The Intrepid 51 Panacea is the new 60-plus-knot flagship for the builder’s line of deep-V center-consoles. While the automotive world has crossover vehicles that combine sporty sedans with SUV functions, so the 51 Panacea lets go-fast owners step up in size while adding family weekending comforts and even more offshore safety.

Like each new Intrepid model, this one is built on the base of earlier Intrepids, drawing on ideas and suggestions from Intrepid owners. The 51 Panacea bears the DNA of the Intrepid 475, but what a difference the extra 4 feet of length makes. That extra space (and 14 inches of added beam) takes a really good idea and makes it even better.

The pilothouse, with a trio of 22-inch Garmin displays and a full-height curved windshield, is the nerve center of the 51 Panacea. During our flat-out sprints across a lumpy Gulf Stream, nary a drop of spray hit the windshield, which also keeps the breeze off the two rows of seats abaft the helm. Four seats wide, with the afterseats raised to a mezzanine level to enjoy the action, this space is protected by the fiberglass hardtop and a slide-out awning aft.

The bow area looks like a bowrider on steroids. There are two seats with armrests, a wraparound lounge with seatbacks that tilt electrically, and a sun pad filler/table that rises from the sole.

The cockpit is also thoughtfully planned. On the 51 Panacea that I got aboard, it included a Kenyon grill, a sink, a pullout ice chest and drawers. Anglers can use this space for bait work or opt for a full bait-prep station. Aft, a bench seat hinges out of the way.

Intrepid invented the hinge-out boarding platform—for the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, which uses Intrepids for marine patrols in Florida. The wide, portside opening includes a husky ladder for divers. Opposite is a boarding door, thoughtfully backed up by nonslip coaming steps for higher docks.

The cabin has 6-foot-1-inch headroom and weekender luxuries. There’s a wider-than-queen (86-inch) berth, a convertible table, a galley with a single-burner cooktop, twin fridge drawers and a sink. The enclosed head has a stall shower that is spacious, at 44 inches wide. A feature in the cabin I particularly liked was just inside the gull-wing door: an eye-height electrical panel.

And yes, this boat packs serious power. The Intrepid 51 Panacea has quad 600 hp Mercury outboards. In addition to the 60-plus-knot top speed, these V-12s provide an industry-first two-speed automatic transmission. Front-mounted oil fill and service points should make maintenance easy.

The outboards also eliminate all the undercockpit space usually taken by inboards, giving the 51 Panacea a cavernous area to mount the 11 kW Kohler genset and Seakeeper 6 gyrostabilizer. There is more room for stashing water toys and fenders, although dedicated fender (or dive-tank) stowage unfolds from the coamings.

With regard to performance, putting the hammer down doesn’t cause the bow-high waddling onto plane that plagues many boats. The 51 Panacea just rises flat—levitates, really—and suddenly, it’s running hard and fast. I didn’t touch the trim tabs or the outboard tilt as I pushed to full throttle.

All up, the Intrepid 51 Panacea has everything needed for a seakindly ride, speed, weekending, fishing and entertaining. Just add water.

The Hull Story

The Intrepid’s deep-V, 21-degree transom-deadrise hull form has proved itself for years. The 51 Panacea continues the evolution with three strakes, a wide chine to throw water out flat, and a transverse notch to aerate the planing section aft.

More is Better

MarineMax acquired Intrepid Powerboats in 2021. “It made my dream a reality,” says Ken Clinton, founder and president of Intrepid. “I’ve been wanting to expand into what we’re calling our yacht line, and with the financial support and solid encouragement from MarineMax, the 51 Panacea is the first of that series.” Intrepid’s new 56-acre boatbuilding campus near Swansboro, North Carolina, also helped make this model possible. The 51 that we got aboard was the first hull produced from the facility, which Clinton says “draws on a huge pool of very talented boatbuilders that includes three generations of boating craftsmen.” The second hull of the 51 is past the decking stage, and more orders are in line. And, Clinton says, a 64 is on the boards with quad 600s.

