Custom Marine Group (CMG), a new partnership formed by the Ross and Wortley families, has purchased Baja Marine LLC, taking over ownership of Baja Marine, Fountain Powerboats, Donzi Marine and Pro-Line Boats. The Wortley family has been active behind the scenes at Baja Marine and Fountain Powerboats since the companies declared bankruptcy. The addition of the Ross family gives the company the resources it needs to reinvest, bring back employees and ramp up production.

The president of the company is Carol Price, who had recently been named to that position at Baja Marine. She had been with Fountain Powerboats and then Baja Marine for 29 years. “I’m proud to enter into a successful journey with Custom Marine Group and excited for great things to come,” Price says. “Our possibilities are truly endless. This is just what our employees, local community, vendors, and current and future dealer partnerships need.”

Fountain recently showed a new 38-foot center console model at the Miami International Boat Show and Palm Beach International Boat Show. Price says there are models from all four manufacturers in production on the floor, including a Donzi 35 ZR midcabin. All the boats under the corporate umbrella will be built at the former Fountain Powerboats factory in Washington, North Carolina, and each company will retain its own brand identity and website (www.fountainpowerboats.com, www.bajamarine.com, www.donzimarine.com, and www.prolineboats.com). Visit each manufacturer’s website for more information.

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Specialty latches dog the hatch lids down, refusing to let them rattle. Hinges and hardware are through-bolted, and bilge crawling revealed a robust electrical system with neat, labeled, well-supported wire runs.

A Suzuki DF225 pushed us to 44 mph and delivered an efficient rough-water cruising speed of 24 mph. The 23 Sport is as economical to own as it is to buy. Those numbers might improve if you swap the 20-inch pitch wheel we ran for the 18.5-inch prop: Our test engine turned up 500 revs less than its rated maximum. Or maybe the engine needs to be mounted higher.

Livewell, washdown, six horizontal rod racks … a minute aboard and anyone can see that the 23 Sport is bred to fish. But we also cheered amenities like the integral dive platform and the three-step boarding ladder, and options like the transom bench seat and bow cushion set. These help the 23 Sport turn a triple play: It’s family-friendly, all-out fishable and easy on the budget.

Who’d Want One: Anglers seeking a rugged, affordable, blue-water CC.

Another Choice: Edgewater’s 228 CC ($76,263 with a Yamaha F250).

Bottom Line: $51,923 (base, 2011 pricing); prolineboats.com

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Vital Stats * Length Overall: 23′ * Beam: 8’6″ * Dry Weight(w/out motor): 3,920 lb. * Max HP: 300 * NMMA Certified: Yes

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CHRIS-CRAFT CATALINA 23, 941/351-4900 www.chriscraft.com

PERFORMANCE: The down-angled strakes get deeper as you move aft, and when combined with wide, turned-down chines, bow flare, and an aft pad, give a soft, dry, fast ride. Despite its substantial weight, it charted nearly the fastest top speed at 47.3 mph with 250 hp. It’s also economical, achieving 2.6 mpg at 4500 rpm while cruising at 33.2 mph.

CONSTRUCTION: Fiberglass structural liner is bonded into the hull. Hull and deck are joined with a structural adhesive. Voids are filled with foam. Hatches are vacuum infused for a smooth finish inside and out. All deck hardware uses 316 stainless steel, and teak trim accents are solid, not veneer.

FISHABILITY: The 20-gallon helm livewell features LED lighting and a pump timer. Dual port and starboard fishboxes are macerated. Rodboxes run down both sides and will hold 7′-long rods without bending or jiggling. Knife/pliers holder is stainless steel, not polyboard. Cockpit dinette table flips to serve as nonslip foredeck casting platform.

HIGHS & LOWS

HIGHS: Awesome looks and fishability. Light, strong hatches are finished on both sides and fit perfectly. Excellent detail work; even a clip to hold VHF antenna when folded onto gunwale. ** **

LOWS: Raw-water washdown and livewell share same pump. Aft deck hatch leans back on hinges without added support. Small screw-out pie plate in anchor locker offers minimal access.

