Boston Whaler 350 Realm Review

OVERVIEW
Boston Whaler is Brunswick Marine's banner brand that accounts for the lion's share of the pecan pie and profitability of this U.S. boatbuilding behemoth. Whaler is celebrating 60 years strong this year and it is a household name in and outside the States.

From small skiffs and centre consoles, which date back to the good old Flipper TV show, to today's 42-foot flagship 420 Outrage centre console sporting quad 350hp outboards, the brand has grown into a powerhouse of bluewater powerboats built for serious fishing, tournaments, as well as family outings and flings.

It's this softer sided of Whaler — and the global powerboat market in general — that forced its hand to look at new ways to expand the appeal of its boats. As I've written elsewhere, softcore is the new hardcore and social boats with bluewater performance hulls built with pedigree and big outboard power really are changing the face of weekend boating.

Where the sportscruisers and 35-40ft open flybridge or convertible cruisers used to dominate, nowadays it's all open-boat boats with multiple outboard engines doing to in half the time. Mind you, this is a very American approach to boating and the fuel usage doesn't seem to factor into the equation there. But time is money and with these no go-fast sportfishers and offshore boats you can do more in less time.

Enter the first of a whole new genre of Boston Whaler — the 350 Realm. We were one of the first media crew in the world to give this exciting new boat a big run during its Florida launch at Captiva. Sporting triple 350hp Mercury Verado outboards and a heap of upgrades, this was a Whaler like we've not seen before.

After travelling great distances from Oz, and through the media-presentation ether, something rang out in my ears about the 350 Realm. The pre-sea-trial presentation was held by Scott Ward, the President and GM of Boston Whaler, as we chowed down on breakfast American style and heard the good news about Whaler.

Ward explained the heritage of Boston Whaler, we saw emotive videos, classic boats like the Montauks (range just updated and expanded), cool centre consoles in the Outrages now to 42ft with quads, the Vantage line-up which are the all-round day cruisers, and the Conquests with cabins for weekending.

So where does the Realm fit in?

"It's expedition grade," Ward explained, adding words like purposeful and comfortable, with a cabin and vast outdoor options. And as he went on to add, the market for large outboard-powered pleasure boats is hot, with Whaler experiencing record sales and volumes. This new 350 Realm is definitely set to build on that.

The 350 Realm is a huge 35-footer, not just on deck thanks to the wide-beam hull, but in respect of its potential. I forecast a lot of Aussies will love this boat, especially those in tropical Queensland and Perth. While it costs the same as a 40-foot flybridge cruiser, it is in a different world and, err, realm of boating. Tournament fishos have other Whalers to choose from, but you still get a weekender within this boat for those who want to stay aboard.

Andrew Bennett from Queensland Marine Centre (QMC), the local Boston Whaler importer, ordered a 350 Realm as quickly as he could get one. The boat is due to arrive here in late-April 2018 in time for a special release at the 2018 Sanctuary Cover International Boat Show.

"We think it will suit our market perfectly. We get a lot of people who want a smaller sleeper cabin on our centre consoles. This is a bit bigger and the boat is a bit more of an all-rounder… a perfect tender to a big mothership, and a great dive, fish and barbecue boat.

"I have clients that have triple and twin rigs now who would love something like this, with a small sleeper for the skipper. The full-width hardtop and shade all the way to the back, with the Sureshade top, and the one full side walkaround, make this a great entertainer. It also has all the performance benefits of the Outrage," Bennett told boatsales.com.au in our earlier 350 Realm Spotlight on this boat.

The base price for a Boston Whaler 350 Realm is about $710,00 with triple 300hp Mercury Verado outboards. The demo boat in the US we drove was absolutely loaded to the hilt with everything from gyro to engine upgrade with triple 350s. Never one to do things by half measures, QMC has ordered an Aussie-spec 350 Realm as loaded boat.

With triple white 350hp Mercury Verado engines and Joystick ($72k upgrade), platinum coloured hull, underwater lights, teak tables, bow sunshade, shorepower, rear Sureshade electric awning, auto engine flush system and more, the landed price is around $860. It's a big ticket, but it is a special boat.

LAYOUT AND ACCOMMODATION
Designed for active pursuits including fishing, diving, entertaining and zooming to far-off destinations, the 350 Realm packs more comforts and seating aboard than an Outrage centre console, in effect creating a dual-purpose boat for socialising and overnighting.