Take the next step: intrepidpowerboats.com

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Intrepid’s 41 Valor is a model based on customer  feedback. The 41 Valor has a new stepped-hull form and a wider beam (11’9″). The boat is built on a wave-slicing, deep-V hull form that is vacuum-bagged, foam-cored and resin-infused for strength without excessive weight. A stringer grid enhances that strength for open-water duty. The 41 Valor is designed for big outboard power options, including 425 hp Yamahas and 600 hp Mercury Verados. Belowdecks, the boat has a queen-size berth, galley and a head with separate shower for cruising couples. Diving, fishing or cruising, the Intrepid 41 Valor is an effective, fast multitasker that can tame tempestuous seas. Style, speed and comfort are always included.

About Intrepid

Inspired by you. Built for you.

If you can dream it, we can build it. No other boatbuilder so precisely and proudly reflects the unique desires of each individual owner. 

From legendary center consoles to luxurious sport yachts, Intrepid powerboats are custom equipped with the latest features and technologies. Our signature stepped-hull design delivers unmatched speed, fuel efficiency, and performance culminating in the incomparably smooth, dry ride and extraordinary stability that distinguish an Intrepid from any other boat on the water. 

The post Yachting On Board: 2023 Intrepid 41 Valor appeared first on Yachting.

Intrepid Powerboats is planning the premiere for three models at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show: the 477 Evolution, 407 Nomad and 345 Walkaround.

The 477 Evolution will be the new flagship in Intrepid’s Sport series. It will have a feature that hasn’t appeared on any other Intrepids: hull-side openings on both the port and starboard sides. A dive door is to starboard, with a hydraulic fold-down platform to port with a recessed swim ladder.

The 407 Nomad has a 700-gallon fuel tank, and is available with two console configurations. The SE has side entry to the head, while the FE has front entry to the head.

The 345 Walkaround is intended to pack some bigger-boat features into a smaller hull. It has a galley, a head with a shower, and a forward area whose U-shape seating and table convert to a berth.

Each boat can be customized: Intrepid offers numerous options that owners can choose for the new models.

Take the next step: go to intrepidpowerboats.com

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Somewhere along the line boats started being built based on the notion that we are all the same. That we all want the same things in a boat. But that’s simply not the case. We’re all unique in our own way and your boat should reflect that. That’s why at Intrepid, we believe custom is the only way to build them and that’s why each one is built one at a time. Because only then can it truly be one of a kind. Simply put, Intrepid makes a better boat because they’re built to a very unique set of specifications: Yours.

The post The Intrepid Difference appeared first on Yachting.

Big boats are nice, but ask nearly any yachtsman with a fleet, and he’ll tell you there’s great fun to be had on tenders. With the wind in your hair and a big fish tugging on your line, life doesn’t get much better. Efficient, ­rugged and fun, the fishing tender has come into its own and is now ­available with all kinds of features that used to be the exclusive province of ­larger siblings in the marina. Here are 15 choice picks, new for this season.

Pursuit S 288 Sport

The S 288 is now the entry-level model in the builder’s four-hull Sport line, which ranges up to an S 408. At 30 feet length overall, the S 288 has room for many features found on her larger siblings.

• Thrill of the Chase: With twin 300 hp Yamaha outboards, the S 288 can hit 48 knots. The engine package comes standard with the Yamaha Helm Master steering system and its Set Point feature, which has three modes that let skippers lock in a position, a heading or both.
• Fully Loaded: Amenities aboard the S 288 include a hullside tuna/dive door, a transom livewell and dual in-sole fish boxes. Seating is aft and up front, so the crew can rest their legs between bouts with gamefish.

Take the next step: pursuitboats.com

Carolina Skiff Sea Chaser 24

For more than 30 years, Carolina Skiff has built dependable vessels that are fun to drive and adept at bringing in fish. The builder offers more than 60 models, including its Sea Chaser line, which in itself has four series that range in length from 16 to 27 feet length overall.

• Multitasker: The Sea Chaser 24 HFC stands out for her versatility; HFC stands for hybrid fish and cruise. She comes standard with features meant to please both types of boaters, including an insulated fish box, fold-down cleats, a stainless-steel anchor chock, LED lighting under the gunwale, a built-in lifting eye, stainless-steel cupholders and more. Capacity is 12 boaters, no ­matter whether they’re lounging or wetting lines.