LAGUNA C-24 SC, 888/654-3298 www.lagunaboats.net

PERFORMANCE: Being relatively light, it jumps onto plane. Ride is acceptable, but compared to the others, it’s not as smooth. Mercury’s digital throttle and shift is silky smooth, however, and SmartCraft instrumentation lets you monitor vital stats. At 4500 rpm, the 225-hp Verado got 2.5 mpg while reaching 34.5 mph. Top speed peaked at 44.7 mph, the slowest of this group.

CONSTRUCTION: Compsys stringers are made from preformed foam with glass-fiber skin and tabbed to the hull. Deck is bonded to the stringers with polyester putty. All wood-free construction; transom is cored with Penske board. Shoebox hull-to-deck joint is fastened every 6″ with screws.

FISHABILITY: Features dual 20-gallon livewells at the transom, a bow casting deck with a sizable fishbox below, foldaway transom bench, and toerails for leverage. It’s also chock full of rocket launchers-five on the T-top and four in the leaning post backrest complement the four gunwale rodholders. Four under-gunwale rodracks increase stowage. A raw-water washdown cleans up the mess.

HIGHS & LOWS

HIGHS: Long list of standard features. Beefy, custom aluminum trailer built for the highway. Console stowage accessible from inside head compartment and under console seat. Transom bench won’t eat up cockpit space. ****

LOWS: Anchor locker is small. Need a big hook and long rode? Look elsewhere. Console door needs fastener to secure in open position.

PRO-LINE 23 SPORT, 800/344-1281 www.prolineboats.com

PERFORMANCE: This boat excels at both inshore and offshore duties. It finishes near the top of the pack in rough seas, and it runs fast and efficient. A 250-hp Suzuki pushed it onto plane in short order, topping out at 47.5 mph. Efficiency was above average, achieving 2.9 mpg at 4500 rpm while cruising at a comfortable 34.4 mph.

CONSTRUCTION: Foam-filled fiberglass stringer grid is laminated into the hull. High-density, closed-cell coring replaces all wood. The hull-to-deck joint is bonded with adhesive and secured with stainless-steel fasteners. Polyester putty bonds the deck to the stringers.

FISHABILITY: An 18-gallon livewell is located along the port side at the stern, along with a pair of 30-gallon integrated fishboxes below the forward seats. Strip off the cushions for a nonslip casting deck. A pair of rodholders is mounted in the gunwales, and the leaning post features four rocket launchers. Rod stowage is in one of six holders below the gunwales.

HIGHS & LOWS

HIGHS: Spacious dash flat allows flush-mounting of two 10″ displays. Deep recesses around cleats accommodate oversize lines. Electronic box pre-rigged with terminal block and rigging wire.

LOWS: Livewell and washdown share a pump. Console head access door small, doesn’t secure open. Throttle hits the leaning post when tilt-back helm is open.

SEA FOX 236 CC, 843/761-6090 www.seafoxboats.com

PERFORMANCE: Despite its 200-hp Suzuki having the lowest horsepower here, the lightest boat of our test group galloped to a 46.1-mph top speed, while establishing a comfortable cruise at 33.6 mph at 4500 rpm. Not so surprisingly, it also proved to be the most efficient of the four at that speed, averaging 3.1 mpg.

CONSTRUCTION: The hull is a conventional fiberglass laminate reinforced with a foam-filled fiberglass grid to which the cockpit sole is bonded. Rigging conduits route cables, wires, and hoses. The transom is cored with Penske high-density plastic and capped with a protective aluminum engine plate. Hatches are finished on both sides.

FISHABILITY: Forward casting platform has treaded steps on both sides. Railing recessed along knee-high gunwales, along with pop-up cleats, offers snag-free casting. You’ll find four rodholders in the gunwale and a large 40-gallon lighted livewell at the transom. Stowage after the catch, however, is lacking, with only an insulated box under the forward platform and a 72-quart Igloo cooler.

HIGHS & LOWS ****

HIGHS: Plenty of angling room. Stowage for as many as 18 rods. Finished bow locker offers rubber grommets to secure anchor. Convenient gunwale-mounted drinkholders. ****

LOWS: Dedicated fish stowage too small to hold anything bigger than stripers or grouper. Cramped head compartment. Hatch drains hold water. Leaning post too close to helm.

