Formula 387 Center Console Fish

Formula takes a fresh approach to creating its first center-console fishing boat.

- Alan Jones

Sometimes when a company steps out of its lane, it doesn't end well. But Formula, best known for its luxurious performance boats, has nailed its first fishing boat in 37 years. The company designers clearly sweated the details to bring a new perspective to the offshore center-console.

A common offshore problem is peering through a windshield that's speckled with spray when looking for birds, weed lines and feeding fish. Formula's 387 CCF features an electronically actuated flip-up windshield that not only improves visibility but also adds much-needed airflow to the helm.

We gave the 387 CCF a real-world test in the waters off Miami, on a warm, near-cloudless day by fishing weed lines near the color change. Like animals in the desert, anglers seek the shady side of the boat in the noonday sun. But on this boat, there were two shady sides thanks to the extended width of the hardtop.

With its 12-foot beam, there's plenty of fishing room, including 24-inch-wide walkways around the console. Two pressurized 40-gallon livewells on the transom keep flowing even in rough water thanks to the boat's sea-chest contained livewell pumps. Red and white lights and clear lids allow for easy monitoring of bait, day or night. There's an option for four electric reel outlets ($2,265), and the 90-gallon aft fish boxes can be optionally equipped with freezer plates ($35,490).