Dorado 276 DC 2023 Review

The days of basic fishing boats covered in blood, guts and bait are behind us. A new generation of high-end sports fishers is muscling in, adding a whole new world of luxury and versatility.

That’s where US fibreglass saltwater fishing boat specialist Salifish, sold in Australia as Dorado, comes to the fore. It builds a range of centre, side and split console boats at its factory in the southern US state of Georgia, within easy driving distance of the Gulf of Mexico.

If you want a conventional-looking dual console boat, Sailfish’s DC range is where you’ll be shopping. We take a look at a model that sits in Sailfish’s sweet spot in the line-up, the 8.2-metre Dorado 276 DC.

Queensland Marine Centre can make up a basic package on the Dorado 276 DC fitted with the minimum-rated twin 150hp outboard engines.

Our test boat is priced from $429,500 sail away and fitted with the maximum-rated twin 200hp outboard engines – in our case a pair of Mercury Fourstroke DTS fly-by-wire units in the optional white finish. This puts it squarely in a pretty competitive corner of the market featuring a range of US and European day boats to choose from.

The add-on list is extensive and includes an Entertainment Package made up of a ski tow pole, bow and aft tables; a Galley/Bar Pack consisting of a sink, storage drawers, wine cooler; countertop storage and a two-level utility and tackle storage tray; three-bank battery charger system 12-volt fridge; handheld bow shower; underfloor rod storage; an electric overboard discharge system; port side dive door and ladder; a 12-inch Raymarine Axiom II Pro multifunction screen; dual-tone hardtop; Ice Blue hull colour; and bow and cockpit covers.

This is on top of standard features that run to a boarding ladder; cockpit bolster pads; Corian head and galley countertops; a fibreglass hardtop framing a tempered glass walkthrough windscreen with wiper; 16 stainless steel cupholders that also double as sinker holders; through-hull anchor windlass; transom raw water washdown; trim tabs; transom door; insulated fish boxes in the bow; electric head with sink; SeaDek flooring in the console; deluxe captain’s chairs at the helm; and a two-tray tackle and gear storage system below the starboard aft-facing seat.

Despite its fishing focus, the Dorado 276 is sorely missing a dedicated bait and terminal tackle preparation station down the business end of the boat.

The Sailfish 276 DC is a conventionally laid out split console model featuring a starboard helm and a Portofino-styled transom. Below the co-pilot’s console is a large space that provides privacy for a head or as a changeroom.

Sailfish boats are built using a foam core sandwich that layers inner and outer fibreglass skins over a rigid foam middle section. This creates a strong but lightweight build that gives the hull a level flotation standard, meaning that if the Dorado 276 DC is swamped, it will float level with the water’s surface – an important safety factor should the worst happen.

The Dorado 276 DC sits on Sailfish’s “VDS” hull featuring variable deadrise steps that get shallower the further sideways you get from the keel line. The sixth-generation hull starts with a sharp 58-degree bow entry before moving to a 24-degree deadrise, then to a 23-degree angle, and finishes with a 22-degree section that ends in a reversed chine. The steeper section is meant to cut through rough water, the mid-section creates lift, and the shallower outer section provides “stability and comfort”.

The build uses no wood, with the stringers formed using hand-laid fibreglass sections that are then filled with closed-cell foam. The deck uses lightweight closed-cell foam-filed beams wrapped in fibreglass and carbonfibre to help prevent the floor from feeling spongey as the boat ages.

High-stress points throughout the boat are finished using Kevlar to improve their durability. Points where fixtures mount use an inner skin of Trevira, a felt-like material that once coated in resin and cured, holds screws as well as aluminium.

The transom is built with a core of Coosa, a lightweight fibreglass-reinforced high-density polyurethane foam that is 10 times stronger than wood.

The Dorado 276 DC features a wide Carolina-style flare forward that makes the hull better at deflecting spray away from, rather than into, the boat.

The dual console layout has been around for a long time, so we’re pretty much at the stage of development where few innovations buck convention.

In this respect, the Dorado 276 DC is about as typical a layout as you can get; a party lounge up front, a walk-through windscreen, a split console backing onto some convenience features, and then the business end where all the fishing action will focus.

The outboard engines sit on their own pod, framed to either side by elevated duckboards that house a 20-litre cooler box to port and a drop-down extending transom ladder to starboard. Because the duckboards sit well above the waterline and there’s no grab rail up high, reboarding via the transom ladder may be a bit tricky.