Take the next step: carolinaskiff.com

Edgewater 370cc

The Edgewater 370CC butts up against the monster-size center-console class at 37 feet long. The builder categorizes her in her own Yacht class, separate from its Heritage, Center Console and Crossover lines that max out at 32 feet length overall. The 370CC’s horsepower-to-size ratio of 9.2 pounds per horsepower makes her best in her class, according to the builder.

• Take it to the Edge: The 370CC’s options for customization ­include ­multiple hull colors, a 70-gallon in-transom livewell, a Garmin electronics package and a Fusion stereo system.
• Speed Thrills: With triple 300 hp ­Yamaha outboards, the Edgewater can hit a top-end speed of 56 knots, according to the builder.

Take the next step: ewboats.com

Ocean Alexander 45 Divergence

Ocean Alexander has long had a reputation for constructing stout, bluewater-cruising motoryachts. Now the builder is applying that heritage to the center-console market with the 45 Divergence.

• Divergent Thinking: Fit and finish, and in particular woodwork and leather stitching, are on par with the builder’s motoryachts. Owners can customize each hull with more than 400 cosmetic variations.

Take the next step: oceanalexander.com

Grady-White Canyon 456

Grady-White has a sizable new flagship: the Canyon 456. The builder says that in designing this boat, it wanted to “reimagine the luxury sport-fishing yacht,” with the widest beam (14 feet) in its class allowing for literal boatloads of amenities and features on board. The 45-foot-long center-console displaces a cool 24,500 pounds sans engines.

• Great White: The Canyon 456 is fitted out with cockpit boarding doors to port and starboard, a 459-quart insulated freezer box, a Seakeeper 6 gyrostabilizer, cushioned bow seating with ­backrests, and an enclosed head with a sink and shower (inside the console). The galley has Corian countertops and stainless-steel drawers, along with vertical rod stowage. The V-berth converts electromechanically from a bed to seating with a table, near a 32-inch TV and more rod stowage.

Take the next step: gradywhite.com

Scout 530 LXF

The Scout 530 LXF is the builder’s new flagship. Early inquiries left the builder expecting to be sold out for the first year after Hull No. 1 made her debut.

• Vroom! She can have an array of engine setups, with four, five or six Mercury or Yamaha outboards up to 2,700 total horsepower. The blistering top-end is reportedly 65 knots.
• Inside and Out: Scout worked with Fort Lauderdale-based Genesis Interiors on the European-style interior, with ideas taken from larger yacht builds. Other interesting touches include electrically raised rocket launchers and double hydraulic swim ­platforms that open to port and starboard. The 530 LXF also comes with a concierge: Company Capt. Josh Slayton delivers each 530 and makes sure each owner is comfortable with the boat.

Take the next step: scoutboats.com

Valhalla v37

It was only a matter of time. Viking Yachts has been a dominant player in the fish-boat market for years, and now has rolled out Valhalla Boatworks, its foray into the burgeoning center-console sector.

• Hero Status: Viking collaborated with Michael Peters Yacht Design to create this 36-foot-9-inch boat, which has a gently sloped sheerline. The boat can have twin, triple or quadruple outboards up to 1,200 hp. Customized installations of Seakeeper gyrostabilizer systems leave room for stowage, systems and more. A transom livewell, in-sole fish boxes and rod holders help to bolster this vessel’s fishing cred, while the stepped hull should provide an airy ride with a firm grip on the sea.

Take the next step: valhallaboatworks.com

Solace 345

Solace is a new boat company whose first model is the 345. Note the vessel’s unorthodox transom, which juts out between the twin Yamaha outboard engines, creating 5-foot flush access that leads to a hydraulically operated dive door. Just forward of there, to port and starboard, are ­folding benches that seat two people apiece. There’s also a three-person ­retractable bench that extends from the ­workstation.

• Bug Out: Owners can choose an ­optional second workstation with a “folding buggy top” for protection from the elements.
• Big Plans: The Edgewater, Florida, builder has 16 acres of space and plans to roll out a full line of models behind the 345. So get ready to say hi to the new guy.

