Another year, another great Miami International Boat Show. Here are some of the stand-outs that appealed to our editors this year. Stay tuned for more updates throughout the rest of the show that runs until this Sunday.
Yamaha XTO 450 The new Yamaha XTO 450 ready for action on the transom of this 26-foot hybrid. The boat is Sportsman's new 267 Masters OE. The engine is significant not only for the horsepower it supplies to run, in single configuration, a vessel that'll easily top 5,000 pounds fully loaded... but also for the massive charging capacity it supplies to keep live well pumps, fish finder, sound system amplifier, trolling motor batteries and other electrical accessories functioning all day. There are also no hydraulic lines below deck--the engine has Digital Electric Steering. Quieter, too, at high RPMs than previous XTO editions. Overall a great power solution for the growing fleet of larger bay and hybrid boats. Also an obvious choice for multi-engine needs of the big offshore CCs.
Regulator 30XO The new Regulator 30XO was the boat our digital editor, Shelby Busenbark, claimed she would have been the most excited to leave the show with. The 30XO comes standard with flush-mounted electronics, roomy bilge access, convertible tackle center with a removable cutting board, fiberglass T-top, 294qt in-deck fishbox, a standup head and various folding seating options in the front and rear. You can additionally outfit the vessel with a half tower station and sliding sunroof, two power poles, hydraulic jackplates and a 96in bow-mounted trolling motor.
One Beat Mobilized Rescue System Dan Andrade of One Beat aptly referred to this innovation as the “Dock in a Box,” and shared a harrowing story of how one of his co-workers saved his own life with it after sustaining a nasty prop cut. The One Beat Rescue System is a hefty first aid kit with some serious tech that provides step-by-step detailed instructions for any injury via the built-in screen or mobile app that requires no cell signal. Military-tested and color-coded, this system will run you $2,299 but the much more affordable Rescue System Compact (7.5”x4”) rings in at $299.
Advertisement
Blackfin 400CC This one turned a lot of heads and it was hard to get a moment alone on the newest flagship addition to the Blackfin family that comes standard with everything you could ever need in your travels. The Blackfin 400CC sports a deep-set roomy deck, 70-gallon live well, two rows of premium helm seating, mezzanine seating in the rear that encases a summer kitchen below, plenty of storage options as well as a cabin with a full-sized shower, sunroof, bed and additional rod storage.
SeaDek Reel Cushions Foam deck pads and various LED lights pop up in all kinds of places on boats, but this combo here, under the gunnel of a Pathfinder 2400 Open, demonstrates very practical uses: The SeaDek patches help cushion reels stored on the racks, and the lights, not directly in eye range, offer just enough deck illumination for safety and convenience after sunset. And of course, it all looks great. Which counts too, right?
SeaPen Dry Docking Solution Take the strain off your boat and keep her dry with the award-winning SeaPen, all achieved without bottom paint or lifts. Built with marine-grade rope, a growth-resistant liner, an unsinkable high-density polyethylene frame and a smart pump system, the SeaPen is easy to use, reliable and environmentally conscientious. It’s fully customizable and installation is included, ensuring your boat is snug as a bug in its new dry dock. One of the most impressive factors mentioned was how well they fair in hurricane conditions, as the berth allowed by the floating barrier saved many users from stray boat impacts. We can also see this being an essential aid in detail work, allowing you to walk around the entire boat with room to spare. Excellent customer service and an easy-to-use app are also available to customers. Get a quote at www.solsticedockingsolutions.com
Advertisement
36-Volt Rhodan GPS Electric Trolling Motor Pardon the hasty photo but I had to catch this: those are twin 36-volt Rhodan GPS electric trolling motors on a 41-foot SeaHunter catamaran. They're just kind of sitting there awkwardly in different directions on the convention center display, but on the reef they are synched to one controller. The motors will work in tandem to keep that beast of a boat politely anchored in place on current-swept waters. The shafts are 108 inches. This is the largest vessel to date I've seen equipped to operate under the bow mount electric motors once reserved for bass and bay boats. What's next?
World Cat 400CC-X A few of the Florida Sportsman editors took the World Cat 400CC-X out for a sea trail and we were really impressed with this center console sister flagship to the 400DC-X. With luxurious appointments, abundant storage and unmatched catamaran performance, the 400CC-X is an exciting addition to the World Cat fleet.
Raymarine with Avikus Artificial Intelligence is a popular subject in the news lately, and as expected, the subject was talked about at the Miami Boat Show. This Raymarine multifunction device is displaying a demonstration of an outboard-powered boat being maneuvered autonomously into a slip under signal processing hardware built by Avikus. The Avikus devices take data from cameras and other sources and instantly calculate adjustments to the helm, much as is done on large shipping vessels—some of which now cross oceans without human input. A little scary? So was navigating with loran when it was first introduced. For that matter, operating vessels powered by combustion engine was terrifying for early mariners. Technological advances proceed. Interesting to see where this one leads.
