Where can you find a splash of North Carolina in the southwestern Pacific? Simply head for the Makaira Boats plant in Northland, New Zealand, where the hulls feature Carolina flare. Wait a sec—it might be just a tad bit easier to roll over to the Eastern Shore and visit Cambridge, MD, because you can now find Makaira boats there, too, at Brown Dog Marine.

makaira gen 3 26 fishing boat
Carolina Flare in an aluminum boat built in New Zealand? You'll find it, on the Makaira Gen3 26.

Why would one want to check out a Makaira in the first place? These are very unusual, downright exceptional boats, and when we first set foot on a Gen3 26 we were absolutely blown away. The first thing you need to know about the Makaira Gen3 26 is that it’s aluminum, not fiberglass. But it’s constructed in such a way that the downside to most aluminum boats, a drumming and/or flexing as the boat strikes waves, is eliminated. Makaira builds the hull around a 5/16”-thick keel bar and welds in far more stringers and frames than usual, so that each section of hull is supported six inches apart longitudinally and no more than two feet apart latitudinally. Meanwhile, that hull plating is 0.31” thick 5083 H116 aluminum. As a point of reference, most of the aluminum boats we see around here are 0.1” or 0.125” thick, and this is the first boat designed for recreational use we’ve come across to use plating over 0.2” thick. The Makaira is also the first of its kind we’ve run across that meets the bar for Lloyd’s Register Special Service Craft certification.

Now combine that uber-beefy construction with Carolina flare in the bow, another trait you won’t find on other aluminum boats. Add in a variable-degree deadrise bottom which enters the water with an extremely aggressive 50-degree deadrise, a Seakeeper Ride vessel attitude control system, and a bracket-mounted motor. The net result? When you go for a sea trial you’ll wonder why all boats aren’t built this way.

wiring in a makaira gen3 26
When you look at the Makaira Gen3 26 be darn sure to take a peek at the wiring. It’s all clearly labeled, well loomed and supported, with heat-shrink protection at the connections. It’s rare we see a wiring job this exceptional and if you’ve ever had a boat with glitchy wiring you know just how critical this can be.

You’ll also wonder why all boats aren’t built with the same level of fishability. Few 26-footers have a bowdeck as broad, and there’s room for a couple of anglers to cast from up there, but of course on a cabin boat like this most of the action takes place in the cockpit. And the Gen3 26 is prepared for that action. A 21-gallon transom livewell is flanked by stowage compartments for tackle, there’s a removable transom bait table with three rocket launchers, six flush-mount rodholders are in the gunwales, nine rocket launchers line the hard top, there’s a raw water washdown tucked under a gunwale, and additional tackle stowage under the aft cabin seat. On the boat we checked out at the Miami International Boat Show there was even a pair of tuna tubes integrated into the transom. Armed for bear? Youbetcha—and then some.

The cabin and helm deck can be fully enclosed aft, enclosed with curtains, or left open. If you do a lot of wintertime fishing you might want the full enclosure but the easy in-and-out of an open aft bulkhead will be attractive to many anglers. Either way, you can always get a nice breeze inside because the side windows slide open. The dinette to port is adjustable and has a filler so it can convert into a berth for two, there’s a small galley unit aft of the helm seat, and a v-berth and head in the lower cabin. Makaira makes excellent use of the available space inside, adding drawers wherever possible, a refrigerator in the passenger’s seat-base, and a bulk stowage compartment in the sole. Anglers will also want to note that rigging with heavy-hitting electronics won’t be an issue, because the helm is designed for a standard 16” Garmin MFD and can take a massive 22” unit if you opt to upgrade.

makaira gen3 26 in the cabin
The pilothouse on the Makaira Gen3 26 provides full protection for you and the crew.

The Gen3 26 can be run with up to 450-hp in either single or twin-engine form. The boat we checked out sported a pair of 225-hp Mercury outboards, which reportedly take the Makaira up to a 50-mph top-end.

The bottom line? Forget everything you knew about aluminum boats and the way they compare with fiberglass, because the Makaira turns it upside-down. It’s almost as if you were suddenly on the opposite side of the planet. Or, maybe just standing on a boat that was built there.

Makaira Gen3 26 Specifications

  • LOA – 26’2”
  • Beam – 8’9”
  • Draft (min) – 1’8”
  • Displacement – 6900 lbs.
  • Transom Deadrise – 19 degrees
  • Fuel Capacity – 124 gal.
  • Water Capacity – 10 gal.
  • Max. Power – 450 hp

For more information contact FishTalk supporter Brown Dog Marine, in Cambridge, MD, (410) 310-8931.