Specifications
Length – 32-feet, two-inches
Beam – 10-feet, four-inches
Weight – 8,200-lbs (dry, without power)
Deadrise Aft – 22-degrees
Draft – 23-inches (engine drives up)
Freshwater Capacity – 19-gallons
Fuel Capacity – 290-gallons
Max Power – 700-HP, twin outboards
For this issue’s local boat review, we are focusing on Blue Marlin Boats, located in Long Island’s Nassau County in Seaford, NY and their top fishing boat brand, Tidewater Boats.
In 2006 Tidewater Boats began with a dream to create the best boat value for the money. Drawing upon decades of boat building experience gleaned in the South Carolina boat building business, combined with tapping into the local populace of skilled marine craftsmen, 12-years later, Tidewater has developed into one of the fastest growing, most popular saltwater boats in the industry. Born in the Midlands of South Carolina where manufacturing quality coastal sportfishing boats is a staple of the economy, Tidewater has historically utilized the best materials and the skilled labor to produce a boat that’s worthy of proud ownership.
The queen of the Tidewater fleet, the 320 Adventure Series 320 center console, is the subject of this week’s review. I was able to jump aboard this sportfisher at Blue Marline Boats’ Seaford, NY showroom and spent some time getting to know her up close and personal from stem to stern.
At first glance, the most obvious features of this Carolina girl are her generous raised bow sections, wide forward flare and broken sheer line, all of which are signature elements of boats built in the coastal Carolina areas for running their treacherous inlets. Her wide shape forward tapers back to more sleek lines aft of the helm, terminating in a working cockpit that is just the right height to enhance fishing functionality and crew safety.
Go Fish
Standard fishing features on the Tidewater 320 CC are a nautical mile long and include a quartet of gunwale mounted flush rodholders with room for at least four more; a six-pack of flush mount rodholders set in the transom cap; a trio of horizontal rod racks under each gunwale, with stainless steel toe rails for added security for angler and crew when wrestling the big ones to boatside; twin rocket launchers set abaft of the leaning post with five rodholders on the lower level and a half-dozen on level two; a rigging station with a freshwater sink, 20-gallon recirculating livewell and tackle storage drawers set in the aft of the leaning post, which also includes twin cushioned bolster seating with up/down lumbar support when traveling in the stand-up position; a second 20-gallon live well set in the starboard transom corner; plus a pair of macerated 41-gallon fishboxes positioned under the cockpit sole on either side of the leaning post. There’s a convenient swing-in door set in the starboard side aft, with a second entry/egress point via a tuna door in the port corner for access to the swim platform. Heavily cushioned cockpit bolsters fore and aft are supported by 27-inches of cockpit depth aft and amidships, with 37-inches forward, enhancing crew comfort and safety.
Family Friendly Features
When the fish aren’t biting or when it’s time to entertain family and friends at your favorite watering hole or private beach, the Tidewater 320 CC shifts gears easily and can deliver performance equal to her angling prowess for a quiet day at the beach. Notable comfort features include a twin cushioned lounge set forward of the console that is the perfect spot to relax and work on your tan while getting your daily dose of vitamin D. A built-in insulated cooler will chill out the beverages of the day in a perfect spot that is close at hand, yet out from underfoot. Stepping down into the console’s cabin area via a port side companionway, standard accommodations include a freshwater sink, marine head with holding tank, plus a double wide berth that extends forward that is the perfect spot to catch a power nap in between fishing frenzies or for the family to get out a wet bath suit and into something more comfortable. There’s also access to the panel wiring and battery switches down under, with some convenient dry storage too.
Heading back topsides, the double-wide bench seat in the transom bulkhead folds up easily when it’s time to fish, plus twin split bench seating forward includes an insulated 28-gallon storage box down below, with cushions, backrests and an electric/hydraulic table that cycles up from the sole when it’s time for cocktails and appetizers back at dockside. The two-level, 24-switch, 12-volt DC accessory panel is rigged with waterproof circuit breakers and will handle all of your operational needs. There’s room to mount a pair of 15-inch multi-function displays at the helm’s dash panel, with convenient lockable storage bins for your phone, wallet, sunglasses, etc.