Take the next step: solaceboats.com

Boston Whaler 210 Montauk

The 210 is the new flagship in Boston Whaler’s Montauk line. Like all Whalers, she’s “unsinkable,” and is also built for hose-and-go use, so owners can maximize their time on the water.

• Whale of a Time: The 210 Montauk comes standard with a 150 hp Mercury FourStroke outboard and a galvanized-steel trailer with LED lighting and a swing tongue. Fishing options include rod holders, tackle drawers and a 30-gallon livewell; the optional fishing package adds a host of angling amenities.
• Cruising Cred: Optional bow seating should make for an optimal place during sunset cruises. Five gelcoat colors are available for the hull while a teak package lets owners class up the joint.

Take the next step: bostonwhaler.com

Coastal Craft 33 Express

The Coastal Craft 33 Express is based on the Pacific Northwest builder’s 33 Profish. Like her sistership, the Express version is trailerable, has about 81 square feet of cockpit space to wet a line, and has two berths for spending the night on the hook in a favorite anchorage.

• Ready To Run: The 33 Express can cruise at 30 knots for 400 nautical miles and hit 40 on the pins, according to the builder.

Take the next step: coastalcraft.com

Nor-Tech 390 Sport

Nor-tech has always toed the line between center-console and pure speedboat, and the 390 Sport is no exception. She has a scorching top-end of 70 knots with triple outboard Mercury 400R racing engines, according to the builder.

• Fast Fishing: The 390 Sport has two tuna doors, an in-transom livewell and an array of rod holders dotting her gunwales. Garmin is a Nor-tech partner for outfitting helm electronics.
• Have a Seat: U-shaped forepeak seating and twin lounges are forward of the console, giving guests and crew a place to stretch out in the sun. JL Audio can design the stereo setup of the owner’s choice, and Nor-tech works with Lumishore on underwater lighting packages.

Take the next step: nor-techboats.com

World Cat 280DC-X

World Cat says it has 80,000 customers aboard its boats worldwide, with the newest model from its 140,000-square-foot facility in North Carolina ­being the dual-console 280DC-X. It’s an ­evolution of the 280CC-X.

• Cat Fish: With an optional angling package—­including a 20-gallon livewell and five ­hardtop-mounted rocket launchers—the World Cat becomes quite the fishing machine. Top speed for heading to the offshore fishing grounds is just shy of 40 knots, according to the builder.
• Lounging Around: This catamaran has U-shaped seating in the bow with a filler cushion that creates a sun pad. Transom seating offers some protection if rougher weather begins to kick up.

Take the next step: worldcat.com

Belzona 32CC Tournament

Belzona bills its 32CC Tournament ­Edition as “the ultimate fishing machine.” The boat has full walkaround space and an army of rod holders. She also can be tricked out with outriggers, a Garmin electronics package and a marlin tower for better sightlines when chasing the big fish that this baby is meant to hunt.

• Power to the People: The base-model 32CC is offered with twin 300 or 350 hp Mercury Verado outboards (and optional joystick controls). The Tournament ­Edition can jack up the power with a pair of 400 hp outboards.
• In the Zone: The Belzona 32CC Tournament Edition has a full head with a shower (in the console) and wraparound seating in the forepeak.

Take the next step: belzonaboats.com

SeaVee 290B

SeaVee constructed the 290B with a composite-cored hull to reduce weight while retaining a stiff, strong and quiet ride. The boat’s relatively small size also gives ­owners the ability to trailer her.

• Deep-V: The 290B has a deep-V hull with 25 degrees of deadrise at the transom and a fine entry. Speeds range to 60 knots. Draft is just 20 inches, allowing for some ­skinny-water fishing too.

Take the next step: seaveeboats.com

Intrepid 345 Nomad

Intrepid bases many of its designs on customer feedback, and that’s what happened with the 345 Nomad. Its composite T-top has a full-height wraparound glass windshield for protection against sun and spray. Owners can choose from two console options: a side entry with that standard T-top, or a front entry with the builder’s optional, traditional, aluminum T-top. Standard features include an inward-opening dive door, a fold-under swim ladder, an insulated fishbox and an integrated motor bracket for twin or triple outboard-engine configurations. Rod lockers are forward to port and starboard. Fender stowage and transom storage wells are also standard.

