Pursuit bolsters its center console lineup with its new family- and angler-friendly S 288 Sport.
There’s been a sea change in preferences among boat owners. It’s marked by the growing demand for day boats. More people want seaworthy platforms that can cover a lot of nautical miles in a single day and then carry the crew back to the dock in comfort at dusk. As a result, the center console is having its moment in the spotlight. There seem to be more new models than ever before and new companies entering the segment, but it’s also good to see legacy brands that have been producing center consoles for decades continue to build on their success.
Pursuit is among the latter. It has been making saltwater fishing boats for 41 years and is known for premium construction. Its newest model is the S 288 Sport, a crossover model for fishermen and families alike. This 30-footer shares the same classic profile as its three larger Sport siblings, with a similar kind of soft-edge style. It’s built for hard-core duty along the coast, though, with a deep-V hull featuring Carolina flare at the bow. The hull is powered by a pair of 300-hp Yamaha outboards that should push the boat to a cruising speed of 30 mph at 3500 rpm and a top-end of 55 mph at 5800 rpm.
As a crossover boat, the S 288 has social zones that don’t force anglers to compromise when it’s time to troll lines. There are convertible lounges in the bow and folding seats in the cockpit. There’s also a port-side dive door that makes it easy to get on the boat from the water after a swim or from the dock after dinner. A head is in the console. When it’s time to fish, there’s a live well, fish box, leaning post with a tackle center and plenty of rod stowage.
One of the boat’s nicest features is the fiberglass hardtop with an integrated, automotive-bonded, wraparound windshield. The structure is as robust as they come and protects the skipper and copilot from wind and rain, making a long run home a lot more comfortable. The windshield design looks great, too. — Jeanne Craig