Six Fishing Boats with Cabins You Can Live In

Scout 350 LXF — Photo Credit: Scout

Here at TNT Custom Marine, we often get boaters who have specific boating needs. They might love fishing but also want to spend long weekends on the boat with their families. Or they want speed, but are also looking for family-friendly safety measures. Whatever you’re looking for, we can help you find it. Just stop into our premier marine center in North Miami and have a chat with one of our seasoned experts. In the meantime, here’s an article from Sport Fishing Magazine about just that: finding the perfect live-aboard for family vacations that can also give you the fishing experience of a lifetime.

Hard-core fishermen love center console boats. But even among the most dedicated anglers, many now seek more family time and improved convenience and comfort. That pushes boatbuilders to be creative.

At the same time, center consoles have grown to 40-plus feet in length: That makes more room for berths and galleys and opens the door to center consoles as boats you can live on. And while it’s true you really wouldn’t want to “live” aboard these dressed-up models, you could certainly plan an overnight trip in style.

We selected six fishing boats with cabins whose console cabins surpass the Spartan label. If you’re set on buying a center-console but want some four-star comforts, check out these vessels at the next boat show. (Note: Boats are ordered by LOA. Some manufacturers offer all cabin features in their -standard package; others offer some as options.)

Scout 350 LXF

The LXF in this model’s name equates to luxury sport-fish. To build it, Scout blended the best aspects of its high-performance fish boats — including a double-stepped hull — with the amenities of a high-end cruiser.

The 350’s triple-engine option kicks top speed into the high 60s to put you on fish quickly. Fishing features include tackle drawers and a livewell beneath an aft-facing seat, molded-in cabinet for gaff storage, in-deck fish boxes, a 60-gallon transom fish box or livewell, transom door, and horizontal and vertical rod storage.

Its luxury features include topside comforts, such as a double sun lounge with cushions, Fusion stereo system, freshwater washdown and swim platform. Options include a grill, teak flooring, an electric fiberglass sunshade, and a retractable, electronic teak bow table.

Belowdecks, through an opening on the port side of the console, the cabin offers 6 feet, 3 inches of headroom, a 73½-inch-long double berth, an ice chest with Corian countertop, marine head, stainless sink and pullout showerhead with Corian vanity, and a microwave. The berth was designed so you can raise up the middle cushion to a vertical position, which then exposes a fold-down Corian tabletop. Options include 12-volt air conditioning.

Scout 350 LXF Specifications

LOA:34 ft. 11 in.
Beam:10 ft. 9 in.
Weight:9,100 lb. (dry)
Fuel:360 gal.
Deadrise:22 deg.
Max hp:900

Grady-White Canyon 376

Grady’s flagship for the Canyon line of center-consoles. Its broad, 13-plus-foot beam gives the cabin an expansive feel.

“We amped up the features in the console cabin for this fishing machine by using vibrant colors reminiscent of the Caribbean,” says Shelley Tubaugh, Grady’s vice president of marketing. “We added the fine details of carefully crafted cherry cabinetry, and the important live-aboard necessities of a head, sink and roomy, comfortable berth.”

In fact, Grady disguised the berth as a settee for daytime use. To sleep, you simply press a button, and the backrest lifts to expose an 80-by-62-inch bed.

When you first step inside the lockable cabin, you’ll find more than 6 feet, 6 inches of headroom — plenty of space for any adult to use the pullout showerhead to clean up in private. The cabin also comes with a “hidden” head, stainless refrigerator, large storage area and vertical rod storage.
Options for the 376 include a microwave, flat-screen TV and air conditioning inside, a generator, cockpit-area grill and motorized bow table.

Abovedecks, the 376 provides anglers a 41-gallon with full-column aeration and an optional second well, a rigging station with freshwater washdown, tackle drawers, multiple large, insulated fish boxes, and a transom door.

Grady-White Canyon 376 Specifications

LOA: 36 ft. 7 in.
Beam:13 ft. 2 in.
Weight:12,850 lb. (dry)
Fuel:420 gal.
Deadrise:20 deg.
Max hp:1,050

Boston Whaler 370 Outrage

Boston Whaler’s large-boat -business manager, Wil Rogers, says his job has provided numerous opportunities to overnight aboard the 370 Outrage. “The last time, I was taking a boat from Stuart to Naples, going across the ditch,” he says. “I missed the last lock, and there were no hotels. I had provisions aboard, a refrigerator, microwave and grill: I turned on the air conditioning and watched a movie. It was the best 12-hour sleep I’ve had in a long time.”

Rogers says that while the 370 was made for short trips, it’s really not designed for long-term adventures that would demand a true express or cabin boat. But like the other center-consoles in this class, it comes with impressive qualities, such as a refrigerator with a plastic tray that slides in and out so you can bring aboard prepared meals.

The 370 also offers a sink, microwave, head, shower and a full-length locker. The berth measures 6 feet, 6 inches long, even slightly longer than the cabin headroom at 6 feet, 5 inches.

While all the interior amenities — including air conditioning — come standard on the 370, serious anglers certainly don’t have to compromise. This Outrage comes with a pressurized 55-gallon livewell, tackle-storage drawers, lure bags, bait-prep area with cutting board, storage lid with tool and leader holders, a transom door, five fish boxes, and tons of rod storage.