Trophy Sportfishing Boats

Up close and personal with the Trophy Sportfishing Boats

Trophy is a member of the Brunswick family of boats along with Albemarle, Baja, Bayliner, Boston Whaler, Cabo Yachts, Crestliner, HarrisKayot, Hatteras, Laguna, Lowe, Lund, Maxim, Meridian, Palmetto, Princecraft, Sea Boss, Sea Pro, Sea Ray, Sealine, Triton and Brunswick CGP. Brunswick also owns Attwood, Diversified Marine, Kellog Marine, Land ‘N' Sea, IDS, Mercury, MerCruiser, Mariner, Teignbridge, MotorGuide, MotoTron, Mercury Castings, Mercury Racing and Cummins MerCruiser. Many advantages come from having a big family such as sharing innovation, ideas, engineering and tremendous buying power to reduce the cost of materials. Their financial resources set them apart from the other builders. They are number one in the walkaround market and have their sights set on the center console market, so don't be surprised to see more center console models in the near future.

Not trying to cater to the tournament pros, these boats are designed for the typical weekend warrior who is a practical fellow and uses the boat as a tool to catch fish. The goal is to produce a boat that can handle adverse conditions (since they have a habit of occurring on the weekends), be easy to clean and maintain, provide pumps and livewells large enough to be useful, be reliable and durable. These boats may be kept for 10 years or more by the original owner so rails and hinges are of stainless steel, stringers are solid glass, T-tops have fiberglass tops, the tower legs are bolted into aluminum plates glassed into the stringers, hardware is through-bolted, fuel tanks secured by a center pylon and the boats are rigged with Mercury outboards.

The most cost-effective way to power most of the Trophys is with the fuel-efficient Mercury OptiMax. These engines have been overlooked during the four-stroke craze, but are very efficient, lighter weight, fast, reliable and less expensive than the Verado four-stroke. The Verado is an option, but when overall value is considered, the Optimax looks very good. Four of the Trophy models can also be diesel powered.

Trophys have wide walkaround decks and coamings, high bow flare and freeboard, large cockpits and good storage. The bigger boats have consoles that are wide enough with tall windshields to protect four people from the elements. The variable deadrise produces a soft ride, reverse chines add stability and the cockpit decks are crowned and self-bailing.

We inspected six boats near Tampa. It was the kind of a day you could run offshore on a flats boat but we happened to be inland on a lake. The boats performed well for us, however it would have been nice to have a little rough water to run in.

The first boat we were aboard was the 1903 CC. The boat has noticeably wide coamings, weighs in at 2,339 pounds and has a 19-degree deadrise for a good ride. That particular boat was white with Sea Mist green hull sides, was powered by a single 135 hp DFI Mercury Optimax, had a trailer with brakes, accent upgrade, cushion package and coaming pads. With these options included, the list price was still only $19,784. The larger sister, the 2103CC was also there and provides a little more room, weight, storage, livewell size and other features.

The queen of the center console fleet is the 2503. The boat we ran was pretty impressive with a pair of 175 hp Verados. It was quick, quiet, smoke free and handled very well in close quarters while docking. The console provides good protection and my hat didn't even blow off at almost 40 knots. The cooler is stored in a unique area of the console and is completely out of the way yet accessible. It's a big boat and should do well offshore.

The 2002 Walkaround has a nice enclosed cabin with a table and V-berth and the helm area would be protected in all kinds of weather with an enclosure. The 2352 had inboard power and access to the engine is good via the hinged engine box. The diesel option would be nice and the engine room appears large enough to handle it. Her cabin housed a real head, a sink, table, V-berth and portable stove.

The 1901 Bay Pro is a neat little boat and very quick with the 150 hp Verado. There is a lot of storage, including a rod locker the opens on the top and side of the locker for easy access. The boat we ran had a Bimini top, colored hullsides and upgraded accents, aluminum trailer with brakes and the 4 stroke Verado for a list price of $21,682.

Trophy gives you a lot of boat for the money and can get the job done. If you don't load it up with options, you should be able to buy a new boat at a used boat price.

Base prices including Mercury power

1703 Center Console (with trailer & Bimini)--$15,995

1903 Center Console--$14,359

1802 Walkaround (with trailer, enclosure & Bimini)--$22,995

1901 Bay Pro--$14,395

2002 Walkaround--$24,100

2503 Center Console--$30,845

2352 Walkaruond I/O--$25,830

Forward entry door to console head on 2503, queen of the Trophy center console fleet.

 

Unique cooler storage at helm station of 2503.

 

Folding seat and rocket launchers on 2503 leaning post.

 

Rounded transom livewells on 2503.

 

Family friendly recessed rail, drink holder and padded bow seating, 2503.

 

Anchor storage and windlass.

 

Storage space inside leaning post.

 

Basic and affordable, the Trophy 1903 center console.

 

Transom seats are built in, with the assumption that passengers will be going along for the ride. Oval livewell is centrally located.

 

A high console for protection from the elements is nice, even on a 19-footer.

 

Cooler doubles as a seat in front of console.

 

Surprising you don't see more swivel seats on bay boats. The Trophy 1901 Bay Pro has one, plus lots of under-deck storage.

 















 

Clean lines and twin black powerplants on the 2503 center console.

 

1901 Bay Pro bayboat, with full console, Bimini top and bow seat.

 

The 19-foot bayboat on plane with 150 Optimax.

 

Trophy has been a major player in the family cuddy cabin market. Here's a look at the helm station on the 2352.

 

The 2352 cuddy is available with inboard power, accessed through a hinged engine box.

 

Sink and portable gas cooker, the "galley" inside the 2352.

 

Detail of the inboard powerplant on the 2352.

 

Cooler slides under the rear-facing seat on the 2352 cuddy.

This article is part of Florida Sportsman classics, and first appeared in March 2007.