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I spend enough time around custom sport-fishing boats that it should be increasingly difficult to impress me. Yet somehow, builders keep raising the bar. As a marine photographer and yacht broker, I eat, sleep and breathe these machines, and I’ve had a front-row seat to their evolution. From smarter systems and sharper performance to increasingly ambitious designs, the newest builds splashing in 2027 prove the ceiling keeps getting higher.
Bayliss 64
Bayliss Boatworks Hull 41, Crisdel, is a 64-foot custom sportfish slated to splash in early 2027. Built for an owner with a diverse fishing program, she is designed to transition comfortably between offshore marlin and tuna fishing, and inshore pursuits for striped bass and fluke. With an expansive 18-foot, 3-inch beam, Crisdel offers generous volume without sacrificing the performance and handling Bayliss is known for. Inside, her classic teak interior offers three staterooms, two-and-a-half heads, and a dedicated utility and tackle room, balancing refined comfort with true fishing functionality. Upon delivery, Hull 41 will continue a longstanding family tradition as the 10th boat to bear the Crisdel name.
Specs
- LOA: 64’ 10”
- Beam: 18’ 3”
- Fuel: 1,950 gal.
- Water: 300 gal.
- Engines: Twin Caterpillar C32B, 2,000 hp each
- Generator: Twin Caterpillar C2.2, 25 kW
- Stabilization: Twin Seakeeper 10.5
Michael Rybovich & Sons 84
Hull No. 12 from Michael Rybovich & Sons is an 84-foot custom sport-fisher designed around one ambitious goal: comfortably fishing anywhere in the world. Expected to splash in late 2027, the new build combines unmistakable Rybovich styling with the range, accommodations and systems required for extended travel. Inside, the boat features five staterooms and five-and-a-half heads, including a full-beam master beneath the galley and separate king and queen VIP accommodations. Hullside windows are cleverly incorporated into engine-room-style vents, admitting natural light without disrupting the boat’s traditional profile.
Specs
- LOA: 84’
- Beam: 21’6”
- Draft: 6’
- Displacement, full load: 130,000 lb.
- Fuel: 3,000 gal.
- Water: 500 gal.
- Power: Twin MTU 16V2000 M96L, 2,600 hp each
Merritt 77
Merritt’s latest 77 is expected to splash in early 2027. Equipped for range, accommodation and serious travel, it delivers the straightforward fishability for which Merritt is known.With a 21-foot, 3-inch beam, the new build carries 2,800 gallons of fuel and is powered by twin 2,600 hp MTU 16V2000 M96L diesels. Inside, a four-stateroom, five-head arrangement provides plenty of room for crew and guests, while traditional teak joinery maintains the Merritt feel. A separate forward mechanical space keeps critical systems easily accessible. The result is a traditional custom sport-fisher equipped to travel and fish virtually anywhere.
Specs
- LOA: 77’
- Beam: 21’3”
- Draft: 5’6”
- Fuel: 2,800 gal.
- Water: 500 gal.
- Power: Twin MTU 16V2000 M96L, 2,600 hp each
Hatteras 48
Drawing on nearly seven decades of Hatteras Yachts boatbuilding heritage, the new 48-foot walkaround blends center-console fishability with sport-fish comfort. Powered by quad 600-hp Mercury Verados, the Hatteras 48 features wide sidedecks, optional fore and aft battle stations, a gap tower and a fully enclosed, air-conditioned helm. Below, accommodations include a queen berth, full head with walk-in shower and two aft bunks. The 48 is sonar-ready and available with a Seakeeper and diesel genset. With 1,000 gallons of fuel and an expected 50-knot top-end speed, it is built for everything from Bahamas runs to canyon trips.
Specs
- LOA: 50’ 2”
- Beam: 15’ 5”
- Draft: 4’ 1”
- Fuel: 1,000 gal.
- Water: 400 gal.
- Power: Quad 600-hp Mercury V-12 Verados
Release Boatworks 36 Walkaround
The Release Boatworks 36 Walkaround packs serious offshore capability into a compact, inboard-powered platform. Its open layout provides easy movement from cockpit to bow, while the 80-square-foot cockpit includes a walk-through transom door, fighting-chair backing plate and an observation mezzanine with freezer. The 36 offers over-under bunks, teak cabinetry, a full galley, air conditioning and a wet head. The vacuum-infused composite construction uses Airex foam cores with Aramid and E glass laminates, while twin diesel power, a 300-gallon fuel capacity and 4.5-kW Onan generator support extended offshore trips.
Specs
- LOA: 36’
- Beam: 11’2”
- Draft: 22”
- Displacement: 18,000 lb.
- Fuel: 300 gal.
- Water: 25 gal.