• Go Fish: The 345 Nomad has six rocket launchers on the after end of her hardtop and can be fitted with outriggers.

Take the next step: intrepidpowerboats.com

The post Top Fishing Tenders appeared first on Yachting.

David Lavine was perfectly happy with his 40-foot cruiser. It was comfortable. It was sporty. His wife and children liked spending time aboard. Then came the day of the “great escape.” Living on the shore of the Chesapeake Bay, Lavine enjoyed wetting a fishing line for striped bass now and again. Even though the cruiser was far from being a fishing boat, he made do and went out for occasional single-handed fishing trips. He was on such a journey one day in 2013. “I had been fishing all day without a single bite,” he says. “Then, finally, it happened. My rod doubled over, and I knew I had a nice striper on the line. I fought the fish to the boat, then stepped down to the swim platform to land it.” That’s not as easy as it sounds. The vessel had three levels at the stern: the ­cockpit, a big step and then the swim platform. “I finally got the fish into the net and climbed back up into the cockpit,” he says. “It was beautiful, a really nice catch that would make a great dinner.”

But because the yacht wasn’t a fishing boat, it didn’t have fish boxes. Lavine had a cooler bag in the cabin, but he was not about to drag a slimy, bleeding striped bass through the interior.

“I had to set everything down to go get the bag,” he says. “The fish flipped out and spit the hook at the same time. While I scrambled after it, my dinner then flipped down the step, onto the swim platform and, before I could grab it, back into the Chesapeake Bay.”

At that moment, Lavine decided he was going to buy a fishing boat.

He’d been offshore fishing aboard charter boats, so he knew what serious fishing machines could do, but he had other considerations as well.

“I still needed a boat my wife and family would enjoy, and they don’t really like fishing the way I do,” he says. “The boat needed to be comfortable. And I wanted it to be fast.”

Lavine chose an Intrepid 430 Sport Yacht, which has a cabin and bridge deck for cruising and an open cockpit for fishing. Propelled by triple Yamaha F350 outboards, the stepped-hull boat can cruise in the upper 30-knot range and push the 50-knot mark at her top-end.

“I probably drove the people at Intrepid crazy,” says Lavine, who visited the factory in Florida three times during the build. “Then I decided that instead of just taking delivery of the boat, I’d use it as an opportunity and turn it into an experience. Bringing the boat up to Maryland from ­Florida was a chance to do something — to do many things — I’d never tried before.”

While waiting for the boat’s completion through the winter months, he researched offshore fishing gear. He went to fishing expos and spoke with local experts. He dreamed of catching the big, bluewater pelagics.

Once his Intrepid was ready for delivery, he invited friends on each leg of the Florida-to-Maryland itinerary. His first run was to ­Bimini for some bottomfishing. Then he cruised up to Cape ­Canaveral, ­Florida, and from there to the Carolinas, and eventually to his home waters.

“Something went wrong every part of the journey,” he says, unable to stifle a laugh. “The very first trip out of ­Dania, everyone on board was getting sick, so we decided to go in, but the anchor got stuck. I tried lifting it using an anchor ball and instead ripped a stanchion off the boat and lost the anchor.”

Lavine says he could make a boater cry, telling the tales of all the problems he’s had as a guy just trying to figure things out. But despite the trials, he caught marlin, tuna and mahimahi — fish that many people never see in their lifetime, much less catch on their own boat during their initial attempts at offshore fishing.

During the three seasons that he’s owned Forever Young, Lavine has put more than 550 hours on the engines (the average boater adds about 60 to 80 hours per year). And he never, ever loses that smile, which seems quite appropriate, since he’s an orthodontist.

I spent two days aboard with him during an overnight offshore fishing trip. The runs were long and the fishing was slow, and yet it was one of the most enjoyable trips I can remember, in no small part because of his ever-positive attitude.

“As I get older, I find I’m willing to invest more in experiences than in things,” he says. “I didn’t buy a fishing boat to own a boat. I bought it for the experiences. And the offshore fishing experience is a completely new kind of adventure.”

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