PURSUIT OS 445

Pursuit's new Offshore Series flagship is ready to tackle a host of missions in style.

For those anglers who believe offshore fishing should be a Hemingway-esque struggle between man and the wind, waves and sun, Pursuit's Offshore 445 is probably not your cup of Earl Grey. While this vessel takes its fishing duties seriously, what it does best is elevate each activity-including cruising and entertaining to a new level of luxury and comfort.

In fact, it's hard not to view this 46-plus-foot flagship as anything but a yacht, as evidenced by its abundance of amenities. The OS 445's bridge deck might give pause for some who prefer the open air, but this space is anything but claustrophobic. Instead, it's an airy enclosure with a panoramic view, thanks to the 9-foot-wide-by-5-foot-high two-ply windshield-nearly an inch thick-and tall side windows that open. In addition, dual overhead sunroof vents fill the cabin with fresh air when cracked. But the real Pursuit magic for letting the outside in is its aft glass door and adjacent flip-up picture window. With air conditioning or reverse-cycle heat powered by its standard Fischer Panda 12 kW diesel generator, you can perfectly control the environment.

On the bridge deck, one is remarkably isolated from outside noise, which can add to fatigue on long hauls. During our sea trial in Tampa, I measured the sound levels with the aft barriers closed and open, and the difference at cruise speed was significant. At 27 mph, with all the windows, vents and the rear door open, the needle on the decibel meter reached 84 dB(A), which is about as loud as a noisy restaurant. With everything battened up, it read just 72 dB(A), more than twice as quiet.