Bertram, Boston Whaler, Chris-Craft, Grady-White, Viking and Hunt are just a few of the storied builders rolling out new models this fall. Boat shows this season are unusually packed with fresh designs from respected yards, and many of these powerboats will be showcased at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show (Nov. 3-7), with several also appearing at Newport and Annapolis. If there were a recreational-boat Hall of Fame, these manufacturers would be strong candidates.
Carver C52 Coupe
The Carver C52 Coupe makes the most of its vertical bow and high freeboard to deliver generous interior volume. Below deck the layout includes a full-beam master stateroom with a private head and separate shower, a forward guest stateroom with its own head, and an additional third stateroom. Optional crew quarters behind the engine room add a head, shower and storage. The saloon and cockpit flow together when the aft glass deckhouse sliding door is open, creating a bright, well-ventilated living area. The cockpit offers wraparound seating and an optional wet bar with grill and refrigerator/icemaker. Power choices include twin packages rated at 480, 600 or 715 hp to suit cruising and performance preferences.
Boston Whaler 230 Outrage
The 230 Outrage is a compact center console that borrows many features found on larger Outrage models. It includes a standard head in the console, generous wraparound forward seating with a dinette table, and a clever bench helm seat whose backrest converts to an aft-facing seat while concealing a flip-down workstation. With a single 350-hp Mercury Verado four-stroke, the 230 returns about 2.7 mpg between 27 and 35 mph and about 2.4 mpg at 40 mph, making it an efficient choice for sportfishing and family days on the water.
BOAT SHOWS: Fort Lauderdale, Newport, Annapolis
LOA: 23 feet • BEAM: 8 feet 6 inches • DISPLACEMENT: 3,800 pounds • DRAFT: 1 foot 7 inches • FUEL: 110 gallons • POWER: 225–350 hp Mercury • SPEED: 54.3 mph top, 25–40 mph cruise • PRICE: $88,894 (single 225-hp Mercury Verado) • CONTACT: Boston Whaler, Edgewater, Florida, (877) 294-5645.
Grady-White Fisherman 236
The Fisherman 236 and its sibling, the Freedom 235 dual console, introduce integrated swim-platform extensions on both sides of the engine that double as boarding areas. These dual platforms let swimmers enter and exit away from the propeller, improving safety and convenience. The console houses a stand-up head, and the Fisherman is built to be a true fishing platform while offering comfortable amenities. Performance with a single Yamaha F300 yields roughly 3.0 mpg at 30 mph; with an F250, expect about 2.7 mpg at 29 mph.
BOAT SHOWS: Fort Lauderdale, Newport, Annapolis
LOA: 23 feet 7 inches • BEAM: 8 feet 6 inches • DISPLACEMENT: 3,900 pounds • DRAFT: 1 foot 7 inches • FUEL: 115 gallons • POWER: single Yamaha F250 or F300 • SPEED: 46.6 mph top, 29 mph cruise (F300); 43 mph top, 29 mph cruise (F250) • PRICE: $96,325 (F250), $97,995 (F300) • CONTACT: Grady-White Boats, Greenville, North Carolina, (252) 752-2111.
Regulator 31 CC
Regulator’s new 31 center console hits a size sweet spot that appeals to anglers and day cruisers who want more room than a 28 without sacrificing single-person handling. The standard 31 is equipped with twin 300-hp Yamaha engines and practical features like a cockpit tackle center and fishbox. Influenced by the larger Regulator 41, the 31 incorporates a starboard dive door and integrated forward seat backrests. With twin F300s the boat cruises near 35 mph and delivers about 1.43 mpg, translating to a long range of roughly 386 miles.
BOAT SHOWS: Fort Lauderdale, Newport, Annapolis
LOA: 36 feet 5 inches (with bracket and engines) • BEAM: 10 feet 4 inches • DISPLACEMENT: 10,500 pounds (with engines) • DRAFT: 2 feet 1 inch (engines up), 2 feet 8 inches (engines down) • POWER: twin Yamaha F300s • FUEL: 300 gallons • SPEED: 54 mph top, 30–40 mph cruise • PRICE: $242,995 • CONTACT: Regulator Marine, Edenton, North Carolina, (252) 482-3837.
EdgeWater 248CX
The EdgeWater 248CX replaces the 245CX as a versatile dual-console platform that easily transitions from fishing to water sports or dayboating. The updated bow area now features forward-facing seat backs with armrests and improved insulated stowage compartments. The cockpit includes a transom-width fold-out seat that tucks away for access to the raised bait well. Thanks to its deep-vee hull, the 248CX posts efficient numbers: about 3.3 mpg at 29 mph, 3.0 mpg at 33 mph and 2.5 mpg at 38 mph.
BOAT SHOWS: Fort Lauderdale, Newport, Annapolis
LOA: 24 feet 6 inches • BEAM: 8 feet 6 inches • DRAFT: 1 foot 9 inches (hull only) • DISPLACEMENT: 3,365 pounds • FUEL: 120 gallons • POWER: Yamaha F300 • SPEED: 48 mph top, 30 mph cruise • CONTACT: EdgeWater Power Boats, Edgewater, Florida, (386) 426-5457.
