Front and Center

This may come as a shock to some, but it’s OK to be comfortable when you’re headed offshore to fish. You don’t need to be standing for hours on end. Nor do you have to sit on a cooler or a fishbox when you’re taking a break to grab a sandwich.

“Just because we’re hard-core fishermen, it doesn’t mean we don’t like to sit down and be comfortable,” says Tyler Cesar, vice president of Cape Horn Boats. And when nature calls, the bucket-and-chuck-it routine won’t cut it, especially if his wife and daughter are on board. “We’ve got porcelain toilets, and they’re nice.”

Compared to traditional offshore diesel battlewagons, many center consoles are faster, burn less fuel, and are easier to clean and maintain. And some builders equip them with more cruising amenities, such as removable tables and televisions, along with grills