Press Room

If I had a nickel for every fish I caught aboard a classic MAKO^® center console during the company's golden years, my retirement in the tropics would have started long ago. But after its heyday in the 1970s and 1980s, the former privately owned company languished before it was purchased by TRACKER^® Marine (Bass Pro Shops^®) in 1996. For a time, this fishboat manufacturer continued to have identity and production issues. Then its Miami plant was closed and the entire operation moved to Forest City, N.C. Today, with a new management team in place and a renewed corporate commitment to quality, the future for this brand is bright.

I recently had the opportunity to tour MAKO^®'s 383,000-square-foot manufacturing facility, as wel as test its latest 284 Center Console flagship. I was encouraged by what I saw.

The first thing I noticed about the 284 is its size. With a 9'10" beam, large open cockpit and spacious bow, it has enough room for a big crew and nonstop offshore action. The standard leaning post- with waterproof bottom cushions- is quite comfortable, and the forward console seat houses a 30-quart insulated drink cooler. A stow-away transom bench seat is optional ($1,159), while bow cushions are included in the wraparound coaming bolster package ($2,379). Other notable options include the onboard battery charger system ($659) and outriggers ($1,509). I especially liked the 284's oversized console, which conceals a big, enclosed head. There's 6'5" of headroom, plus a molded headliner and lockable rod storage.

True to its heritage, the 284 is dedicated to serious offshore pursuits with plenty of rod and gear storage. The bait-prep station behind the leaning post has a molded sink, removable cutting  board, drawers, tackle trays, plus a bin for trash. The 50-gallon round bait well comes with a clear acrylic lid so you can check the condition of the baits. Large, insulated fish boxes with macerators are in the cockpit sole.

Although our test was conducted on North Carolina's picturesque yet placid Lake Lure, there were enough boat wakes to showcase the 284's mettle. The beefy hull felt solid and reassuring like the MAKOs of old, and the ride was soft and dry thanks to an aggressive bow entry and 21-degree transom deadrise. The test boat was rigged with a pair of 250-hp Mercury^® Verado^™ four-stroke engines. Not only were they whisper-quiet, but they were powerful, too. We were able to zip up on plane and reach a speed of 52.2 mph.

I questionned the 284's fuel capacity at first, because it's less than the tankage on some boats in the MAKO's competitive set. But after crunching the numbers with the Verado motors, 235 gallons is more than adequate. At a cruising speed of 36.8 mph (4500 rpm), the 284 has a nautical mile range of 326, with a safety reserve, which means this boat can cover a lot of water.

Article by Capt. Dave Lear

Reprinted with permission from MotorBoating, January 2005.