The first time you see a Calyber, you'll consider it an optical illusion. The first time a Calyber 27 sporting a tower headed toward us, we thought it was a 45-footer. When it reached us only moments later, we discovered that this "big express" not only had been much closer than we thought, but also was smaller and carried outboards on the transom. Yet there was the signature North Carolina bow flare, the compound curves of the freeboard tumblehome aft and the broad expanse of foredeck leading back to a dramatic broken sheer.

Whether you choose a Calyber Express or Center Console, you get a hand-laid fiberglass hull born of a two-piece mold. The skeleton consists of WEST system, epoxy-encapsulated, marine-plywood stringers, and Calyber fills each belowdecks void completely with AB marine closed-cell foam for soundproofing, flotation and stiffness. With maximum power — twin 250-hp outboards — the boat easily tops 50 mph.

As you'd expect from any fishing boat coming out of Oregon Inlet, the Calyber takes no shortcuts around fishing amenities. Calyber situates one livewell under the deck and another in the transom, both on centerline. In addition you get plenty of tackle storage, four standard in-gunwale rod holders and plenty of room to mount more all the way to the bow. Belowdecks is a small cabin with a double berth as well as a head.

You can dress up this "classic" with as much or as little varnished teak as you can handle maintaining.