich you are building an instant classic. They even have a book about them. Again, they’re price is high and build time is measured in years not months – but so is their wait list. But we would argue that you can’t put a price on a work of art.  Despite their dedication to perfection, or perhaps because of it, high cost and extreme build times negatively impacts their score.

Merritt Overall Score: 8.9 Price: $$$$$ Time to build: ?

Custom: Yes

2023 Runner-Ups

Conclusion: Bayliss focuses on crafting larger custom boats. While this level of personalization is appealing, it also means that the builder may have limitations on the number of projects they can undertake at any given time. As a result, potential buyers might encounter waitlists or limited availability for a build slot for a mid-size sportfisherman. They are renowned for their top-tier quality and custom features, but such craftsmanship comes at a premium cost. These boats often have a higher price point. While the investment reflects the exceptional craftsmanship and luxurious amenities, it might not be within the budget of all potential buyers. Owning a Bayliss boat is not just an investment; it’s an affirmation of uncompromising quality and an invitation to experience the joy of sportfishing at its finest. Bayliss Boatworks is undoubtedly a standout among them. It you have the time and money and if they have the room, a Bayliss should be on your short list.

In the realm of sportfishing boats, Viking Yachts have long been synonymous with excellence and innovation. With an extensive brokerage network they are truly the 800 pound gorilla in the industry. Go to any marina, look left you’ll see Vikings, look right you’ll see Vikings. Their reach is extensive.  If the idea of having wating months for your brand new boat and proudly cruising into you port of choice only to see the 5 or more of the exact same boat to your left and right, then Viking may not be for you.

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#3 release boatworks.

#2 Michael Rybovich & Sons

#1 Merritt's

CUSTOM BUILT IN BISHOPVILLE, MARYLAND

THREE'S ENOUGH

Titan 62' Built in 2019

Titan 58' Built in 2003

Titan 64' Built in 2015

Quality boatworks, superior sport fishing vessels. From the minute you step onboard, You will see, experience, and appreciate the design and craftsmanship of comfort and luxury. Striking design, sleek lines and state of the art equipment are all trademarks of Titan Custom Yachts.

From the minute you step onboard, You will see, experience, and appreciate the design and craftsmanship of comfort and luxury. Striking design, sleek lines and state of the art equipment are all trademarks of Titan Custom Yachts.

• HULL 9 63' Built in 2022 LUNATICO
• HULL 8 62' Built in 2019 THREE'S ENOUGH
• HULL 7 46' Built in 2016 TUNACIOUS
• HULL 6 64' Built in 2015 KAARMAA
• HULL 5 62' Built in 2010 CRISDEL
• HULL 4 46' Built in 2009 NEVER E-NUFF Details coming soon...
• HULL 3 62' Built in 2008 OLD NO.7
• HULL 2 62' Built in 2004 A KNOT
• HULL 1 58' Built in 2003 CLICKBAIT

ABOUT TITAN

Titan Custom Yachts was started in 2001, with the plan to build a 58' sportfish to suit the needs of the company president, Russ Garufi. He wanted a custom built boat that would handle long runs up and down the coast and to the canyons with superior comfort and speed in unfavorable weather conditions.

@titanyachtsinc

Titan Custom Yachts 13053 Old Stage RD Bishopville MD 21813 410-352-5675

© Titan Custom Yachts site by fullcitymedia

Best Sport Fishing Boats

• By Marlin Staff
• Updated: May 2, 2019

Who doesn’t like to look at sleek, gorgeous sport fishing boats? Even those who’ll never have the means to purchase one or ever feel the need to venture offshore in pursuit of blue-water species love to stop and ogle the big pretty sport-fisher at the end of the dock. Gleaming bright work, rich teak and lines that seem to stretch on for days captivate anyone with a touch of saltwater in their veins.

But sport fishing boats haven’t always looked the way they do today. In the not-so-distant past (our sport is barely more than 70 years old), sport-fishers were more or less working boats, and they looked like it. The need to go farther and faster in pursuit of bigger fish or more productive waters slowly pushed builders to the edge of the technological capabilities of the time. Any changes that came about were rooted in competition — one guy wanted to go farther faster and catch more fish than the other guy.

While that may sound simple, it takes a special character to start experimenting with a sport fishing yacht that might cost several times one’s annual salary, with no real way of knowing if something is going to work until it splashes in the water. Of course, sport fishing boat manufacturers now can use computer-aided design software to make models and run simulations that take a lot of the guesswork out of the process, but boatbuilding is still a fine art, which makes each and every builder an artist.

So here’s a glimpse into what makes 30 of the top boatbuilding artists in our industry tick and how they go about creating one masterpiece after another.

The entire coastline of North Carolina enjoys a long fishing tradition, so it’s no wonder that the state has spawned an enormous number of boatbuilders. Albemarle Sportfishing Boats started building boats in 1978 after Scott Harrell, a Ford tractor dealer, started vacationing and fishing in Hatteras Village, North Carolina. He eventually started selling boats as well, but even so, he wasn’t satisfied with what was available on the market at that time. The rough waters tore apart most of the trailer boats that Harrell sold and fished on, so he decided that he wanted to build a boat that would take a beating and still provide a dry, comfortable ride.

Burch Perry, Albemarle’s general manager and Harrell’s grandson, says that while the company may have left trailer boats behind, they still build boats that are meant to last.

“We are on our 35th year, and we are still a pretty traditional builder when it comes to the construction techniques we use on our boats,” Perry says. “The materials have got a lot better and much stronger. We still build our boats to fish comfortably and to last a long time. In fact, a lot of times we find ourselves trying to sell a new Albemarle to someone and competing with one of our boats that we built years ago.”

Although Albemarle builds boats from 24 to 41 feet, in recent years the company has focused on boats in the upper end of its range — vessels from 36 to 41 feet. “Even though the outboards have gotten bigger and more economical, we felt it would be better for us to build more of our larger boats,” Perry says. “We like the diesel inboard power because we believe it provides the best fishing platform since you don’t have to fish around an outboard. We think the pod drives are really cool, but they are bit cost prohibitive in our size range. We will build you a boat with pods if you prefer them, but we think that we will continue to see a big demand for shaft-driven inboards.”

New owner Scott McLaughlin purchased the company from Brunswick several years ago after admiring the brand for years. “He definitely wants to continue the brand’s legacy and see it carry on,” Perry says. “And his ownership allows us to do just that.”

Since 1992, when Dominick LaCombe teamed up with the Chouest family to create American Custom Yachts Inc., the company has focused on building boats that can really scoot. The first ACY that Marlin reviewed back in 1994 topped out at 50 mph — incredibly fast by even today’s standards. Today, the company is still going strong, building super-fast boats built to match the specific needs of each customer.

“It’s extremely important to get to know your customers and find out exactly how they plan on using their boats,” LaCombe says. “It’s good to know how they are going to be traveling and what kind of accommodations will be needed for crew and guests. Some customers might come in here and say that they want a 60-footer that they can travel the world in. I might have to tell them that if they made the boat a bit bigger, that they would have better range, more overall efficiency and room to carry spare parts. With our extensive fishing experience, we can give an owner a list of pros and cons concerning all aspects of the boat, and between us, we can usually come up with the best scenario that matches how they want to use it,” LaCombe says. “Every bit of input we can get from the mates, captains, etc., helps us match up the right boat to fit the owner’s needs.”

LaCombe says his customers usually have a pretty extensive knowledge of boatbuilding, so it makes his job a little easier. “You get to really know these people after seeing them around at the boat shows and tournaments. We never build the same boat twice, so we listen to our customers’ ideas and incorporate them whenever possible. From the first time I meet a potential customer, sometimes a year goes by before we sit down and sign a contract. And it should take that long. The customer should check out everybody and look at all the options out there. I prefer a well-educated customer.”

Most of the boats featured in these pages, while exceptional sport-fishers, were never built to be full-time, working charter boats. Private owners who travel extensively to fish in remote areas have a totally different set of needs than the average charter-boat captain who’s more concerned about staying efficient and being able to fish hard in any kind of weather. Capt. Buddy “BC” Cannady, one of the B’s in BB Boats Inc. (the other being Billy Maxwell) has built more than 132 boats, and some of them have been chartering for a long time. Tuna Duck, Cannady’s oldest boat and one that has been chartering for 35 years, does 150 trips a year or more with Capt. Dan Rokes at the helm. Another BB boat Trophy Hunter was in second place at the Pirates Cove Big Game Tournament at the time this article was being written.

Maxwell met Cannady during the winter in 1989, when Maxwell was repairing a torn-up boat. “After I finished the boat, he asked me to come to work for him during the winter of 1990 because I had worked so hard on that first boat,” Maxwell says. “We became partners in 1999 and built my brother-in-law David Graham the Easy Rider.”

While Cannady has 36 boats at more than 50 feet under his belt, 23 of those were built under the BB partnership with Maxwell.

“The cool thing about working with Buddy is that it’s always been a wintertime project, providing four or five months of work for the working captains and mates that have to quit fishing,” Maxwell says. “Everybody who works in our shop is either a captain, mate or involved in the commercial fishing industry. All of our guys know how to fish and where to put things. They are all experienced watermen … Buddy is a legend. It’s been a pleasure to work with him.”

And both men take pride in the fact that they work on the boats as well. “We have our hands on everything — and that’s the way we like it,” Maxwell says. “Our first priorities are economy, safety and ease of use. We want you to be able to make it back safely, hose the boat off and go again the next day.” As an added bonus, a BB can hit 30 knots while burning just 60 gph — you can’t beat that.

Bertram Yacht got its start in 1960, when Richard Bertram began racing and winning on an experimental hull called Moppie. That hull went on to anchor one of the most successful sport-fishing models of all time, the legendary 31 Bertram. The company went on to build just fewer than 13,000 boats in its 53-year history, expanding the line and making more history with iconic fishing hulls like the 54 and 60 Bertram.