****The BOTTOM LINE:** **The Chris-Craft is a well thought out hardcore fishboat, not just a pretty face. But you will pay a bundle for those good looks. The Laguna’s price brings it closer to being affordable, but it’s still not inexpensive. Also, its ride is okay, but far from the smoothest. Not only is the Sea Fox fast and efficient, it has a tempting low price, but its level of finish may not meet your expectations. That leaves the moderately priced Pro-Line, which manages to balance thrift, quality, and fishability, without giving ground on performance. It’s hit on just the right mix that thousands of boats search for, but few attain.

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On the express side, the 26 XP has a forward cabin with a hideaway commode under the starboard berth, a freshwater sink, and a 12-volt air conditioner. On the pilothouse side, you’ll discover a roomy helm station with full protection on both sides and from above, thanks to a tall tempered-glass windshield and a sunroof-equipped hardtop. In fact, there’s enough space for five guys to enjoy the protection on bad weather days. A pair of windshield wipers makes foul-weather operation even easier, and you can roll down the canvas to seal the aft end of the helm deck. The windshield’s rake is extremely slight, and when matched with the forward express-style cabin top, the combination looks stylish, almost sleek.

Thanks to all that protection, the 26 XP makes a nifty cruiser, but its main purpose is to serve as an all-weather fishboat. And serve it does, with standards such as a circular baby-blue livewell, raw-water washdown, integrated, insulated fishboxes, triple tackleboxes, and a foldaway transom seat that opens the cockpit for angling. The fish-killing platform is backed with standard Pro-Line construction, including closed-cell, foam-filled fiberglass stringers, 3610 knitted fiberglass, a 3-ounce skin coat, and 32-ounce outdoor vinyl on all the seat cushions. Working on wires, gauges, and electronics at the helm will be easy, because the entire dash tilts back for access.

If you plan to hunt fish in snotty weather, you’ll appreciate this boat’s performance. Why? For starters, with a 51.3-mph top end, you may be able to outrun some big, black clouds. Now picture horizontal rain, flying spray, big waves, and mechanical problems-not a fun mix. But on the 26 XP I tested, equipped with twin 200-hp Honda four-strokes, when we tried to run with one engine shut down, the boat popped right up onto plane and made 28 mph. That’s a pretty astonishing single-engine get-home speed. One that will allow you to pilot yourself home in an express.

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Pro-Line 35 Express

Pro-Line 35 Express

Pro-Line 35 Express

I need more hooks! I’ve been sharked again, the third time in as many drops, and I just lost the last grouper rig on the boat. That means tying one from scratch, so I flip down the tackle station hatch, which happens to do double-duty as a seat back for the aft-facing bait-watching seat, and start ripping open drawers. There are three big ones, then five tackle trays, plus slots for tackle wraps and hook racks. I go through the compartments one after another until I find the tackle I need. It takes a while. News Flash: The tackle station on Pro-Line’s new 35 Express will house as much gear as the largest tackleboxes in Outdoor World.

FISH-O-MATIC. The plentiful tackle stowage shouldn’t come as a surprise. Pro-Line is known for building fishboats, and since this is its new flagship model, you’d expect it to have some fabulous features. Yup, the livewell is as bodacious as you had hoped. It holds 45 gallons, is finished in buff blue inside (which helps calm baitfish, so they don’t swim head-first into fiberglass and beat themselves up), and the top is supported by gas-assist struts. It’s lighted as well, but the light is white, and when I’m fishing after dark, I prefer not to lose my night vision each time I look inside. The bulb should be replaced with a red one.

The macerated fishboxes are supersize and will hold a 100-pound tuna-which is the sort of challenge I wish I had during our test, but no matter, we still had enough action to give the cockpit toerails, under-gunwale rodracks, gunwale-mounted rodholders, side-mounted hardtop rodholders, and coaming bolsters a thorough workout. Sure, all these things add up to make a day of fishing more comfortable and effective than it would be on a bare-bones boat. But the best fishing feature of all is sheer space. As you might expect, a supersize outboard boat yields a supersize cockpit.

