Pursuit Boats of Fort Pierce, Florida, recently expanded its Sport range of center console boats with the launch of the S 388. The second-largest model in the Sport family, it’s intended for serious cruising and offshore fishing. The boat replaces the builder’s popular S 378, offering more usable space, high-tech systems and comfort features, plus improved performance.
One of the first things the Pursuit team did as part of the upgrade process was to grant the S 388 another 8 inches of length (LOA is 41 feet, 1 inch) and raise the sole by 2 inches. This allowed Pursuit to make significant changes to nearly every aspect of the boat.
A statistic that stands out is the massive increase in onboard stowage, up 93 percent from the previous model and spread out from stem to stern. The in-sole fish boxes are deeper and the reimagined mezzanine seating, now fixed and wider, incorporates a wealth of tackle stowage. There are also more rod holders, both under the hardtop and in the cabin.
Cold stowage has also been upped significantly, now strategically located on the foredeck and in the cockpit—there’s a chill plate in the stowage area below the fold-down transom seat. A drawer-style refrigerator/freezer was also added in the cabin. In the cabin, which has a private head with shower, a hanging locker was added. There’s also additional stowage under and behind the V-berth, and a catch-all shelf for keys and sunblock is within easy reach from above decks.
The updated summer galley is a nice feature on the S 388. In fact, the company took input from the owners of a S 378, Mark and Emily King, when designing the area. Pursuit asked the couple based in Lighthouse Point, Florida, to tour a life size mockup of the S 388 when it was in development and provide their feedback on how the boat could be improved. Emily, who often prepares meals aboard her S 378, utilized the mockup like a chef would, setting up her mise en place. “When I’m standing at the grill, here’s what I want to my left and my right. I want to be able to get to the trash can and the refrigerator. They really listened to the actual workflow. It was almost like when you’re designing a kitchen in your house,” Emily says.
The summer galley, abaft the triple bolster seating at the helm, is now almost a foot wider than the space on the S 378. The real estate was gained by relocating the hardtop supports. On the S 388, the chef is protected by the hardtop, with everything in easy reach. A cockpit table and its supports are tucked into dedicated stowage here too. The vertical bottle stowage on centerline (for vinegar, olive oil or bourbon) with a charcuterie board is a chef’s kiss.
When Soundings got aboard the S 388 at her premiere in Florida in August, the onboard refinement really struck home. Daniel Genord, Pursuit’s director of design, and his team did a fine job of retaining the brand language and profile while refining all the social areas. The boat was berthed next to the previous-generation S 378, where it stood proud on the brine.
The boarding door is wider and there are additional cleats at the transom—they’re an easy reach from the swim platform and a fine spot to hang dive gear. There’s more storage in the lazarette too, gained by relocating the Seakeeper amidships.
The cockpit lost its sliding seat but gained real estate for several activities. Two other notable upgrades here include a sleeker retractable shade, which now takes up less room in the hardtop, and the addition of an aft-facing multifunction display, which is a big deal for anglers.
The hardtop itself is a masterstroke, with a contrasting dark finish to reduce glare and an updated, manually sliding sunroof.
The S 388’s helm has also been refined and is now finished with teak accents and a handsome, teak-clad Edson wheel to go along with the Garmin electronics suite. The windshield is laminated and vented, to knock out condensation on muggy or cool mornings. The extra height in the sole provides better visibility for the skipper.
On the foredeck, the layout is essentially the same but with more seating positions on centerline and beefier backrests for the seats that flank the area. Deploying the sunshade here is something many owners will want to do when they have friends and family aboard, to add another alfresco gathering space.
Standard power is a trio of 450-hp Yamaha XTOs, up by 75 total horses. Power is matched to Yamaha’s Helm Master suite. With her extra height, the team was also able to increase fuel capacity by 17 percent, which now stands at 500 gallons. —Jeff Moser
