Boston Whaler isn’t content to rest on its laurels. Even with a storied history and loyal following, the company constantly looks for ways to tweak and improve. The new 330 Outrage, the first launch in the redesigned Outrage lineup, is a perfect example. Incorporating input from customers and dealers alike, this beefy center console performs well and fishes hard, as I discovered during a recent sailfishing trip off Key Largo, Florida.
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Boat Specifications
- Length: 33’1″
- Beam: 10’2″
- Draft: 1’10”
- Deadrise: 23 degrees
- Fuel: 300 gal.
- Water: 40 gal.
- Weight: 9,000 lb.
- Max HP: 700
- Price: $261,091 w/ twin white Mercury Verado 350s
- Boston Whaler website
Test Conditions
- Weather: Sunny
- Location: Key Largo, Florida
- Wind: Northwest, 15 knots
- Sea State: light chop
- Test Load: Four adults, 250 gallons of fuel
Blustery winds greeted us as we powered away from Ocean Reef Club that morning. A quick stop filled the 50-gallon transom livewell with frisky ballyhoo, and a few minutes later, we set a four-rod spread to troll along the edge of the reef. Waiting for the sailfish provided the opportunity to survey this new 33-footer.
With 28 inches of interior freeboard, stainless-steel toe rails in the cockpit and thick coaming bolsters, safety and comfort are paramount. A heavy-duty transom door and companion dive door on the port side come standard. There’s plenty of rod storage for any type of contingency, with eight holders mounted on the gunwales and more underneath, another rod rack on the transom and a five-rod rocket launcher on the hardtop. The oversize front console compartment is lockable and accommodates 10 other rods, plus gear and an optional cooler.
The helm leaning post incorporates an aft-facing couch from which to watch the baits, along with an ingenious pullout table for rigging them. Three storage drawers hold terminal tackle, and a 40-gallon livewell is available as an add-on. Twin 57-gallon fish boxes in the cockpit deck with pump-outs are fully insulated. The hardtop’s tempered-glass windshield has a power-actuated vent, wipers and washdown system. The top is prerigged for outriggers and comes with LED, flood and dome lighting, life-jacket storage and an electronics box.
There’s ample room for passengers on the 330. An easy-to-stow transom bench-style seat complements flip-down trolling seats on each side of the console, all equipped with drink holders and convenient handholds. Removable cushions in the raised bow deck add to the overall capacity.
The large console is thoughtfully arranged with an oversize electronics panel, accessible switches, tilt hydraulic power steering, and a spacious head compartment with a VacuFlush toilet, storage cabinets and screened porthole. Examples of user-friendly design include the raised rocket launcher for greater headroom and the molded console footrests with a flip-down platform to accommodate different operator heights.
The 330 comes standard with many necessities, including raw and freshwater washdowns, a windlass with rode, chain and plow anchor, shore power with battery charger, stainless-steel propellers and 4-inch Mercury SmartCraft VesselView display. A summer kitchen with an electric grill, and a bow thruster, cockpit sunshade, underwater LED lighting and several Raymarine electronics packages highlight the available add-ons.
A pair of 300 hp Mercury Verado four-stroke outboards is the base power package on the 330. Factory tests with this configuration produced a top speed exceeding 49 mph. Our test boat was rigged with the optional Verado 350s with Joystick Piloting. We were able to reach 54 mph by GPS with a normal load and a fuel burn of 59 gph at 6,400 rpm. Either power choice provides reliable, economical performance with neck-snapping hole shot, great midrange and plenty of top-end speed to outrun afternoon thunder boomers.
Like its predecessors, the 330 is overbuilt with premium components and materials. The integrated construction includes full-foam flotation up to the gunwales, and the aggressive entry and 23 degrees of deadrise at the transom ensure a soft ride, even in confused seas. You won’t experience creaks, squeaks or sore knees either. The fit and finish are impeccable, as you’d expect from a legacy builder.
The 330 scores high marks for fishability too. Despite the weather and sloppy seas, we managed to boat a respectable cow dolphin, and I fed a surface-cruising sailfish only to have it spit the hook after a brief fight. There’s plenty of room to maneuver in the spacious cockpit with the livewell, tackle and rod storage carefully arranged. It’s obvious that Whaler engineers did their homework and listened to dedicated anglers when they redesigned this one. The 330 Outrage is one tough — yet comfortable — fishing machine.
