Celebrating its 50th anniversary, Blackfin Boats proclaims that its boats feature the best traits of the original Blackfin classic fishing boat, plus the latest in innovative technology. 

Blackfin’s current line ­features center- and dual-­console boats from 22 to 40 feet, built with carbon-­fiber-reinforced hulls. They feature top-of-the-line ­technology such as digital engine monitoring, and pioneering solutions including the Pantographic Smart Door. The company has received NMMA’s prestigious Marine Industry Consumer ­Satisfaction Index award for three consecutive years. Blackfins carry a 10-year structural-hull and a three-year structural-­deck warranty.

Blackfin 400 CC

Blackfin’s new and biggest-­ever center-console answers calls from fans of its 332 CC for more space and features. 

The wide and spacious bow has a large sun pad, high freeboard, and a concealed drum windlass anchor that stylishly drops from a tucked-in position. A window atop the forward console provides light to the cabin below. 

At the helm are two rows of heated seats, three in each row, with the second row elevated for greater visibility. The command center holds two 24-inch Garmin screens, a bow-thruster control, a Zipwake trim-tab control, a JL Audio sound system and Mercury controls, including a joystick. A composite countertop abaft the helm seating can be used as a tackle station and cutting board, or flipped to access a sink and an optional electric grill. 

The oversize T-top carries a rocket launcher and 12 added rod holders, and an integrated molded step accesses the top’s roof and its Gemlux outriggers. 

Within the massive cockpit a large tuna door enables hauling in a big fish or onboarding family and friends. A large floor hatch houses the bilge and provides space for a gyrostabilizer. Two other in-floor hatches can be used as cold storage or fish boxes, with a 70-gallon livewell at the center transom. 

The cabin features LED lights and a couch/berth. A mini galley includes a sink, a coffee maker, a refrigerator, a microwave, and a separate head and shower. 

Editor’s Tip 

The 400 CC boasts a high-capacity lithium battery bank to power systems such as the air conditioning. Recharged while underway by quad Mercury 400s, each with 150-amp alternators, the battery system virtually eliminates the need for a generator. -Jim Hendricks, Staff Editor, Boating and Fishing Group

Performance Data

• Test Power: Quad Mercury XXL V-10 Verado
• Test Props: REV X 27LH, 25RH, 25LH, 27RH
• Test Speed: Cruise 45.4 mph
• Max Range: 316 mi.

Specifications

Blackfin Boats – Williston, Florida; blackfinboats.com

The post Blackfin 400 CC: 2024 Boat Buyers Guide appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

Call it a bad moon. Call it fisherman’s luck. Call it skills misapplied, or even call it good baits poorly presented. Whatever excuse you apply to our day of fishing the Blackfin 332CC, I’m obliged to report that we caught only one small barracuda.

Though we put nothing on the dinner table, the 332 put everything on the line for us. That’s the side benefit to a slow day of fishing—a fun boat ride. I left Florida’s Boca Raton inlet on a mid‑May morning with Rene Moore, Blackfin’s marketing manager—a short crew for an aggressive day of fishing. We planned to hunt offshore for mahimahi, and then make a few drops on the reefs.

We tried everything we knew, everything the boat could do, and kept trying until we caught fish or ran out of time. In short, we experienced every capability the boat has, and this one has many.

Bump-Trolling
We dropped a netload of greenies into the aft 35-gallon livewell on the port side. I saw another 20-gallon livewell in the rigging station behind the leaning post—but we left that one dry. On a longer trip, we would’ve used both wells, which are fed by pumps in a sea chest belowdecks.

We brought a frozen chum block, frozen sardines and rigged ballyhoo, which we stowed in the left-side cooler under the rigging station. We loaded cold drinks in the cooler on the right-hand side. These standard 45-quart Yeti coolers slide out from under the station after unlatching a bolt on either side of the rolling tray.

I racked a couple of rods in the ­rigging station’s holders and tied on some 30-pound fluorocarbon leaders tipped with 3/0 circle hooks. I threaded the hooks through the liveys’ noses.

