The 20 hot new centre consoles you need to drive

Centre consoles command attention. From the earliest Boston Whalers to the classic Haines Hunters, from the timeless Quintrex aluminium rigs that got so many of us into fishing, to today’s no-expense-spared American centre consoles with racks of 300-400hp outboards. Yep, centre consoles are go.

The walkaround deck space obviously makes sense to hardcore anglers and divers, while the rear central helm remains the best place to ride in a boat going fast offshore. But centre consoles and open-bow boats are also now making big inroads into the social scene.

Matched to racks of big outboards, few boats look as cool as a centre console. With their big pay and passenger load, these boats are great people movers for high tailing it from one end of the harbour or bay to the next.

We’re always up for a test ride on a new centre console. This is reflected by the following top 20 centre console reviews and news from the past year on our websites. The list below is assembled roughly in order of size.

From the today’s locally rolled Quintrex and Stacer renditions to the big American brands, centre consoles still rate highly on most offshore — and increasingly inshore — boater's radars. We're always up for a new CC ride and so might be you...

1. ROBALO R160
While 16 footers are largely overshadowed by bigger 20-foot plus centre consoles these days, there’s a lot of practicality, affordability and fun to be derived from the Robalo R160. The boat’s performance and pedigree is more impressive than some other small centre consoles with less evolved hull shapes. And the high-quality build and construction is class leading. See our Robalo R160 review.

2. BOSTON WHALER 180 DAUNTLESS
This 180 Dauntless has Boston Whaler’s famous DNA. It’s a classic centre console based on a proven formula, a best seller popular with sportfishers, flats fishers, bay and harbour anglers, but also families hunting for a safe and simple fun machine. Read our Boston Whaler 180 Dauntless review.

4. COMPASS CENTRE CONSOLE
Compass has a range of fibreglass boats built in Greece, where they are often found in hire fleets. They have been manufacturing boats for more than 40 years, with the next generation of family boatbuilders recently entering the business. The Compass GRP fishing boats today span two centre consoles: the 150CC, which is the first model to arrive in Australia, and the larger 165CC due to arrive in January 2017. The importer has an interesting club model designed to make boating affordable. Membership costs $3000 per year for 16-20 days boat usage, plus fuel. News of the Compass centre console share boating arrangement.

5. QUINTREX 530 TOP ENDER
Very few aluminium-boat manufacturers could lay claim to the fact that one of their models is still coming off the production line 23 years since inception. That's the Top Ender and when it comes to long-serving, proven fishing rigs, these boats are hard to beat. But with a sweet Yamaha 115hp four stroke, this centre console fishing rig has some refinement, good manners and deportment, too. Read our top test of the Quintrex 530 Top Ender including video.

6. SEA FOX 186 COMMANDER
Built with saltwater fishing lore, this entry-level 186 is an exemplary American centre console that punches above its weight. It's smart, sophisticated and seaworthy, a big-little boat and a fantastic fishing machine for tackling anywhere from The Shelf to the skinny sandflats. Our popular test of the Sea Fox 186 Commander.

7. STACER 679 SEA RANGER
Stacer has launched a new plate alloy centre console range to complement its flagship half cabin and hardtop Ocean Ranger series. The new Evinrude E-TEC-powered Sea Rangers have wide, uncluttered front and rear fishing decks, plenty of features and equipment, along with a sharp reverse-chine hull for a smooth and stable ride. Review of the Stacer 679 Sea Ranger CC

8. SEA FOX 206 COMMANDER
Sea Fox has expanded its centre console range with the new 206 Commander, a serious sports fisher and sports boat for coastal offshore fishing, day cruising and simply larking about on the bay or harbour. With a Yamaha 175hp four-stroke outboard on the transom, this compact, versatile new Sea Fox model also boasts excellent fuel economy. Sea Fox 206 Commander review.

9. SEA FOX VIPER 220
The Sea Fox 220 Viper is a centre console bay boat made for active pursuits. It’s not something you sit on and wait for the fish to come to you. The idea is to jump on those big casting platforms and shoot a fly, fire a lure, or pitch a live bait into the action. With today’s high-tech tackle, top angling techniques, and fish-finding gadgetry, this is a great sportfisher for tempting trophy fish from your bay, harbour, headland and inshore waters. Here's our
Sea Fox 220 Viper bay boat review.

10. REGULATOR 23 CC
This pedigree centre console from the revered Regulator stable in North Carolina redefines your notion of how offshore boats perform. It’s smooth riding to the point of bewilderment, economical with a single 300hp Yamaha V6 outboard on an Armstrong bracket, and built tough as a sportfishing weapon. In this 23 footer, you can range further, faster and in fine fettle to where the big fish and much bigger boats roam. Read our rough-water Regulator 23 CC test.

