PURSUIT S 248 SPORT

Pursuit might call its new S 248 Sport an entry-level boat, but for everyone else, it’s next level.

-  Alan Jones

There's little entry-level about the Pursuit S 248 Sport. Think of it as a more easily trailerable, single-engine version of the S 268. And it even one-ups its larger sibling with a few functional and innovative refinements.

The S 248 gains 14 inches in length compared to the C 238 it replaces. This provides extra fishing space in the cockpit, plus more room to stand and sit at the helm and in the bow. It also weighs 1,470 pounds more than its predecessor. This extra heft subtracts a few miles per hour from its top speed, according to a previous Boating certified test (46 mph versus 48.4 mph), while the effect on fuel economy at 4,500 rpm showed 2.25 mpg versus 2.45 mpg.

The trade-off, besides the extra room aboard, is a better ride when seas kick up thanks to the additional weight and slightly greater length-to-beam ratio. We tested its seakeeping ability in a medium-angry Fort Pierce Inlet, not far from the Pursuit Boats plant. The S 248's 21-degree deadrise cleaved the steep 3-footers. Also, credit for a solid feel is due to Pursuit's vacuum-infused, one-piece structural-grid backbone that negates hull flexing. The three-sided tempered-glass windshield protected the helm from spray, which we quickly cleared with a swipe of the optional wiper ($470) and a spritz from its freshwater system.