The same holds true for other members of this new genre, such as the Stamas 340 Express. This boat shares the 12’6″ beam of the Pro-Line but has 7″ more LOA and costs a hair less at $220,000 without power. The Stamas has significantly more livewell capacity with 60- and 20-gallon wells, but it’s limited to twin powerplants totaling 600 hp, so it won’t ever match the speeds posted by the Pro-Line. Interestingly, the Stamas, which weighs 2,800 pounds more than the Pro-Line, breaks 43 mph with twin 250-hp Suzuki outboards, whereas the Pro-Line tops out just under 42 mph with twin 250-hp Verados. With our triple-screw test rig, however, we bested 51 mph. If you’d rather avoid the added expense of triple outboards, note that the 35 Express performs just fine with twins. When I ran this model rigged with two 250-hp Verados, I cruised around 28.5 mph at 4500 rpm while burning 25.4 gph, which shakes out to 1.1 mpg-pretty respectable for a 35′ boat.

Other than an extra 9 mph at top end, what does that third powerplant get you? Cruising at 4500 rpm you’ll see 36 mph while burning 36.6 gph, for 1.0 mpg. And, of course, if one powerplant goes down, you’ll still be able to break plane and run for home relatively quickly. Surprise bonus: On the triple-screw rig the outboard engines are farther apart, so opposing the motors is much more effective when maneuvering around the docks.

TRUMP CARD. The nicest thing about a supersize fishboat is the cockpit space, but the nicest thing about a supersize outboard boat is the cabin. This is where the difference between outies and innies becomes evident. Where there would normally be inboards in a 35′ express, the Pro-Line has a cabin, and under the helm is a midcabin berth. Stash the kids in there, and you’ll finally have some privacy even when the whole family is aboard for the weekend. Pull a hatch to access several pumps and through-hulls from the midcabin. I noted a couple of things to nitpick about down here, though. The air conditioner intake had only one hose clamp, and the hanging locker only opened halfway before hitting the berth cushion. Pro-Line says that cushion will be refitted, but check before you buy. On your way out of the midcabin berth, be sure to glance at the beefy powder-coated aluminum stair frame. It’s twice as sturdy as it needs to be, which is indicative of some other overbuilt construction techniques used in this boat.

The stringers are bonded to the hull of the 35 Express with Weld-On adhesive, and Plexus seals the hull-to-deck joint. The motor mount is beefed up with a 3?8″ aluminum plate; the deck is cored with Divinycell; and the hull bottom is solid glass. The hardtop is through-bolted in place, but I’d like to see some gussets added because there was some flex that was visible. Other than that, this top is what all hardtops should be, complete with molded-in red and white courtesy lights, spreader lights, and speaker boxes. There are overhead hatches for letting in a breeze, and on sweltering days just press a button and the electrically actuated center windshield vent opens with a hum.

Wait a sec-how’d we get out of the cabin so soon? We forgot to go over the cherry-finish Formica cabinetry, the teak and holly sole, and the cool magnetic catches on the cabinets. But the one thing you can’t miss belowdecks is the cabin overhead. It’s backed with 1/2″ foam, so if you ever bump your head-not exactly uncommon in boats-it won’t hurt.

DUDE FACTOR. So here we have one outrageously large outboard boat that can fish with the inboard big boys while running and gunning at outboard speeds, and it has a cabin where the innie guys have an engine room. Are there any other advantages to the 35 Express? One I just can’t help but mention is the babe factor. Yes, we hardcore anglers put function well above form. But I’ve found that the fairer sex enjoys time spent on large modern outboard boats more than on inboards of this size. Why? It’s not that the 35 Express looks hotter than most inboard expresses (though it does) and it’s not the stylish interior or added space. It’s the smell. Simply put, women take exception to the stink of diesel. This factor used to be negated by smoky two-stroke oil burners, but with modern four-strokes, outboards are the hands-down winners when your better half likes to go along on the tuna hunt. What about vibration and noise? There’s less of those, too.

Downsides to the outboard rig? The biggest is in the ride, since inboards provide a lower center of gravity. Main­tenance and reliability are a close call-we’ll need to wait a couple of years until we see how those Verados perform with hundreds of hours under their belts. So we have a mission for all of you guys: Please use your new 35 Express at least twice as much as the old one-it’s in the interest of science. And if your boss wants to know why you’re taking off so much time, just have him call us. We’ll set him straight.

EXTRA POINT: So you don’t rip out your hair while rigging the electronics on your new boat, Pro-Line thoughtfully left a pull-wire prerigged through the hardtop pipework.