Moore bumped the throttles in and out of gear and held the wheel, keeping the baits behind the boat, all while juggling last-minute office business on her mobile phone. I managed the rods, bracing myself against the bolsters along the transom, barely noticing the swing-out bench seat with backrest tucked beneath me.

The seas ranged to 4 feet on test day—not a typhoon by any standards, but conditions that required balance and attention to navigation niceties. Keeping our footing in the 332 was easy thanks to the steady way it slid over cresting waves while we slow-trolled. When taking the seas head on, the boat neither lunged nor hesitated. When taking them abeam, it slid up the sides, staying level, crested and slid down with minimal rocking.

For a last hurrah, we cruised to a wreck marked on our electronic charts, and made a few passes until we saw the structure on the sonar. I set the Yamaha Helm Master virtual anchor and dropped down a greenie.

A fish hammered the bait about halfway up; it took off like a wahoo. But then it stopped, made a turn, and swam toward the boat. As it neared the boat, the slender silver fish became a barracuda.

The Ride
At the helm, Blackfin flush-mounted the two optional 16-inch Garmin multifunction displays into routed windows in the black-plexiglass dash panel. I found the VHF radio on the port side of the console, and the Fusion audio ­system nested in the dash to starboard—on the passenger side. I like that location for the Fusion—it keeps the wannabe DJs from impeding the helmsman while changing tunes or connecting somebody else’s streaming device.

When I sat on the helm bench seat—which is wide enough for the captain and two passengers—the wheel and throttle required me to lean slightly forward; a footrest below made that position quite comfortable. When standing, I flipped the helmside (port) bolster up and leaned back. The center seat cradled my right hip. Center and starboard seats can be flipped up or down for a similar attitude.

I found excellent visibility when on plane, whether I was seated or standing. The bow crosses the horizon for only a second or two during the hole shot. The black finish on the underside of the hardtop and the predominantly black helm face seem to reduce glare and even heat by knocking down reflected light. An electrically actuated vent at the top of the hardtop windshield opens wide at the touch of a button to allow a cooling breeze.

The standard power steering on the twin Yamaha 425 XTOs made precise turns smooth and simple, and the optional joystick to the right of the wheel eased entry into the slip at the end of the day. Without the stick, I found it easy to maneuver the Blackfin the old-fashioned way—jockeying it in transom-first by juggling the throttles to pivot and back into the slip.

Softer Side of Hardcore
While the 332CC maintains plenty of hardcore-angling features, Blackfin quite obviously targets the ­luxury-cruising angler with lots of style touches and comfort features aboard its boats. Cushions measure at least 4 inches thick, and the foam inside feels firm, which prevents passengers from bottoming out in their seats when the seas build.

Blackfin arranged a 98-gallon ­storage tub at the bow into a U-shape and covered it with removable cushions. Bolsters there are just as thick, and angled for comfort. A dual lounger ahead of the console features armrests and a center rest with two cup holders. Pop up the bottom cushion to find a 110-­gallon storage compartment beneath.

A marblelike top covers the ­rigging station, which is trimmed in stainless steel and outfitted with ­abundant drawers, tackle storage and a ­freshwater sink. Boarding options include a ­starboard-side transom door that opens to a large platform with a ladder. On the port side of the cockpit, a dive door opens inward for easy fish release, or for reboarding after a swim using a removable ladder.

For safe transit forward, stainless-steel recessed handrails run from aft of the helm to the bow. Even the side hatch to the console interior sports near-mil spec durability, allowing the hatch to open and slide forward instead of swing out toward the gunwale, ­blocking passage.

Below the Console
Features belowdecks add comfort, ­fishability and ease. The key switches for the Yamaha engines reside in a panel with the house and starter battery switches. I could reach them from the hatchway, without descending beneath the console.

Blackfin outfitted the console ­interior with a standard head, sink and pull-out sprayer. The space also houses vertical rod storage for five tuna sticks, and includes a pantographic lockable door.

Rod storage on deck includes a combination of six holders in the hardtop supports, six in the gunwales, and four in the transom. I found additional storage in the locking rod compartments located under the port and starboard coamings.

