Blackfin 302DC

Unless you really know somebody, or are somebody, getting your hands on a new boat has been a challenge the past three summers.

COVID confinement and quarantine curbed traditional travel and brought an unprecedented number (39% of new boat sales) of first-time boaters into the market.

Boat builders really didn’t have to put forth new designs to sell products — they just had to build products to meet demand.

New, however, sells. For that reason, manufacturers like Blackfin have steadily filled in gaps in product categories. For example, the 302 Dual Console (DC) that will be introduced to boaters later this year is built on the same hull as its 302 Center Console (CC). This Michael Peters Yacht Design stepped hull rides truer than old Dudley Do-Right, for those old enough to remember “The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show.” At 50 mph, hands off the steering wheel and this model will track a straight line better than a sober preacher at a tent revival.

For readers unfamiliar with Michael Peters Yacht Design, throughout the last 40 years, more than 40,000 boats have been built to the more than 500 designs that bear the name of Michael Peters Yacht Design.

What sits atop that hull is the art of choreographing comfortable seating with thoughtful, functional amenities, like two slide-out Yeti coolers, an optional electric grill, even a spacious, well-lit enclosed electric head and shower, creating a weekend water retreat.

An art form

Mark Owens heads up new product development for Blackfin. During our test run on Lake Harris in Leesburg, Florida (hey, the Great Lakes were still frozen over at the time and someone had to head South), Owens noted that the helm seat needed a few more inches of height to improve the visibility through the windshield. Before our run, he had already cleansed the dash of unnecessary switches for livewell pumps, macerators, wash downs, etc., and moved those to the portside prep station/mini galley behind the dual console helm seating. The result was a fusion of ergonomics and function. No one had to reach in front of the skipper to operate these devices, and the resulting real estate provided ample room for dual monitors for electronics and navigation.

And that smartphone that doesn’t seem to have a secure home on anyone’s boat… Owens decided that an extra side box should be added for passengers, not just the skipper, complete with USB connections that integrate into the JL Audio system custom tuned for this layout.

Point to a feature and Owens has a story and a convincing reason why it works. In a corner of unused space behind the sink and fold-down faucet was a pop-up light illuminating the galley, cutting board and grill area. During the day, it recesses out of sight.

Seating is an art form on the 302DC. There are six front-facing seats, two abreast from the helm back. And the rear seat flips back creating a lounger, or could lie flat and convert into an adult size bed should you choose to spend a night “glamping” in your neck of the woods. An optional camper enclosure, built-in 30-amp smartplug shorepower and robust battery system is an enticing idea whether you are going fishing, harbor hopping or just escaping.

Concealed in the transom is a fold-down bench seat. I should mention all the seat hardware has that beefed-up, secure, stainless-style hinge design that implies quality and confidence.

Typically, on a dual console layout, the cockpit is pushed right out to the sides of the boat to maximize every inch of interior space. Blackfin is already working with a 10-foot beam, and instead created walkway space for a tightrope walker to shimmy back and forth for those times when fender placement, docking and other access is a necessity.

If you subscribe to the notion that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, you’ll have no trouble deciding whether this is a boat built for the angler or a boat for family cruising. With rod holders, two 54-gallon in-floor insulated fishboxes, a 30-gallon insulated baitwell and pre-wired outlets for downriggers, this could be a mighty impressive fishboat. The optional aft and forward sunshades, standard wetbar with sink, standard drawer refrigerator, optional electric grill with inverter, and optional RGB LED underwater lights make a strong case for a family entertainment platform.

Rock of Gibraltar

Blackfin already has the sister 302CC, so what is the 302DC?

“This is our newest saltwater bowrider,” according to Blackfin. The defining feature is the solid one-piece Taylor Made center pass-through windshield. One moment, this looks like your typical two lounger seat bowrider. Add an optional table and you create a third social zone onboard. That table drops down, creating a large casting area for the fishing enthusiast. Toss in the sunpads that are neatly stored away and you’ve built a sun tanning alter.

What Blackfin is truly excited about is the new state of the art CNC quilting machine capable of creating innovative upholstery designs. The company recently customized its own stitching machine to create a double diamond design and soft-feeling vinyl. You are likely to see its quilting handiwork on models going forward.

I mentioned the impressive tracking at 50 mph. On many a boat I’ve tested at that speed the hardtop would rattle or at least lean at times. This Blackfin hardtop is a solid welded multi-dimensional Rock of Gibraltar. It looks futuristic and adds an air of speed when just sitting at the dock. Our test boat was powered by twin 300-hp Mercury outboards that are designed for easy maintenance; should you get a few late weeks of summer or an early spring, these engines feature superfast water draining as part of the winterization or freeze prep process.

Blackfin had customized the engine cowlings by matching the paint stripe down the center with the hull color. Someone please write a country song called “Carolina Blue!” This paint scheme sent my mind into a 40-year-old daydream. Imagine what memories you’ll have aboard the new Blackin 302DC.