Performance Matters
The Tidewater 320 CC is available with a variety of factory-rigged Yamaha or Mercury four-strokes. She can also be pre-rigged with Yamaha, Mercury, Evinrude and Honda gauges and controls for outboard installation at your dealer of choice. The boat that I had a chance to review was pre-rigged with a pair of Yamaha F350C V-8 four-strokes, with the total horse power reaching her max rating of 700 sea ponies. According to factory tests with two crew aboard and 210 gallons of fuel in her 290-gallon capacity tank, this sportfisher hit a scintillating top speed of 59-mph, spinning 15.5 x 19 counter-rotating Saltwater Series XL stainless steel 3-blade props. Dialing it back to more sedate throttle settings, the 320CC achieved its best fuel efficiency numbers at 3500 rpm, where she hit 31.4-mph on the GPS navigator while consuming 21-gph, for a net of 1.5-mpg. If you need to get to the fish fast, bumping up the twin throttles to four-grand will advance the cruising speed to 37.4-mph at 26.1-gph, for a bottom line of 1.43-mpg. Ramping it up to 4500 rpm will jump the cruising speed to 42.5-mph, while drinking 32.2-gph, for a bottom line of 1.32-mpg. That’s a fairly predictable speed band that, depending on sea conditions and your need to get from point A to point B, gives the operator some interesting options when managing range vs speed.
The Tidewater’s 290-gallon fuel cell affords her approximately 12-hours of cruising range with a 10% reserve when operating at optimum levels, which is more than enough to head out to the 100-fathom line to drop your lines where the big ones call home. The 320 CC’s deep-vee forefoot tapers back to 22-degrees of deadrise at the transom and will allow you to tame the usually temperamental coastal and offshore seas in your area.
Summary
With a generous list of standard fishing and comfort features; excellent top end speed and mid-speed performance; a roomy fishing cockpit with dozens of rod holders, a tackle center, two livewells and insulated fish storage; plus an affordable price tag given her comparable features in the competitive marketplace, the Tidewater Adventure Series 320 CC definitely deserves a closer look. Like all Tidewater boats, the 320 CC is backed by a transferable limited lifetime structural hull warranty and a three-year bow-to-stern coverage on all parts and components. For more information, visit www.tidewaterboats.com.
About Blue Marlin Boats
Blue Marlin Boats has been brokering quality pre-owned boats for over 15 years. They are also authorized dealers for Tidewater family fishing boats, Stingray sport boats, SouthWind deck boats, Venture trailers, plus Honda, Mercury and Yamaha outboards.Their philosophy is to sell a good quality boat or outboard motor at a fair price and treat the customer like a friend. As a result, a majority of their business is referrals and repeat customers.
When you’re ready to invest in a new or pre-owned boat, Blue Marlin Boats is prepared to exceed your expectations. They are located right on the water in in Seaford, NY on Merrick Road and serve the Nassau County and western Suffolk county communities, Long Island, New York City and beyond. Their unparalleled selection of boats means that theyprobably already have something or can get access to a boat for just about every prospective customer. Their friendly and knowledgeable sales, financing, service and parts departments are prepared to make sure your experience is a pleasant one, from getting your dream boat, to getting the best finance option, to securing a trailer for the ride home, in addition to ongoing maintenance and customization. Blue Marlin Boats values their customers and hopes to build a lifetime relationship.Call Blue Marlin Boats at 516-679-2121 or visit them online at www.bluemarlinboats.net and find out how Angelo Costanza and his team can help you find the Tidewater, Stingray, SouthWind, Venture trailer, or late model used boat that you’ve been looking for. They look forward to the opportunity to serve you.
