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New Boats, Electronics and Gear for March 2014

By Sport Fishing Staff

Updated: March 21, 2014

Sea Born SX239

(Please click through all the images above to see all the products.) Sea Born Boats has reached well offshore with its SX239 center-console. The new 23-footer comes with standard features that most of its nearest competitors don’t match, including two 120-quart, in-sole fish boxes and a transom door. The SX239 weighs 3,850 pounds dry, but with its double-stepped hull, it achieves more than 3 mpg at a cruising speed of about 30 mph, Sea Born says. With 93 gallons of fuel capacity, its range tops 275 miles. The SX239 comes standard with an aft 15½-gallon livewell, raw-water washdown, aft cockpit coaming pads, hydraulic tilt steering, leaning post with backrest, storage tray and cutting board, and horizontal and vertical rod storage. It’s available in an Open model (pictured), which is open to the bow and features a cushioned, 40-gallon coffin box forward, and a Classic model, with an insulated front-seat well and U-lounge forward with cushions. Either model can be ordered with an SE or LE package, which offers options for a T-top or hardtop, extra rod holders and other amenities. Sea Born also offers a variety of single-outboard options and hull colors. Base-boat pricing starts at $27,055, without power or trailer. Call 912-449-0033 or visit seabornboats.com. SPECIFICATIONS:
LOA: 23 ft. 9 in.
Beam: 8 ft. 7 in.
Transom deadrise: 21 deg.
Draft: 17 in.

Sea Skiff 21

Carolina Skiff has debuted a new brand of fully lined center-console shallow-water vessels dubbed Sea Skiff with the introduction of a 21-foot model. The Sea Skiff 21 also carries 15 degrees of deadrise at the transom for better rough‑water handling. The Sea Skiff comes with a bow trolling-motor panel that includes a 12/24-volt plug and tilt/trim switch. Its cockpit is lined with coaming pads, and offers horizontal rod storage below the gunwales. The elevated foredeck holds two locking hatches that employ stainless-steel gas shocks and LED lighting. The console comes with space for up to a 10-inch electronics display, and is flanked by six flush vertical rod holders. Astern, an 18-gallon, lighted livewell rests between two fold-down jump seats. (A forward console-seat livewell is optional.) Carolina Skiff also added a swim platform with a stainless-steel ladder and splash-well bilge access to the Sea Skiff’s transom. The boat can handle a 150 hp outboard and holds 30 gallons of fuel. It draws 10 to 14 inches. The base-boat price is $22,334, without power or trailer. Popular options include hydraulic steering with tilt helm, brass high-speed pickup and raw-water washdown. Call 800-422-7282 or visit carolinaskiff.com. SPECIFICATIONS:
LOA: 21 ft.
BEAM: 8 ft.
DRAFT: 10 to 14 in.

SPOT Trace

Adding to its family of satellite-tracking and communication devices, SPOT has launched the Trace, a small anti-theft unit that can monitor and track your boat or any other mobile asset you own. Users can view their boat’s GPS coordinates online or via smartphone 24 hours a day in near real-time, and receive texts or emails when the unit’s vibration sensor detects movement. Powered by AAA batteries or by USB connection, Trace is waterproof, weighs 3.1 ounces and measures 2.02-by-2.69-by-.95 inches. Units start at $99.95; service plans start at $99.99 a year. Call 985-335-1500 or visit findmespot.com/trace.

Minn Kota Precision Battery Chargers

Minn Kota has added 6- and 10-amp chargers to its 15-amp Precision Charger lineup. The new units can select and charge different battery types by bank, which protects batteries from damage due to over- or undercharging. About half the weight of traditional onboard chargers, the new Precisions also offer low-line voltage compensation, battery equalization and automatic temperature-compensation features. The three 6-amp chargers cost $119.99 to $269.99 and handle one, two or three banks. The four 10-amp units cost $149.99 to $489.99 and handle one, two, three or four banks. Call 800-227-6433 or visit minnkotamotors.com.

Mercury Enertia ECO Prop

Designed for high-horsepower outboard boats, Mercury’s Enertia ECO prop offers a 10 percent increase in fuel economy at cruising speeds while retaining performance, Mercury says. The prop features a broad, 16-inch-diameter blade area and high progressive rake — a combination made possible by the company’s proprietary X7 stainless-steel alloy. The design reduces hull drag with increased bow lift for improved fuel efficiency and extended fishing range. Right- and left-handed rotation props across four pitches — 17, 19, 21 and 23 inches — cost $795. Call 920-929-5040 or visit mercurymarine.com.

Sierra Lower-Unit Fill/Drain Kit

Checking or changing your engine’s lower-unit gear lube has always been a messy proposition. However, Sierra’s new Lower-Unit Fill/Drain Kit remedies that by providing two fittings that permanently replace the upper vent plug and lower drain plug on your Mercury or Evinrude/Johnson outboard or sterndrive. The marine-grade stainless plugs feature a ball check valve that prevents outward flow of lubricant. The lower fitting comes with a debris cap, and contains a small magnet to attract and hold metal particles. Depressing the check valve releases a few drops for inspection. The kit costs $49.95. Call 877-663-8396 or visit seastarsolutions.com.

Lowrance Elite-4/Mark-4 HDI

Lowrance has introduced new Elite-4 and Mark-4 Hybrid Dual Imaging units, which combine Broadband Sounder and Downscan Imaging, and replace previous Elite-4 and Mark-4 models. The larger, superbright 4.3-inch color (Elite) and grayscale (Mark) screens feature 70 percent more pixels and 36 percent more usable screen area. Plotter and combo models come with a built-in GPS antenna and high-definition mapping options. The Mark-4 HDI is available as a chart-plotter/fish-finder combo and starts at $179 (without a transducer). Elite units are available in fish-finder-only, chart-plotter-only (HD) and chart-plotter/fish-finder combos, with prices ranging from $149 to $469. Call 800-628-4487 or visit lowrance.com.

Raymarine Lighthouse II

Raymarine has completely redesigned its Lighthouse user interface to give owners a simpler experience with more features. The system starts at the new home screen with its icon choices presented in high-contrast color. The revamped menu system has been reorganized for quicker access to frequently used features and controls. Lighthouse II also features a new chart engine to support Raymarine-formatted Lighthouse Charts. Lighthouse II also supports Navionics vector charts. The new software and Lighthouse charts are available as a free download at raymarine.com. To see a video of the new interface, visit sportfishingmag.com/lighthouse2.

Furuno MU-T Monitors

For anglers wanting large-screen, professional-grade electronics performance, Furuno has introduced three MU-T multitouch marine monitors in 17-, 19- and 24-inch sizes. The monitors ideally pair with Furuno’s NavNet TZtouch Black Box system and offer edge-to-edge glass design. MU-Ts employ projected capacitive touch-screen technology for responsive sensitivity, and bright TFT active-matrix LCD and LED backlighting. The monitors maintain brilliance levels of 800 to 1,000 candelas but can be fully dimmed. They come with multiple inputs, dual-power capability, and adjustable picture-in-picture and split-screen modes. Prices are $8,595 (MU170T), $9,295 (MU190T) and $9,695 (MU240T). Call 360-834-9300 or visit furunousa.com.