Humminbird Coastmaster Florida Premium Charts Shocked to see such a great relief shade rendering of a little cluster of reefs I like to fish. This is on a Humminbird Apex unit running the Coastmaster Florida Premium charting package ($299.95) with the aerial and relief shading layers turned on. You can "dial it back" to basic navigation view for plotting courses, viewing markers and other needs, but this full-colorized treatment sure offers some enticing fishing prospects! Humminbird has added this same level of options to its Lakemaster charts, also.
X Shore Eelex 8000 Electric Boats and power options are a hot topic amongst the marine community. The 26-foot X Shore Eelex 8000 from Nautical Ventures looks pretty snazzy and features an interesting sustainable cork deck and accents. Although it’s not fishing-centric, this boat caught our eye and it’s refreshing to see more electric-powered options available on the market.
Victor Fragoso Jewelry & Sculptures Sourced in the USA and based out of Miami, Victor Fragoso creates real works of art with his sea-inspired designs. See for yourself via their Instagram page, @victorfragosdesign or on Facebook .
Scout Boats Anchor Camera & 67 LX Scout Boats had some new introductions at the Miami Boat Show this year including their patented forward-facing anchor camera located in the bow of select LXF models that can be viewed from the touch screen at the helm.
They also unveiled a massive 67-foot model that boasts five 600hp Mercury V12 Verado outboards, earning the title as the new flagship for Scout. Designed by Harrison Eidsgaard studio, best known for their work on superyachts to Boeing jets, the Scout 67 LX has a smooth-riding stepped-V design, epoxy-infused carbon fiber hull and e-glass making it one of the sturdiest forms on the market.
Costa Untangled The Untangled Collection has been out for some time now, but the Miami Show is a great time to try them on yourself and learn more about their Clean Ocean Initiatives for 2023 .
SeaSucker Modular Accessories While rod-holder mounted accessories are pretty commonplace nowadays, these SeaSucker attachments offer new options to mounting and moving your accessories. Drink holders, car racks, tackle organizers, cellular and EBIRB mounts, the options are endless and keep all your valuable investments secure using an easy vacuum pump function to ensure a tight seal. Best of all, you can place everything exactly where you want and remove and remount endlessly with no-sticky residue left behind.
Solace 2023 Models Solace announced three new models for 2023: the 30HCS, 32CS and 41CS. We took an in-depth look at the 30-footer, with a full video to come soon. Stay tuned!
Tigress Pitch Bait Tubes Tigress has paired up with SeaSucker, who also made our Boat Show round-up, to create two sizes of pitch bait tubes that you can place anywhere on your boat, so you never miss your shot at a stray cobia again. Available in 2” and 4” diameters.
Kicker KMXL Marine Speakers Best known for their premium, full-bodied sound, KICKER Audio featured their new KMXL series that boasts an HLCD (horn-loaded compression driver) tower-speaker design, multi-color LED lighting, sealed gaskets and composite material construction to avoid corrosion that can come with metal-based speakers. This series comes in 6.5, 8 and 9-inch models.
Mercury Avator 7.5e Announced in early 2023, Avator 7.5e is the first in a series of three electric outboards that will be released later this year from Mercury, including the 20e and 35e. With 750W of power generated at the prop shaft, the 7.5e produces speed and acceleration comparable to a Mercury 3.5hp FourStroke outboard and offers with tiller or remote steering. This model will be available in early spring.
Veer X13 Intended as an introductory, low-maintenance platform for new boaters brought to you by the minds at Lund Boats, a Brunswick brand, the Veer X13 is built with rotomolded polyethylene and can be purchased with an electric or gas Mercury outboard. The idea behind Veer is to work towards a future of innovations limiting fossil fuel emissions. The X13 is designed for solo or duo trips and measures 13 feet with a 4-foot beam and a draft of 6.3 inches. It comes standard with soft marine mat covering every stepping surface, a cushy padded bench seat, and multiple storage compartments. The boat itself weighs a mere 382 pounds with the total weight of the boat, motor and trailer clocking in at 835 pounds, making this entry towable on a variety of vehicles. The X13 comes in seafoam or gray with the options to add a standing bar, shallow water anchor, mooring cover and various additions to the accessory track. Pricing starts at 12K for the gas-powered model (9.9ho MLH Mercury FourStroke) and $14,095 for electric (7.5e Mercury Avator, mentioned above). Fully outfitted, it rings in at $16,361.
