Bay boats, skiffs, dual consoles, walk arounds and pedal boards captured an enthusiastic boating audience at this year’s Miami Boat Show. Take a look at this sampling of different options from a variety of boat manufacturers.
Belzona Marine
This walkaround from Belzona is 32 feet long and features a 31-quart cooler with slide-out mechanism, 24-inch fiberglass cockpit table, starboard and portside jump seats, and 250-gallon fuel capacity.
Blackshear Skiffs
H2O Sports Manufacturing is now producing a full new lineup of Blackshear Skiffs powered by Honda engines. The Blackshear brand will consist of four V-bottom skiffs, including the180SVK, 200SKV (pictured), 220SVK and 240SVK. All Blackshear boats feature wood-free construction.
Boston Whaler
The dual console Boston Whaler 270 Vantage serves double-duty for fishing or watersports. The gunwale-mounted rod holders, raw-water wash down, 19-gallon lighted livewell, fishing station and transom rod holder options will appeal to anglers.
Carolina Skiff
Check out the different hull bottoms on these three Carolina Skiffs. The company now has more than 60 different models for pleasure boating, fishing or commercial use.
Hells Bay Boatworks
The 18-foot Hells Bay Professional can handle a max of 90 hp. It comes with hydraulic steering and rod racks with fly rod tubes, and draws as little as 4 1/2 inches.
Hobie Cat
The Hobie Eclipse is a standup pedalboard that measures 10 1/2 feet long and 2 feet 9 1/2 inches wide. Current color offerings include yellow and blue. The max weight capacity is 225 pounds.
Stand on the two large pedals and pump your feet, a regular motion as simple as walking, says Hobie. Use the handles for steering and balance.
Mako Boats
The Mako Pro Skiff is available in four different model lengths: The 16-, 17-, 19- and 21-footers range in price from $14,000 to $30,000.
Maverick Boats
The 17 HPX-V II from Maverick Boats measures 16 feet 9 inches, draws 8 inches and can accommodate up to 90 hp. Fishing three comfortably, the 17 HPX-V II is the ultimate Florida Keys technical poling skiff, Maverick says.
Ranger Boats
The 16-foot Ranger 168 Phantom features a 16-gallon livewell; astern, the forward-leaning poling platform is engineered to better distribute weight.
Robalo R317 Dual Console
Robalo’s new flagship hull — the 31-foot dual console R317 — features a 10-foot, 6-inch beam, max horsepower of 600 and 260 gallons of fuel capacity. Of note, the aft Vista-View Lounge Seat turns from dual backrests into a lounging pad with the push of a button.
Sea Fox Boats
This Sea Fox 240 Viper bay boat measures 24 feet long, and features a 15-degree transom deadrise. Some standard features include a 48-quart removable cooler, aerated livewells, and an oversized anchor locker.
Sea Pro Boats
At just under 25 feet long, the Sea Pro 248 bay boat holds 70 gallons of fuel and comes with two 30-gallon livewells. The boat can handle at total of 300 horsepower; it’s loaded with plenty of storage and stainless hardware.
SeaVee Boats
The SeaVee 270z bay boat features a standard livewell at the bow, plus an optional pair of wells aft. Features include two rod lockers and fore and aft fish boxes.
Vertical rod storage in the leaning post and hard top and on both sides of the console offers anglers numerous options to change tactics on the fly offshore. The helm offers plenty of space to flush mount electronics; it’s protected by a windshield made of tempered glass. Accessory switches are mounted on vertical surfaces to minimize water intrusion.
Shearwater Bay Boats
The Shearwater 26 Carolina is a loaded bay boat that can handle offshore trips on favorable weather days. Comfort options include a T-top, Fusion marinized audio system, console head and swim ladder. The Shearwater features a dual-step running surface with a pad.
Skeeter Boats
The SX230 bay boat is the newest option from Skeeter, measuring 23 feet, 6 inches long. Angler-friendly features include an expansive helm for electronics, a leaning post with a rocket launcher, and enough storage space to handle fishing tackle and gear.
SV Yachts
Completely unrelated to fishing, the SV Yachts SV Alpha is one fast boat. Alpha is powered by twin Mercury 700SCI racing stern drives and can reach speeds of 90-plus mph.
Yellowfin 24 Bay
At just shy of 25 feet, the Yellowfin 24 bay boat can handle a 400-horsepower Mercury Verado. Coupled with its speed, an 8-foot, 6-inch beam, 14-inch draft and 72-gallon fuel capacity allow the boat to cover inshore and nearshore waters in a single day.
The latest version of Yellowfin 24 Bay is the Carbon Elite (CE) model, with the hull, deck and console built using carbon-fiber materials.