“We build saltwater sport-fishing boats,” President Alton Herndon says. “And that means we focus on the fishability, ride, speed and comfort on every boat that leaves this facility. Our customers go to sea often enough that they are sometimes going to get caught in rough sea conditions; we build boats that will bring them home.”

Bertram Yacht recently relocated from the Miami area north to Merritt Island, Florida. “It’s been a very good move for us,” Herndon says. “We had outgrown the Miami facility in terms of the size of the boats we could build and launch there. We had to lift our 80-footers over the buildings on a crane to launch them into the canal, so it just didn’t make any sense to stay down there.”

Bertram also benefited from the huge number of skilled boat builders in the Merritt Island area, and Herndon says that they have on file more than 2,000 applications without advertising. “We’ve got a wonderful team here, and the folks we’ve hired were selected from this large group of applicants. It’s really a wonderful area.”

But that’s not to say that everyone is new. Herndon says that quite a few employees made the move to Merritt Island and that the total Bertram team averages 15 years of experience per employee in the boatbuilding business.“They know their jobs, and they know them well, and the quality of the product reflects that. I’m very proud of our team,” he says.

“The other side of being a successful boatbuilder is to take care of your customer after the sale. And that’s actually the most enjoyable part — spending time on the water with them and getting to the know them. We design and build our boats for their intended use, so who better to learn from than our customer?”

John Bayliss made a pretty big splash in the sport-fishing world in 2002 when he opened up his shop in Wanchese, North Carolina. Like so many builders before him, Bayliss started his career as a fisherman before moving on to boatbuilding. One of his early side trips, a stint as the factory captain at Hatteras Yachts, opened his eyes to a whole different world of boatbuilding and gave him a bunch of good ideas that he would one day incorporate into his own line of gorgeous sport-fishers.

“Boatbuilding is a lot like an arms race,” Bayliss says. “You build a boat with all these good ideas in it, and someone sees those features and says those are great, but how about this, this and this? So then you incorporate those ideas, and it just keeps growing from there. The owners who are really into fishing, like we are, come up with excellent ideas. So it’s a never-ending cycle to make the next boat better than the last one.”

Bayliss says that a passion for the sport and building boats is one of the main reasons behind his success.

“My employees are as passionate about fishing and boatbuilding as I am,” he says. “They might be out with their wife at dinner, but you can be sure that they are thinking about a fix for a little problem on the boat they are working on. Our guys take that level of commitment and creativity to the next level. Creativity fosters more creativity. If the people you surround yourself with share the same passion, then you are going to be successful — and that goes for fishing, football, just about anything,” he says.

“We are extremely committed and will stop at nothing to make sure that we will build the very best sport-fishing boat that we can build. I’m very competitive with myself, and my people are right there with me. If we make a mistake or see something that we need to make better, then we will make it right. We are way more particular than even our owners,” Bayliss says. “Boatbuilding is, in a lot of ways, just like fishing -— you’re not going to make a ton of money doing it, but it sure is a pretty dang cool way to make a living. Between fishing and boatbuilding, I don’t feel like I’ve ever really had real job yet.”

Like most boatbuilders in North Carolina, Capt. Sunny Briggs got his start working during the winter months in the yard for some of the area’s legendary boatmen, such as Capt. Omie Tillet and Capt. Sheldon Midgett. In fact, Capt. Buddy Davis and Briggs worked side-by-side under Midgett until Briggs broke off to start his own shop in his backyard in 1982.

“We all started out the same way, charter fishing during the spring and summer and then boatbuilding in the winter,” Briggs says. “I was mate for 13 years before I started running boats. That was my whole life … I didn’t do anything else but go to school and fish.

“Most of my customers come to me with a size of boat that they are already interested in, so I’ll sit down with them and draw something up to see what we can put into a boat that size,” he says. “We’ll calculate the range and speed and go from there. Many people think that they can get away with a more reasonable price by building a 50 versus a 60, but that’s not really the case. Those two boats have the same equipment, pretty much the same horsepower, with a bit more fuel and water on the 60. We haven’t added much that would make the price go up. The most reasonably priced part of the boat is the hull. So if you can add a couple of the feet to the hull to get a better running surface and riding surface and pick up a bit more room on the inside, then you are far ahead of the game.”

Briggs says that his 61 or 62 is his favorite size. It doesn’t have excessive power, provides a nice space for entertaining, a big cockpit, and he can still achieve a great look that is appealing to the customer. In his opinion, the 61-footer even rides better than smaller sizes, such as a 57 or 58.

“I look back to the Johnny Harm days, and all the really good guys had a wooden boat and diesel engines. And when the Cummins diesel first came out, you’d seldom saw any of the greats going around in anything other than a wooden hull — it’s just a better ride,” Briggs says.

In 1988, Henry Morschladt and Michael Howarth sold their iconic sailboat company, Pacific Seacraft, deciding to build what they thought would be the premier sport-fishing yacht on the market. In 1991, Cabo launched its Ed Monk-designed 35-foot flybridge model. Immediately, the marketplace saw a new standard, and the bar was set high. Offshore anglers couldn’t believe that sailors had designed the boat. Several of what would become Cabo’s signature features caught their eyes, including oversize custom hinges, molded-in bait tanks with the first windows to turn the lighted livewell into an aquarium, fully gel-coated bilges and spacious interiors. In addition, the wiring and plumbing runs were true works of art.

In August 2013, Versa Capitol Management, a private equity investment firm with $1.3 billion of assets, purchased Hatteras and Cabo Yachts. Cabo/Hatteras president and CEO John Ward, a 24-year marine executive whose experience includes Boston Whaler and Mercury Marine, will continue to lead the Hatteras/Cabo team.

“Three things define Cabo,” Ward says. “Fishability, the highest quality components like hinges and hardware, and wiring and plumbing that have no peers.”

Other changes have come along as well. A redesigned hull now runs smoother and drier. Overall, Cabo’s sea-keeping ability is vastly improved compared to the first hull. Fortunately, the public took notice of these small, well-built sport-fishers, and they’ve become extremely popular throughout the Gulf states and abroad. “This is a tough segment, suffering huge declines with the advent of big outboards,” Ward says. “Fortunately, the Cabo brand still has an incredible following all over the world and is going strong.”

Morschladt and Howarth pioneered many of today’s styling and construction advances, Ward says. “We’re still waiting to define any new direction our new owners feel necessary.”

Like Pacific Seacraft before it, Cabo’s customer service philosophy has always had the goal of “out-servicing” its competition, no matter what it takes. With Cabo, warranty claims became painless. And it shows in every customer loyalty brand survey.

Ward feels Cabo’s service has never been better. “We treat the two brands the same when it comes to customer service,” he says. “Except in Cabo’s case, I think we are better today, since the boat is now built on the East Coast, and we have our service facility down in Fort Lauderdale, [Florida]. We can react more quickly and efficiently. Plus, when necessary, we’ll get on a plane to fix it.”

Ira Trocki, a cosmetic surgeon with a passion for boating, created a company that builds some of the most iconic sport-fishing brands in the business. One of the iconic names that Trocki still honors with his builds is Buddy Davis, who died at the age of 62 in January 2011.

Like many builders in the Dare County, North Carolina, tradition, Davis Yachts builds custom Carolina boats. These are purpose-built boats with sharp entries and exaggerated bow flares to meet the strong currents of Oregon Inlet, North Carolina, and the often rough seas of the Gulf Stream.

“Buddy Davis designed boats to handle huge head seas, to perform in a following sea like it is riding on rails and yet be stable on all points,” Trocki says. “The beautiful bow flare isn’t just for looks. The spray from the knife-sharp bow gets blocked by the flare, so it’s beautiful but functional.

“We build each Buddy Davis by hand,” Trocki says. “But we use all the latest technology. In fact, we are more advanced than many, as we employ a resin-infusion process for each hull.” The gelcoat is sprayed onto the mold, and then multidirectional fiberglass, Divinycell composite foam coring and more fiberglass is laid — dry — into the mold. “We cover the entire mold in a vacuum bag and then draw the resin from one end of the mold to the other. This makes for an exact resin-to-glass ratio while eliminating any and all air pockets. It is the most perfect laminate you can muster. It makes for an extremely light, strong and stiff hull. There’s no wood in a Buddy Davis hull,” Trocki says.

And while it gets a lot of lip service in the industry, at Buddy Davis, customer service truly does take priority. “We go a step above just making it important,” Trocki says. “One of our customers had an engine problem on July Fourth. Of course, the engine company didn’t answer its phones. The customer called us and said that he had eight people coming from afar to spend the holiday and was terribly disappointed he couldn’t use his boat. The president of Buddy Davis, Bob Weidhaas, himself a mechanic by trade, left his family’s events and drove two-and-a-half hours to the customer’s home to personally fix the engine.”

Trocki is also a Buddy Davis owner. “Like other owners, I want to be able to look out at my boat and enjoy it as piece of art … except mine can run 40 knots.”

_— Dean Travis Clarke _

In 1987, Jim Floyd and a friend decided to build a strong, seaworthy sport-fishing yacht based on the variable-deadrise running surface of Floyd’s old 23-foot Seacraft. “I grew up fishing on a 23 Seacraft,” Floyd says. “Coincidentally, the patents on its hull design ran out just about the time that I wanted to build my first boat, so I adapted the Seacraft bottom for larger hulls.”

After 10 years of designing and modeling, Floyd built his first yacht in a barn in Delaware. That boat, the 59-foot Fin-Ally, had perhaps the most unique bottom in the genre, complete with longitudinal steps for improved tracking and roll stability. To date, F&S has built more than 20 large sport-fishing yachts for its truly satisfied owners.

“I want to build the strongest boat I possibly can,” Floyd says. “The ride should be the same — the best possible. Our stepped bottom is superior to other designs on every point of performance.” F&S customers become friends because Floyd pays attention and treats them fairly. “I try to build as much boat as I can for the money allotted,” he says.

