Pursuit 3480 Centre Console

One of the great things about boat shows is the opportunity to test-run new boats you might have to wait awhile to gain access to otherwise. So it was with the Pursuit 3480 Centre Console, which I had the opportunity to sea trial and look over during the Miami Boat Show.

The opportunity was first presented by Yamaha outboard PR honcho, Mike Walker, who made me aware that the new 34ft Pursuit would be available for testing with a pair of the new Yamaha F-250 four-stroke engines. Hooyah, that sounded like a fun one to run! After a quick check with the folks at Pursuit, it was off to the races.

The pandemonium at the Sealine Marina, where the in-the-water part of the show was staged, included the throbbing sound of dramatically-powered thunder boats, idling into and out of their berths, with gold-chained, bronze-bellied, cigar-smoking, Tommy Bahama-attired, short guys, arm-in-arm with carefully-crafted blondes.

Sitting serenely in her berth, looking for all the world like a 25-footer until you jumped onboard, sat the Pursuit 3480, the largest of the company's fleet of centre console boats. While she looked just like her smaller sisters from the distance, her expansive size was quickly apparent when you got onboard.

ROOM TO MOVE
Room, in spades, lots of it. Aft of the console, alongside the console, inside the console (where an optional head easily fits), and most of all in front of the console where there is enough deck space to land a small plane, carry a squad of commandoes, or manage an arsenal of kite fishing gear, rods and anglers (which is of course what it is designed for). And it was not just impressive deck space, but under the decks were nicely-gasketed hatches for storage of fish, gear, ice, beer, tackle, bodies, shoulder-fired missiles, you name it.

And every inch of this space was finished with fishermen in mind. Padded bolsters lined the gunwales from stem to stern (that's like 65 feet of bolstering). Under the gunwales, rod storage, wash down hoses, cabinets, access ports. In the console, more thoughtfully-considered storage, and plenty of room for all the marine electronics any fishermen could ever need, as well as that optional, wife-pleasing head.

Okay, so it was big... but how did it run?

For starters when the 500 horses of Yamaha four-stroke power were lit off and left to idle, none of the heart-stopping thunder of the go-faster cigarette boats was present. Sitting forward of the console it was hard to be sure the big power plants were even running - you could barely hear or feel them.

You could feel them, however, when they were throttled up to provide instantaneous acceleration. The big Pursuit quickly climbs onto a plane; it just sort of jumps from slow and flat-riding to fast and flat-riding. None of the neck-breaking acceleration of the noisy offshore racers, none of the sight-blocking bow rise, she just climbs into warp speed very quickly. Wanna go 50mph? You can upgrade to twin Yamaha 300hp HPDI engines.

We didn't require a long offshore adventure to learn that the big Pursuit was a wave-eater - those thundering deep-vee rocket-boats left us plenty of wakes to encounter. Longer hulls generally make for smoother rides, and this boat had clear ride superiority over any of her smaller cousins.

She was surprisingly flat when carving turns at speed. Carving turns over wakes, she was surprisingly locked-in. No feeling that she would slip or slide. No rattling, no pounding, no slamming, no banging. Just a quiet, dry, solid-feeling ride. It ran like a big boat.

With the Yamaha F-250s wound up to over 5000rpm, and with very little adjustment required to be trimmed perfectly, we were able to push 46-plus miles an hour, almost effortlessly. Yep, it's big fun to comfortably run at that speed, surrounded by a big, quiet boat, built for those kinds of speeds and most sea conditions. Factory tests indicate a fuel consumption of 40 gallons per hour at that speed, but throttle back to 4000rpm (just under 30mph) and you increase the range of the boat from just under 400 miles to just under 500 miles (with the standard 375-gallon tankage).

CAREFUL CONSTRUCTION
The 3480 Centre Console is one of the most recent additions to the 2005 Pursuit model line. It incorporates new construction technology and design features intended to cater to serious offshore fishing enthusiasts.

The Pursuit incorporates a notched transom design combined with a 24.5-degree deadrise at the stern that delivers higher top-end speeds and increased performance in adverse offshore conditions while fishing, or running to or from fishing. In addition, the stringer system and hull, deck and cap joints are fastened with premium components and bonding materials. The result is a classically-styled, high-performance fishing machine, ready for the challenges faced by every serious angler.

Leon Slikkers, Pursuit's founder, waxed enthusiastically about the introduction of the new boat, saying: "Our new 3480 Centre Console represents the very latest in Pursuit's advanced marine technology. We've leveraged our experience and the newest technologies in the industry to create an innovative boat our customers are sure to appreciate. Each of these improvements has been designed to increase the 3480's efficiency and performance, without sacrificing its durability and comfort."

Immediately recognisable from a distance was the classic shear without a raised bowrail. Once onboard we found the gunwale-mounted hardware, including waste water, fresh water and fuel fills, to be flush mounted with solid stainless pop-up style cleats and navigation lights. The bowrail is recessed on the inside edge of the gunwale cap. The gunwale bolsters cushions are of heavy-duty vinyl neatly emblazoned with the Pursuit logo. The starboard under-gunwale rodracks hold gaffs and other gear securely out of the way of on-deck activities.

Inside the console we also found convenient access to batteries, oil fills and electrical rigging, all within arm's reach. The leaning post comes complete with a 55-gallon livewell and tackle storage built into the top and sides. You can sit or lean in the captain and crew seats, which can be quickly converted from full sit-down chairs to a side-supporting leaning area for travelling in rough seas at higher speed.

The helm, complete with stainless wheel, offers enough room for the big colour machines, autopilot and radios that are de rigueur on today's offshore sportsfishing machines. If you rig the boat with Pursuit's optional T-top, you gain one more overhead box perfect for a second radio and electronics storage.

The functional T-top features a total of nine rodholders and is constructed of oversized aluminium with strategically placed handholds and plates for rigging outriggers and antennas.

An optional 35-gallon livewell recessed in the transom is available for carrying more livebait. The transom door and gate are borrowed straight off a custom inboard sportsfishing boat, adding both style and functionality.

The deck is cleared by large channels outboard and under the gunwale areas, designed to flush water quickly. Pursuit's diamond-pattern non-skid deck keeps your feet where you plant them when it gets sloppy. Four large, insulated, fully-gasketed, macerator-cleared boxes are available for your catch, ice and gear. Three additional hatches open to reveal forward storage and access to critical mechanical systems. The aft-most hatch allows convenient access to pumps, macerators and sea water pickups.

A large coffin box, forward seating and transom seating along with additional tackle storage are just a few of the premium options that consumers may consider before completing their purchase.

WORDS OF WISDOM
According to Pursuit Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Paul Perry, "The best advice I can give potential customers is to order a 3480 Centre Console right now.

"We are currently looking at next year's production to see what possibility we have in increasing the delivery time of this exciting new model. Our order backlog is very impressive."

Pursuit Boats is a division of Holland, Michigan-based S2 Yachts, Inc. For more than half a century, three generations of this family-owned business have set a high standard of quality in marine design and manufacturing. From their recently expanded production facility in Fort Pierce, Florida, the Slikkers family builds distinctive fishing boats in offshore, centre console, walkaround and denali configurations, in 17 models from 22 to 38 feet.

The Pursuit 3480 Centre Console is a fine example of the company's ability to build a good-looking, high-quality, offshore-capable sportsfishing machine. I'd fish this boat just about anywhere.