The Maverick Boat Co. has expanded its Cobia family/fishing center console fleet with a new flagship: the 344CC. The boat has it all — seating and storage, a big hardtop for weather protection and a healthy list of standard fishing features, in addition to options to outfit her like a tournament-ready machine.
“We think there is no better value for the dollar — a screamin’ deal,” says Charlie Johnson, marketing director for Maverick Boat Co., the Florida builder of the Pathfinder, Maverick, Hewes and Cobia brands. This big center console retails for $219,299 with twin Yamaha F350s or $250,294 with triple F300s.
The boat rides a stepped hull with high freeboard and is outfitted with functional seating and amenities for family outings, such as a table in the bow area and an optional cooler that’s incorporated into the forward console seating. U-shaped seating with dry storage underneath fills the bow, and the table, when not in use, lowers under electric power to become flush with the sole. At the stern, a flip-down transom bench seat can hold three adults. This seat pulls out and folds away in a snap, becoming flush in its stowed position with the forward side of the stern console, which holds twin live wells. A tuna/dive door is on the starboard side.
The console houses a head and a two-person berth that extends forward. Under the bunk is racked rod storage.
The 344CC I tested was powered with triple F300s. For such a large boat with 900 horses, the Cobia produced some relatively impressive numbers, getting about 1 mpg from 35 to 45 mph. She chomped through a 2- to 3-foot chop, and even with five guys on board there was plenty of room to move about. The boat got up on plane with just the port and center engines, as well as just the starboard and center. In fact, two engines pushed the boat to a top end of 41 mph — good “get home” power if an engine fails.
Notable options include a live well pump box, $2,142; hardtop, $12,142; outriggers, $2,847; and the forward “Exhibition Cooler,” $1,275.
SPECIFICATIONS
LOA: 34 feet, 4 inches
BEAM: 11 feet, 2 inches
HULL DISPLACEMENT: 8,600 pounds (dry)
HULL TYPE: double-stepped deep-vee
DRAFT: 24 inches
POWER: twin Yamaha F350s, triple F300s
TRANSOM DEADRISE: 21.6 degrees
SPEED: 68 mph top, 40 mph cruise
TANKAGE: 320 gallons fuel, 25 gallons water, 6 gallons waste
PRICE: $219,000 (F350s), $250,294 (F300s)
CONTACT: Cobia Boats, Fort Pierce, Florida,
PHONE: (772) 465-0631.
October 2014 issue