The integrated hardtop and easy-up weather curtains provide protection from the elements at the helm, while a cockpit dive door, serious fishing features and an optional upper station in a half tower encourage action-packed recreation. I'm not sure if too many buyers will go the half-tower option, however. Get the new 380 Outrage we drove for tournament fishing instead.

But integrated fishing features abound on the 350 Realm, including a big pressurised aft live well, two insulated in-floor fish boxes, a full spread of rod holders, padded coamings, optional outriggers, electronics packages and more.

The aft cockpit isn't quite so big as an Outrage, and there is a substantial bow seating arrangement, plus the port-sides console prevents the full fish-around room you get with a centre. But fear not - that's what joysticks and triple outboards are for these days. If you need to manoeuvre this boat on a fish you're going to have no problems.

While game fishing and sportfishing are still very a part of the 350 Realm's charter, I'd imagine this boat fulfilling the role of a superb bottom-fishing boat at The Reef. You can hold station on the joystick, virtual anchor if you will, and fish around a vast amount of cockpit space backed by padded coamings. It would also make a brilliant spearfisho's boat with the dive door and great water access.

Coral trout or snapper in the underfloor box, you can then pursue the broader pleasures of the Realm. For this, whether travelling to the grounds or just hanging out, there are four rows of seats — bowrider, helm, second row and transom lounge — to cater for, say, 12-14 people on that 30nm run to The Reef or Islands.

The cockpit amenities centre has a fridge, sink and grill, plus a party-sized built-in cooler to sate a summer crowd. With a 3.30m or 10ft 10in beam, there's a lot of floor space left over to move around. But that seating is a real highlight.

On the Aussie boat, the forward sunshade option and rear electric SureShade, plus the key moulded hardtop over the helm, will ensure plenty of shade when hanging on the hook and running to the grounds.

Every seat on the helm deck includes a footrest. The helm bench, with armrests and flip-up bolsters, has been designed for ergonomic positioning for captain and passengers, and swivels to face aft.

Aft of the helm seat, a clever new mezzanine seat converts to face forward or aft, making this a natural gathering space when at anchor. The mezzanine seat also houses a massive built-in insulated cooler (also available refrigerated) with capacity for days' worth of drinks and snacks.

All the way aft, a convertible bench seat folds out from the transom and tucks neatly away when you're sportfishing.

Meantime, the full cabin below decks features a convertible V-berth double that sleeps two and there is a separate enclosed stand-up head with shower. A 7.5kW generator and air-con are listed in the standard specs.

Water capacity is 170lt and there's a water heater onboard for a hot shower. Other amenities include a 28in flatscreen TV, a microwave, and cabinet storage. It's a nice little 35ft weekender for a couple or a young family.

HULL AND ENGINEERING
With the one portside walkthrough and much bigger bow-to-stern seating, the 350 Realm is as much about reeling in the bluewater sea miles as it smiles on dials when you get there. The boat is rate to carry up to 14 people and is, of course, built with a foam-filled Whaler hull and self-draining cockpit.

A triple outboard rig, the boat sports a rack of three 300-350hp Mercury outboards, which are also part of parent company Brunswick Marine's portfolio. The 350s drive the all-new 23-degree deep-vee hull, with 1457lt of fuel, to mid-40 knots and 30-35 knots cruise. As touched on, the Joystick Piloting with Skyhook is a must-have option for ease of docking and virtual anchoring while reef fishing.

As for build quality, the 350 Realm presented like any other big Boston Whaler - it's a serious bit of professionally made offshore kit - with an 'unsinkable' foam-filled self-draining hull, beautiful mouldings, first-rate stainless-steel gear, top outdoor upholstery, thoughtful design and storage, and just an overarching feeling of quality. You get what you pay for and Whalers are built for the long haul.

As testimony to their quality, there are plenty of 10-20-year-old Whalers to check out on local marinas, and most need just a buff and polish to look their best again. You don't hear of major issues, all the parts and engineering items are from big name brands and easily serviceable and replaceable, and the 350 Realm certainly fell into this camp. But it's not too high-tech, either, with a simple breaker panel that makes sense.

With the auto-flush outboard system fitted, you can easily put the boat to bed, tug on the covers and finish your Sunday funday and adventure boating in no time. Low maintenance.

