Boston Whaler introduced the Vantage line in 2013 and has steadily expanded the series. The newest model, the Vantage 330, was unveiled at the 2024 Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show as the line’s flagship. Fabrizio DeLuca from Brunswick’s Tech Center in Everglades, Florida, led the design and guided the walk-through of the boat.
DeLuca, who served as lead designer for the 330, explained that the new model is an evolution of the Vantage 320 introduced in 2015. The goal was to carry forward the styling updates from the most recent Vantages while adding features requested by owners and dealers. The result is a refined dual-console design with significant usability and comfort improvements.
One immediately noticeable change is an available full windshield that dramatically expands the protected area forward. It consists of two fixed side panels and a center door that swings open to access the bow seating. A push-button vent above the center door provides fresh air when the door is closed. Despite its size, the center panel operates smoothly: a gas damper eases movement and prevents the door from slamming or flying outward, making it simple to lift and close.
The bow layout includes two forward-facing lounges with folding armrests. An optional table fits within the wraparound seating for dining, and a filler pad converts the area into a sunpad. The bow also has ample conveniences: multiple speakers, cupholders, USB charging ports, stowage compartments, a fish locker below the floor, and a cooler beneath one seat. Anchoring and boarding are practical as well, with an anchor locker and windlass, a boarding ladder, a freshwater sprayer, and two rod holders that support an optional bow sunshade.
Down below, the design team made a notable change to increase usable space in the head. On the 320 the head was smaller and located on the starboard side with a cabin opposite; on the 330 these spaces were swapped so the head is now larger and positioned to port. DeLuca noted that the cabin on earlier models was often used for storage, while customers repeatedly requested a larger head. The reconfigured layout delivers a more functional head and preserves useful cabin space.
Immediately aft of the head is a bench seat with armrests and power-raising bolsters. At the push of a button those bolsters lift to match the seating or standing height of the captain, giving passengers beside the helm the same comfortable arrangement as the skipper.
The helm itself is well organized with optional twin 16-inch Simrad displays, an optional joystick control, digital switching and pushbutton controls positioned for easy access. The layout emphasizes intuitive operation and clean sightlines for navigation and system management.
The new hardtop is larger than on previous Vantages and accommodates an improved seating plan: a convertible dinette to port and an aft-facing lounge to starboard. To keep the cockpit seating shaded, the galley was relocated from the starboard side to the transom, bringing all primary seats under the hardtop. An optional retractable canvas cockpit cover extends coverage all the way to the transom “summer kitchen” area, providing extensive shade when desired.
The 330 retains serious fishing capability. Rod holders are integrated into the gunwales, a standard livewell is built into the transom box, two fishboxes are located in the cockpit sole, and a starboard dive door simplifies returning a larger catch on board. The transom can be equipped with an optional summer kitchen, or buyers can choose a pullout bench with a bait-prep station in place of the grill and fridge.
Large boarding platforms bookend either side of the outboards—standard twin 300-hp Mercury engines or optional twin 400-hp motors. The port platform is accessible from the cockpit via an acrylic door and houses a swim ladder plus hot-and-cold freshwater sprayer. A substantial access hatch in the cockpit sole reveals the mechanical bay, where there’s space for optional gear such as a Seakeeper gyrostabilizer.
Rather than installing a generator, Boston Whaler redesigned the power system so onboard electrical needs—refrigeration, hot-water heater, gyro, and air conditioning—are supplied by AGM or lithium-ion battery packs. This approach provides quieter, cleaner power without generator exhaust or odor.
Performance figures from Boston Whaler indicate the twin Mercury V8 300s propel the 330 to about 43 knots, while the twin 400-hp V10s raise top speed to nearly 49 knots.
With a base price of $446,831, the Vantage 330 is the largest and most technically advanced dual-console model in the Boston Whaler line-up. It blends expanded comfort, flexible seating, thoughtful storage, and upgraded systems while retaining the brand’s hallmark unsinkable hull.
The bottom line: The Vantage 330 offers generous seating and shade, a larger head, a versatile cockpit, modern battery-based power, and the durable Whaler hull. It’s designed to provide season-extending protection and a comfortable, capable platform for both day cruising and serious fishing.
Specifications
LOA: 34’3”
Beam: 10’4”
Draft: 2’1”
Weight (dry): 11,302 lbs.
Fuel: 285 gals.
Water: 30 gals.
Power: (2) 300- or 400-hp Mercury outboards
February 2025