As I stepped aboard the EdgeWater 340CC at Pirate’s Cove Resort & Marina in Stuart, Florida, I sensed a seamless blend of serious fishing features with posh cruising comfort and amenities. And this interior seemed to carry it off without sacrificing the benefits of either.
Joining me on this fish trial in mid-January was EdgeWater’s marketing director, Chris Balogh, and Capt. Scott Fawcett, our fishing guide. We originally planned to sneak outside St. Lucie Inlet to fish offshore, but steady 30-mph winds put a crimp in that idea, so we plied the inside waters for snook instead.
Bait Aplenty
Since we would need live bait to tempt the snook, I quickly took note of the 32-gallon transom well in the port quarter, which we later loaded with more than 100 pilchards. The bait remained vigorous all day.
The 340CC can be equipped with a second, pressurized 38-gallon livewell abaft the helm seating that includes a full-height aquarium-style viewing window. This generous allocation contrasts sharply with many family-centric center consoles that offer only a modicum of livewell capacity.
However, my test boat forewent the second well in favor of the optional Super Leaning Post package that provided a sink and freshwater faucet, a basin for stashing rigged trolling baits, three drawers of tackle stowage and an Isotherm fridge. I also discovered a pair of insulated insole fish lockers flanking the aft deck and two more tucked in the 23-inch-wide walkways aside the console.
For those more interested in cruising, an optional bow comfort package features backrests that turn the wraparound seating into a pair of inviting loungers. A cantilever-style pedestal table lets you entertain. Under the bow seating resides plenty of dry stowage.
Enhancing the bow seating is a lounge for two on the forward console. Underneath resides a cavernous locker that includes racks for scuba tanks, six fishing rods, and room for a pair of 5-gallon buckets. For super comfort on the water, EdgeWater offers a Seakeeper gyro stabilizer for the 340CC.
Elevated Bow Platform
During my test, I stepped up to the elevated bow seating module (sans upholstery) to cast live pilchards to likely lairs inside of the wave-swept north jetty at the mouth of the inlet. With a nonskid surface, this bow platform is also great place to man the anchor line that deploys from an in-stem chute/roller and retrieves easily thanks to an electric windlass.
In the stern, a fold-out transom bench accommodates three; I found that the seat bottom extends far enough to offer good thigh support. It quickly folds away to clear the decks when fishing, and there are five rod holders that line the transom. The aft cockpit deck taped out at more than 9 feet wide by 6 feet long, providing plenty of room for fishing.
An optional, inward-opening portside door eased the embarking process. If you want to swim, snorkel or scuba, there’s a removable boarding ladder.
A transom gate in the starboard quarter leads to an integral swim platform that extends well aft on each side of the twin outboards. A narrow walkway forward of the engines allows you to traverse from side to side.
Helm Protection
The 340CC fiberglass hardtop features a full-height glass windshield and side windows for helm protection. An electric vent at the top of the windshield allows a cooling breeze. A built-in hardtop hatch offers easy access aloft in case you add a tower.
I found a cushy perch when I planted myself in one of the two high-back helm seats, each featuring flip-up bolsters and fold-down armrests, with footrests at the base of the console.
For skippers who might need some extra height, EdgeWater has engineered a “visibility step” that folds out from the seat base to add 4½ inches of elevation to the helm pad.
The dash panel spans 42 inches, and on my test boat, it sported a pair of optional flush-mounted Garmin GPSMAP 8616 multifunction displays, a Yamaha CL7 engine monitor, a standard Fusion stereo (controlling eight JL speakers, including two subwoofers), and the Yamaha Helm Master joystick as part of the twin Yamaha 425 XTO propulsion package.
Trays atop the dash and another under the switch panel are touches I appreciate — both handy for stashing mobile phones and car keys. An overhead electronics box housed a flush-mounted Garmin Reactor autopilot control.
I stepped into the console interior through the portside companionway and discovered an impressive panel to control the onboard electrical system, as well as a sink, freshwater pull-out shower, and electric-flush head.
Built to Perform
The 340CC is built with composite and foam structural stringers with knitted fiberglass and vinylester resins in a closed vacuum process that EdgeWater calls Single-Piece Infusion. That pays off in a solid feeling hull that’s free of creaks and rattles.
We did not catch any fish on this particular day, but the choppy waters gave me a chance to see how the 340CC rides. The deep-V running surface knifed smoothly through rough stuff and cornered at high speed with confidence-inspiring precision.
The twin Yamaha 425 hp outboards propelled the 340CC to plane in a head-snapping 3 seconds, reaching 30 mph in 6 seconds. Top speed was 59 mph at 6,000 rpm, where the motors consumed 76.8 gallons per hour for 0.77 mpg.
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The 340CC achieved peak fuel efficiency at 3,500 rpm and 31 mph, where it burned 23 gph for 1.17 mpg, which equates to a range of more than 360 miles based on the 340-gallon fuel capacity.
The EdgeWater 340CC seems to have achieved a nearly perfect compromise between its fishy and cruising personalities. And as more and more families enter the boating market these days, the 340CC might be just the right boat at the right time.
Performance
Engines: Twin Yamaha 425 XTOs
Load: 200 gal. fuel, three crew
Time to 30 mph: 6 sec.
Top Speed: 59 mph @ 6,000 rpm
Best MPG: 1.17 mpg @ 31 mph (3,500 rpm)
Hull
LOA: 33 ft. 4 in.
Beam: 10 ft. 6 in.
Transom Deadrise: 23.5 deg.
Draft: 2 ft. 2 in.
Weight: 11,800 lb. (w/ engines)
Fuel: 340 gal.
Max HP: 850
Base Price: $371,286 (w/ twin Yamaha 425 XTOs)
EdgeWater Boats
Edgewater, Florida