Read Next: Blackfin 272 Center Console Review

To ease access to the VHF antenna, outriggers and stern light on the hardtop, Blackfin installed a gas-assisted hatch in the trailing edge of the top that, when opened, increases the captain’s reach another foot and a half. A large anchor locker at the bow features a huge hatch for access to straighten the standard windlass lines or chains should they go awry.

I found the 332CC ideally ­powered with the dual 425 Yamahas. But the boat also can be outfitted with Mercurys, if the buyer chooses. If your family features competitive anglers, weekend reef fishermen and picnic cruisers, consider putting this Blackfin 332CC on your short list for a look.

Performance

Power: Twin Yamaha XTO 425s
Load: 150 gal. fuel, two crew
Top Speed: 61.3 mph @ 6,100 rpm
Time to 30 MPH: 11.7 sec.
Best MPG: 1.3 mpg @ 40.4 mph (5,000 rpm)

Hull

LOA: 33 ft. 2 in.
Beam: 10 ft. 6 in.
Deadrise: 23 deg.
Dry Weight: 10,500 lb. (w/o engines)
Draft: 1 ft. 11 in.
Fuel: 315 gal.
Max Power: 900 hp
MSRP: Starts at $381,137

Blackfin Boats
Williston, Florida
352-528-2628
blackfinboats.com

The post Blackfin 332CC Boat Review appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

The Blackfin 332 CC made its official debut at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show in late October; at the same time, the company announced that it plans to launch five new boats this year, including center- and dual-console models to 40 feet.

Currently the lineup’s flagship, the 332 boasts a yachtlike design and numerous fishing amenities. Standard features include a 35-gallon transom livewell with a cutting board, a 20-gallon leaning-post livewell, fresh- and saltwater washdowns, twin 100-gallon insulated in-sole fish boxes, lockable rod storage, boarding and transom doors, and more.

The standard hardtop with powder-coated aluminum frame comes with six rod holders; Blackfin placed 10 more vertical holders in the gunwales and transom. Twin 45-quart Yeti coolers pull out from beneath the leaning‑post/tackle center.

Read Next: 17 Great Offshore Fishing Boats at the Ft. Lauderdale International Boat Show 2018

The 332 CC features power-assist steering, carries 315 gallons of fuel, and can handle up to 900 horsepower. In factory testing, the boat, powered by twin Mercury Verado 350 outboards, hit a top speed of 52.2 mph at 6,400 rpm, achieving 0.86 mpg.

Blackfin 332 CC Specifications
LOA: 33 ft. 2 in.
Beam: 10 ft. 6 in.
Dry Weight: 10,500 lb. (w/o engines)
Draft: 1 ft. 11 in.
Transom Deadrise: 22 deg.
MSRP: $318,114 (w/ twin Mercury 300 Verados)

The post Blackfin 332 CC First Glance appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

Acquired by Seabring Marine Inc., Blackfin brand has undergone a complete transformation while retaining its tradition of toughness and reliability.

Blackfin prides itself on ­making yacht-grade boats for serious fishing, comfortable family time, and fun on the water. Blackfin plans to add the 242DC to the Blackfin model lineup this spring with a 382CC on the drawing board as well.

The fishermen-designed boats boast a freeboard with bolsters, clear-acrylic-wall flow-through baitwells, carbon-tech solid-composite running surface, and other elite fishing features.

Families are far from ­neglected: Each boat has a swim platform, and abundant and ­comfortable seating (custom-made in-house), including cushioned bow upholstery with removable backrests and ­flip-down transom seating.

The self-bailing deep-V hulls bear hidden oversize scuppers, exhibit a broad Carolina-style flair, and offer more interior depth than most boats in their class. Among ­new-owner­ ­assurances is a ­lifetime structural hull warranty.

Blackfin 332 CC
Atop a stepped hull designed by Michael Peters Yacht Design, the new Blackfin 332 CC provides what the company calls one of the smoothest rides in its class.

The 332’s standard features include an anchor windlass; a side dive/boarding door; fiberglass hardtop with windshield, power vent, and LED overhead and spreader lights; toilet with electric holding tank; and trim tabs.

