In the crowded sea of large center-console boats, there are builders that always bring their A game to the water. SeaVee Boats has been one such builder ever since its inception in 1974, well before the era of big CCs. Over the past half-century, SeaVee has consistently delivered a factory-direct product built to the needs of the owner, with commonsense layout, practical standards, and a host of fitting options for each model that offer the buyer the best of everything.
The new 420Z is no exception. It has a graceful sheer, racy looks, solid construction and a proven ride, built using today’s best-practice construction methods. The hull, liner, deck, console and all small parts are fabricated with a vacuum-assisted resin transfer infusion process, with PVC core materials offering a great degree of weight savings, strength and manufacturing consistency.
Based on a unique step-hull design, SeaVee’s Z bottom uses multiple lifting strakes and trademarked speed rails, along with carefully engineered weight distribution to achieve optimal lift for a consistent takeoff with minimal bow rise and a consistent running angle to produce a smooth ride. The twin-step, cross-ventilated hull has a four-part air-induction system with a central air reserve to reduce power-robbing surface tension, resulting in the efficiency and stability for which SeaVee Z hulls are known.
All these intricate design features on the running surface allow the boat to track straight while not losing speed, carve turns without slipping or blowing out, and hand predictable and consistent control to the operator.
SeaVee offers the 420Z in two configurations. There’s a Captains Edition, which we tested with a gap tower and a traditional hardtop with aluminum pipework and a polycarbonate enclosure. The 420Z is also offered with a setup similar to the builder’s larger boats, with an integrated hardtop with a kite box, molded fiberglass aft support leg ladders to access the tower’s second station, and a windshield frame with a safety glass windshield, an intricate bit of construction that adds to the unique look of larger SeaVee models.
Our test boat was rigged with quad 400 Mercury Verado outboards, a white powder-coated full gap tower, a Seakeeper gyrostabilizer, and a host of options that made this boat a real fishing threat. On the forward deck, I found a roomy anchor locker with a windlass and chute, with a stainless anchor through the bow stem. There were shelves under the gunwales forward; on deck, I discovered a huge 161-gallon insulated fish box that doubles as a storage locker. Just aft of the fish box, a dry storage compartment can be rigged as a livewell to serve the forward area, and there are port and starboard in-deck full-length rod lockers. SeaVee offers optional twin molded lounge seating in the bow with electric backrests that fold flat for more seating.
The console features a forward lounge with built-in armrests, cup holders, and an 89-gallon cooler for storage underneath. Entrance to the stand-up console is on the port side. The interior includes solid-surface countertops, a molded sink, an electric head, a forward storage area, four vertical rod holders, overhead lockers and tackle drawers.
The helm platform offers a great all-around view, and all controls lie within arm’s reach of the helmsman. Our boat had two Garmin 16-inch screens, with a 12-inch display in the center. The helm offers plenty of room for the joystick, Seakeeper control, JL Audio and bow-thruster controllers, as well as the binnacle mounted starboard of the wheel. There are also drink holders and optional air-conditioning vents.
SeaVee’s large inverter system allows for a full day of operation on the water. AGM house batteries are standard, with the option for lithium.
Our test 420Z had three comfortable ladder-back helm chairs, backed by a custom tackle center with a molded fold-down rigging station, tackle storage, and an aft-facing seat with an insulated cooler underneath. The cockpit featured 40-gallon livewells in each transom corner. Under the cockpit deck were 100-gallon port and starboard insulated fish boxes and a center hatch for bilge access. In the cockpit’s center was a 46-by-42-inch storage compartment that housed a Seakeeper but could serve as an in-deck livewell.
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A standard portside hull door at the cockpit offered great access for floating dock entry or to haul aboard a big fish. An optional port hull door is also available. Our test boat had over 80 rod holders between the tower, transom, inwales and gunwale tops. Fresh- and saltwater washdown systems were smartly placed at the bow and stern.
With its quad Mercury 400 V-10s, 672 gallons of fuel, 60 gallons of water and a three-person crew, this 420Z reached its sweet spot at 4,500 rpm and 43.4 mph, burning 64.5 gph for 0.67 mpg. At a wide-open 6,200 rpm, we topped out at 65 mph.
The folks at SeaVee are avid boating anglers, and they translate their experience (and their customers’ experiences) on the water into boats that have become the envy of many. With the 420Z, SeaVee has once against elevated the state of the art.
| Length: | 42’6″ |
| Beam: | 11’9″ |
| Draft: | 2’7″ (engines up) |
| Weight: | 18,148 lb. (w/o power) |
| Fuel: | 675 gal. |
| Max HP: | Unlimited |
| MSRP: | $1,013,250 (w/ test power) |
SeaVee Boats – Miami, Florida; seaveeboats.com