Floyd has created boats ranging from his smallest — a 36-foot center console with twin outboards — to his largest so far — a 75-foot convertible currently under construction. All F&S boats consist of cold-molded hulls with Corecell topsides.

F&S occasionally pushes the design envelope, taking lines to a more modern place. However, it also builds exquisitely traditional sport-fishermen. Though he has built one 50-footer with IPS pod drives, Floyd says, “We actually tend to stick with the tried and true on at least 50 percent of the technology decisions. Certainly we use advanced technology like honeycomb and composites for construction. But for other systems, like power, electronics and the like, we generally opt for the tried and true that we know will perform well and last.

“We have all raised the standards over the last ten years. I’d be behind the eight ball if I didn’t keep up,” Floyd says. “We step forward and embrace the latest and greatest — but with hesitation. After all, ultimately, we answer to the customer.”

Floyd also has a refreshingly realistic take on customer service. “We have a warranty,” he says. “However, with that said, we have never turned our back on any problem on any boat anywhere in the world. I have three guys who can be on a plane in no time. We are a microscopic-size business on the global scale. We can’t afford a single unhappy owner.

Like a lot of boat companies, Gamefisherman got its start when one man saw a need and decided to fill it. While working for Rybovich, Mike Matlack noticed that a lot of people were interested in buying a smaller-size day boat. “Nobody was building them,” he says. “I felt that there was still a demand for little 37-footers, so I left Rybovich, and the first Gamefisherman, a 40-foot flybridge, rolled out in 1986.”

Eventually, Matlack expanded the line, going both bigger and smaller, but he never got away from his true purpose: building smaller, nimble sport-fishing machines. In 2006, he moved the operation to Stuart, Florida. “We still build the smaller boats,” he says. “Everybody else is building 80-footers. I don’t want to get into that market. That’s what they make Holiday Inns for. Our boats are first and foremost fishing boats. There are guys who will build you a nice fish boat slash condo, but our boats are fishing boats. We are trying to start a mothership operation, since it just makes more sense. If you are traveling, it’s better to have the mothership. An 80-footer can get there, but when the boat gets there and the boat has to go fishing, where are your nonfishing guests going to go? They have to get off. With the mothership, the game boat goes fishing and everyone who wants to stay back can relax on the mothership.”

Matlack uses cold-molded, composite construction in his boats, which allows him to build a different boat for every customer. “If somebody walks in here and wants a 39, 46 or 62, I can build it because I’m not using a mold,” he says.

As far as game boats go, only a handful of boats share Gamefisherman’s reputation for nimbleness. “Our boat’s handle very well,” Matlack says. “That’s one of the things we really work at. They are as fast as we can reasonably make them, and they back up and spin real well. We have large cockpits … I build the boats from the back end forward. Out of the 17 40s that exist, there’s only one here in the States, and the rest are all in the hottest fishing spots: three in Panama, Guatemala, Hawaii, etc. They all end up where the serious fishing guys want to be.”

Peter Landeweer comes from a large fishing family that started out fishing for giant bluefin tuna up and down the East Coast on a 53 Hatteras. The growing family soon outpaced the Hatteras and decided to design and build its own boat, a 67-footer they named Snow Goose. “Garlington came up for sale in 1993, and that’s how we got into the boat business,” Landeweer says.

Richard Garlington started building boats in the mid ’80s, and his boats’ low profiles, clean lines and rounded edges immediately began to turn heads. Landeweer liked the look as much as anyone. “We like the timeless, traditional look -— a boat from 20 years ago doesn’t look old if it has the traditional sport-fish look,” he says. “There’s a certain style that you have to stick with — the S-shear, the split shear — you can’t change it too much. But just like the basic design of the fighting chair, you can make things a bit prettier, but the design doesn’t change much at all. And it really doesn’t need to in my opinion. A lot of people copy the lines of the Garlingtons.”

Landeweer says that the 61 is their most popular model, but that with the new power options now available, the smaller boats like the 44 are starting to make more sense. “You can get 1,400 horsepower out of a 12-cylinder now, which gives you plenty of power in a much smaller and lighter package,” he says. “We started building our 49-footer due to all of the resorts being built everywhere. Why do you need a huge boat when you just leave boat at the end of the day and go stay in an apartment? I’ve built three 80-footers, and most guys still get off the boat.”

Garlington Landeweer utilizes an all-composite, vacuum-bagged, wet-laminate construction. “There’s not a single piece of wood in the construction of the boat,” Landeweer says. “I like the composite. We are not the lightest, but we are stronger. Everybody does it their own way. All of our boats are molded in a female mold.

“We are not the fastest boats either, but we are right up there. We might be the softest-riding. It’s more important to me how she runs in a head sea, since it’s not always calm when you want to go out fishing.”

Willis Slane dreamed about a boat he could use to fish the rough conditions around Hatteras, North Carolina. He heard about a new material called fiberglass and contacted a young West Palm Beach, Florida, naval architect named Jack Hargrave. Together, they designed a 41-foot trunk cabin sport-fisherman with a 14-foot beam, powered by a pair of 275 hp Lincoln V-8s. She boasted a projected top speed of 30 knots. On March 22, 1960, the first Hatteras Yacht, Knit Wits, was christened.

Hatteras went on to greatness and survived a number of different owners, most recently Brunswick Corp. In August 2013, Versa Capitol Management, a private equity investment firm with $1.3 billion of assets, purchased Hatteras and Cabo Yachts.

“Both Hatteras and Cabo are cornerstone American brands in their respective markets, and both have been affected during the extended economic downturn,” Versa Capital CEO Gregory L. Segall says. “We see great opportunity to build value in these businesses, while retaining the expertise in engineering and Eastern Seaboard production that has given Hatteras/Cabo their well-earned reputations.”

Cabo/Hatteras president and CEO John Ward, a 24-year marine executive whose experience includes Boston Whaler and Mercury Marine, will continue to lead the Hatteras/Cabo team.

“Hatteras has always enjoyed a reputation as a capable, seaworthy boat,” Ward says. “One hallmark of the brand is that it never goes too light. All bottoms are solid fiberglass, some resin-infused and others hand-laid.

“I feel Hatteras sits in the middle of the technology boom. Resin infusion is one technology that we use that makes for a better laminate. Other examples include Seakeeper gyros for added stability at slow speeds and digital switching and breakers. I have no doubt that we will be employing more advanced technology in the future, as long as it differentiates us in the marketplace,” Ward says. “We don’t own an engine company, so we are fortunate that we can work with a variety of fabulous and responsive power suppliers. We rarely encounter problems with customer service there.”

Ward offers his formula for good customer relations. “What we need to do is make the process seamless and totally transparent. We need really good relationships with vendors. We need to step up and handle any vendor problems and then duke it out with those vendors ourselves rather than just handing it over to the customer,” he says.

— Dean Travis Clarke

When Jack Henriques immigrated to the United States in his 20s, he carried four generations of Portuguese boatbuilding experience with him. He founded Henriques Yachts Inc. in 1977 and quickly launched its first model, the Maine Coaster, a 35-foot downeast-style boat. Upon his death in 1997, Henriques passed the company on to his two daughters, Natalia and Maria, and his son-in-law Manny Costa.

“We are a small, semicustom boatbuilder that listens closely to our customers so that we can easily meet their needs. If you want a custom tackle center or a special interior feature, we can provide those things. We just launched a 50 footer — our biggest model — and we have a 42 under construction right now, which should be completed this spring,” Natalia Costa says.

“We build traditional sport-fishing boats used to fish the Northeast canyons, so our boats can make long runs and bring you back home. Our first boats were no-frills fishing boats, and although they are still strong and durable, we’ve grown out of the more plain interiors to much more nicely appointed staterooms. We’ve come along way since making the old Maine Coasters,” Natalia says.

Each Henriques is built to order, which opens up room to customize interiors and fishing packages. “If there is anything that can be customized, we will do it. We modify our interiors to fit the owners’ needs,” Manny Costa says.

The biggest distinguishing factor on a Henriques is the large cockpit. “We have the largest cockpits of any boats in our size,” Manny says. “The fishermen we build for require space in the two areas in which they spend the majority of their time. Our cockpits and engine rooms are the roomiest in the industry. Our 50-footer has a 210-square-foot cockpit.” This trend works its way down the line. The 42 Express offers 155 square feet of space in the pit.

As technology and building techniques improved over the years, the company philosophy remained the same. “Henriques has always been about building a safe, structurally sound vessel for the most demanding fishermen and the elements they brave when they tackle the sea,” Manny says. “Luckily, we’ve stayed very busy revamping our 50 and building our new 30 Express. We look forward to putting more sport-fishing boats out on the water.”

After charter fishing for a few years in North Carolina, Randy Ramsey decided that his old boat had had enough and began building himself a new one. “I was building the boat in a old pole barn with incandescent lighting and dirt floors,” Ramsey says. “Before I even finished it, a fellow came along and asked me if I could build him one just like it. I said sure. By 1993, we were on hull number 13 or 14. I had to sell my charter boat and start building boats full time. My life has really been a representation of the American dream. If you have a passion for something, you can still be successful.”

Jarrett Bay makes a true Carolina-style fishing boat, with a beautiful bow flare that appeals to a lot in the sport-fishing crowd. “Most of our buyers are pretty savvy, and we try to sell them much more than just a boat; we want to plant the idea of the great lifestyle that you can enjoy when owning one of our boats. We strive to build something that’s going to work for you,” Ramsey says. “If you don’t like me, then you shouldn’t build a boat here. Relationships are very important in the boatbuilding process, and we need to be friends and family. We want to be able to talk to the people and speak freely so that we build the exact boat that the customer needs.”