Just as 37 percent of center-console survey respondents requested, the 332 CC comes standard with a pair of insulated baitwells. Each has a cutting-board lid, lighting and a see-through face. The transom well holds 35 gallons — great for the 71 percent of center-console survey respondents who are big-bait fans — and the leaning post is a still-generous 20 gallons.

A pair of 100-gallon insulated in-floor fish boxes with macerated pump-outs awaits the catch.

The leaning post features two pullout 45-quart Yeti coolers, a pair of stainless-steel sinks, and tons of tackle storage.

Fifty-eight percent of center-console boaters surveyed asked for six or more gunwale rod holders; they’ve got six here, plus four shotgun holders on the transom. Rods store under the starboard gunwale, and within port and starboard coamings, plus six more on the hardtop.

Survey Says: On Target

• Seating exceeds expectations
• Generous bait capacity, fish storage
• Structural foam flotation

Owners Say

• Beautiful lines, is a great ride, and handles effortlessly
• Solid construction
• Seakeeping ability
• Seaworthy and economical offshore boat

Blackfin Says

• Reimagined, legendary boats with rugged design and stylish looks for family fun and cruising.
• Both solid and fast; the most versatile experience possible
• Lifetime hull structural warranty
• Standard-equipment list includes many features, like a windlass, that are options on most boats

More Info: blackfinboats.com

The post Blackfin 332 CC: 2019 Boat Buyers Guide appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

Skipper Brandon Simmons had a prime float plan set for our early-May Fish Trial of the Blackfin 272. We would motor the center console 30 miles east of our Duck Key home base into the open Atlantic waters and troll the famed Islamorada Hump.

The hump, a seamount rising from depths of 700 feet to within a few hundred feet of the surface, frequently features an upwelling. Recent reports suggested the zone was swarming with blackfin tuna. But when the weather-service forecasts predicted 7-foot seas, we reluctantly chose plan B: chasing tarpon near the bridges.

Stable Hull in Rough Seas

Turns out we were wise. Seas built to more than 12 feet that afternoon, and we still battled sloppy waves pounding in from all directions — a madhouse of confused chop.

We also had a big crew of nine, including ­photographers and models, plus their gear. As the boat bobbed near the pilings of the old Overseas Highway Bridge, angler Pierce Burns straddled the bow, casting to snapper at the structure. He seesawed at least 6 feet as tightly packed rollers squished through the stone archways, tossing the 27-footer in their frenetic path.

Once anchored, Simmons balanced at the transom, prepping three rods tucked in a tripod in one of the three shotgun rod holders. He was deftly spinning Bimini twists and tying in 50-pound leader tipped with 5/0 circle hooks. I tied a spider hitch in one. He cast a suspicious eye at it and tugged just as doubtfully at my leader connection and improved clinch knot to the circle hook. I’m nobody’s fool at fishing, but as he said, “I don’t know you.”

Top Speed Over 60 MPH

We didn’t know the Blackfin 272 either. This prototype is one of three in the works for the recently restructured company; the other models include a 21-footer we tested and an even larger 30-footer soon to enter the lineup. All represent the continuation of a storied brand of rugged, highly fishable and respected sport-fishers.

This is an outboard-powered vessel, though; Blackfin’s original reputation focused more on the larger inboard battlewagons. Still, in my tests at wide-open throttle in this chop (the twin 300 hp Mercury Verados pushed us to more than 61 mph), we could tell this 272 was every bit as tough as its legend demanded. A full composite stringer grid is bonded into the hull, and carbon-fiber reinforcement makes the structure so rigid that no hatches rattled and even the rugged custom hardtop failed to shudder.

Well-Designed Livewells and Fish Boxes

Blackfin manager of engineering Mason Cummings identified some fine points of the build for me. The 30-gallon livewell, fed by an 800 gph pump, seemed light at first glance, until I looked inside. Gemlux drains and valves — all completely adjustable from within the well — let us set the outflow and inflow at the top and bottom drains.