The coamings drop away as they go aft to create a Portofino-style transom. A gate to starboard provides walk-through access to the cockpit.

Our boat is fitted with the entertainment package, so the aft-facing starboard seat built into the back of the helm station is replaced with a sink, benchtop and Isotherm fridge to one side.

To port, the layout features back-to-back seats with a swing-forward backrest that converts the space into a lounge. Lift up the aft seat squab, and there’s a large inbuilt insulated icebox.

Of note, the Dorado 276 DC’s hardtop is fitted as wide as it will go, creating a huge area under cover ranging from the trailing edge of the windscreen to halfway across the cockpit. Our test boat even has rod holders built into the supporting structure.

While the starboard console is dedicated to the helm, the port side features an aft-facing door leading to an enclosed head and sink that can also serve as a changeroom. 

Access to the bow lounge is via a companionway in the centre of the console. It closes off using a lower windbreak and a hinged section of the windscreen.

The bow lounge features a traditional layout that maximises seating capacity, with an optional table available to increase its functionality and a low stainless steel railing that doesn’t upset the profile of the design. The two forward-facing outboard sections feature fold-down armrests so you can sit comfortably while making passage.

There’s good storage under the seats via gas strut-supported openings and a pair of large underfloor storage bins that extend into the companionway.

The aft seat section on the starboard side of the bow lounge lifts up to reveal a cavernous space that forms the forward part of the helm console. 

The forepeak is dedicated to the through-stem anchor that features an electric windlass and large chain locker to make using the ground tackle easy.  

The cockpit is best described as cosy, as it is much wider than it is deep. However, it’s large enough for two people to work side-by-side to land or tag a gamefish.

Most of the fishing action is to port, where there is a plumbed and aerated live bait tank finished in a neutral blue and fitted with a clear lid. Just forward of it is a large-opening door in the coaming that swings in and forward to give easy access to the water, and the boat includes an expanding ladder stowed in the console to fit this opening.

The Dorado 276 DC features a self-draining cockpit floor but with a decent internal freeboard so you always feel safe inside it. The padded coamings aft come in handy as there are no toe rails or deck-level recesses to step up close to the sides.

The aft section of the cockpit is fitted with a raw water washdown system, as well as six recessed stainless steel fishing rod holders with another two on each aft coaming. In the centre is a pop-up ski pole that, fully extended, holds a tow rope above the twin Mercurys.

When not fishing, a pair of fold-down jump seats pop out of the transom and the starboard coamings to provide extra accommodations for passengers. The transom seat is mounted on a large lift-up panel that provides easy access to the bilge.

Large underfloor lockers for storing fenders are on each side of the space.

The starboard helm is dedicated to the skipper, with comfort front of mind. The helm seat is a captain’s chair with a fold-up squab and fold-down armrests, a stainless steel footrest below it and a raised footrest moulded into the console. Weather protection comes from the hardtop overhead, the deep windscreen and large side windows.

Almost everything is mounted on the console, dominated by a stainless steel steering wheel with leather-look highlights. The digital shift and throttle controller is also mounted on the console on its own binnacle, but to use it you need to lean forward and reach. That said, it is in a good spot if you decide to stand behind the helm.

The Dorado 276 DC features an expansive blacked-out dash that can take either a single large multifunction screen or two smaller ones stacked side by side for those who want to run sounder and navigation screens separately. Our dash hasn’t had electronics fitted – it’s very much a matter of personal taste these days – but it does feature the head unit for the Fusion audio system and a Mercury VesselView monitor for the engines.

The boat’s switches are arranged in a long bank behind the steering wheel, with the controls for the standard Bennett trim tabs to starboard. This boat is also fitted with an Ultraflex system that changes the weight and lock-to-lock speed of the hydraulic steering across three settings; slow for passage-making, medium for docking and fast for fishing. 

If you’re looking for the switches for the overhead, spreader and dock lights, they’re mounted overhead on the hardtop.

On the opposite side of the helm is the first mate’s seat featuring a wide back-to-back forward and aft seating. You can move the seatback forward so it forms a large sunbed that is enhanced with a long, narrow V-shaped infill that makes it entirely flat.

The trailing edge of the seat lifts up to reveal storage below. 

