Overview
I admit it. I almost fell into using the threadbare simile often found in boating reviews, where a boat is described as being a Swiss Army knife. It’s shorthand for a boat that does everything well. And I started to use that on the Sailfish 276DC, but realized that would be completely, totally false. It does not do everything well.
It will not open a bottle of wine.
But the 276 does everything else extremely well. The 276DC (for Dual Console) is a boat for all reasons and all seasons.
Interior and Accessories
Pile a bunch of fishing buddies aboard and the spacious cockpit has the openness you’d expect from a center-console, not to mention underfloor rod storage and six rod holders in the transom.
For your family outings, the forward seating is clearly pilfered from a luxurious bowrider, with easy access between the consoles and both a door and folding windshield to control the breeze. Adventures with the kids are easy too with the optional retractable ski bar for towing water toys or skiers.
Families and anglers are going to appreciate the head tucked neatly in the port console. Having a head aboard makes all-day outings comfortable, and Sailfish has two surprises here. The first is 52-inch headroom, so you can actually change out of a wet bathing suit. Second, the electric marine head is standard, so no more portable marine toilet or pumping action.
Sailfish allows tailoring each 276DC to your particular fun zone, with an optional dive and tuna door in the port side (which also makes boarding from docks easy), and a cockpit galley and bar that’s able to accommodate a fridge. The impressive fiberglass hardtop with powder-coated supports is standard (including docking lights and PFD stowage), but you can add a SureShade awning to shade the aft cockpit.
The standard equipment list is nothing short of impressive. It ranges from easy-to-clean SeaDek flooring in the head to a midship ski locker, and from built-in tackle trays to a circulating 30-gallon baitwell (LED-lit) that will please anglers, as will the two in-floor fish boxes and another insulated box forward that can double as a cooler. The raw-water washdown is for fishing cleanup, and a freshwater shower (14-gallon tank) is for swimmers or sandy beachgoers. And don’t miss the extended transoms on each side of the outboards; one hides the four-step boarding ladder, and the other has a built-in cooler for easy access at the sandbar.
Engines
Base power is twin Mercury or Yamaha 150 outboards, but I’d vote for the twin Yamaha F200 upgrade on our test boat as a good balance between speed and economy.
A word about construction: The 276DC is built like a tank. For starters, there is no wood. Anywhere. So, the worry of dry rot in plywood reinforcing is gone. The fiberglass hull stringers are foam-filled, and both Kevlar and carbon fiber are used in areas with high loads. Thoughtful details include backing plates built into the hardtop, which make adding electronics a cinch. And anyone who has tried to chase wiring through a hull will bless Sailfish for using built-in rigging tubes with pull cords to add or replace wires. And to cap it off, Sailfish offers a 10-year hull warranty.
Besides the two aft-facing seats, there’s a 38-inch fold-down rear bench, plus fold-down seating standard on the starboard side. With these out of the way, anglers have wide-open deck space and 30-inch-high coamings for security. The skipper gets a power-adjustable chair with flip-up bolster for standing. Forward, the backrests (with folding armrests) are higher than the norm at 22 inches for all-day comfort. Aft, parents will appreciate the 31-inch-high coamings for safety.
Shopping? Consider the Pursuit DC266 ($196,089 with twin Yamaha 200s), which is close in size and layout.
One of the selling points of the 276DC is the Sailfish Variable Degree Stepped (VDS) hull, now in its sixth generation. This hull changes the deadrise in three 1-degree increments from 24 degrees (a true deep-V) to 22 degrees. The result is a hull that offers a deep-V’s soft ride offshore as well as speed and economy in smooth water.
Underway, the 276DC proved the efficacy of the VDS shape. We topped out at 45.2 mph, and barely produced a sneeze of spray punching back through our own wake, thanks to the triple strakes and hard chines that throw spray to the side. Steering was light, and carving slaloms was just pure fun.
Putting the hammer down from a dead stop was a tribute to the strakes in the VDS hull, and we didn’t have to touch the trim tabs to minimize any bow rise.
The Sailfish 276DC is also allergic to fuel docks; you can run comfortably at over 35 mph while burning just 20 gph. And with the sound level at 83 dB(A) at 5,000 rpm, you can carry on conversations without shouting.
Yep, I liked the 276DC a lot, but I have one piece of advice: Bring your own corkscrew.
How We Tested
- Engine: Twin Yamaha F200 outboards
- Drive/Props: Outboard/14 1/4” x 17″ Reliance 3-blade stainless steel
- Gear Ratio: 1.86:1 Fuel Load: 100 gal. Water on Board: 0 gal. Crew Weight: 350 lb.
High Points
- Deck areas boast aggressive nonskid but are easy to clean.
- Through-stem anchor chute with integrated roller is out of the way but accessible.
- Long standards list, so be sure you compare against other boats when shopping.
Low Points
- Glove box in front of the companion seat isn’t water-sealed; don’t stash your phone there.
Pricing and Specs
| Price: | $227,923 (with Yamaha 200s) |
| LOA: | 27’0″ |
| Beam: | 9’1″ |
| Draft (max): | 1’6″ |
| Displacement (approx.): | 7,050 lb. |
| Transom Deadrise: | Variable 22 to 24 degrees |
| Bridge Clearance: | 8’6″ |
| Max Cabin Headroom: | 4’4″ |
| Fuel Capacity: | 177 gal. |
| Max Horsepower: | 400 |
| Available Power: | Twin Yamaha or Mercury outboards to 200 hp each |
Speed, Efficiency, Operation
Sailfish Boats – Cairo, Georgia; 229-377-2125; sailfishboats.com