For our choppy conditions, we nearly closed both drains and let the overflow squeeze out the gasketed lid and bleed overboard via a clever gutter in the transom. The tank filled to the top mostly free of aeration, and all thanks only to the 800 gph pump (no expensive sea chest needed).

I found four gunwale rod ­holders ideally placed on each side of the aft cockpit, and three horizontal racks along port and starboard inwales. The hardtop provides stowage for more rods, and even better yet, its rocket launcher hung within reach for most of our crew.

That’s a major improvement over competitors, and Cummings wasn’t even bragging about it. He should have been. Turns out this humble “boat handler” I’ve known for several years is one of the company’s top engineers and is even responsible for custom-designing all the hinges and latches on board. “It’s really more of a team effort,” he said.

Port and starboard 54-gallon fish boxes in the cockpit sole are long and deep and macerated for quick overboard drainage. The anchor locker boasts an optional windlass and comes with an extra slot for a fluke anchor to deploy astern.

While our fishing trip produced mostly mangrove and mutton snapper, we also released nurse sharks and a small tarpon boat-side. The 272’s tall freeboard seemed intimidating at first, but at 5-foot-11, I could still reach the water to leader a fish.

Comfortable Helm and Bow Seating

The 272 I trialed was clearly a fishing machine, adorned with dual Raymarine displays and a small VesselView gauge. The helm was enclosed in glass but came with an electrically operated window vent to usher in a breeze on hot days.

The bolstered dual helm seat sports armrests, and yes, Blackfin is making the hardware with a laser cutter. The hinges for the extra-wide transom seat are cut too, and unlike most other similar fish boats, the seat back is a real seat back, not a sheer vertical transom bolster. The seat pulls out quickly and easily with one hand and slaps back in place, one-handed, so you can tend to a fish or rod.

When a family fishes, nobody’s happy unless everyone is comfortable. The 272’s comfort factor carries forward to the bow seating. Two smart inserts in the coaming bolsters slip out of their sockets and fit at 90-degree angles to the foredeck cushions. Now, instead of a deep-padded coaming bolster, each makes a seat back for ­forward-facing lounges.

Although we remained well within our safety parameters with our crew of nine, we were well above what most would consider an efficient fishing team. Yet Blackfin’s engineers had preserved amazingly wide walkways between the gunwales and helm; two people could easily pass heading fore and aft.

On the starboard side, a 4-foot-wide console door opens into that walkway on custom hardware that allows the door to swing forward in a manner more akin to a sliding door than a hinged door. Dual levers rigidly latch it down. This configuration allows hooked-up anglers or a gaff man to work freely there, even if the door is open.

Excellent Fit and Finish

When you choose a boat like this one, it’s not enough to buy durability, fishability and performance. You want lasting good looks too. The 272 ­accomplishes that in multiple ways. All the multicolored upholstery is crisply designed, with drum-tight vinyl and knifelike corners. The gunwales feature highly polished Blackfin-embossed pull-up cleats. All the custom hinges and hatches glisten.

The hull’s black gelcoated sides are smooth enough to read a paper in their reflection. The glossy hardtop supports sport two durable, black ­powder-coating treatments (you can opt for white) and two clear topcoats so gear and rods won’t gouge them.

My trial of the 272 clearly revealed the vessel as a solid competitor in the sport-fishing market. It also comes with additional enticements to pamper families. And this Blackfin team is just getting started.

Blackfin 272 Specifications

Performance

• POWER: Twin Mercury Verado 300s
• LOAD: Nine crew, 80 gal. fuel, 20 gal. water
• TOP SPEED: 61.1 mph @ 6,000 rpm
• TIME TO 30 MPH: 7.8 sec.
• BEST MPG: 1.8 mpg @ 36.2 mph (4,000 rpm)

Hull

• LOA: 27 ft. 2 in.
• BEAM: 9 ft. 4 in.
• DEADRISE: 22 deg.
• DRY WEIGHT: 6,500 lb. (w/o engines)
• DRAFT: 2 ft.
• FUEL: 180 gal.

• MAX POWER: 600 hp

• MSRP as tested: N/A

Blackfin Boats
Williston, Florida
352-528-2628

The post Blackfin 272 Center Console Review appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.