Back Cove 32
As the sixth model in Back Cove’s Down East line, the Back Cove 32 is tailored for couples seeking efficient, long-range cruising at comfortable speeds. The boat emphasizes simplicity and economy with standard equipment that includes a hardtop, swim platform, hot water heater, trim tabs, a Side-Power bow thruster with joystick, LED lighting and a functional galley. The varnished cherry interior and teak-and-holly sole add classic style below. With a 370-hp diesel (Yanmar or Volvo Penta) the 32 is expected to achieve about 1.3 nautical mpg at 20 knots for a range near 217 nautical miles; a higher-output 435-hp Volvo option raises top speed and cruise flexibility.
BOAT SHOWS: Fort Lauderdale, Newport, Annapolis
LOA: 37 feet (including swim platform) • BEAM: 11 feet 10 inches • WEIGHT: 15,000 pounds • DRAFT: 3 feet • FUEL: 185 gallons • POWER: 370-hp Volvo Penta or Yanmar diesel (option for 435-hp Volvo Penta) • SPEED: 25–28 knots top depending on power, 18–20 knots cruise • PRICE: $320,000 (370-hp Volvo Penta) • CONTACT: Back Cove Yachts, Rockland, Maine, (207) 594-8821.
Southport 33LX
Built on Southport’s 33-foot center-console hull, the 33LX blends the fishing capabilities of a center console with the seating and comforts of a day cruiser or short-range overnighter. The forward 270-degree wraparound seating creates a social lounge area while the centerline helm preserves sightlines and functionality favored by serious boaters. Southport outfits the 33LX with tender-style conveniences such as extra refrigeration, a summer galley and expanded food-and-beverage storage and prep areas. The company anticipates about 1.43 mpg at 33 mph for planning purposes.
BOAT SHOWS: Fort Lauderdale, Newport
LOA: 32 feet 6 inches • BEAM: 10 feet 8 inches • DISPLACEMENT: 7,300 pounds • DRAFT: 1 foot 10 inches • FUEL: 300 gallons • POWER: twin Yamaha F350s or F300s • ESTIMATED SPEED: 50+ mph top, 30–40 mph cruise (F300s) • PRICE: $300,000 (F300s), $312,000 (F350s) • CONTACT: Southport Boats, Augusta, Maine, (207) 620-7998.
Bertram 35
Bertram has returned with new ownership, leadership and a fresh design inspired by the classic Bertram 31. Michael Peters Yacht Design created the lines, and the 35 will be offered initially in sportfishing and cruising layouts. The boat rides a deep-vee hull like its predecessor and is standard with twin Caterpillar C7.1 ACERT diesels; the first hulls will debut with twin 460-hp installations, though 500-hp versions are listed as a standard option. The Bertram 35 is expected to reach a top speed near 40 knots under typical loading.
BOAT SHOWS: Fort Lauderdale, Newport, Annapolis
LOA: 35 feet 1 inch • BEAM: 12 feet 5 inches • DISPLACEMENT: 20,800 pounds (half load) • DRAFT: 2 feet 6 inches • FUEL: 310 gallons • POWER: twin 460-hp Caterpillar C7.1 diesels (standard) • SPEED: about 40 knots top (half load) • CONTACT: Bertram Yachts, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, (954) 401-1070.
Chris-Craft Commander 42
Chris-Craft’s Commander 42 shifts the brand’s signature luxury sportboat aesthetic into a different direction: a classic lobster-yacht exterior wrapped around the accommodations of a modern express cruiser. The Commander 42 features a bow sun pad, a cockpit galley, below-deck berths for five, a head with separate shower, teak cockpit soles and mahogany exterior trim. At a steady 20 knots the boat averages roughly 1.2 nautical mpg, providing a 432-nautical-mile range for comfortable coastal cruising.
Hunt 72
Hunt Yachts markets its new 72 as a “sport motoryacht” that blends motoryacht comfort with sport-cruiser performance. Twin high-horsepower Caterpillar diesels (around 1,920 hp each) deliver a mid-30-knot cruise, while automated trim systems help reduce pitch and roll for a smoother ride. Interior accommodations include two guest staterooms—one with an en-suite head—and a full-beam master with oversized opening ports and a head featuring twin sinks. Hunt emphasizes practical, thoughtful details like a cockpit-sole canvas cover, a sight tube for accurate fuel readings and a mahogany boat hook stowed in the deckhouse. At 20 knots the yacht’s range is about 400 nautical miles.
BOAT SHOWS: Fort Lauderdale, Newport
LOA: 71 feet 3 inches • BEAM: 19 feet 6 inches • DISPLACEMENT: 125,000 pounds • DRAFT: 5 feet 5 inches • FUEL: 1,800 gallons • POWER: twin Caterpillar C32s (~1,900 hp) • SPEED: 36 knots top, 31 knots cruise • PRICE: $5 million–$5.5 million (depending on propulsion and options) • CONTACT: Hunt Yachts, Portsmouth, Rhode Island, (401) 324-4201.
Viking 72
Viking will present multiple new models, including the 72 Convertible and 72 Enclosed Bridge Convertible, as well as 48-foot variants. For the 72 the builder retained the successful features of the Viking 70 while introducing a revised hull, refreshed salon and upgraded engine-room systems. The updated hull increases transom deadrise and displacement, yet with similar installed horsepower the 72 maintains the performance owners expect. The four-stateroom, five-head layout includes private access to the aft stateroom via the engine room—an arrangement that also allows optional crew accommodations. The Viking 72 cruises around 40 knots and has an estimated range near 370 nautical miles.
BOAT SHOWS: Fort Lauderdale (72 Open Bridge, Enclosed Bridge), Newport (48 Convertible), Annapolis (42 Convertible)