11. SEA FOX 226 COMMANDER
This is an ideal centre console size-wise; a true offshore boat but still a manageable single-engine rig. It's a little big boat rather than a big little boat, meaning you can mix it with the battlewagons, and range far and wide. There are stacks of serious inbuilt fishing amenities, but also some creature to keep the family happy. In the blue gelcoat with marlin graphic and matching Evinrude ETEC G2 with iron-man machismo, this is a sexy centre console sure to catch fish and attention. Test of the Sea Fox 226 Commander.

12. BOSTON WHALER 230 OUTRAGE
Boston Whaler has just launched a new 230 Outrage to complement its existing line-up of Outrage models including the three recently released additions, the 330, 280 and 250. Although the second smallest boat in this popular thoroughbred offshore centre-console fleet, the deep-vee 230 has been designed to impart a big-boat feel and signature smooth Whaler ride on the water. News review of the Boston Whaler 230 Outrage.

13. COBIA CENTRE CONSOLES
Cobia Boats, the respected Florida-based sportfisher brand, is making an assault on the Australian market via a new Sydney-based distributor headed by Rocky Tassone, a well-known marine electrician with a passion for boating and fishing. Tassone has just landed four new Cobia models on our shores. The first shipment includes a 201 Centre Console with 150hp Yamaha, a 220 Centre Console with 200hp Yamaha, a 220 Dual Console or bowrider model also with the Yamaha F200 four-stroke outboard, and a 261 Centre Console. Here is the Cobia centre console news.

14. MAKO 284
Mako’s flagship 284 Centre Console is an exceptional sea boat and a superbly outfitted game fishing craft. Still trailerable (with over-size flags) the big Mako has the space, the speed and the seaworthiness to chase everything from giant 1000lb black marlin off Lizard Island to billfish in Exmouth and barrel-size tuna out of Bermi and Portland and beyond. Definitely the most hardcore centre console sportfisher of the pack. A serious Mako 284 test.

15. REGULATOR 31
Regulator Marine, the North Carolina sportfisher specialist with an Australian distributor, recently released a new 31 footer that it describes as a "deeply versatile centre console that redefines the 'Offshore Life'". The new Regulator 31 is paired with twin 300hp Yamaha outboards for a top speed in excess of 53mph (46 knots) and a cruise range at 23.6 knots and 3500rpm using a sniff over 70lt/hr of 350nm-plus. This equates to 0.4m/lt or 1.6lt/km. News item here with a link to the 2017 Regulator range news story. Plenty more on the Regulator centre console news here.

16. BOSTON WHALER 270 VANTAGE
Boston Whaler has always been ahead of the game when it comes to crossover fishing and family rigs. Its high-end bluewater dual-console boats not only have dual purpose, but this one also has dual outboards for double the performance and get-home insurance. With key features to maximise fishability and family fun, this is one of the best offshore all-rounders we’ve had the pleasure of driving. Check out our review of this high-volume crossover Boston Whaler 270 Vantage.

17. JEANNEAU CAP CAMMARAT 10.5WA
Over recent years, our drives of big multi-outboard centre consoles from American stables have often been with rigs destined for pleasure-boating use on Sydney Harbour or the Gold Coast. Fact is, buyers like this style of boat but not everyone wants to fish hard. This big walkaround would be perfect for these multipurpose sportsboaters and, with a hardtop recently designed and drawn-up by Jeanneau, you will get some shade and an even more complete look. You could also create a helm enclosure with clears for more southerly latitudes. We reviewed the big Jeanneau Cap Cammarat 10.5WA in France.

18. WELLCRAFT 35 SCARAB
This new 35 Scarab Offshore Sport has a race-bred deep-vee hull with 23 degrees of deadrise matched impressively to a triple rack of 350hp Mercs on the transom. But this 2016- has two other things: greater ‘fishability’ and overnighting potential. While the open-bow Tournament now replaces this cuddy, the hot bluewater ride and inbuilt fishing features remain. Offshore driving pleasure is guaranteed. If nothing else it was a blast on this triple rigged Wellcraft 35 Scarab.

19. SEA FOX 288 COMMANDER
With 600hp on the transom, the Sea Fox 288 Commander offers an exhilarating drive. It’s a real buzz opening the throttles on this big rig and feeling the hull burst forward with startling acceleration. The top-shelf offshore sportfishing machine is enhanced by the excellent interior design and layout along with some key standard inclusions, most notably the huge live well, excellent tackle rigging station, modern designed helm console and hardtop, wide side coamings and deep cockpit. It's hard to imagine a place, a canyon, kink, sea mountain, distant island, fishery and a far-flung hot spot where the 288 Commander couldn't reach at speed, in comfort, and then take control. Read our  in-depth review of the Sea Fox 288 Commander.

20. AXOPAR 37
Making its debut at the 2016 the Sydney International Boat Show, the Axopar 37 footers command attention with their über-cool looks, promise of hot performance, and outboard-powered practicality and value. These social centre consoles feature loads of seating for two families, a double berth in a forward cabin with head (second optional aft berth), integrated internal storage, cupboards and fore and aft lifestyle areas. The boats look great with metallic silver hulls and sharp lines. This is where centre consoles now make a statement on the social boating scene News review of the Axopar 37.