420 Outrage Boat of The Year

[Jefecinco]

Boating Magazine has named the Boston Whaler 420 Outrage their choice of Boat of The Year for 2015.

Personally I really like that boat and, finances permitting, would order one in a flash--if that giant hull window could be a delete option. I just don't understand how an offshore boat like an Outrage can have a hull window in such a vulnerable position.

[Dutchman]

Butch those are strong, strong windows like the hull itself.

[Garage Dog]

Nice looking boat. That window may be strong but is in very unattractive IMHO...

[porthole]

At that price point I would opt for a conventional sport fisher, either an express or flybridge with twins.

[Buoy]

I think that window is a very nice feature while lounging in the cabin. Boston Whaler should have tinted it Whaler White instead of black, blending it in would make all the difference.

[Jefecinco]

Something to keep in mind, which I failed to do when posting, is that the 420 Outrage is unsinkable despite the hull window. Based on aesthetics I fail to appreciate the window.

I agree that a sizable traditional twin engine sport fisherman could be purchased for a similar price but it would not be a Boston Whaler and it would not be unsinkable and I seriously doubt it would make the same top speed and it would have fewer engines.

[msirof2001]

I hate to be the downer in this conversation but I really can't/don't understand the reason for this boat's existence. It has a little of everything yet not too much of anything. Is it a fishing boat? Not really that hard core. Is it a luxury boat? Not exactly. Then what is it? It sure costs a lot. Directionally, if you wanted hard core fishing or plush luxury, there are boats for a lot less money that are better in any of those genres. Maybe it is for the meglomaniac who wants to say they own the largest Whaler ever made? Go on it once or twice? Hang a picture on the wall.

I grew up with a kids book called "Why I built the Boogle House" by Helen Marion Palmer. Seems like this boat is Boston Whaler in parallel with that story. Maybe someday, in the history of Boston Whaler, a section can be added called, "Why Boston Whaler built the Boogle Boat".

Sorry - I'm not drinking the lemonade on this one.

[Whalerdog]

It is a little of everything and a huge toy for people with money or multiple boats. There is nothing like it. I'd order one but gas is to expensive at the moment. --I laugh aloud--

[Jefecinco]

msirof2001,

Clearly the boat is not for everyone but just as clearly it has a place in the marketplace. The entire production for the next 12 months is sold. I feel that it fits into the family comfortable cruiser/sports fishing boat niche. Such boats rarely do either function extremely well but often do both well enough to appeal to a sizable number of people who can come up with the cost to own one.

[msirof2001]

I understand your point of view. In comparison with the Everglades competing model, the Whaler has a 40 gallon bait tank, Everglades has two 60 gallon tanks. The Everglades has more storage, tackle trays, etc. With the Everglades, the rail/gunwhale isn't obstructed by the support for the upper station. The Whaler's front half isn't fishable the way the seating is configured. I can go on and on. In summary, I always looked at the "Outrage" to be the hard-core fishing line, and the Conquest and Vantage to be the family oriented lines. I wish they had this "420" boat in the Vantage line. There, they could build out the family/wine & cheeze features even further. Make it 42 feet whatever. It would be admirable. As a fisherman, the Everglades 42/43 footer is the hard core fishing machine I would gravitate towards. The boat I wished Whaler would have come up with on their own. Aside all of that, the Everglades has better performance stats. Even with quad Yamaha 300's. The Whaler had quad Verado 350s and got beat both in speed and mileage by the Everglades. (Source: manufacturer's websites) The Everglades can have quad Yamaha 350s but I couldn't find performance stats. To summarize my thoughts,yet again, I wish Whaler would keep the Outrage line more towards hard-core fishing and use Conquest/Vantage for family/party boats. I think Everglades nailed it. There are over 300million people in the US and billions of people worldwide. Enough of them wealthy enough to afford boats in this price range. Whaler can only produce so many of these larger boats. I'm not surprised the pipeline is full for years to come. The Whaler name has a lot of goodwill with it. I just thought they could have done better. I give them a C+.

[Jeff]

Personally after seeing the boat and touring it in person at the Miami Boat Show, I was not too impressed with it. The boat felt confused to me...it was trying to be too much. For me the 370 Outrage is a far better Whaler than the 420.

Oh yeah...that hull-side window on the 420 is fighting the aesthetic of what I consider a brand standard. Big side windows like that are a Sea Ray design characteristic, not a Whaler one.

Get rid of the window and add a smirked profile and you have a winner...

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[Dutchman]

Now only if I could afford it. It is quite a Center Console.