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The old saying goes, “Watch out for the quiet ones.” That certainly applies to Bluewater Boats. You may not hear much about Bluewater because the company rarely toots its own horn. But you’d be hard-pressed to find a better small center console than the 23T. Though far from an expensive fishing-boat line, Bluewater’s boats couldn’t be more distinctly different from other “price” boats currently available. In fact, Bluewater may well represent one of the best values on the market today. The company’s new 23T center console certainly holds its own against other 23-footers in every category.
For example, this 23 targets tournament anglers, with its helm leaning post containing a 50-gallon above-deck livewell and six rocket launchers across the seat back. Standard equipment includes space for storing 10 rods in and under gunwales as well. You can order any of several optional T-tops – the most popular is arguably the Key West style, which allows the carriage of rods to be stowed vertically along the console sides. Also, the 23T offers a feature most serious center-console anglers prefer: a single-level deck from bow to stern. And how many 23-footers do you know of that include 12-volt outlets under the cockpit gunwales for downriggers and kite rods as standard fare?
Top speed with the most common power – a pair of 200 hp Evinrude E-Tecs – reaches almost 55 mph with a comfortable cruise at about 37 mph. Midrange response when you firewall the throttles qualifies as impressive and instantaneous.
Bluewater blends a 24-degree deadrise at the transom with wide enough chines to make for a very dry, smooth ride in rough water, while the platform remains terrifically stable when drifting in a beam sea.
The company also builds a completely fiberglass boat – no wood anywhere. Additionally, the topsides and transom have foam coring, while the structural “Multi-Plex” stringer grid provides incredible stiffness and lightweight strength.
If you’re in the market for a fishing boat this size, you’ll be doing yourself a mischief by not giving the Bluewater 23T serious consideration.
LOA……23 ft. 5 in.
BEAM……8 ft. 5 in.
DRAFT……1 ft. 6 in.
DEADRISE……24 deg.
WEIGHT……3,650 lb. (dry)
FUEL……178 gal.
MAX POWER……T200 hp OB
MSRP……$73,677 (w/ T200 hp OB)
**Bluewater Sportfishing Boats / Fort Pierce, Florida / 772-464-3735 / **www.bluewaterboats.com
