Venture 39 Forward Seating

October 28, 2014 By Florida Sportsman Staff

Sustained winds and 30-degree morning temperatures couldn't stop Florida Sportsman Assistant Editor Sam Hudson from meeting up with the Venture Marine crew to check out their latest model—the 39-foot,6-inch Forward Seating. We launched from Phil Foster Park at Riviera Beach—a short drive from their Palm Beach County manufacturing facility—and test-drove the all-white 39-footer, slicing and dicing “the Ditch.”

Afterward, we headed out of Lake Worth Inlet for an impromptu wahoo fishing session. Looking back, we should have grabbed our kites and goggle-eyes instead; the Silver Sailfish Derby was in high gear, and sailfish releases were outstanding.

The 39 Forward Seating model offers new innovations and luxuries, transforming the original 39 model into a more fisher- and family-friendly vessel. Forward wrap-around seating performs equally well for relaxing, cruising or sunbathing, and a multi-purpose bar can be used as a sink, cooler, refrigerator, ice maker, grill or additional seating.

Fishermen will be pleased with the 7-foot, 6-inch lockable rod storage underneath the seats and insulated fish box to help store your catch. Plus, a new console has room for six people comfortably, with three in the front and three in the rear. Venture claims this boat performs equally well tournament fishing, scuba diving, running to the offshore islands, or spending a day at the sand bar with family and friends.

Venture Boat Company

6800 Jack James Drive

Stuart Florida 34997

(800) 658-1092

www.venturemarine.com

Specifications:

Length: 39 feet, 6 inches

Beam: 10 feet, 8 inches

Draft: 2 feet, 7 inches

Dry weight: 8,000 pounds

Max horsepower: 1,200 hp

Fuel capacity: 550 gallons

Transom deadrise: 24 degrees

Holding tank size: 11 gallons

Oval livewell: 55 gallons

A cold-morning launch from Phil Foster Park at Riviera Beach. This 39-footer was powered by twin Yamaha 350s, but Venture boats can also be outfitted with Mercury. Maximum horsepower for the 39 Forward Seating is quad Mercury Racing 350s or triple Yamaha 350s.

Bluebird skies met us at the launch ramp. That console looks almost naked without a tower package and fiberglass “buggy,” which is an available option. Lockable center console door is opened wide; inside there's six feet of head room for the head and shower.

Venture crew shows off the forward seating. Lainey Ruskay, left, rests her hand on one of twin cushions that flip out of place to reveal ample amounts of storage beneath seating.

This Venture hardtop was not yet mounted with a tower package, available with Mercury or Yamaha gauges. Yet, I still felt surprisingly safe shooting photos from above. Tower hatch door opens outward and locks in place in open and closed positions. A rubber seal hinders noise.

Looking down at the forward section of the vessel, it is obvious space is not an issue. Twin cushions wrap around the outside, with headrests for lying around or sunbathing. The two oversize hatches in the middle open for easy access to below deck storage. Under gunnels, extra cup holders and storage make relaxing up front easy, a point of emphasis on this 39-footer.

David Smallback opens one of twin storage compartments accessible while lounging up front. Notice the grabrails and cup holders on both sides of the hatch.

Wide open! Not the throttles, but all the hatches incorporated in the bow. At top, anchor locker opens starboard to retain access to the flush-mount stainless-steel cleats. Left and right, forward benches are locked out of place to reveal 300 quarts of storage. At 7 feet, 6 inches and lockable, these forward hatches are ideal for storing rods and other gear. Far left, a backrest is folded back, lying on an optional refrigerator. Down the middle, hatches allow easy access to under-deck storage.

A running shot of the Venture 39 Forward Seating along the Intracoastal Waterway in Palm Beach County.

David Smallback mans the throttles. Standard acrylic windshield keeps spray to a minimum. Above Smallback, Venture hardtop has room for VHF radio and music player. David sits on the front side of a brand new console that fits six—two next to David and three behind him, facing rear.

P

ictured is the standard console, just begging for 15-inch multifunction network monitors to be installed. Most anglers opt for twin 12-inch monitors, but two 15-inch monitors would fit. Electronic gauges and 16-inch Edson steering wheel come standard. Hugging the console, steps lead to a possible tower.

An up-close look at the new console seat. Three passengers can fit on this rear-facing seat. Rod and cup holders pepper the top.

Lainey opens the rear-facing seat which doubles as a cooler. In front of the center console, another cooler/seat combo (not pictured) adds more space for passengers and fish. We're going to need more ice!

David opens up the hatch, aft of the console seat, revealing a 285-gallon fish box.

The sides of the console (starboard pictured) open to reveal shelves and drawers for personal belongings or for tackle that needs to be accessed quickly.

Side hatch opens to reveal space for life jackets and other emergency equipment. A twin hatch sits on the port side.

A view of the rear. Plenty of room in the cockpit; enough so that a removable bench seat can be added or removed, depending on how many passengers are on the boat.

Lainey tries out the bench seat. There's room for two more.

View of the walk-through transom door.

We were planning on going fishing for wahoo after the photo shoot. There's 100-pound braid on that Shimano. The knee-high combing pad that ends in this photo wraps around the entire boat.

Lainey lifts up the rear bench seat to reveal more below-deck storage. Inside the storage is a second compartment to access the bilge.

Hidden behind the bench seat is a 55-gallon oval livewell and a freshwater/saltwater rigging station (left).

From head to toe, there's plenty of seating room in this boat—forward lounging area, bow console seat, captain's seat and rear facing seats, and lastly, an optional removable bench seat.