Specifications
- Year:
- 2021
- Fuel:
- Petrol
- Horsepower (hp):
- 225
The Southwind is a bowrider — a category of boat that sometimes gets overlooked in favor of pontoons or center consoles but which has real advantages worth understanding before you book. The hull is a V-shape, which means it cuts through chop rather than riding over it the way a flat-bottomed pontoon does. On calm days you will not notice the difference. On the afternoon of your second day out when the wind has picked up and you are heading back into a building sea, you will notice.
It seats 8 comfortably. The bow seating area faces inward, which is better for conversation and for watching where you are going — the pontoon arrangement of facing outward is relaxing at anchor but feels disconnected while underway. The helm position is raised enough to give good visibility over the bow in most conditions. We run this boat from Fort Lauderdale and Miami, both of which give you immediate access to the reef line offshore and the full Intracoastal circuit north and south.
This boat is a good match for experienced boaters who want to cover distance and are not looking for a floating party platform. It handles the offshore reefs within range of Fort Lauderdale and can push through to the closer Bahama banks on the right weather window. It is also a solid choice for families with kids who are old enough to appreciate moving fast across the water. If open-deck fishing access is more important to you than the V-hull ride, the Center Console gives you 360-degree deck space and a livewell for that style of trip.
Our multi-day rates suit the Southwind well — it is the kind of boat you want two or three days with, not one, because the V-hull capability only pays off when you actually push it into conditions that would stop a pontoon. Florida boater education required for operators born after January 1, 1988. All twelve boats in the South Florida fleet are listed with full specs.