Fishing offshore at the Hudson Canyon is an adventure every serious boater should experience at least once. Recently, in September 2024, I has the chance to go 100+ mi offshore for a tuna fishing trip on a Front Runner 39 with quad 300hp Yamaha engines, and it gave me about to think about when it comes to running big center consoles offshore.
First, I think it is important to understand the weather conditions as all boats preform well in ideal conditions. We had postponed the trip 4 days due to a cold front that was blowing NE 20-25kt for a week straight and left at 1am the day the cold front was set to subside. As per usual, the weather turned out to be worse than forecasted and we were faced with a 6-7ft chop in the morning that subsided to 4-5ft in the afternoon. This gave me a good opportunity to see how this modern hull would handle less then ideal conditions.
Performance and Handling
The first thing that instantly stood out was the performance over a bigger sport fishing boat. With 1,200hp the Front Runner had no issues causing at 40kt full of 500 gallons of fuel, ice, bait and tackle, etc through at close 7ft chop. The acceleration was great and the new stepped hull made for a fast and comfortable ride.
One of the things that I appreciated the most was how agile the boat felt despite being nearly 40ft. It is very nimble and feels easy to handle in all conditions, offshore or when getting in and out of tight marinas.
Fishing Setup
The Front Runner is clearly designed to be a fishing machine. The deck layout made it easy for 5 of us to comfortably fish, with plenty of space for a mate and captain. With ample rod holders, large live wells, fish boxes and plenty of space for tackle and storage, outriggers, tuns tower, etc. the Front Runner lacks nothing that a bigger sport fishing boat would have.
Comfort and space
While center console’s are often criticized for their lack of comfort, I found the large plush seats very comfortable. However, going head on to a 7ft chop made for a extremely wet, soaking ride when sitting in the back even with the Eisenglass enclosure. Sitting right behind the glass keeps you dry, however the hull cuts through chop and sends the spray out to the sides of the boat where the wind instantly blows the spray on anyone that is sitting in the back.
Fuel Economy
Offshore trips to the Canyon can be fuel intensive and this was no exception. The boat’s fuel economy was good for its size and power. After going over 100mi offshore and moving spots multiple time, cruising at 40kt on the way out and 50 back in, we burnt over nearly 500 gallons of fuel. This is about comparable to a sport fishing boat of the same size, however they cruise at just over 20 kt as opposed to 40-50kt with a top speed of nearly 70!
Sea Keeper
The Sea keeper saved the day. Fishing in a 5-6ft chop in a deep V center console could make someone get sea sick thinking of it. But once the Sea Keeper went on, it felt like fishing in a small 2ft chop in the bay. If I owned this boat, or any other large center console a Sea Keeper would be a necessity.
Final Thoughts
Overall, the Front Runner 39 proved to be a versatile capable boat for offshore fishing. It offered a combination of speed, performance, and functionality thats extremely hard to beat. While it might not have the feature comforts of a larger sport fisher, it’s a great option for people who prioritize speed, agility, and a hard-core fishing focused design.
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TODD TISOSKEY
Yacht Broker – Brewer Yacht Sales |
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