As we said the other day: We're psyched for our favorite regional festival of fiberglass fun, the Bay Bridge Boat Show (April 12 to 14 in Stevensville, MD). As we head for the docks we’ve received word of a slew of hot new fishing machines that are heading our way this year, which we’re sure FishTalk readers will want to know about. We’ll bring you more detailed, in-depth reviews on these boats as we learn more but meanwhile keep your eyes peeled for:
Grady-White Canyon 386
The Grady-White Canyon 386 brings full cabin comfort and weekending abilities to a center console under 40 feet. It has a convertible dinette/berth, galley, and stand-up head below, and you probably already guessed that topsides is fishing nirvana with monster livewells, fishboxes, tackle stowage, and rodholders galore. RED ALERT: Grady also has a new 231 Coastal Explorer and a new Freedom 415!
LOA: 36’6” Beam: 13’2” Draft: 2’4” Displacement: 14,950 lbs. Area Dealers: Tri-State Marine, Deale and Annapolis, MD (410) 867-1447; Norfolk Marine, Norfolk, VA (757) 461-3391; Taylor Marine Center, Milford DE and Ocean City, MD, (302) 251-2506/(443) 647-8265.
NorthCoast 415HT
There’s a new queen of the fleet for NorthCoast, the largest ever built. The 415HT has a whopping 25 degrees of transom deadrise with a rounded-off keel and powered by quad 300s, is expected to bust past 50 mph.
LOA: 41’ Beam: 12’11” Draft: 2’3” Displacement: 24,701 lbs. Area Dealers: Pocket Yacht Company, Grasonville, MD, (888) 519-9120 x3.
May Craft 208/238 CC
Do all new boats have to be so crammed with bells and whistles that they cost a bajillion dollars? The Maycraft 208 and 238 CC models prove you can still get a no-nonsense, quality-built fishing machine without taking out a second mortgage. Stock angling accouterments include flush-mount rodholders, a livewell, fishboxes in the bow, and the freedom to fish without being buried by debt.
LOA: 20’3” – 23’0” Beam: 8’0” Draft: 1’0” – 1’1” Displacement: 2100 – 2300 lbs. Area Dealers: Beacon Light Marina, Middle River, MD (410) 975-7512.
Parker 2420 Sport Cabin
In recent years Parker has been refreshing its center console line, so fans of cabin boats will be excited to see this rejuvenation extend to the Sport Cabins. The 2420SC gets the ball rolling with a cabin big enough for overnighting and a massive wide-open cockpit that maximizes fishability.
LOA: 24’2” Beam: 8’8” Draft: 1’4” Displacement: 5896 lbs. Area Dealers: Tri-State Marine, Deale and Annapolis, MD (410) 867-1447 or; Legasea Marine, Yorktown, VA (757) 898-3000.
Pursuit OS 455
The OS 455 was first splashed last year and remains the flagship of Pursuit’s fleet. It’s impossible to encompass all of this boat’s attributes in a couple of sentences, but rest assured, if you want to enjoy fishing at the pinnacle of luxury this boat’s going to be tough to beat.
LOA: 48’6” Beam: 13’10” Draft: 2’6” Displacement: 30,718 lbs. Area Dealers: (MD) Bosun’s Marine, Grasonville, MD (443) 347-6314; (VA) North Point Yacht Sales, Gloucester Point, VA, (804) 885-4090; (DE) Rt 113 Boat Sales, Selbyville, DE (302) 436-1737.
Sportsman Open 252CC
Sportsman Boats has long been known for delivering amazingly well-equipped boats at surprisingly reasonable prices, and the Open 252CC proves yet again that the reputation is warranted. It comes loaded with high-tech goodies like Seakeeper Ride, digital switching via a Garmin GPSMAP 1243xsv and Maretron MPower, an eight-speaker Apollo RA670 stereo system, and much, much more.
LOA: 25’3” Beam: 9’3” Draft: 1’8” Displacement: 4672 lbs. Area Dealers: Norfolk Marine, Norfolk, VA (757) 461-3391; Riverside Marine, Essex, MD (410) 686-1500.
If you missed it, see Hot New Fishing Boats for 2024, Part I.