There are so many center console boats on the market these days it’s hard not to mix up the posers with the serious fishing machines. That won’t be a problem, with the Cape Horn 22OS. Along with 27 rodholders you’ll discover that the standard features include a whopping-big 40-gallon livewell behind the leaning post, a four-foot-long 100-gallon insulated fishbox in the bow, cockpit coaming bolsters, under-gunwale rodracks, and a raw-water washdown. Even the T-top and electronics box are included as standard features, which is a nice change from the usual “optional” must-have top that jacks the price above what you thought it was going to be. Let's take a quick look at the boat on video:
Having all those fishing features is great, but what really gets us juiced is the bow arrangement. Most boats in this class have flanking bow seats, which eat into fishable deck space and are more or less useless when underway in any kind of seas. Not so, on the 22OS. Instead this boat has a single step up to a slightly raised foredeck, which is still low enough to feel safe standing on in rough seas. That gives you slightly better casting ability, and enough height to clear the gunwales while throwing a cast net without giving yourself a hernia. True, you lose those family-friendly bow seats that come in handy when you’re handing out juice boxes and sammies. But remember, this is a serious fishboat – not a wannabe.
Wait a sec – run a single-engine 22-footer offshore? In this case, we’d say it’s not at all unrealistic. Sure, most of us interested in a 22-footer are more likely focused on the Bay. But when the weather is decent and a tuna bite is going off, who can resist the temptation? Let’s say you have a 22OS rigged with a Suzuki DF350A (See Hot New Gear, August 2017 for the low-down on this engine). Running at 4500 rpm you’ll be burning around 15 gph at speeds of around 40 mph. Let’s say you’re loaded for bear and call it 16 gph and 35 mph, just to be safe. The boat carries 127 gallons of fuel, so if you allow for a 10-percent reserve you have 114 useable gallons. Crunch the numbers, and you’ll note a range of dang close to 250 miles. Considering how reliable today’s modern four-strokes are and the fact that the Cape Horn is built with a healthy dose of foam filling all belowdecks voids, we wouldn’t hesitate to run this boat to the canyons.
Once there, naturally, we’d do some fishing – from one serious fishing machine.
Cape Horn 22 Center Console Specifications
LOA – 22’9”
Beam – 9’1”
Displacement – 2,775 lbs.
Draft (hull) – 1’4”
Transom Deadrise – 20 degrees
Fuel Capacity – 127 gal
Max HP – 350
Area Dealers – PYY Marine, Pasadena, MD, (410) 255-1771.