What are the best boats for offshore fishing? Great question. One that can be subjective and debatable.
To begin with, today there are a few different boat options you can consider purchasing. To begin with, you can decide whether you want a centre console style boat or a hard top Cuddy style boat. Hence these boats range in different, shapes, sizes and have different horsepower ratings.
In summary offshore fishing involves a boat trip to a fishing destination that can take an hour or 2 to reach.
As an example, the Continental Shelf off Portland, Victoria Australia is around 50 km from the portland shoreline. Getting there can take a while and it really depends on the conditions and speed of your vessel.
To achieve this task you need to equip your self with a vessel that is suitable. Thus by owning an offshore boat that is the right length and powered by sufficient horsepower.
Generally, this may include purchasing a boat that has:
- Reverse chimes for added stability.
- Hydroplane technology.
- Water stability design improvements.
- Positive buoyancy.
- Bathroom and cooking facilities.
- A closed wheelhouse.
- Higher horsepower engine capacity.
- Dive doors.
Accordingly, these offshore fishing boats are made with fibreglass and aluminium. In brief, there are 2 types of boats people use for offshore fishing. Subsequently these are the Centre Console Offshore Fishing Boats and Hardtop Cabin Offshore Fishing Boats. In brief the boat lengths of these boats range from 6 to 10 metres and can be powered anywhere from 130 to 700 horsepower depending on the boat in question.
Centre Console Offshore Fishing Boats
Best boats for offshore fishing – To begin with centre console boats for fishing are absolutely fantastic for fishing. This is due to the fact that you can walk right around. Thus being able to fish from any position within your boat. Above all the only issue with a centre console boat is that there is no protection from bad weather. If you are far away from the shore and it starts to rain you will get wet. In conclusion, if you are looking for one of these boats make sure you buy one that is more than 6.5 metres in length that has an outboard rating of at least 300 horsepower. Otherwise, your trip back to shore during bad weather will be a slower and longer trip and it will be cold and wet.
Hardtop Cuddy/Half Cabin
Usually the most popular of the 2 styles due to having cover from the wind and rain. Above all, the most popular boat for offshore fishing is the hardtop Cuddy style hulls. Half cabins generally take half the space of your boat which does not leave much room for fishing.
Other features these offshore fishing boats have include:
- Onboard Toilet.
- Dry area.
- Kitchen area.
- Live Bait Tanks.
- Fridge.
- Oven.
- Rod Holders.
- Fish Finders,
- State of the art navigation systems.
- Bait boards.
In particular, let’s take a look at some offshore fishing boat examples.
Aluminium Boats
Generally, these boats have the huge advantage of being lighter in weight compared to a fibreglass offshore fishing boat. Hence less horsepower is needed with savings on fuel.
Quintrex 5800 Yellowfin HT (Hard Top)
A great offshore fishing boat available in a few different styles.
- 5.92 Metre Trailer Offshore Boat.
- Max HorsePower is 150 hp.
- Maximum Beam 2.4m.
- Fuel Tank Capacity 135L.
- Built-in Victoria, Australian.
- Material: Aluminium
Stabicraft 2050 Supercab
- 6.2 Metre Trailer Offshore Boat.
- Max HorsePower is 115 hp.
- Maximum Beam 2.4m.
- Fuel Tank Capacity 200L.
- Material: Aluminium
Bar Crusher 670HT
Bar Crusher offshore fishing boat is a popular very solid aluminium plate boat. These offshore fishing boats have been designed to be low in maintenance, easy to tow and super easy to launch and retrieve. Hence longer versions are also available.
- 6.7 Metre Trailer Offshore Boat.
- Max HorsePower 200hp.
- Maximum Beam 2.350m.
- Fuel Tank Capacity 190-270L.
- Built-in Victoria, Australia.
Fibreglass Offshore Fishing Boats
Whitepointer 263L
Erick Hyland who is the production manager at Whitepointer Marines was the instigator and head boat builder for Edencraft at its inception in Eden NSW in 1988 to the late 1990s. The vessel is built by a very experienced crew. As a result, this vessel makes a fantastic offshore fishing boat.
263L Features
- 8 Metre Trailer Offshore Boat.
- Max HorsePower is 700 hp.
- Maximum Beam 2.46m.
- Dead Rise 23 Degrees.
- Cockpit Area 9.0 Cubic Metres.
- Fuel Tank Capacity 500L.
- Built-in Victoria, Australian.
- Material: Fibreglass
EdenCraft 6.0 Metre offshore
A very popular offshore fishing boat with a large group of devoted followers all over Australia.
- 6.2 Metre Trailer Offshore Boat.
- Max HorsePower 2 x 140hp.
- Maximum Beam 2.4m.
- Dead Rise 22 Degrees.
- Cockpit Area 6.0 Cubic Metres.
- Fuel Tank Capacity 280L.
- Built-in Victoria, Australia.
- Material Fibreglass
Formula 233
If you want a boat similar to the Eden Craft 233 Platinium Look around for a used USA made Thunderbird Formula 233 on the 2nd hand boat market. These boats were built in the ’70s and came with an inboard v8 engine and can make the perfect project boat. The Formula 233 was first manufactured by THUNDERBIRD Boats in America which was then taken over by Formula boats USA in the ’70s. These vessels were then built under license here in Australia and a few variants are sold today. For more historical information on the Formula 233 click here.
Offshore Fishing in Luxury
If money is not an issue and you want to fish offshore in full luxury one of the best boats for offshore fishing is the Grady White. These luxurious offshore fishing boats can cost as much as $750,000 dollars. A few variations in size are available and can be powered by fuel-efficient twin 48 outboards. One fine example of a Grady White offshore boat is the Express 330. This vessel includes the creature comforts you would find at home.—————————————
Offshore Fishing Boat Buying Options
Usually you have 3 options when buying a boat.
- You can go down the road of buying new which will include warranties that cover your boat, trailer and outboard motors.
- Next option is to buy used on the 2nd hand boat market.
- Lastly, the other option is if you buy a boat that is a 10-15-year-old model that has an excellent hull. Thus you can remove and sell the outboard motors currently on the boat and buy new ones which are covered with a warranty.
With outboard engines, the best setups are dual or triple setups. So then as an example, this is a setup that contains 2 or 3 outboard motors. In summary if your offshore fishing boat is rated to handle 300 horsepower you can equip your vessel with 2x 150 horsepowers instead. Why? In brief, if one engine stops you have the other to take you back to shore.