Ramsey hasn’t changed the way he builds his boats either. “We want a bulletproof hull, one that is probably a bit heavier than most,” he says. “We glass our hulls both inside and out, which makes the hulls a wooden-cored, fiberglass hull. The houses and interiors get foam coring to keep the weight down. We also like the very conspicuous Carolina look. You can trace our look and lineage back to Omie Tillet. They do have a lot more rake and a little less flare than they did at one time, but we still try to stay true to the Carolina look. We all want our boats to look like they are going 50 mph while they are sitting still … and we try hard to make sure that they do,” he says.

“We’ve been around for 27 years now, through a lot of ups and downs, so we know how important it is to service the customer after the sale — we want people to know that we will always be around to help them out,” Ramsey says.

Because of Jim Smith’s penchant for building racing boats in his early days, Jim Smith sport-fishing boats were, for a long time, looked at as primarily go-fast boats. Jim Smith Boats Inc. owner and president John Vance says that in the early days, a lot of folks were skeptical about using some of the brand new construction methods that were coming out at the time.

Always a pioneer, Smith originated cold-molded, lightweight construction while working at Monterey Boats, a big reason why he was able to take lot of unnecessary weight out of a boat. “We build an efficient boat,” Vance says. “I don’t even have to talk about the speed because that’s our reputation. It’s been a bit of plus for us that we’ve always been on the leading edge when it comes to increasing the size of boats as well. In 1981, we were building a 50-footer that many said was too big to fish from. Well, we just launched a 105. During the ’90s, when people were building 65s, we were building a 70. We’ve always been a little bit ahead in the market in the size game. If you are looking at building a big boat, our name kind of pops up.”

As with most builders, Vance is very cognizant of what his owners want and takes great pains to ensure that they get it. “These guys have usually owned a bunch of boats, and they like to take all the ideas that they’ve seen on their boats or their friends’ boats and incorporate them into a final package,” Vance says. “We listen and try to give them what they want. Sometimes we can’t due to engineering or structural concerns, but we sit down with a piece of paper and, with respect for their knowledge, make sure that they get what they came here for. Our reputation was built on speed performance, and that was what distinguished the company for many years. However, we went to using professional naval architects in the ’90s, and what that did was make our boats great sea boats. Now, we focus on ride quality in every aspect of the design and engineering of our boats.”

Like so many of his boatbuilding brethren, Paul Mann made his way in the world as a mate and captain fishing the rough seas out of Oregon Inlet, North Carolina. So he knows what goes into making a good fishing boat.

“I design my own bottoms and understand what differences are needed to accommodate each owner’s individual fishing style,” Mann says. “A client who wants to fish eight hours a day in rough seas but doesn’t want the boat to roll dramatically requires a boat with less deadrise aft, so it’s stable. Conversely, running hard and long in rough water needs a different bottom with more deadrise and convexity for a smoother ride, but it will roll more in a beam sea. Either way, every Paul Mann boat runs perfectly in a following sea with virtually no yaw and very little lag on the back of a big wave. All my running surfaces have some degree of convexity for a better ride and less drag. I design boats that most closely meet an owner’s requirements without going too far in either direction, so they’re happy with the all-around performance.

“I also like to keep the client regularly informed about where the project stands budget-wise to avoid any and all surprises. Ultimately, my goal is to give my client a high-quality boat that does everything required, comes in on budget and on time,” he says.

Just because Mann comes from an old-school line of builders doesn’t mean he’s not quick to take advantage of the modern methods and techniques that will make his boats better. “Today, everyone wants to go faster and spend less,” he says. “With the price of fuel, you have to use advanced composites in your boat to make it lighter. As for the electronic and electrical gadgetry, I find that most times, it’s the owners who push that envelope further. I would prefer to go toward more conservative operating systems. With simple and functional systems, you rarely have issues.”

Mann enjoys great repeat business because he knows that the relationship doesn’t end with the sale. “Customer service is as important as building the boat,” Mann says. “When someone buys a Paul Mann boat, the service comes with it. Our boats often travel far from the Eastern Seaboard and out of the country. Service must follow that. We’ll fly our craftsmen anywhere the work needs to be done. I am always available to my owners and captains via email or phone.”

For the last 10 years, a small-boat company in Costa Rica has been producing exceptional little fishing boats in the 32- to 46-foot range that have won one tournament after another. (At one point several years ago, there were five Maverick boats in the top five at the Los Suenos Triple Crown. Dragon Fly, a 42 Maverick, won Los Suenos’ first leg and was named overall champion last year, then won the Presidential Challenge in Marina Papagayo, Costa Rica.) The company was started by Richard Lebo and Larry Drivon but was recently purchased from Lebo by Drivon and Gary Mumford, an expat who has been living in Costa Rica for the last 14 years. “Richard decided it was time to retire, and he went back to the States, so Larry and I decided to carry on,” Mumford says. “The company is 10 years old, and we’ve built 10 boats; we are working on 11 and 12 right now.”

Maverick boats not only look like the quintessential little sport-fisher, they perform like it too. “We build a light, super strong boat that’s made to fish every day,” Mumford says. “One of our boats, Spanish Fly, which was built in early 2004, has over 30,000 hours on it. We took a potential customer out on that boat the other day, and he was amazed how tight it still was — no squeaks, nice and quite still. These cold-molded boats will last forever when taken care of properly.”

Maverick is the process of retooling its shop and hired long-time Capt. Parker Bankston as shop foreman to oversee the new changes. Bankston has worked through several builds at the Viking Yachts plant and spent some time at Merritt’s Boat and Engine Works as well, so he’s spent a lot of time in the boatyard and knows how to build sport-fishers right. Bankston also runs the plant’s new computerized numerical control machine and is the head of new product development.

“We triple plank our hulls and stringers using a combination of Okoume plywood and laurel mahogany, but we are now building all our decks and houses with Divinycell core and using Alexseal coatings,” Mumford says. “We are also starting to get some good cooperation with engine manufacturers like Catepillar, Yanmar and Cummins, which are stepping up to the plate.” If you want a super tight fishing boat with a good value for your dollar, you’d be hard-pressed to find one better than a Maverick.

Few builders enjoy the decades-long reputation for excellence that Merritt’s Boat enjoys. The Merritt family moved to Pompano Beach, Florida, from Long Island, New York, in 1947, and opened the boat shop in 1948 in order to take care of the family’s charter boats. Soon, Merritt’s quality workmanship and high-level customer service thrust the company into the forefront of the South Florida boatbuilding boom.

“We are doing real good,” Roy Merritt says. “Business is as good as it’s ever been. We’ve built so many boats over the years that they keep coming back. We are working on hull 101 right now, and we’ve got four 86s and a 72 being built right now.”

Roy Merritt’s time in the business has shown him that you don’t want to mess around with the tried-and-true shape of a sport-fisher. “Most of our customers are second-boat guys, and we are usually going to build them a boat around what we have. If they want something that we aren’t comfortable with, then we won’t do it,” he says.

“There are a lot of man-hours that go into making things right; the boat had to look special and hold up. The boats we build now, with the new materials and composites, will be around for 100 years,” Roy Merritt says. “We have all these different materials going everywhere: composite hull, outside skins made of Kevlar and e-glass, carbon-fiber decks and carbon-fiber cores — we do everything we can to make them light and make them perform. Our 86 cruises 29 knots and burns 135 gph an hour … that’s the sweet spot for that hull. Other boats that size might burn another 40 or 50 gallons per hour to do the same speed. No matter how much money you have, you don’t want to waste fuel, so we do what we can to make them light. The length of the boats just seems to keep getting bigger. Traveling fishermen like the feel of their own mattress and have their favorite pillow — you don’t have to get another room onshore when you own one of our boats.

“I have a great job; it’s like I have a hobby shop where I can do all these experiments to try to make boats that are bigger, go faster and go farther,” Roy Merritt says.

The Leek family built the first Ocean Yacht, a 40-foot flybridge model, in 1977. Since then, they have christened hundreds of boats in the 40- to 70-foot range.

“Ocean Yachts are beautiful boats,” general manager John Leek IV says. “But we mean them to be comparatively more affordable than other brands.” Ocean has always prided itself on having many owner/operators in its stable rather than boats with professional hired captains and mates. “We design our boats so as to make [do-it-yourself] work as easy as possible for those owners who want that,” Leek says.

“We provide a high-quality finished product. We fill a niche where customers feel they’re getting great value for their dollar. Our design team has always had great taste, and our interiors have always spoken to women in a family. First and foremost, the interior design has to be functional. But then the materials must speak to women — they are warm and inviting. Selling a boat to a family is infinitely easier when the wife loves it too,” he says.

“In some instances, advanced technology is just not useful when you try to make an affordable boat,” he says. “Every element you install raises the price. While Ocean is early to embrace new technology, it still has to be sensible for the end user, be affordable and both simple to own and operate. We absolutely lean toward simplicity at Ocean Yachts. With that said, we will certainly customize any boat the way the owner wants it. Gone are the days of straight production. So I guess our philosophy is that we embrace the tried and true and simplicity.”

Obviously, no company that charges hundreds of thousands, or even millions, of dollars for a product can simply kiss the customer goodbye after the sale. But Ocean seems to have struck an even-handed attitude toward customer service.

“Our customer service department isn’t 24 hours a day,” Leek says. “But we know our customers and their spouses — and even their children and dogs — by their first names. They have all our staff’s personal cellphone numbers, and they can call us directly. Our customer service is built on a personal relationship. If the dealer is able to help them, we encourage that. If not, we will respond immediately and resolve any issue.”

It’s funny how life can throw a few curveballs at you from time to time. John Patnovic, the new president and owner of Post Yachts, wound up buying the venerable boatbuilding company after a visit to the old Post plant to purchase some of its unused lumber. “The old owner of Post keeps his boat in my marina, so when I heard that they had a bunch of wood lying around, I went over to see if I could pick it up cheap,” Patnovic says. “I ended up buying the whole company –— my wife was thrilled.”

After the purchase, Patnovic moved the operation from New Jersey to Chestertown, Maryland, where he could keep a close eye on things. Now, he’s ready to start building boats. “We are all ready to go,” he says.

