We Say: Carolina Skiff’s motto for its Sea Chaser line is to combine family, fishing and fun. With the new 26 LX, the company did just that, producing a center console bay boat that can handle hardcore fishing duty yet keep the family comfortable on a leisurely cruise.
The 26 LX features a stepped hull that helps break the water’s resistance, increasing efficiency. While it’s rated to handle 350 horses, our test model did just fine with a Suzuki DF250 outboard on the transom. From an idle stop, it reached 30 mph in just 6.3 seconds en route to a near-50 mph top-end speed.
The 26 LX is equipped well for the angling set, with a 25-gallon livewell built into the forward casting deck in addition to the one in the aft deck. Anglers will have live-bait access front to back. The foredeck features two built-in lockable rod lockers for your quivers and comes pre-rigged to mount a 36-volt trolling motor. There are also inwale rod racks and coaming bolsters that wrap around the boat. All cleats flip down into recessed positions, so you won’t have to worry about snagging one while fishing.
When it’s family time, flip up the aft jump seats that seat three across, held up with compression hinges. A cushioned bench seats two passengers in front of the console. A cooler hides under the leaning post for ice and beverages.
Who’d Want One: Anglers looking for a bay boat with family-friendly features.
Another Choice: The NauticStar 2400 Sport starts at $38,711 with a Yamaha F200 and has a max horsepower of 250.
Bottom Line: $37,695 (base boat without power); carolinaskiff.com
