Yellowfin Yachts founder and president Wylie Nagler listens to his customers. They asked for a bigger boat; he’s launched a 54-foot center-console. They wanted a midsize boat that can perform a variety of tasks; he built a 26-foot hybrid. They ask and Nagler delivers.
Whichever custom-built boat one selects from an impressive Yellowfin lineup, from a 17-foot skiff to that 54-foot CC, Nagler pledges personal responsibility for standout quality. Every Yellowfin features the highest-grade materials and delivers a product skillfully assembled for the harsh demands of saltwater fishing.
Built in Sarasota, Florida, Yellowfin boats none-the-less clearly show their design influences in their wide flares and high bows. They snap onto plane on stepped hulls.
Yellowfin 54 Offshore
Yellowfin’s biggest boat ever by 12 solid feet, the all-new 54 Offshore, the company says, “raises the bar in terms of what buyers can expect from a center-console boat.” What won’t change is the level of stepped-hull performance that has become synonymous with the brand.
Power options include quad and quint outboards which, along with a 900-gallon fuel capacity, provide the ability and range to reach the bluewater big ones—and at speeds of 60-plus mph.
A hardcore fisher, the 54 Offshore doesn’t skimp on comfort touches. Beneath the console, a spacious cabin area houses a full queen berth, fully equipped kitchenette, wraparound seating that converts to a bed, along with a head, sink and shower with stand-up headroom.
The helm seats four before a massive dash that can support three 24-inch displays. Behind the helm seats, a sumptuous bench—atop storage and mechanicals—provides more forward-facing seating.
Handrails provide gunwale security, and racks port and starboard hold five dive tanks each. A gyrostabilizer is optional. Forward seating is built-in, with a space at the bow between them to make fish-fighting easier.
Yes, this boat remains all about fishing, and proves it with aft livewell capacity totaling 150 gallons, installed as one massive well or divided into two 75-gallon tanks. That clever arrangement is a crowd-pleaser—69 percent of respondents said that they needed just one livewell, but 27 percent wanted a second to keep bait separated (52 percent of offshore CC anglers say that they use live bait at least half the time).
Six transom-mounted rod holders meet or exceed the needs of 68 percent of survey respondents, with more holders circling the boat’s gunwales.
A door at starboard provides access to crew, passengers and, in keeping with this boat’s purpose, big fish; it adjoins a transverse 800-quart fish box in the cockpit sole. A massive in-deck compartment forward provides storage for fish or gear.
Survey Says: On Target
- Custom-built to owner specs and wishes
- Both fishing-focused and comfortable
Owners Say
- Most comfortable ride around
- Fast and fuel efficient; great hull design
- Best ride
Brand Says
- Serious fishing platform
- Unmatched attention to detail
Reader Response
- “Awesome ride in rough seas”
Specs
LOA: 54′
Beam: 15′
Fuel Capacity: 900 gal.
Dry Weight: 28,000 lb. with power *
Max HP: 3,000