Boat Test: 2025 Pursuit OS 325

Overview

Full disclosure: Boats and adult beverages are two of my favorite things, and I’ve realized that there are many similarities (besides being addictive). Some boats are beer (a good one like Heineken or Corona), while others are more like a fine Burgundy (a nice Montrachet will do).  

But some, like the new Pursuit OS 325, are unquestionably Champagne: bubbly, light, and full of smiles (my first choice would be Dom Perignon, thank you). 

This is a boat that checks all the boxes for an all-purpose fun boat as much a battlewagon with a bunch of anglers aboard as it is an afternoon cruiser with family and friends. It’s the ­newest in Pursuit’s Offshore series (hence the OS). And offshore it is, with a 20-degree deadrise hull, ­full-length strakes, and wide chine flats. The deadrise slices solid Gulf Stream swells, the strakes throw the spray far aside, and the chines make it stable at trolling speeds. With twin Yamaha 350s on our test boat, we topped out at 52-plus mph with full tanks and a bunch of folks aboard.

Interior and Accessories

At a glance, you’ll see the multiple gunwale rod holders and rocket launchers on the fiberglass hardtop. There’s a 32-gallon transom livewell, and its class-leading storage includes the bait center with tackle trays, and lure tubes and drawers (in the cockpit console under the Kenyon grill and sink), and fish boxes in the floor—24- and 27-gallon—each with independent diaphragm pumps. You’d peg this as a fish boat. You’d be wrong.

Families are going to delight in the wraparound seating with table ­opposite the helm, and a pair of folding settees for Aunt Edna are in the cockpit with another removable table. The 12-inch side decks leading forward are surrounded by 24-inch welded stainless-steel rails from bow to cockpit, so the 325 is kid-safe too.  

Step through the sliding door next to the helm into the cabin and—oh my!—you weren’t expecting 6 feet, 2 inches of headroom (that deadrise really helps here). Forward is a dinette with a high/low table that converts into a full V-berth. Peek aft, and you’ll find a 6-foot-2-inch wide berth tucked under the cockpit, which is very comfy (yes, I stretched out) and perfect for a long weekend aboard.  

Adding family amenity, the fully ­enclosed head offers plenty of headroom, plus a sink and shower. Opposite is a mini galley with a ­microwave and a drawer-style fridge.  

Whether you’re fishing or relaxing with family, the helm is the heart of the OS 325, and a right fine one it is. First, the skipper gets a folding bolster helm seat with infinite adjustments, and it swivels to face the dining table opposite. Like the other upholstery aboard, the Dri-Fast foam with mesh backing means (pardon me) no wet butts. The dash is user-friendly, and our test boat featured two 16-inch ­GPSMap 8616 multifunction displays, the ­Yamaha engine interface, and Siren Marine systems monitoring.

The hardtop features molded locations for the radar (mounted on powder-coated supports), ­riggers, and a spotlight or a FLIR camera. The optically clear one-piece windshield is impressive, in part because you can wear polarized ­sunglasses without getting “hotspots.” With the side windows extending well aft (augmented with standard side curtains to stretch the enclosure), this is a ­pilothouse that protects from sun, rain and wind. Need air? Open the electric windshield vent for hot-day cooling. Or, opt for cockpit air conditioning.

Engines

Our pair of Yamaha F350 V-6 outboards (300 hp are standard) gave us integrated digital electronic controls and steering, with optional joystick. The dash also sported a joystick for the standard 3 hp Lewmar bow thruster.  

As indicated earlier, we topped out at just shy of 53 mph. At 36.4 mph, the OS 325 sipped fuel (26 gph). With the 300-gallon tank, that provided a range beyond 370 miles.  

Pursuit is renowned for tough boats with class-leading stowage. The 325 is no exception. It’s hand-laminated with blister-thwarting ­vinylester resins, with a rot-proof foam-filled structural grid of infused glass that adds rigidity. With the hammer down and running in chop, there wasn’t a squeak or groan. To carry 700 hp, the transom uses the patented Pursuit Transom Reinforcement Grid. In addition, the hull-to-deck joint is mechanically fastened and through-bolted at all cleats, and the through-hull fittings are bronze. All this is garnished with a five-year hull/deck warranty.   

Our test boat had the Fischer Panda 5 kW generator for air conditioning to cool the cabin when away from shore power and, as a bonus, it provides reverse (hot or cold) air conditioning for the skipper and guests in the cockpit. 

Underway, a spin of the Brody knob on the stainless-steel wheel provided a banked turn that wouldn’t alarm Aunt Edna, even flat out.

Shopping around? Take a look at the Boston Whaler 325 Conquest (32 feet, 3 inches; Merc 300 hp Verados; $515,742).

Thinking back on my day on the OS 325 and reviewing the pictures, I realize that I was wrong. This Pursuit is truly a fine bottle of Louis Roederer Cristal Champagne. There’s just nothing we could complain about.

Read Next: Pursuit OS 405

How We Tested

• Engine: Twin Yamaha F350
• Drive/Prop: Outboard/Yamaha Saltwater Series II HP, 15 ¼” x 19″ 3-blade stainless steel
• Gear Ratio: 1.75:1 Fuel Load: 250 gal. Water on Board: 10 gal. Crew Weight: 650 lb.

High Points

• Cockpit side door for big fish or bigger divers.
• Standard 3 hp Lewmar bow thruster.
• Drawer fridges in cabin and in the cockpit. 
• Great access to electrical, plumbing and battery systems.

Low Point

• Aboard our prototype test boat, metal cup holders in the companion lounge bit our spine, but Pursuit has since fixed this.  

Pricing and Specs

Speed, Efficiency, Operation