“Post has always been a build-to-order company, and we will remain that way,” he says. We can build hulls ranging from 42 to 66 feet, and we should have some coming together shortly. Our bet is that the boating industry is going to be a lot different than it was in past, and we think that a small, nimble custom manufacturer is going to have a place at the table. We can make any changes you want at a reasonable cost and will provide the finished boat at a more than reasonable cost.”

Although Post is an old name, that doesn’t mean it is stuck in the past when it comes to the building process. Post boats feature resin-infused hulls and a deck house with the same bottoms that made Post famous. “They were well-regarded and good sea boats, but the new ones will be a little bit lighter for more speed and bit more range. Everybody wants to go faster these days,” Patnovic says.

Post will continue to service its two primary customers, sport fishermen and cruisers. “We will continue to cater to both parties. If you want a hard-core fishing boat with cockpit freezers and tuna tubes, we can build it. We now have all the boats digitized and put into 3-D CAD programs, which allows us to easily add staterooms or make any changes whatsoever. Give us 24 hours, and we will give you a photograph of your new boat,” Patnovic says. “We have the ability to build a superior, proven boat at a great price. Everyone will have my personal attention because we are not going to be building a whole lot of them at once. We just want a shot at your next boat.”

After charter fishing for 16 years in Oregon Inlet, North Carolina, Ritchie Howell started building smaller boats in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Soon, he found himself hook-and-line commercial fishing with none other than Paul Spencer. “We put or money together on the first couple of boats we built … me, Billy Holton, Paul Spencer and Irving Forbes,” Howell says. Spencer eventually persuaded Howell that he had what it took to be a boatbuilder, so Howell started a shop of his own. “I had a lot of help,” Howell says. “I got to learn from a lot of great guys. I wasn’t a smartass to them, and I listened to what they had to say.”

That ability to listen, Howell says, also allows him to make a boat that will satisfy the customer. “The more details a potential owner can provide to me, the better the end result. It’s like Burger King: You can have it your way, but we have to know what they want,” he says.

“I’m confident can give someone the best product for their dollar. We build only yacht-quality boats, and it wasn’t like that when we started out. I’m not in a place where we can go back and build a charter boat, and we are very price competitive for a yacht-quality boat,” Howell says. “The things that set our boats apart are the performance and the ride. On the last five or six boats we’ve built, we’ve been able to build them with a sharp entry and a stabilizer that keeps the boat from rocking. It’s really the best of both worlds.”

Howell still prefers to build plywood and fiberglass hulls. “I really think that this combination makes the strongest hulls,” he says. “Everything else has Corecell core. I don’t just want to rely on foam for the hull. With that said, we are looking to maybe build an all carbon fiber boat. I think the attraction of the carbon fiber is its incredible strength-to-weight ratio. We should be able to build them bigger, with less power to make them even more efficient,” he says.

“Everything’s about speed and performance and fuel burn. Our boats are fast and burn half the fuel at the same speed of a production boat.”

Bob Roscioli began his 51 years in the boating industry by pumping gas as a dock boy at Bahia Mar in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. After several stints in various boatyards as a painter and prep man, Roscioli struck out on his own and started his own paint business. Roscioli built up the business and soon became known as one of the best brush painters around. “I went on to build some of the prettiest sport-fishers in the world, but I’m still known as painter,” Roscioli says.

Roscioli got into the boatbuilding business proper when he purchased the big boat division of Donzi in 1987 after seeing the 65 Donzi that Jack Staple and Dick Kent had built for themselves. “That big fiberglass boat with those big 1692 engines in it was an animal,” he says. “But they didn’t really know how to market it, so I decided to buy them out and give it go.” The rest is go-fast boating history.

Always a pioneer in going bigger and faster, Roscioli says he still feels that the most important thing to consider when heading into a boat is building a good relationship with the customer. “The first thing I want to find out is to see if there is a synergy between the buyer and our company,” he says. “We love building boats, and we want to have fun doing it. We want to make sure that the client who buys our boats feels like they are part of our family. The boats actually speak for themselves when it comes time to make the sale. I encourage our clients to ride on our boat and then ride on the others they are considering — our boat sells itself.” Besides their remarkable efficiency and speed, Roscioli boats are known for their exquisite fit and finish that extends to every part of the boat, including the engine room. “When we started building boats, going down into the engine room was a bit taboo … but I wanted to make an engine room that the ladies wouldn’t mind going into,” he says. “I saw a pair of show engines at the Detroit booth at one of the boat shows that sported a $20,000 metallic green paint job, so we were the first boats to have stand-up engines rooms and engines painted with urethane.”

Roscioli just introduced a new design called the Evolution, which will come in sizes ranging from 82 to 92 feet. “This boat is like nothing you’ve ever seen before,” Roscioli says. “This one is going to be for the brave people.”

Michael Rybovich and Sons Boat Works is the fulfillment of Michael Rybovich’s long-time dream. “We have a new family-run boatyard,” Rybovich says. “From the time we sold our yard in the ’70s, up until two and a half years ago, it was dream of mine to put the Rybovich family back into a boatyard. After a few twists and turns over the past several years, we finally got where we wanted to be.” Rybovich opened up a full-service and new construction yard in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, about 10 miles north of the old Rybovich facility.

It didn’t take long for the Rybovich name and reputation would work its magic. “We have two boats under construction right now and two more under letters of intent,” Rybovich says. “We are building custom, cold-molded sport-fishers just as we always have. We are a one-off builder that builds directly to the needs of each individual customer.”

Although Rybovich is an old name in boatbuilding, its newest build is a unique departure from the norm. “Our first hull out of this shop is a very interesting project — a 64-foot walkaround. We built two walkarounds in the ’80s and found them to be extremely practical, especially for sail fishing in the Palm Beach area. We have taken that concept to a three-stateroom, three-and-a-half bath sport-fisherman. It’s a really exciting project,” Rybovich says.

The company also has an 86-footer under construction. “It’s a more conventional flybridge sport-fish with as much power as we can put into it,” Rybovich says. “That boat is being built for one of our customers that has one of our boats right now. That kind of return business contributes greatly to the success of our yard. It’s a special thing when guys come back to you because they were happy with the first project and relationship that you have built together.”

Rybovich strives to build boats that perform at a superior level in all sea conditions, and the quality of the workmanship has to be top notch. “We like to think that our fit and finish is second to none. It’s one thing to develop a reputation for quality, but it’s another thing all together to be able to maintain that level of quality. We can do that, and that’s essentially why we are still here,” he says.

Born in the small fishing village of Wanchese, North Carolina, Ricky Scarborough Sr. did what seemed natural: commercial fishing, hunting and building boats. Boats and boating were not just a hobby but a way of life. Determining what made a boat sit the way it does in the water, ride the way it should and look the way it should all but consumed him.

In 1977, Scarborough, in need of a worthy vessel to commercial fish in but without the funds to purchase one, built his own in the downstairs portion of his home. When he began, a fellow fisherman approached Scarborough and asked to purchase the boat, but Scarborough needed it for the summer season. He agreed to sell it come fall and then began another. That was the start of more than 32 years and 80 custom projects from 25 to 85 feet, with the majority between 50 and 75. No one in North Carolina — and few anywhere else — have built more custom projects over the same time period.

In 1993, Ricky Scarborough Jr. came to work for his father after receiving a business degree from East Carolina University, and he has been building boats ever since. Ricky Jr. believes in taking the Scarborough boat to a new level while keeping the legacy and quality of what puts Scarborough boats in a league of their own. “Our boats have more traditional Carolina lines, and we can look back at 30 years of experience to help keep us on the right path. We’ve been in the same spot for over 30 years with a really low overhead. That allows us to provide a good value per dollar without sacrificing quality,” Ricky Jr. says.

“A custom boat build is as much about the relationship with customer as it as about the end product. I try hard to make the building process as easy and as pleasant as possible,” Ricky Jr. says. “With the flexibility provided by the cold-molding process, the customer can really get involved in every aspect of the build, and it wasn’t always that way. If you like the boats that we’ve put out, if you like they way they look, if you like the way they ride and you like working with us, then we are going to make a great boat together. I never take it for granted that there might not be another customer coming along, so we try to make our customers very happy.”

Few builders enjoy the reputation that Paul Spencer has earned over his long career, both as a charter captain and premier boatbuilder. Spencer got into the business like many of his North Carolina contemporaries — by building a boat of his own to go charter fishing. He’d grown up looking at the boats built by Buddy Davis, Omie Tillet and the rest, and since his father-in-law at the time was Sheldon Midgett, it was just a natural evolution for him to try his hand on his own boat. That first boat performed so well that he immediately began getting orders for more.

But even though Spencer comes from a strong North Carolina background, his boats are a bit of a departure from the style. “We have a little bit of a different look,” Spencer says. “Our boats tend to be a bit leaner and longer than most. This creates the look that we like and also helps them perform really well. I got to visit a lot of the shops up here as I was coming up, so I got to see what they were doing. I also liked some of the things I saw coming out of Florida, so I started mingling the ideas a little bit. Taking a bit of the bow flare out, lowering the bow, making my own style.” The marriage between the two styles proved to be an unmitigated success, and Spencer is now working on hull number 95.

“It’s really important that when we start a build that we sit down with the client to find out just what they plan on doing with the boat,” Spencer says. “I might ask them what kind of accommodations they may need and where they plan on taking the boat to fish. If they need four staterooms and three heads, then that means it’s going to be a pretty long boat for me … a 66- to 69-footer. The challenge is building a boat that will go as fast as the client wants to go and still have enough space for all the fuel they need to have a good range. Over the years, we’ve found ways to use every bit of space, including building integrated fuel tanks instead of metal ones.

“The second challenge is to get all the equipment on the boat that the client wants and still stick to your budget. They all start out with a budget, but when they see some of the stuff out there that they can get, they can get excited and want it all. Since the build represents this person’s dream boat, we try to make sure they get what they want,” Spencer says.