The post Pro-Line 35 Express appeared first on Boating Mag.

LOOKS LIKE A FISH. Granted, the 270 Walkaround is a hot-looking boat, and I’d stop to take a gander, too. Styling details like the pipework, which curvaceously follows the lines of the windshield and cabin top, or the coaming bolsters with graphics coordinated with those found on the hullsides, jump right out at you. Of course, eye candy like this won’t help you catch more fish. However, the 270 Walkaround’s cockpit design will. Pop up the aft seat to access a recirculating, lighted livewell. With 35 gallons of capacity and the strong baitwell pump, four dozen 6″ menhaden – baits that are incredibly hard to keep alive in captivity – live up to two days in here. And if you can get a big fish to eat one of those livies, that trophy will fit into either of the dual fishboxes in the sole. Our biggest fish of the summer was a 54″ bluefin tuna in the 90-pound range, and it fit into the box without bending the tail much. Thanks to a thick coating of foam insulation on that fishbox, it also held three 20-pound bags of ice all day in 90-degree weather, while we waited for that tuna to arrive.

Other fishing features you’d expect – under-gunwale rodracks, four gunwale-mounted rodholders, coaming bolsters, spreader lights, and four rocket launchers – are all present and accounted for. In fact, we ran the 270 Walkaround through 18 offshore fishing trips and countless bay trips and found nothing to complain about. Well, almost. The one anti-fish feature is the integrated Euro transom/motor bracket, which puts the outboards far aft where they’re hard to reach around. Yes, you’re right, just about every modern outboard-powered walkaround in this class, like Pursuit’s 2870 WA ($104,360 with twin 200-hp Yamaha HPDI outboards) or Grady-White’s 282 Sailfish ($103,250 with twin 200-hp Yamaha HPDI outboards), has the same setup. And no, we never did lose a fish to the props. But it sure is a challenge trying to steer a pelagic past twin outboards with a short standup rod.

THE HIGHS: The best-looking boat in the marina. Cruise near 40 mph in good weather; maintain 20 mph in just about anything else. More beef and less breakage than on most similar boats.** **

THE LOWS: Washdown time is extended due to gawkers and squawkers. Integrated Euro transom puts props out of reach of standup gear. High gunwales put you out of reach of the water.

That far-aft motor placement has some advantages, though. At all speeds the 270 Walkaround is a good handler. And its dockside maneuverability is as good as outboard-powered boats get. Even with the powerplants positioned close together, it doesn’t take much throttle oomph to get the boat spinning in its own length. The motors’ far-aft positioning also helps cut down on noise, though you’ll still hear about 90 dB-A at cruise with the full enclosure up. Drop the canvas to reduce the buzz.

MUSCLE BOUND. Run a boat for an entire season, both offshore and inshore in virtually every condition possible, and you get to know it pretty well. That’s why we do long-term tests in the first place. So here’s the scoop on the 270 Walkaround: In calm seas, you can cruise comfortably between 36.9 and 42.8 mph, turning 4000 to 4500 rpm. In a tight bay chop up to two feet, you’ll leave the throttles right there. When seas go to three feet, plan on slacking back to 30 mph for comfort. You can maintain 25 mph in just about anything a bay chop can dish out. Running in the more widely spaced offshore waves, you won’t need to slow down for anything under three feet. You can maintain 20 to 25 mph until the waves top five feet. In six- and seven-footers we should’ve stayed at the dock – you can maintain only a bumpy 16 to 18 mph or a more sedate 12 to 14 mph.

There are few monohulls that will keep up with numbers like these. Yet numbers alone don’t tell the entire story. Fact of the matter is, the limiting factor on the 270 Walkaround is the people onboard, not the strength of the boat. The hull, supported by primary-bonded, foam-cored stringers, will chop through whatever you point it at. The rest of the boat is heavy-duty enough to take a beating far beyond what your passengers can. Sure, throughout the season there was some breakage of ancillary gear: The hinge on a hatch in the cabin bent; the refrigerator door latch snapped off; the anchor locker hatch broke off (when I stepped on it); we had some spider cracking at the port sidedeck; and the strut supporting the electronics box hatch was too weak to stay open in rough seas. But after these issues were addressed, the boat held up like a rock. Major failures? Nil. Better yet, Pro-Line’s new Pro-Care warranty will take care of all these problems. If all manufacturers offered a stem-to-stern warranty program like this, the boating world would be a better place.