The console in front of the first mate’s seat opens wide to reveal an enclosed electric-flush head with a sink and a handheld shower head. It’s a little tight for headroom, but is easily accessed and roomy enough to also double as a changeroom. A small porthole mounted inboard allows natural light to filter in. Our test boat is fitted with an overboard discharge system upgrade.

The cockpit of the Dorado 276 DC features padded coamings, handy given there are no toe rails or coaming recesses that allow you to brace against the sides.

The side door is large, optimised for sportfishing and has its own boarding ladder – if you like spearfishing or diving for crays or abalone it’s a handy feature to have in the armoury. There’s also a transom door that provides access to the starboard duckboard. The transom has a large outboard engine well splitting it, so if you want to get to the port-side duckboard’s built-in coolbox you’ll either climb over the transom or swim around.

The transom contains a 110-litre plumbed livewell pained in a neutral blue and fitted with a Perspex lid. The aft fold-out seat features a mount for the table that also fits in the bow, which you could probably also use for mounting a bait board if one was available, and there's really nowhere to comfortably rig terminal tackle.

Fishing rod holders abound on this boat, arranged in a long line along the transom and up each side of the hardtop’s support posts. There’s also a large underfloor locker forward that’s large enough to store more fishing gear.

Sailfish specialises in saltwater fishing boats built to tackle the Gulf of Mexico. In light of this, a relatively calm day with a 1.5-metre swell on the ocean side of the Gold Coast Broadwater, the location for our test, was never going to challenge the Dorado 276 DC.

In these conditions, the big centre console was completely at home.

The well-protected helm seat sits at a good height, with great views forward and around the console.

The twin 200hp Mercury outboard engines hanging off the transom provide plenty of flexibility to the Dorado 276 DC. The hull’s light weight means the boat powers up onto the plane quite quickly despite the deep vee hull beneath it, and tracks beautifully, responding instantly to inputs from the helm.

Throttle down, the big, lazy swell presented no problem to fast running, with soft landings off the crests and the big, flared bow pushing spray aside.

The boat is fitted with trim tabs that do help to keep the nose down in fast running, but with two people onboard and half a tank of fuel in its belly the Dorado 276 DC was happy to sit flat and level on its own.

Running along the Gold Coast Broadwater, the Dorado 276 DC’s fine bow entry easily cut through the wakes of passing boats without needing to throttle down.

Striking the balance between fishing and family needs is always going to be a delicate challenge for boatmakers. With the Dorado 276 DC, Sailfish has come close to forming a bridge between the two.

However, there is compromise, and that is only on the fishing side where something like a dedicated bait preparation station would have more allure for fishing enthusiasts who also need to use the boat for family or entertaining.

Specifications
Model: Dorado 276 DC
Length overall: 8.94m
Hull length: 8.23m
Beam: 2.77m
Weight: 3200kg
Draft: 0.45m (engines up)
Bridge clearance: 2.59m
Engines: 300hp (min)/400hp (max)
Engines as tested: 2x200hp Mercury DTS 3.4L V6
Fuel: 670L
Water: 53L
Holding tank: 30L

Priced from: TBA including boarding ladder; cockpit bolster pads; Corian countertops in head and galley; fibreglass hardtop with integrated docking/spreader lights; 16 stainless steel cupholders; through-hull windlass system with stainless steel anchor, 60m of rode and 4.5m chain; transom raw water washdown; Bennett trim tabs; walk-through transom door; three-piece windscreen with wiper; wind blocker to bow lounge; bow icebox; 2xUSB charging points in the bow; Fusion audio system with backlit speakers; LED interior and navigation/anchor lights; 18 rod holders; electric head with mirror, sink and faucet; deluxe captain’s chair for helm; in-floor ski locker; passenger glovebox; tackle/utility storage locker; twin 150hp Mercury outboard engines 

Price as tested: $429,500 including hull colour; Entertainment Package with ski tow point, removable bow and aft table; Galley/Bar Package including sink, drawers, wine cooler; countertop and two tray utility/tackle storage; triple-bank battery charger; fridge; bow shower; in-floor rod storage; overboard discharge upgrade; dive door and ladder; Mercury power assist steering; two-tone hardtop; bow and cockpit covers, twin Mercury 200XL DTS outboard engines in white

Supplied by: Queensland Marine Centre