You say you want a boat that’s just at home casting for striped bass in the Chesapeake as it is trolling for yellowfin tuna in the open Atlantic? One that’s roomy enough for an oversized crew, yet keeps everyone aboard smiling with a nice dose of comfort? One that can make a beeline for that hotspot at speeds of 40-plus-mph, without that smiling crew getting pounded to smithereens? If you say yes, yes, and yes, it’s time to check out the Boston Whaler 330 Outrage. But before we dig into the details, check out our video boat review of this red-hot fishing machine.
We spent a day zinging around Eastern Bay on a 330 Outrage, and lesson number one came shortly after opening up the throttles despite breezy conditions: even at the 52-mph top-end speed, the ride was comfortable and quiet. Considering how much beef this boat has (dry weight is 9000 pounds and fully loaded it’s closer to 12,500) and its aggressive 23-degree deadrise deep-V hull, the fact that it smoothed out the chop wasn’t terrifically shocking. The big surprise was how muted water noise is when the hull impacts waves. You know that hollow drumming sound of fiberglass smacking H2O at high speed? And, the vibrations that follow? Thanks to the Whaler’s fiberglass-foam-fiberglass construction, both are virtually eliminated.
We won’t harp too much on the hull construction since most longtime boaters are familiar with it, but in a nutshell, after the hull and deck are laid up they get bolted into a steel mold. Boston Whaler then pumps foam in-between them under pressure, filling every nook and cranny. The foam chemically bonds with the fiberglass, turning the entire boat into a giant glass-foam-glass sandwich. Not only does that foam dampen sound levels and absorb impact vibrations, it also stiffens and insulates the entire boat — and makes it completely unsinkable.
There’s one different construction feature, however, that we do need to harp on. That’s the hardware. Most saltwater-capable boats built in this day and age have 316-grade stainless-steel hardware. The Whaler does, too, but when you lay your eyes on that hardware you’ll immediately notice one major difference between it and the stainless-steel you’ll see on other boats: sheer size. The hinges on the side-entry dive-door, the swing-down arm rest supports, the dinette table mount and just about every other piece of metal hardware you spot looks utterly massive. Because it is. And with the 330 Outrage, common problems that arise as a boat ages, like bent hinges and loose mounts, won’t be an issue.
The hatches on this boat are also downright spectacular. Fully finished on both sides, guttered and gasketed, with recessed fittings and fasteners, rising on gas-assist struts and closing on positive-locking latches, you’ll be hard pressed to find any builder who designs and builds them this well. Same goes for the bilge finish (smooth gel coat), helm enclosure (three-sided with tempered glass, a windshield wiper/washer, and a vent), and convertible seats (which open and close with a tug, not a wrestling match).
Readers with a canny eye might have noticed that we haven’t yet mentioned the leaning post in any way, which might seem a bit odd when we’re talking about a boat’s construction and design. That’s because there are so many options available that we hesitate to talk about things like the tackle station, slide-out cooler, built-in electric grill, refrigerator, or livewell, because these can be arranged, added, or omitted to your liking. But there’s one thing you can opt for with that leaning post which, in our humble opinion, trumps all the others: get it with a Seakeeper gyroscopic stabilizer inside. Sure, this eliminates options like the second livewell. But when you flip that switch and enjoy fishing without all the rocking and rolling, you’ll never want to fish from an un-stabilized boat again. Added bonus: Whaler utilizes the Fathom lithium-ion power management system, eliminating the need for a generator yet enabling you to run that gyro and all your other accessories all day long.
Heck, we’re practically out of space and we haven’t even talked about all the stock fishing features yet: the 330 Outrage has five rocket launchers across the hard top, eight gunwale rod holders, three transom rod holders, racks under the gunwales, cockpit toe rails, a 10-rod stowage rack in the forward console lounger, a pair of 57-gallon fishboxes in the deck, a 50-gallon livewell in the transom, and a raw water washdown.
Double-heck, now we’re totally out of space and we haven’t so much as mentioned the comfort level, which gets a big boost thanks to things like thick seat cushions enveloped in plush but rugged vinyl, a 40-gallon freshwater system with a transom shower, and an uber-roomy console compartment with a VacuFlush head. It seems like the Boston Whaler 330 Outrage just has so dang much going on that we’ll never manage to squeeze it all...
Boston Whaler 330 Outrage Specifications
- LOA – 33’1”
- Beam – 10’2”
- Displacement – 9000 lbs.
- Draft – 1’10”
- Transom Deadrise – 23 degrees
- Fuel Capacity – 300 gal.
- Max. Power – 800 hp
- Area Dealer – Chesapeake Whalertowne, Grasonville and Annapolis, MD, (410) 827-8080 (Grasonville) and (410) 267-9731 (Annapolis)