EASTERN BOATS 248
In the heart of Cortez, Florida, one of the last commercial fishing villages in the state and home to the local Eastern Boats dealer, the only Eastern boat in sight was a well-used commercial fishing model. She looked right at home surrounded by the fleet of commercial fishing boats outside the office of Frank Joseph, president of Grand Slam Yacht Sales.
“I really don’t have a new boat in stock to show you,” Joseph said. “They’ve all been sold and we are waiting for our next orders to arrive.” Same old story.
Fortunately, Maurice Blais, a service customer, had his Eastern 248 docked nearby and was happy for me to take a look at the boat. MoJo, which Blais bought in Maine, is several years old. He moves the boat back and forth between his Florida and Maine residences, trailering it behind his motor home.
“I’m totally in love with my boat,” Blais said. “[She’s equally] at home in the northern Atlantic or the Gulf of Mexico.” According to Blais, the 248 is the ideal day boat for fishing, lunch cruises, and boat rides with his grandchildren.
On our brief test run and photo shoot, her New England design heritage was apparent from all angles. I transferred over to her from our photo boat, a 22foot Seaway Center Console, also made by Eastern Boats. She seemed happiest at 3000 rpm for a fast cruise of about 15 knots and took off at 4500 rpm, producing a ride of over 27 knots. Her helm was responsive, and she remained dry as I cut through a large wake from a passing boat.
MoJo is powered by a single 175-horsepower Yamaha mounted on an optional transom bracket—which I recommend as it provides a more usable aft deck, further isolates the already quiet four-stroke, and provides for a swim platform with hinge transom door access.
Her layout both above and below decks allows for plenty of seating, a fullsize V-berth, and a Porta Potti plumbed to a dockside pumpout. A conventional marine head is optional. The helm station was well equipped with navigation and engine management readouts. A built-in footrest added to the comfort. Visibility was good in all directions, and her large sliding windows provided good ventilation.
‘I’m totally in love with my boat. She’s equally at home in the northern Atlantic or the Gulf of Mexico.’ —Eastern 248 owner Maurice Blais
For more information: easternboats.com
Parker, a family-owned and -operated boat builder in Beaufort, North Carolina, began building commercial fishing trawlers for use in the turbulent waters of the Outer Banks. Though the company shifted focus to recreational fishing boats, its line, which has grown to include 25- and 28-foot cabin boats, still reflects its commercial fishing heritage. The “XLD” model of the Parker 2530 has an extended cabin that adds a small dinette to port and a compact galley to starboard. The interior is as spartan as the exterior, with a focus on simplicity, serviceability, and strength.
At Central Marine in St. Petersburg, Florida, I met with Sales Manager Josh Person, who, by way of his computer screen, gave me a tour of Parker’s North Carolina facilities and explained the characteristics of the 2530 XLD. The standout for me was the box-grid stringer system below deck level, a full-length grid of marine-grade, fiberglass-encapsulated plywood. I’ve not seen a more substantial construction method on any boat. Additionally, the entire exterior deck is self-bailing and feels like concrete as you walk on it.
I toured the 2520 XLD model in stock. With the exception of cabin length, it is identical to the 2530. The forward cabin is furnished with a large V-berth. Two center cushions are removable to a fully electric marine head. Nothing fancy here, but functional. The helm station has dual helm seats and the boat is standard with full instrumentation including the electronic Yamaha engine panel and Garmin electronics. The cabin can be enclosed with a heavy-duty aluminum door or fitted with a canvas-enclosed open back. The aft deck can be fitted with a folding bench seat and an aluminumframed soft top for shade.
The boats are sold with Yamaha outboards mounted on an Armstrong platform. The 2530 comes in three power options: a single 300-horsepower motor, twin 150-horsepower motors, or twin 200-horsepower motors.
The standout for me was the box-grid stringer system below deck level ...I’ve not seen a more substantial construction method on any boat.