- Power: Twin diesel engines
F&S 68
F&S Boatworks’ latest custom project, Showtime!, is a 68-footer developed with extensive input from an experienced captain and longtime sport-fishing owners. The boat combines F&S’ variable-deadrise, longitudinally stepped hull with twin 2,000 hp MTUs and a projected 35- to 36-knot cruise. Its systems package includes twin Onan generators, a Seakeeper 18, Furuno Omni sonar and pressurized baitwell system. A full tuna tower and Release Marine helm and fighting chairs complete the fishing setup. Showtime! features four staterooms and four heads and is designed to cover serious ground in comfort and style.
Specs
- LOA: 68’
- Beam: 19’
- Draft: 5’
- Displacement: 90,000 lb.
- Fuel: 2,200 gal.
- Water: 300 gal.
- Power: Twin MTU 12V2000 M96X, 2,000 hp each
Winter Custom Yachts 57
At 57-feet, Winter Custom Yachts’ Hull 41 represents the builder’s first walkaround coupe. The boat combines the weather protection of an enclosed helm with the accessibility of a walkaround. Built for a repeat Winter owner, it transitions easily between serious fishing, cruising and day-to-day use. Construction follows Winter’s proven cold-molded approach, with the wood structure encapsulated in biaxial fiberglass. Power comes from twin 1,550 hp MAN V12 diesels. Hull 41 brings the company’s custom construction, fishability and attention to detail to a different style while remaining firmly rooted in its sport-fishing heritage.
Specs
- LOA: 57’2”
- Beam: 17’10”
- Draft: 3’6”
- Displacement: 53,000 lb.
- Fuel: 1,500 gal.
- Water: 250 gal.
- Power: Twin MAN
- V12-1550CR, 1,550 hp each
Titan Custom Yachts 63
Titan Custom Yachts continues to build momentum in Bishopville, Maryland. This 63-foot platform combines manageable size with the fuel capacity, interior volume and cockpit space required for serious tournament and travel fishing. At 62 feet, 7 inches overall, it carries 1,950 gallons of fuel and is powered by twin 2,000 hp MTU diesels. Its 18-foot, 4-inch beam was customized around the owner’s slip. Across the lineup, the emphasis remains on practical offshore priorities such as range, machinery access, storage and tournament fishability, wrapped in the custom interiors and Carolina styling expected from a modern Titan.
Specs
- LOA: 62’7”
- Beam: 18’4”
- Draft: 4’8”
- Displacement: 94,000 lb.
- Fuel: 1,950 gal.
- Water: 300 gal.
- Power: Twin MTU V12 2000 diesels, 2,000 hp each
Viking 70 Convertible
An all-new design from the keel up, the second generation 70 Convertible brings lessons learned from Viking’s latest large convertibles to the tournament sport-fishing market. The hull features revised deadrise, chine placement and strake geometry that improve efficiency and performance. A longer cockpit adds valuable working room. Power options include 2,200 hp MAN V12X 2200s or 2,222 hp MTU 12V2000 M96Zs, with Viking targeting speeds in the low 40-knot range. The 70 features four staterooms and five heads. The open-bridge version accommodates a Palm Beach Towers tuna tower and omni sonar integration.
Specs
- LOA: 70’10”
- Beam: 18’11”
- Standard fuel: 2,027 gal.
- Optional fuel: 2,530 gal.
- Power: Twin MAN V12X 2200, 2,200 hp each, or twin MTU 12V2000 M96Z, 2,222 hp each
Spencer 81
Spencer Yachts’ new 81 is built with long-range Gulf fishing in mind. Scheduled for delivery in late 2026, the boat combines substantial fuel capacity, onboard storage and all of the systems needed for extended trips far from the dock. Its fishing package reflects that mission, with 18 tuna tubes providing serious live-bait capacity for Gulf tournament duty. Power comes from twin MTU 16V2000 M96L diesels, while a Seakeeper 40 will provide stabilization. With a 21-foot beam and 4,200 gallons of fuel, the 81 is designed to offer the range and interior volume expected of a traveling sport-fisher without sacrificing the fishing-focused DNA.
Specs
- LOA: 81’
- Beam: 21’
- Draft: 5’3”
- Fuel: 4,200 gal.
- Water: 400 gal.
- Power: Twin MTU 16V2000 M96L
Duffie 73
The Mama C is a 73-foot custom scheduled for completion in April 2027. It combines Duffie’s clean Carolina styling with the machinery, electronics and systems needed for serious travel fishing. Twin MTU 16V2000 M96L diesels provide 2,600 hp per side, backed by twin 32 kW Kohler generators and a Seakeeper 26. It features a Palm Beach Towers tower and hardtop package and a suite of Garmin and Simrad electronics, along with a Furuno omni 10. The boat will also incorporate a closed-loop heat-exchanger system intended to improve efficiency and reliability. Another notable feature is its Termodinamica AC system, a first for Duffie.
Specs
- LOA: 73’2”
- Beam: 20’5”
- Draft: 5’9”
- Fuel: 2,750 gal.
- Water: 400 gal.
- Power: Twin MTU 16V2000 M96L, 2,600 hp each