Tribute Performance Boats’ lineage starts with Rich Scheffer Sr., who was the foreman at Jim Smith until Smith passed away. Scheffer started Tribute in Smith’s memory 21 years ago. The quest for performance, one of the key ingredients in a Tribute, started in those early days when rocket ships were offered by only a few builders in South Florida. “Only a few guys were able to build a 40-plus knot sport-fish in those days without the benefit of advanced composites and today’s bigger horsepower engines,” Scheffer says. “Not only were these early Tributes fast, but they also caught fish and traveled the globe extensively when only a few boats were doing it. For example, in 1997 the Manleys caught one of the first-ever fantasy slams on the 58 Tribute Escapade in Venezuela, catching a blue, white, swordfish, sailfish and spearfish.

“Each Tribute is built with a purpose and posses her own distinct personality since we start with a clean sheet of paper. It all starts with the wish list and a good understanding of how your boat will be used and where it will go,” Scheffer says.

Tribute has indeed produced some boats that vary greatly in personality — from the more contemporary 72-foot Alican to the spaced-age 86 enclosed-bridge Double Down. With many in the fleet measuring more than 70 feet, the larger Tributes are built with the plan to travel extensively, stay on the troll and follow the fish without coming back to home port for major service for years. Superb engineering and longevity is something on which Tribute prides itself, and that becomes pretty apparent when you step into one of its engine rooms.

“We are a family business at Tribute and have grown to be very close to our owners throughout the years — over half of our owners have built two or more boats with us,” says Rich Scheffer Jr., the founder’s son and the man now leading the construction efforts alongside industry veteran Dennis Close. “We even have a few boats running around with nearly 20,000 hours on them. Constant improvement and seeking out new innovative processes is something we pride ourselves on, so our boats will last as long as you will love them.”

The Healey family started building boats in New Gretna, New Jersey, in 1964, when brothers Bill and Bob Healey purchased Peterson-Viking Builders. Forty-nine years later, the company enjoys a stellar reputation as one of the premier production builders in the world. However, just a glance at any Viking on the dock tells you that Viking Yachts is much more than a typical production boat company. In fact, its boats are about as custom as you can get in many respects.

“Basically, the first thing I want to get across to our customers is that we are boatbuilders; I’ve grown up doing only one thing in life. I live it, eat it and sleep it, and so do all of our managers,” executive vice president Pat Healey says. “We all started young as a team, and we apprenticed under some of the great ones like Bruce Wilson. Guys like Lonni Rutt, our [vice president] of engineering; and David Wilson, the man in charge of new product development; Bill Gibbons, our propulsion man; and Ryan Higgins, our company captain, are all very involved in the design and engineering of our boats. It’s all about the people and having the proper team together … most of them are 20-plus-year employees of Viking.”

One thing that’s remarkable about Viking is its incredible consistency. While a lot of builders build one or two very good boats a year, Viking somehow manages to do it 60 or 70 times a year. “Over the last 15 years, we’ve become arguably one of the best … no one is building a boat at our level and with the numbers of boats we are building,” Healey says. “And we ship them all around the world. A good 30 percent of our business comes from our international sales.”

Healey is also grateful to the high quality of customers that choose a Viking. “We’ve got great customers … they are the best of the best. We’ve got customers who purchase one of our boats over and over again, and they are a big part of why we are celebrating our 50th anniversary on April 1, 2014,” he says.

Healey is also proud of the service and dealer network that the company has put together over the years. “Having those key components, with all of dealers like HMY, Galati and Bluewater, are all part of what makes Viking the best of the best,” he says.

Jim Weaver never imagined he would end up building boats for a living; however, after years on the water and with his experience in the construction business, he decided to build a boat for himself in 1998. The vessel turned out so well that he got an offer to sell it, which he did. He then built another, and before long, Weaver Boat Works began to take shape.

“Most of the customers who come our way have already made their mind up about buying one of our boats,” Weaver says. “We have a reputation for doing what we say we are going to do, when we are going to do it and for how much. I’m not much of a salesman and don’t try to be. If you build a nice boat for a fair and reasonable price, people are going to want to buy it.”

Weaver makes fast boats, and he attributes a lot of his boats’ speed to the work of his naval architect, Donald Blount. “All of our boats have been fast,” he says. “We’ve never built anything that didn’t run at least 40 knots. When you build a boat that can go fast, that means it has a very efficient hull design. Our 80 hits a top end of 48 knots and cruises at 30 knots while burning 100 gph. At just 1,200 rpm, that boat is up on plane and doing 25.8 knots.”

That efficient hull also comes into play when it’s time to slow down and start trolling. “Our boats have a very clean wake because they are not as heavy. It’s the same when backing up; our boats are more of a sports car than a pickup truck,” Weaver says.

In 2007, Weaver built its first 80-footer and has built six more since then. “You usually sell a boat off another boat,” Weaver says. “They will see it fishing, or get passed by it, and have to have one too. We’ve been very fortunate. Out of the 25 or 26 boats that we’ve built, six of those were repeats. It’s a great feeling when a man buys your boat and 10 years later, comes back and buys another one.”

To meet the strength requirements with those speeds, Weaver uses Kevlar to reinforce the inside and outside of each cold-molded, one-off hull that comes out of his shop. “We build every boat as strong as we can make it,” he says. “They’re really over-designed and intended to take punishment.”

Willis Marine Inc. is one of the few companies that got its start in North Carolina but then relocated Florida. “I started building boats up on the Outer Banks of North Carolina in a little town called Frisco,” owner Mark Willis says. “I fished professionally for several years up on the Outer Banks and decided to build myself a little 30-foot charter boat. Well, as soon as it was done, somebody bought it. Then I got real busy building boats. My ex-partner, Buddy Smith, and I started Island Boatworks up there, and after we built a few, I left and came down to start my own shop in Stuart, [Florida].”

Willis brought the lessons he learned in North Carolina to Florida and started building sport-fishers using a variety of different methods. “We specialize in building cold-molded boats out of triple-planked Okoume plywood,” he says. “Today’s plywood is always consistent, and it makes a light, strong hull. But I really don’t have a preference when it comes to building methods. If someone came to me and asked for a plank-over-mahogany hull, I would gladly do it for him, because I know it also makes a great hull. We can also build an all-composite hull if that’s what you want — we are pretty well-versed in all of it.”

No matter what materials or technique you choose, you can rest assured that when choosing a Willis, everything inside will be in the proper place. “We pride ourselves in good planning and strong, dependable systems. Some builders will rush to get a boat sold and will just start shoving stuff into the hull to appease an owner. You have to pay attention to the planning so that you can get to, and repair, anything that goes wrong without having to disassemble the whole boat to do it. It’s just commons sense,” Willis says.

“We are working on hull number 14 right now, and it’s a 77 with a cold-molded hull. All of the topsides are carbon-fiber composite, a little departure from what we have done the past, but this boat should be a very lightweight, high-performance boat,” Willis says. “We went with a much more modern look on our new one; she’s got a lot of sex appeal … a different look for us. We’ve done all of our styling in house, which is a source of pride for us on this one.”

Winter Custom Yachts specializes in building modern, Carolina-style sport-fishing boats. Capable of building custom boats ranging from 24 to 75 feet, owners Tim Winters and Will Copeland came to the business with engineering backgrounds, and their meticulous attention to detail reflects that ethic. “I think the main thing that separated us from the pack is our willingness to take the design aspect to a much greater detail,” Winters says. “Since we all come from engineering backgrounds, we are probably more methodical than most with our layouts. We are also a bit modern with our styling. We like a more subtle look and pair it with a more hybrid bottom that’s designed by Rhodes Yacht Design.

“We incorporate a lot more curves in our boats and a lot more belly in the transom. They back up better when you put some belly in the transom, and it also lets it spin and move side to side much better. They are much more nimble, and you can really see the difference,” he says.

“Everything is 3-D molded now, which allows you to jig every structural component. This allows us to mock up the boat and let the owners see exactly what they are going to get. When we hit the floor, this makes everything go as smooth as possible. This also allows you to customize even the smallest details, including each piece of hardware and all the finishes that will go into your vessel,” Winters says.

This combination of modern styling and advanced planning has worked out well for the company, even in the hard economic times of late. “We’ve got nine in the water, five under construction and three waiting to be built,” Winters says. And not all of those boats fit the conventional mold. “We recently built two single diesel boats and equipped them with an oversize bow thruster. You can really make those things dance, and you wind up using a lot less fuel. Maybe this will be my niche going ahead,” he says. Winters embraces all engine and layout configurations; he’s got a 43-foot convertible on the floor with Zeus Caterpillars, a 35-foot walk around with a single 360 Cummins and a 46-foot walk around with conventional inboard power. In short, if you want it, Winter can build it.

• More: Sport Fishing Boats

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oBX Boatworks

Build the boat you really want, design. craft. experience.

We are proud to customize each boat in a way that realizes the vision of its owner, rather than a "one size fits all approach." Let our custom boats portray your vision for the perfect nautical experience.

OBX designs and crafts boats drawing on the experience of a noted naval architect, design engineers, and master craftsmen. Our boats are crafted using a proprietary platform no other company has.

Yes, we sell boats, but our ultimate goal is to create the opportunity for an OBX owner to be part of memorable life experiences with family members, friends and business associates. We help design experiences.

OBX Boatworks Carolina Bay Skiff

The OBX Boatworks Skiff is a Carolina inspired inshore fishing machine and a perfect compliment to our Offshore Fishing Boats.

Center Console Sport-Fishing Boat

The 31 Center Console is a strong stable fishing machine in a trailerable package. This is the mid-sized model in our Center Console fleet.

The OBX 34 Center Console. Pure Carolina Design, Infused Construction, An Offshore fishing machine with a large cockpit and luxury cabin.

