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05/23/2008

MAKO ® Reinvents the Center Console with the Introduction of the 284 CC

BY BRADLEY SCHWEIT

WON Staff Writer

DANA POINT — At first glance, the MAKO® 284CC is one sleek-looking center console. Unlike a number of competitors’ center consoles, however, this boat ain’t no Monet. She’s as beautiful up close and personal as she is from afar.

Exterior notwithstanding, this boat is fishable, fast and full of room for stowing gear, tackle, rods and reels, and just about anything else you could possible need for a fun, safe day out on the big blue.

I enjoyed such an afternoon recently while running the 284CC through its gears with none other than Matt Breese, general manager of the Tracker Marine Boat Center in Las Vegas, Nev.

Having driven through the night from Sin City, Breese was understandably eager to stretch both his legs and those of the big girl he was pulling behind his Ford diesel.

WON Ad Rep. Scott Nagel accompanied us on the venture, trailering the company boat to the landing to use a chase boat for photographs.

During the short jaunt from the launch ramp to the breakwall, I had a few minutes to rap with Breese and give the 284CC a thorough look-see.

Of course, right off the bat, the most notable feature of this particular boat is the powerplant. Since the 284CC can accommodate up to an impressive 600 hp, buyers are afforded the option of outfitting their Mako with a pair of Mercury Verados in 225, 250 or 275 hp. The test boat was strapped with a pair of 275s, and if you’ve never set foot on a vessel outfitted with either a single or dual Verado setup, you haven’t a clue what you’re missing.

First and foremost, these are some of the quietest outboards ever produced. Compared to the roaring two-stroke adorning the transom of my bass boat, these are like a pair of church mice. Not to mention they’re exceptionally powerful. Once we exited the harbor mouth, they had no trouble getting the 28-foot, 4-inch boat on plane in no time flat (pun intended).

Fortunately, or unfortunately as it were, it was about as picture-perfect a day as any angler or boater could ask for on the salt. Great for fishing, bad for boat tests. And not “bad” in a true negative sense, but bad from the standpoint of not affording the boat to truly showcase all of its attributes. Nevertheless, we made the worst of the best and ran the 284CC through the ringer, doing as much damage as we could to the insignificant swell rolling in from the northwest.

She ran smooth and dry (owing much to the foam-injected hull with full-length fiberglass stringers), which isn’t entirely commonplace amongst today’s center consoles, and the trim tabs played a major role in bow positioning. In that respect, minor adjustments produced major improvements. The 21-degree deadrise also helped in powering the boat through the sporadic larger swells we encountered that afternoon.

After running her around a bit, I thought it best to inspect the cabin a bit more extensively.

Insofar as fishing design and amenities are concerned, the 284CC leaves few stones unturned. It’s nearly 10-foot beam makes for a roomy cockpit with adequate space for battling any number of SoCal game fish ranging from striped marlin to sand bass. And should the former of the two really take you for a 360-degree trip ’round the boat, coaming pads will invariably ease the pain of getting your hiney handed to you.

The cockpit itself features an aluminum T-top with five rod holders and running lights, leaning post with backrest and storage, and a bait prep station with four more rod holders and a 50-gallon lighted livewell with a clear lid to simplify monitoring the health of the bait. In addition, the aft back rest of the seat sports four vertical rod holders. Two 390-quart fish boxes include macerator pumps, separate drains and flush hatches. More rods fit under the gunnels and in flush-mount gunnel holders. The enclosed head compartment (with porta potty) has lights, freshwater sink with pull-out shower, hanging locker and more rod storage.

“My personal opinion of the Mako 284CC is that it has a softriding, dry, stable hull that performs above my expectations for this size of boat,” Breese commented. “The interior room is outstanding, storage is impressive, and the boat’s layout gives you the option to walk the full length of the boat. Another feature that stands out to me are the service features of the 284: center rear port for all access to fuel system, livewell pumps and bilge pumps.”

The 284CC also boats a 235-gallon fuel capacity so range shouldn’t pose a problem for even the lengthiest of offshore jaunts.

In summary, whether you’re looking for a solid inshore rig to target an array of species from bass to barracuda, or a safe, stable offshore fishing machine for tackling tuna and ’tails, the Mako 284CC’s got you covered from tip to transom.

For more information on the Mako 284CC, contact Mako Boats at (417) 873-5900; www.mako-boats.com.

For complete review, click on the PDF file below.

View 425_MAY 12 issue.p_12_13 Private Boater.pdf

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