OFFSHORE PERFORMANCE
Boston Whaler created a new Variable Running Surface for the 350 Realm to generate what it says is a remarkably soft, safe, dry ride, no matter the conditions. Admittedly, we drove this boat off Captiva in Florida, where the biggest waves where boat wakes. So we reserve our view on true rough-water performance, although I can just tell from the 23-degree deep-vee hull with big chines and strakes that this boat will carve hard when driven hard. Tab down and go.

Hole shot was snappy but not quite as eye-watering as I'd anticipated with triple 350hp Mercury Verados. That said, we had full fuel and water and, thus, the boat was in expedition mode sans tackle and grub.

Driving this boat, with the clear sight lines and sharp wheel response, with the breeze fanning the face in hot Florida, proved a joy. But with autopilot you could be hanging back and cranking up the music as much as the knots. In one hour on this boat you can go a long way.

Official supplied sea trial data put this 350 Realm with triple 350 Mercury Verados (spinning 17in x 14in Rev 4 props) at 45.8 knots or 52.7mph at 6400rpm. You'll be burning, wait for it, almost 350lt/hr.

Optimum safe cruising range is about 310nm at 4000-4500rpm and 25-31 knots for a 125-150lt/hr burn rate, which is about the same as a 45ft flybridge with diesels.

Even though it was calm, we hit plenty of wake and the 350 Realm seemed like an especially dry boat, with big flare, chines and strakes up front, and a low planted centre-of-gravity from the wide 3.30m beam, which contributes to the space to this 35-footer.

VERDICT
From 33-50ft, Whaler built 1057 boats in 2016. In the same size category in 2017, it's produced 1296 boats. The new 350 Realm slots right into today's hot outboard-boat market and certainly broadens the appeal of Boston Whaler. The 350 Realm doesn't dumb down the brand, its famous offshore hull, heritage and intent. I also drove a 380 Outrage with triples and a half tower and it was just a sportfishing weapon.

This expedition-grade 350 Realm is something else again. Think tropical islands, fast Great Barrier Reef runs, cruising with 12 people to a unique location, staging private safaris and ocean treks backed by big boat engineering, the redundancy of multiple engines, and four rows of seats front to back.

Then there are the fishing features, the day entertaining amenities, and the comforts that extend to a cabin with bathroom for a couple to weekend away. The 350 Realm is a very intelligent and insightful boat.

In short, the terrific new 350 Realm has extended the reach of Brunswick's banner brand and reshaped the new multifunction boating market. It is, as the name implies, a new realm for Whaler. A now a new 380 model has been released. Expedition knows no bounds.

PERFORMANCE
1000rpm, 4.8 knots, 13.6lt/hr
1500rpm, 7.0 knots, 21.9lt/hr
2000rpm, 8.2 knots, 35.6lt/hr
2500rpm, 9.5 knots, 59.0lt/hr
3000rpm, 10.6 knots, 91.6lt/hr
3500rpm, 16.3 knots, 121.1lt/hr
4000rpm, 25.6 knots, 124.5lt/hr
4500rpm, 31.3 knots, 152.5lt/hr
5000rpm, 36.4 knots, 201.7lt
5500rpm, 40.1 knots, 246lt/hr
6000rpm, 43.9 knots, 339.1lt/hr
6400rpm, 45.8 knots, 349.3lt/hr

Specifications: Boston Whaler 350 Realm
Price as Tested: Around $860k with triple white 350hp Mercury Verado engines and Joystick ($72k upgrade), platinum coloured hull, underwater lights, teak tables, bow sunshade, shorepower, rear Sureshade electric awning, auto engine flush system and more.
Priced From: The base price for a Boston Whaler 350 Realm is about $710,00 with triple 300hp Mercury Verado outboards.
LOA: 10.82m
Beam: 3.30m
Draft: 0.62m
Weight: 6169kg
Displacement fully loaded with engines, fuel etc: 8559kg
Swamped Capacity: 1814kg
Persons: 14
Max/Min HP: triple 250-350hp
Engine on test: Triple 350hp Mercury Verado
Deadrise: 23 at transom
Transom Height: 30in
Bridge clearance: 3.02m (with top and radar)
Fuel: 1457lt
Water: 170lt

More from the Boston Whaler importers Queensland Marine Centre and Boston Whaler.