Fully Composite Sport-fishing Boat

34 OBX Boatworks Express. Pure Carolina Design, Infused construction, A true offshore Family Fishing Machine

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We build custom boats with care, meticulous design, and expert craftsmanship to provide each client with an exceptional work of art, machinery, and experience. Instead of forcing a prospective owner to settle for a one-size-fits-all option, Brad Flater (Owner of OBX) draws on his expertise as a Naval Architect to customize each boat in a way that realizes the vision of its owner. We have several custom boat models that we have designed and crafted with each clients vision in mind. Let us help customize the boat of your dreams.

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While we seem to be living in a world obsessed with the future, all too often we undervalue the importance of our past.  At OBX BOATWORKS, we reflect and embrace our past to inspire and design the future.

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Yes, we sell boats, but our ultimate goal is to create the opportunity for an OBX owner to be part of memorable life experiences with family members, friends and business associates.

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We had the pleasure of having our OBX 32 Center Console Sportsfishing Boat recognized on by Florida Sportsmans' Best Boat review.

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Dusky 227's step V hull and hard chine line not only make her a high riding, dry craft but also allow you to challenge the fishing grounds comfortably.

The Dusky 278 is a rugged center console, the ultimate offshore fishing machine and the choice of serious fishermen everywhere.

Dusky boats are custom designed to meet your boating needs, whatever they may be. (Customized 252 Tournament depicted)

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Welcome aboard DUSKY MARINE, the home of custom built sport fishing boats. Since 1967, DUSKY MARINE has been a family success story; an enduring partnership in family and boat-building craftsmanship.

All Duskys are custom built boats. Our extensive boat options list lets you customize your boat to your exact specifications.

Every legendary Dusky boat hull is individually produced with more hand-laid fiberglass than any other boat in its class. Whether you need a tournament ready rig, a functional bluewater fishing machine, or a practical walkaround cabin boat, the Dusky factory is ready to accommodate your dreams.

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Dusky's one-on-one client/builder relationship has created a new, extended family of satisfied boat owners and skippers around the world. Buy factory direct from Dusky and get the boat you want at a price you can afford. Factory direct means more boat for less cost.

We hope you join the Dusky fleet of loyal boat owners. It is indeed a very special family.

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You are invited to discover more about Delta, the craftsmen who create and build Delta yachts, the shipyard and the beautiful city it calls home. Each individual Delta yacht is a masterpiece of innovation and creative design. At Delta, the true measure of innovation is not necessarily in how dramatically it is displayed, but how subtly, effectively — even invisibly — it can be integrated.

The Delta story continues to become greater with every new yacht commissioned. For more than 50 years, Delta’s most important value has remained unchanged. Delta provides the finest custom yacht manufacturing and services — with an owner’s vision and desires at heart. This is a lasting commitment. As new generations of professionals join the ranks and unprecedented technologies enhance their capabilities, Delta remains steadfast in its goal to produce world-class yachts that are truly beyond compare.

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Used Sport Fishing Boats For Sale

108' Burger 2001

$ 4,950,000

Price Reduction

103' Westship Sportfish 2003

$ 5,095,000

Lighthouse point, United States

94' Rybovich 94 Sportfish 2021

$ 17,995,000

Palm Beach, United States

United Yacht Central

92' Sea Force IX Sportfish 2010

$ 2,695,000

North Palm Beach, United States

90' Hatteras 90 1997

$ 1,450,000

Cartersville, United States

82' Sea Force IX Enclosed Flybridge 2005

$ 1,950,000

Miami Beach, United States

82' Sea Force IX Enclosed Bridge 2004

$ 1,750,000

Coral Gables, United States

82' Viking 82 Convertible 2010

$ 4,295,000

Brigantine, United States

80' Viking 80 Convertible 2023

$ 8,995,000

Port Aransas, United States

80' Palmer Johnson 80 Sportfish M/Y 1997

$ 3,950,000

Key Largo, United States

80' Viking Sky Bridge 2017

$ 7,000,000

Stuart, United States

80' Viking 80 Sportfish Convertible 2023

$ 9,695,000

Orange Beach, United States

Description

The evolution of the sportfishing yacht has changed significantly over the past few decades, not just from the materials used in the hull, or the advancement in construction techniques, but from its true capabilities. Anglers move up from center-consoles to larger sportfishing yachts for several reasons, but the main one is that you can simply fish farther out and for longer periods of time. All sportfishing yachts were once entirely made of wood, and while some custom sport fishing boat manufacturers still build wooden boats, the vast majority of sportfishing yachts sold today use a high-quality composite that is resin-infused for maximum durability and performance. Hulls are larger, lighter, and stronger which means today's sport fishing boat can go faster and fit more on it. Many of the Viking Yachts or Hatteras Yachts today feature 3 to 4 staterooms, each with their own head along with oversized salons, enclosed bridges, flybridges, and more creature comforts to make your time on the water more enjoyable. The most popular style of sport fishing boat today has to be the Convertible Sportfish due to its versatility of having the open bridge, along with the amenities of a motor yacht .

There are thousands of yachts available on the United website through our MLS services, many of which are sportfishing boats. There are many different brands, styles, features, and capabilities of both custom and production sportfish sold today, and the team at United has years of experience both selling sportfish and working with the manufacturers on new builds. Our brokers will share with you what they think is the best sport fishing boat available on the market. Let the United team help you in your search to find the perfect sportfishing boat, call our main office today at (772) 463-3131. United is also a dealer for new Hatteras Yachts and Cabo Yachts .

SPEAK TO A SALES PROFESSIONAL

The improvements in construction and added space have paved the way for larger, more powerful engines to be used in sportfishing yachts. Whether tournament-fishing or just a weekend warrior, getting to the fishing grounds quickly is imperative. Today's sportfish boats can cruise anywhere from 20 to 30 knots and exceed speeds of 50 knots with big twin diesel engines. How fast a sportfishing boat can go depends on several factors include engine horsepower, hull shape, the construction of the vessel, and the weight of the entire boat.

It's the amenities on board though that generally appeal to the owner who likes to fish with his family. Comfortable, air-conditioned salons, full galley's with lots of storage for extended trips, hot showers in en suite bathrooms can make any extended fishing trip more enjoyable with kids on board especially.

Below are several prominent custom and production sportfishing boat brands :

• Bayliss Boatworks
• Bertram Yachts
• Buddy Davis Boats
• Egg Harbor Boats
• F&S Yachts
• Gamefisherman Boats
• Garlington Yachts
• G&S Yachts
• Henriques Yachts
• Jarrett Bay Yachts
• Jim Smith Boats
• Luhrs Yachts
• Merritt Yachts
• Ocean Yachts
• Paul Mann Boats
• Ritchie Howell Boats
• Riviera Yachts
• Rybovich Yachts
• Spencer Yachts
• Sunny Briggs Yachts
• Viking Yachts
• Weaver Yachts
• Whiticar Yachts
• Willis Yachts

Sportfishing yachts are typically boats 50ft and over that are purpose-designed and built for offshore fishing in tournaments such as the Atlantic Ocean White Marlin Open of Ocean City, MD—the world’s largest billfish tournament with a multi-million-dollar payout, or for the adventure of chasing pelagic gamefish in remote spots around the world. Kona-Hawaii (Pacific Blue Marlin), Isla Mujeres-Mexico (Sailfish), New Zealand (Striped Marlin), Great Barrier Reef-Australia (Giant Black Marlin), along with Costa Rica, Belize, Honduras, Guatemala, are among the finest gamefish destinations.

Frequently Asked Questions About Sportfishing Boats:

What type of yacht is best for fishing?

Although one can cast or drop a line from just about any boat, for the serious sport and tournament fisherman, a vessel designed from the ground up for the rigors of offshore fishing in many conditions and often customized to the owner’s wishes, are the best choice. There are many variations of the two basic types of sportfish boats—the Express Sportfish and the Flybridge/Convertible Sportfish. The Flybridge Sportfish boats (45ft and under) are not technically Convertibles, but distinctions are blurred as they are often marketed as such. Express Sportfish models have two decks, the main deck with helm and cockpit, accommodations below deck and tend to be smaller.

Most likely it will have a tower, but no flybridge. Examples are the Gamefisherman 50 Express, Huckins 45 Sportfisherman, Cabo Express SF. All feature large cockpits that are uncluttered and set up for fishing action and may include in-deck fish boxes, livewells, rod holders, ice machine, fighting chair, aft steering, transom “tuna” doors, tackle storage and more. Many have towers with their own steering stations, outriggers, rocket launcher rod holders, and other features. Convertible Sportfisherman are larger and most often completely custom world-class yachts for tournament and long-range fishing adventures. Examples are Michael Rybovich & Sons sportfishing yachts, Hatteras GT series, Viking Convertibles, Jim Smith, Merritt, F&S, Bertram, Custom Carolina, and many more.

Read: What Is The Best Size Sport Fishing Boat?

Below is a video of a 85' Jim Smith Custom Sportfish:

What is a Convertible Sportfishing boat?

Convertible Sportfish Yachts are typically 50ft or more with enclosed living area on the main deck and a flybridge with hard top or fully enclosed, in addition to accommodations below deck, and a large cockpit with a mezzanine deck with seating for guests to watch and enjoy the action. These yachts are often a custom build that combines the luxurious amenities of a motor yacht with the proven performance hull of a sportfisher, capable of converting to a cruising yacht, if desired. They will usually have a tower for spotting gamefish and utilize the latest technological advantages and fish-finding electronics, such as Furuno’s real-time 360-degree sonar systems, Seakeeper stabilizers, pod drives, powerful diesel engines and gensets, and much more. Convertible Sportfishers are evaluated on their seakeeping ability, stability and efficiency in speed and economy. Handling and performance underway or in fishing mode are vital, as they must be able to handle all types of conditions; many have redundant systems. The cockpit needs to be well arranged for anglers and crew to do battle with big trophy gamefish!

Example of a convertible sportfish:

How much does a Sportfishing Yacht cost?