Now for the things that didn’t break but should have. The all-welded bowrail, for example. On one trip, I looked over my shoulder to see my 210-pound crewman standing on the rail as he reached up to the hardtop to adjust an antenna mount. After slowing my heart rate back to normal, I surveyed the rail and found it intact, the stanchion still securely bolted to the sidedeck. Most would have bent or buckled. Next, consider the washdown spigot. While bailing next to a board at Poor Man’s Canyon, off Ocean City, Maryland, an angler on the boat hooked and swung aboard a 15-pound dolphin, still incredibly green. Its body became trapped between the cooler and the spigot, which it whacked over and over again while attempting to swim through the side of the boat at the speed of light. Lesser hardware would have broken off. Same goes for the under-gunwale rodrack insert, which took the brunt of a sliding cooler attack (120 quarts with 60 to 70 pounds of fish inside) when one of my bungee cords broke. The flimsy plastic found on so many modern fishboats would have been smashed.

FISHIN’ FAMILY. Despite the fishy attitude, the 270 Walkaround does function well when the entire family comes aboard. Or two families, for that matter. Several times when taking out friends, we had four children and four adults aboard the boat, dinner cruising, picnicking, and swimming. It was always comfortable and safe, especially considering the high gunwales (2’6″ minimum interior) and the deep walkaround. That deep walkaround, which catches you just below the knee with the rail coming up to thigh height, came in handy at other times, too. When chasing a fish around the boat, I found it the easiest to use of any walkaround-style boat I’ve ever been on, and for the first time ever I was able to walk 360 degrees around the boat without ever letting go of the reel crank to get a handhold.

The deep cockpit gunwales gave me peace of mind when the kids were aboard, but they did make for a long reach to the water. You’ll need to use the transom rigging station sink for hand washing, unless you can stretch as far as Shaquille O’Neal. You’ll need to keep your hands clean, too. Don’t forget, you got fair warning here: Run a Pro-Line 270 Walkaround and everyone will be watching you. Well, not really – it’s the boat they can’t keep their eyes off of.

Second Opinion. Having run and fished this boat in conditions ranging from a hammering three-to-four-foot bay chop to seven-foot rollers in blue water, the 270 Walkaround impressed me three ways: good looks, stability, and comfort. The good looks part you can see for yourself. Stability awareness came on the water, as the 270 Walkaround knifed through waves, holding course even in beam seas. And on long runs, there were minimal rattles and vibrations and no flex in the sole; in fact, this is one of the most solid-feeling boats in its class. What’s more, the twin Optimax outboards left other boats eating our wake, ensuring we’d be among the first to reach the fishing grounds. At the same time, their frugal fuel consumption at 30 mph and the 270 Walkaround’s 200-gallon fuel tank provided us with plenty of range.

Planning to take a big crew on your expeditions? Not a problem with the 270 Walkaround’s wide and roomy cockpit. We routinely ventured offshore with five or even six anglers aboard and “cramped” never entered our vocabulary. But I developed a love-hate relationship with the livewell, located under the aft bench seat. I loved its large capacity and powerful pump, which allowed us to carry lots of live mullet and menhaden on several trips. Its central location makes it easy to dip out and rig baits. However, this location also forces the angler to stand an extra foot or two forward of the transom, making it difficult to get your rod tip past the outboards while maneuvering large fish around the boat. My other gripe with the 270 Walkaround is the small diameter of the drain holes on the scupper grates, which clogged easily when fish scales hit the deck and had to be cleared by hand.

Aside from these two complaints, the 270 Walkaround pleased me in just about every way. If you need a fishboat that looks and rides great and can handle serious duty on offshore grounds, look no further.

LAST WORD. The 270 Walkaround proved itself in hardcore fishing and heavy seas. You don’t even have to leave the dock to get attention.

LOA…………..29’1″

Beam…………9’10”

Draft…………2’6″

Displacement (lbs., approx.) ……….6,300 ** **

Transom deadrise..19°

Bridge clearance ..9’8″

Minimum cockpit depth…………2’6″

Max. cabin headroom………6’2″

Fuel capacity (gal.)……….200 ** **

Water capacity (gal.)……….30 ** **

Price (w/standard power) ……….$82,139

Price (w/test power) ………. $97,706

STANDARD POWER: Twin 200-hp carbureted Mercury V-6 outboards.

