Boats

Fastest Fishing Boats

These boats have the need for speed.

By By Christopher Balogh and Sam Hudson

Updated: July 8, 2015

Hold onto your hat when running in these fast fishing vessels. Nejron Photo / Shutterstock

With larger, more-efficient outboard engines and ever-expanding center-console boats come some amazing fishing machines. Triple- and quad-powered boats have jumped the 70 mph mark, and even some smaller single- and twin-engine vessels push the 55- and 60-mph ranges. Here’s a look at some of your favorite boat brands and their most-screamin’-fast models. (Boats are listed alphabetically.)

Boston Whaler 350 Outrage/59.8 mph

Boston Whaler 350 Outrage offshore fishing boat

Boston Whaler 350 Outrage Courtesy Boston Whaler

Boat Model: Boston Whaler 350 Outrage
LOA: 35’6″
Weight (without power): 11,000 pounds
Top Speed: 59.8 mph
Horsepower: 1,050 (Triple Mercury 350 Verados)
Location: At the Boston Whaler plant in Edgewater, Florida

Contender 39 ST/72 mph

Contender 39 ST deep sea ocean fishing boat

Contender 39 ST Courtesy Contender

Boat Model: Contender 39 ST
LOA: 39’1″
Weight (ready to fish): 15,400 pounds
Top Speed: 72 to 75 mph
Horsepower: 1,400 (The 39 ST with Triple Yamaha F350s can run 72 mph. Mounted with twin Seven Marine 557s or quad Mercury Verados, the boat can hit 75 mph.)
Location: Based out of Homestead, Florida

Freeman 37VH/73 mph

Freeman 37VH Warbird Courtesy Freeman Boatworks

Boat Model: Freeman 37VH
LOA: 37′
Weight (without power): 12,000 pounds
Top Speed: 73 mph
Horsepower: 1,200 (Quad Yamaha 300s)
Boat Name: HUK Fishing Warbird
Location: Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Grady-White Canyon 376/55 mph

Grady-White Canyon saltwater ocean fishing boat

Grady-White Canyon 376 Courtesy Grady-White

Boat Model: Grady-White Canyon 376
LOA: 36’7″
Weight (ready to fish): 18,190 pounds
Top Speed: 55 mph
Horsepower: 1,050 (Triple 350 Yamaha 4-Strokes)
Location: Based out of Greenville, North Carolina

Insetta 45/60 mph

Insetta 45 Courtesy Insetta Boatworks

Boat Model: Insetta 45-557
LOA: 49’6”
Weight (ready to fish): 17,000 pounds
Top Speed: 60 mph
Horsepower: 1,114 (Twin Seven Marine 557s)
Location: Houma, Louisiana

Invincible 39/72 mph

Invincible 39 saltwater deep sea fishing boat

Invincible 39 Courtesy Invincible Boats

Boat Model: Invincible Boats 39
LOA: 39’2″
Weight (ready to fish): 12,000 pounds
Top Speed: 72 mph
Horsepower: 1,400 (Quad 300s)
Location: Based out of Opa Locka, Florida

Jupiter 34 FS/71 mph

Jupiter 34 FS saltwater deep sea fishing boat

Jupiter 34 FS Captured (T/T Wanted) Courtesy Jupiter Marine

Boat Model: Jupiter 34 FS
LOA: 33’9″
Weight (ready to fish): 13,500 pounds
Top Speed: 71 mph
Horsepower: 1,050 (Triple Yamaha F350s)
Boat Name: Captured (T/T Wanted)
Location: Moving rapidly between Palm Beach and the Bahamas
Backstory: Jupiter Marine had a client looking for a classy fish tender to compliment his custom sportfish. He opted for a 34′ Forward Seating powered with twin Yamaha F350s. Jupiter Marine and the buyer discussed building a triple engine 38-footer, but he was steadfast on staying in a 34-footer. Months later, Jupiter built the first-ever Jupiter 34 FS with triple Yamaha F300s as a factory demo boat. The buyer was impressed. Heck, 65 mph is pretty fast, right? The buyer’s custom sportfish was fast and he wanted his Jupiter faster! The buyer wanted more and was willing to be patient as Jupiter ironed out details on weights and balances, as well as any necessary structural modifications. Jupiter wanted to deliver not only the best performing boat for the buyer, but also a product that left both parties satisfied with design and safety. With help and expertise from the team at Donald Blount and Associates, Jupiter exceeded the projected performance goals and completed the project ahead of schedule. In the end, Jupiter delivered a tender that was faster (71 mph) than the big boat.

Midnight Express Boats 39S/100 mph

Midnight Express Boats 39S saltwater fishing center-console

Midnight Express Boats 39S/100 mph

Midnight Express Boats 39S Half Time Courtesy Midnight Express Boats

Boat Model: Midnight Express Boats 39S
LOA: 39′
Weight: 9000 lbs. with quad motors, no fuel or water
Top Speed: 100 mph
Horsepower: Quad 400HP Mercury Marine Verados
Boat Name: Half Time
Location: Hollywood, Florida

Pathfinder 2300 HPS/67.8 mph

Pathfinder 2300 HPS saltwater fishing center-console

Pathfinder 2300 HPS Jager HPS Courtesy Maverick Boats

Boat Model: Pathfinder 2300 HPS
LOA: 23’6″
Weight (ready to fish): 3000 pounds
Top Speed: 67.8 mph
Horsepower: 250 (Yamaha VF250LA V-Max SHO)
Boat Name: Capt. Rick Murphy’s tournament boat, Jager HPS
Location: Homestead, Florida, when not on the redfish tournament trail
Backstory: This is Capt. Rick Murphy’s personal redfish tournament boat that won the 2014 IFA Redfish Championship in Houma, Louisiana. Rick and his fishing partner, Capt. Geoff Page, ran over 108 miles each way to their spot both days averaging 64 miles per hour with an average fuel burn of 2.8 miles per gallon. According to Murphy, the top speed they saw on the GPS was 67.8 mph. This was achieved by mounting the trolling motor on the back deck, while running and reducing wind drag by removing the windscreen. The prop was a brand new Yamaha VX MAX 3 Blade 15 1/8 x 25 pitch.

Regulator 34/62.4 mph

Regulator 34 saltwater fishing center-console

Regulator 34 Courtesy Regulator Marine

Boat Model: Regulator 34
LOA: 33’10”
Weight: 9,528 pounds
Top Speed: 62.4 mph
Horsepower: 900 (Triple Yamaha F300s)
Location: Edenton, North Carolina

Robalo R260/58 mph

Robalo R260 Red Dragon Courtesy Robalo

Boat Model: Robalo R260
LOA: 26’1″
Weight: 5,000 pounds.
Top Speed: 58 mph
Horsepower: 500 (Twin Yamaha 250s)
Boat Name: Red Dragon
Location: Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Backstory: The Red Dragon is Robalo’s R260 based out of Fort Lauderdale. The Red Dragon fishes tournaments from West Palm Beach to Key West. The owner chose twin 250-hp motors to travel from fishing hole to fishing hole. The Red Dragon frequently travels across the Gulf Stream from Fort Lauderdale to Bimini to spear fish and fish for yellowfin tuna.