How much are you willing to spend? There are too many variables with the vast array of manufacturers and builders of Sportfishing Yachts to put a single price out there. Currently the average cost to purchase a Sportfishing Yacht over 40ft in the Southeast Region of the United States is about $815,500. Sportfishing yachts tend to cost more than a cruising motor yacht of the same length because of the additional specialized equipment, electronics, and build features, especially for a custom sportfish. Convertible sportfishing yachts have both the luxury accommodations of a motor yacht and the specialized features of a high-end “fishing machine.” When considering the cost of ownership, as with any vessel, be sure to factor in dockage/storage, insurance, maintenance, fuel and other running costs, captain and crew salaries (if needed), taxes & fees, and more.

Learn more about pricing here:

• How Much Is A Sportfishing Yacht?
• How Much Does A Fishing Yacht Cost?
• Why Are Sportfishing Boats So Expensive?
• Guide To Buying A Sportfishing Yacht

What is the best Sportfish boat?

There are so many excellent makes and models of Sportfishing boats and yachts available today that the question becomes a personal matter: Which sportfishing boat is best for you? Do you intend to enter tournaments, fish recreationally with family and friends, or pursue trophy billfish and other gamefish around the world, or for extended stays in the Bahamas? Your budget will also narrow the field or allow you to have a boat built to your specifics and uniquely reflect your style and taste. Some well-known Sportfish builders are as follows: Albemarle, American Custom Yachts (acquired by Willis Marine Inc in July 2021), BB Boats (especially built for charter use), Bertram Yacht, Bayliss Boatworks, Briggs Boatworks (Sunny Briggs), Cabo Yachts, Davis Yachts, F&S Boatworks, Gamefisherman, Garlington Landeweer, Hatteras Yachts, Henriques Yachts, Jarrett Bay, Jim Smith Boats, Paul Mann Custom Boats (retired 2021), Maverick Yachts (designed by Erwin Gerard, EG Designs and built in Costa Rica), Merritt’s Boat and Engine Works, Ritchie Howell Custom Boats, Roscioli Donzi Intl., Michael Rybovich and Sons, Scarborough Boatworks, Spencer Yachts, Viking Yachts, Weaver Boat Works, Willis Marine (just acquired ACY in Stuart, FL), Winter Custom Yachts, and new custom builder in St Augustine, FL, Vilano Boatworks--introducing a 65ft sportfish designed by noted naval architect, Erwin Gerard.

How much does a 50ft fishing boat cost?

Currently a used 2005 Ocean Yachts 50ft Super Sport is listed at $395,000 in the Florida east coast market, which is about average in the current brokerage market. Current (Aug. 2021) range in the yachting industry’s MLS is $600,000 for a 2000 Viking 50 Convertible Sport Fisher in California to a 1991 Ocean Yachts 50ft Super Sport located in Italy at $199,420. Of course, a new production or custom-built fishing boat will be much more.

What is the largest fishing yacht?

According to The Robb Report and Yachts International, the new 171ft Royal Huisman Sportfish Superyacht will be the world’s largest true sportfish yacht when it is launched. Currently under construction, the yacht will be equipped for the global pursuit of trophy gamefish such as swordfish and marlin that roam the world’s oceans, and a range of sportfishing options. Sportfishing has attracted new owners for the larger boats in recent decades and yachts with tall towers and outriggers dominate the world’s fishing grounds in South and Central America, the Indian Ocean, the Pacific Rim and New Zealand.

Some of the other sportfishing yachts that fall into the superyacht strata are Trinity Yachts 131.7 ft BAD COMPANY built in 1998 and MARY P built in the New Orleans shipyard in 2008; McMullen & Wing 119ft MEA CULPA built in 2003; Yachting Developments (New Zealand) 118.5ft 2018 LANAKAI and 99ft AL DUHAIL, world’s largest all-carbon sportfisher launched in 2020; 116ft CIELO MARE built by Townsend Bay Marine. Other noted builders are American Custom Yachts 90ft C’EST LA VIE, Bayliss Boatworks 2014 90ft Singularis, Bertram’s 80ft Sportfisher with enclosed flybridge, Hatteras 90ft built in 1995 one of a series built between 1992-1993; Jarrett Bay 84ft delivered in 2016; Jim Smith Boats 105ft delivered in 2013, one of the largest cold-molded sportfishers built; Merritt’s 86ft DESTINY built in 2011 with enclosed bridge; Roscioli’s 92ft Evolution, capable of scaling up to a 105ft model; Michael Rybovich & Sons custom 88ft currently under construction; Spencer Yachts custom 87ft built in 2012; Viking 92ft Convertible launched in 2014; and Weaver Boatworks 87ft completed in 2013 for fishing the Seychelles Islands.

Seen below: The Viking 92 Convertible.

Is Hatteras Yachts still building sportfishing models?

Recently (2021) acquired by White River Marine Group (Bass Pro Shops family of brands), the Next generation of the legendary Hatteras sportfish yachts will be the focus of White River Marine as they make Hatteras the “finest sportfishing boats ever made,” building on the traditions and innovations that began over 60 years ago in 1959 in North Carolina’s Cape Hatteras coast. The current production and semi-custom Hatteras Sportfish GT Series ranges from the GT45X Express Cruiser, GT45X Flybridge, GT45X Tower, GT45X Open to the GT54, GT59, GT65 Carolina, and GT70—all designed and built in New Bern, NC with the offshore angler in mind. These elegant, updated classic sportfish models are beautifully crafted with the features, rigging and signature Hatteras ride. Built strong (over engineered) to perform well in the fierce currents and swells off Cape Hatteras and anywhere else you like to fish.

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Famous Sportfishing Boat Owned By Jimmy Buffett Listed For Sale

Once known as " LAST MANGO II " and owned by Jimmy Buffett, this classic 42-foot Rybovich Spencer is now listed for sale in Montauk , New York with SI Yachts broker Steve Messenger. No longer donning the name bestowed upon it by the famous Margaritaville singer, this sportfishing yacht built in 2003 has been called " BLUE EYES II " since the current owner purchased it from Buffett.

"The owner of the boat was personal friends with Jimmy and bought it from him directly," said Steve . "It was custom built for Jimmy Buffett by Rybovich Spencer and when it was completed, he had the shipyard completely destroy the mold, so it could never again be copied."

Buffett made countless trips throughout the Florida Keys, Bahamas, and up to the Hudson Canyon fishing with friends, putting nearly 5,000 hours on the twin 670-hp Cummins QSM11 diesel inboards. The engines have since been re-manufactured and the top end speed is now 35 knots, with a cruise speed of 24 knots. The asking price is listed at $999,000.

"This is the ultimate opportunity for Jimmy Buffett fans to own something that was a big part of him and his life," continued Steve. "Everyone knows about his love for the ocean, boating, fishing, and the whole lifestyle through his music. I can't imagine how awesome the feeling would be to crank up 'Volcano', with a cold drink in my hand, slow trolling in the Bahamas!"

If you're interested in buying this 2003 Rybovich Spencer 42 Express Walkaround Sportfish, we invite you to connect with Steve Messenger by calling (732) 232-9581 or by email at [email protected] . 

BROKER'S DESCRIPTION

From the cockpit moving forward, any angler would be excited about this oversized space that's covered in teak, complete with two custom Pompanette fighting chairs; a center station with bait freezer, refrigerated drink boxes, and a propane stainless steel grill to cook your “Cheeseburger in Paradise.” You can walk all the way around the deck while fighting a fish. And there are 18 in-deck rod holders, 6 on the tuna tower.

As you enter the cabin through the centerline companionway, you step in to the galley on the starboard side, moving forward you’ll find the head. Forward is the stateroom to sleep off the fun of “Margaritaville.” The four person dinette is found on the port side and in the table you will find a custom “Last Mango” porthole emblem.

As the “Son of a Son of a Sailor,” (Jimmy Buffett’s Grandfather was a lifetime Merchant Mariner known as Capt. Buffett) Jimmy knew boats from the time he was 3 feet tall. This fishing machine has full electronics that are easily viewable from all cockpit locations, Rupp outriggers, Full Tuna Tower, and (2) two custom paddleboards. No matter what your idea of a great day on the water includes, you can find it here on this unique yacht and opportunity.

BELOW: The custom tuna tower on this 42 Rybovich gives the captain amazing 360-degree views and control of the boat.

BELOW: The walk-around design was a must for Jimmy Buffett who wanted to be able to fight a fish from all sides of the boat.

BELOW: The double helm seats are on a raised platform, giving the captain better visibility.

BELOW: Rod storage is found above the dinette. Note the original log book!

BELOW: A real page out of Jimmy Buffett's Log Book from a trip to Cat Cay, Bahamas in 2019.

BELOW: The galley area on the 42 Rybovich. Cheeseburger anyone?

BELOW: A palm tree found on the dinette table. What island must Jimmy have been dreaming about?

If you're interested in buying this 2003 Rybovich Spencer 42 Express Walkaround Sportfish, we invite you to connect with Steve Messenger by calling (732) 232-9581 or by email at [email protected]. Please visit the listing page for more information on the boat, as well as the full set of pictures.

ABOUT SI YACHTS

SI Yachts, one of the largest and most successful boat dealers and yacht brokerage firms in the Northeast, is now part of the Germain Motor Company family. Originally called Staten Island Yacht Sales before expanding into other markets, SI Yachts was founded in 1964 by Frank Bongiorno. Frank, who established the company as the longest operating Viking Yachts dealer in the world, as well as revitalized Staten Island Marina, has retired after more than 60 years in the marine industry. 

SI Yachts is a new boat dealer for premium brands such as Viking , Princess, Absolute, Prestige, Pardo Yachts, Valhalla Boatworks , and Scout Boats . The company has expanded over the years with offices in Jupiter, Florida, Newport, Rhode Island, Old Saybrook, Connecticut, and five locations throughout New York.

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