This year, Blackfin Boats turns 50, a venerable milestone for the Florida builder. But instead of dwelling on its past—which includes building best-in-class fishing boats like the 1979 Blackfin 32 Combi and 2019 332CC—the family-run company has invoked the future by launching a new flagship that incorporates the latest in marine technology. You name it, and the Blackfin 400CC has it, from carbon-fiber composite, resin-infusion construction and lithium-ion batteries to V-10 Mercury Verado outboards.
When I first saw the 400CC at the dock at the Boca Raton Resort on the Intracoastal Waterway in South Florida, where Blackfin held its 2023 dealer meeting, the boat was attracting a lot of attention from hotel guests. That wasn’t surprising, considering its sleek black hull, double row of forward-facing cockpit seats and quad outboards.
I boarded the 400CC for a sea trial. The front-row seat held me in a beautifully upholstered embrace. It had a headrest and fold-up armrests, and was heated, just like the seats in my car. But because the 400CC is a bluewater fishing boat, the seat also had a flip-up bolster and footrest for security at sea. In fact, there was a second, fold-away footrest for the front row seats that gives passengers another option depending on their height.
One of my favorite things about the 400CC is the fact that everyone in the six cockpit seats has access to a cellphone-charging pad. Mine was on top of the dashboard; for the second-row passengers, pads were located in the seatback in front of them. There were plug-in USB ports as well. The only thing I found lacking in the luxurious cockpit seating was the lack of a dedicated drinkholder for every passenger—something I am sure Blackfin will remedy soon.
“Why two rows of seats?” I asked Brent White, Blackfin production engineering manager, who was along for the sea trial.
“In this size of boat, you usually have just one row of seats. But you’re always running out on the water with your fishing buddies and your friends,” he said. “The second row is higher than the first so everyone can see.”
As we drove past mansions along the ICW on our way to the Boca Raton Inlet, White and Blackfin Brand Manager René Moore shared some insights into the design process for this new flagship, which took three years to build. “They diligently worked to make sure it was ready for the 50th anniversary,” Moore said. White revealed that the lead designers drew on their own experiences as boat owners to make the 400CC easy to operate and maintain. The goal was to create a luxury center console that is one-third hard-core offshore fishboat, one-third entertainment vessel and one-third overnighter. According to White, the typical owner will be a serious angler who also enjoys cruising to the islands or simply hanging out on the water with family.
This is the third model Blackfin has collaborated on with naval architect Michael Peters of Michael Peters Yacht Design, following the 302CC and the 332CC. All three boats ride on Peters’ Stepped-V Ventilated Tunnel hull. The dual steps improve the 400CC’s performance and fuel economy, while the tunnel enhances its balance, ride and seakeeping ability.
Blackfin made a major investment in construction technology for its new flagship. Built utilizing carbon-fiber composite, the 400CC is the company’s first model to be constructed with resin-infusion in a closed-mold system, ensuring each hull is lightweight but strong enough to withstand the punishment of running offshore. The stepped hull design combined with these construction techniques give the new 400CC a top speed of just over 60 knots when equipped with quad 400-hp Mercury Verado 5.7L outboards.
Those engines, which were on the transom of our test boat, were launched by Mercury late last fall. They are the world’s first V-10 outboards, designed to be the quietest and smoothest-running engines in their class.
Another next-gen innovation on the Blackfin 400CC is a lithium-ion house battery system linked to a Mastervolt inverter. “There is no generator to maintain, no impeller,” White said. “The engines or shore power charges the house batteries.”
The batteries and inverter are standard equipment. In fact, almost everything on this boat is standard. The only factory options include canvas, colored hull sides, Gemlux outriggers, Garmin radar and a FLIR thermal camera. The boat also is pre-rigged for a Seakeeper gyrostabilizer, offered as an aftermarket installation by Blackfin dealers.
During our sea trial, the helm of the 400CC was bristling with high-tech (and high-end) standard items. They included controls for the big JL stereo package, two 24-inch Garmin multifunction displays, a Mercury VesselView 903 display (mounted overhead), a Mercury joystick control with the Skyhook digital positioning system, a Mercury multi-engine Digital Throttle & Shift (DTS) system, a Lewmar bow thruster control, and a Zipwake interceptor dynamic trim control system.
Once we reached the Atlantic Ocean, all this equipment came together to make driving this 40-footer as easy as piloting a smaller, less complicated boat. In choppy 2-foot seas, the 400CC came onto plane at about 20 knots with very little bow rise. The Verados barely burbled, and the ride was smooth as we accelerated to over 52 knots. I could control all four outboards with one lever via the DTS and didn’t have to worry about trimming the boat thanks to the Zipwake system. The new Blackfin flagship is not a self-driving boat, but after experiencing how easy it is to pilot at sea and in the ICW, I predict that’s not far off in the future.
My sea trial in the 400CC demonstrated that this is a boat you can take on an offshore cruise, like heading to the Bahamas from South Florida for the weekend. It has the accommodations for a couple to stay aboard for a few days. Inside the big console is a cabin with a settee that flips down to convert to a double berth. “We are known for our heavy-duty hardware, but it’s engineered so you don’t have to muscle it,” Moore said.
With 6 feet, 5 inches of headroom, the cabin also has a galley and a head with a separate shower. There are racks for six rods and plenty of additional stowage throughout the boat.
When cruising with friends or family, everyone will have room to spread out and relax on board. While the bow cockpit with double sun lounge is sure to be popular, the kids undoubtedly will fight over who gets to sit in the settee mounted atop the transom. “It’s so comfortable and secure, it’s everybody’s favorite place,” Moore said. This seat can be rotated to face aft so you can watch your baits. It also flips up to provide access to the 70-gallon baitwell below. Or, you can remove it entirely and leave it on the dock.
Another clever feature is the cockpit’s combination bait rigging station and cooking space. Open the top lid, and you find the rigging station with dedicated mounts for tools, lures, and spools of leader. When that lid is closed, you can open up the next level, gaining access to the barbecue grill and sink. Below, the unit has drawers and two Yeti coolers that slide out for easier access.
The new 400CC flagship has the fit, finish and fishability that Blackfin owners have come to expect during the past 50 years. But it also has all the “mod cons” available today, and provides a look at the fishing boat of the future.
This article was originally published in the September 2023 issue.
