SEE THE
VIDEO
SPEED EFFICIENCY OPERATIONnaut. stat. n. mi. s. mi. sound
rpm knots mph gph mpg mpg range range angle level
1000 4.61 5.30 1.10 4.19 4.82 317 364 1 70
1500 6.52 7.50 2.20 2.96 3.41 224 258 2 72
2000 7.99 9.20 2.80 2.86 3.29 216 248 4 73
2500 12.43 14.30 4.70 2.64 3.04 200 230 5 74
3000 17.73 20.40 6.40 2.77 3.19 209 241 3 77
3500 24.42 28.10 7.30 3.34 3.85 253 291 2 80
4000 28.68 33.00 9.90 2.90 3.33 219 252 2 82
4500 32.07 36.90 13.40 2.39 2.75 181 208 2 84
5000 35.80 41.20 16.80 2.13 2.45 161 185 2 85
5500 39.80 45.80 21.00 1.90 2.18 143 165 1 87
6050 42.58 49.00 22.50 1.89 2.18 143 165 1 89
MOST ECONOMICAL CRUISING SPEEDHigh Points
XFore and aft built-in livewells
ensure bait is always in reach of
any angler.
XLockable rod lockers in the
foredeck keep your gear secure at
the dock.
XJump seats for three passengers
fl ip up out of the aft casting deck.
XSwim step to port of the engine
makes for easy reboarding after
a swim.Specs
· LOA: 25'11" · BEAM: 8'7"
· DRY WEIGHT: 3,432 lb. · SEATING/
WEIGHT CAPACITY: 12/3,247 lb.
· FUEL CAPACITY: 84 gal.How We Tested
ENGINE: Suzuki DF250
PROP: 16" x 18^1 / 2 " 3-blade stainless steel
GEAR RATIO: 2.29:1
FUEL LOAD: 35 gal.
CREW WEIGHT: 400 lb.
Price
$37,695 (without power)SEA CHASER
26 LX
recessed position, so you won’t have to
worry about snagging one while fi shing,
a welcome sight for fl y-fi shing and light-
tackle enthusiasts.
The aft casting platform lifts up on
struts to reveal incredibly easy access
to the bilge area, a handy feature that all
boat owners will appreciate when it’s time
to conduct routine maintenance tasks.
When it’s family time, fl ip up the aft jump
seats that seat three across, held up with
compression hinges. A cushioned bench
seats two passengers in front of the con-
sole. A cooler hides under the leaning post
for ice, food and beverages. Anchor up or
beach the boat for a swim, and you can eas-
ily reboard via the aft swim step to port of
the engine. Carolina Skiff ’s fi rst mission is to get
people fi shing. But there are days when not
everyone in the family wants to wet a line.
On those days, you need a boat that can en-
tertain the crew. Enter the Sea Chaser 26
LX, a center console bay boat that can get
after the fi sh yet also keep the family com-
fortable while just having fun
on the water.
Thanks in part to its
stepped hull that helps break
the water’s resistance to in-
crease effi ciency, the Sea
Chaser 26 LX put up impres-
sive performance numbers.
While it’s rated to handle 350
horses, our test model did
just fi ne with a Suzuki DF250
outboard on the transom.
From an idle stop, it reached
30 mph in a mere 6.3 sec-
onds en route to a near-50
mph top-end speed. Plus, atoptimal cruising speed (28.1 mph at 3,500
rpm), it achieved a burn rate of 3.85 mpg.
Don’t forget about this boat’s core
mission: The 26 LX is well-equipped for
fi shing, with a 25-gallon livewell built into
the forward casting deck in addition to the
one in the aft deck, so anglers will have
live-bait access front to back. The foredeck
off ers two built-in lockable rod lockers
for your quiver and comes pre-rigged to
mount a 36-volt trolling motor. There are
also inwale rod racks that hold three rods
per side, along with coaming bolsters that
wrap around the boat. The optional T-top
has four rod holders, and there are eight
stainless-steel rod holders in the gun-
wale topsides. All cleats fl ip down into aPHOTOS: COURTESY SEA CHASER BY CAROLINA SKIFFSEA CHASER BY CAROLINA SKIFF
Waycross, Georgia; 800-422-7282; carolinaskiff.comTo watch our
video review of
the 26 LX, scan
this tag or visit
boatingmag.
com/bbg18/
seachaser26lx.
C
FISHING BOAT BUYERS GUIDE
CERTIFIED
TEST
RESULTSBOAT BUYERS GUIDE 2018 | 140 | BOATINGMAG.COM