In Pursuit of a Day on the Water
There’s nothing wrong with taking time out of the office to go for a boat ride, is there? Okay, what if it’s for work? It doesn’t happen all the time, but Southern Boating’s marketing director, Brandon Ferris, and I took a quick flight over to Tampa to get a look at and take a ride on the brand new OS 445, Pursuit’s new flagship model in their Offshore series and their largest model built to date.
We were standing on the dock when Hull #1 pulled up, and its profile was strong and balanced, yet had a flair of elegance with a baby blue hull, a large molded hull-side frameless window, and a sleek, fully enclosed cabin that hinted there was a lot going on inside. That all came to fruition when we stepped on board.
Before we even went inside, it was apparent that the cockpit was built so anglers had plenty of room to cast and catch and entertaining was key with an aft-facing mezzanine seat that had a USB charging port, stereo remote, and A/C vents, a molded entertainment center with electric grill, a folding transom seat with extra thick cushions, a removable cockpit table, and a transom that hid under its lid a hot- and cold-water sink, cutting board, with a 75-gallon insulated refrigerator/freezer to starboard and a lighted, recirculating livewell with acrylic window to port. I told you there was a lot going on.
The enclosed cabin was a big development part of this project due to the fiberglass windshield setup, the opening side window configuration, the aft window and door openings, and the fiberglass structure. Pursuit didn’t want to use Isenglass or canvas to enclosed the helm and salon area, so it was a challenge to marry the structural components, but it turned out beautifully solid and luxurious.
As you can see, the goal on this boat was to fully enclose this bridge yet maintain the flexibility to have it open. The structural design allows for level access between the cockpit and the cabin, and with the galley, salon area, and helm seating on one level, everyone can be part of the conversation.
A full galley with 240V dual burner glass cooktop, microwave, refrigerator/freezer, Corian countertop provides all the gear for the chef. And for the captain, a Stidd electrically operated helm seat along with a Zipwake trim system, bow thruster joystick, and the Garmin dual GPSMAP 8622 displays on Pursuit’s custom dash panel along with JL Audio, Airmar transducer, the added engine controls for triple Yamaha digital 425 XTOs, and more will provide more than enough to get up an running quickly.
If you need a break from all this, head down to the accommodations. The forward island-style queen berth has a memory foam mattress, 32-inch smart TV, tempered glass hull-side windows for plenty of natural light and a private entry into the head. The starboard stateroom also has a memory foam mattress, 32-inch TV, and those glass hull-side windows. The head sports a separate shower compartment along with Corian countertops, marine head, and, you guessed it, those glass hull-side windows. Yes, there are views everywhere.
As I said, there is so much on this new model that you could easily spend long weekends on her doing everything from fishing to hanging at the sandbar to cruising local islands and reefs. The bow has a huge cabana area with sunpad, stereo remote, USB chargers, and a forward-facing bow seat right up front. There is storage everywhere, drink holders everywhere, rod holders, and with a choice of multiple hull colors (my earlier baby blue reference is actually Arctic Blue), optional sport fishing equipment, and electronics, this boat is built for your every command.
Specs
L.O.A. with Platform: 46′ 6″
Beam: 13′ 10″
Draft Motors: Up 2′ 6″; Down 3′ 5″
Dry Weight w/engines: 28,375 lbs.
Fuel/Water: 600/100
Max Horsepower: 1,275-hp
Top/Cruise Speed: 49.2/30.4 mph
Range: 349 miles (based on 80% of total fuel)
Contact: Pursuit Boats
