Sport Fishing Boats for Sale

Where a center console keeps the angler close to the water on day trips, a sport fishing boat adds a cabin, a galley and the range to stay out for days. Many owners use it as a family cruiser between tournaments, which is why the layout below deck often looks like an express cruiser. Larger examples share the raised helm of a flybridge but keep the cockpit free for a fighting chair.

Pros

• Range and seaworthiness for offshore fishing
• Cabins below for overnight trips and tournaments
• A tower that gives the crew a wide view of the water

Cons

• Large diesel engines are expensive to run and service
• The tower adds height and windage
• The cockpit layout leaves less lounge space than a cruising yacht

What to check on a used sport fishing boat

• Tower and outrigger mounts for corrosion and loose welds
• The fighting chair base and the deck under it for cracks
• Engine hours and the cooling system, as these boats run hard for long hours
• Fish boxes, livewells and their pumps