OPTIONAL POWER: Twin outboards to 500 hp total.

TEST BOAT POWER: Twin 225-hp Mercury Optimax V-6 outboards with 185 cid, 3.60″ bore x 3.00″ stroke, swinging 21″ x 14 3/4″ three-bladed ss props through 1.75:1 reductions.

STANDARD EQUIPMENT (major items): Raw-water washdown; 35-gal. livewell; rigging station w/sink and cutting board; 8 under-gunwale rodracks; 4 gunwale-mounted rodholders; swim ladder; locking electronics box; galley w/sink, icebox, and butane stove; head w/standup shower; 2 insulated fishboxes; 3-drawer integrated tacklebox; trim tabs; all-welded bowrail; integrated bow pulpit w/anchor roller; coaming bolsters.

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The first thing that hit me as we cruised to blue water – we opted for the mahi-mahi – was how nicely the 26 Walk handles a two-to-three-foot tight inshore chop. Credit for the vibration-free ride goes to construction methods like foam coring in the hullsides, deck, and hardtop; microballoon putty in the strakes (it has tiny particles mixed in, for extra beef); and through-bolted hinges with aircraft locking nuts. The bottom’s 19-degree deadrise comfortably splits wakes at an efficient cruise of 29 mph at 4500 rpm, burning 1.5 mpg, without sacrificing stability on the troll. In fact, while weaving through the weed lines in search of fish, I stood up and rigged baits; on most 26′ boats in two-to-three-foot seas, I’d have been crouched down on my knees, wedged into a corner.

One decision you won’t have to make with the 26 Walk is how to outfit it. Out of the box, two pairs of gunwale-mounted rodholders, six under-gunwale rodracks, dual insulated fishboxes with macerators, dual built-in tackleboxes, and a transom door are included. However, plan to spring for an additional $665 for the “Fish Package” to have the standard insulated baitwell plumbed to circulate and for a raw-water washdown – both are musts for the hardcore angler.

Compare the 26 Walk to Robalo’s 2640 ($58,395 with a single 225-hp Mercury EFI outboard), which also comes with a comprehensive list of standards. At 8’11”, the 2640 is slightly wider than the 26 Walk, so it may feel a tad roomier, but in most states that extra 5″ of beam will keep you off the highway. One more important factor to consider when looking at the 26 Walk: It has a 170-gallon fuel tank, which, when combined with the single 225-hp Optimax, even makes it possible to fish the canyons 80 miles out.

LAST WORD. Inshore, offshore, take your pick – nowhere is out of bounds on the 26 Walk.

LOA……….27’0″ ** **

Beam……….8’6″ ** **

Draft……….1’5″ ** **

Displacement (lbs., approx.) ……….4,250 ** **

Transom deadrise ……….19° ** **

Bridge clearance ……….6’11” ****

Minimum cockpit depth…….2’4″ ****

Max. cabin headroom ……….5’11” ****

Fuel capacity (gal.) ……….170 ****

Water capacity (gal.) ……….15 ****

Price (w/o power) ……….$56,984 ****

Price (w/test power) ……….$60,530 ****

STANDARD POWER: Single 225-hp Mercury EFI V-6 outboard.

OPTIONAL POWER: Twin outboards to 400 hp total.

TEST BOAT POWER: Single 225-hp Mercury Optimax V-6 outboard with 185 cid, 3.63″ bore x 3.00″ stroke, swinging a 15 1/4″ x 22″ three-bladed ss prop through a 1.75:1 reduction. ****

STANDARD EQUIPMENT (major items): Battery switch; accessory bus bar; bow pulpit w/anchor roller; compass; freshwater cockpit shower; fuel/water separators; Porta Potti; insulated fishboxes w/macerator; 4 gunwale-mounted rodholders; 6 under-gunwale rodracks; 2 integrated tackleboxes; transom door; 18-gal. livewell; cockpit bolsters; trim tabs; hydraulic steering.

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Pro-Line 26

Pro-Line 26 Specs

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