Over the last several years, the boating industry has seen a rapid rise in the demand for larger, luxury center consoles that are big enough to accommodate a crowd and pack many of the same features typically found on a convertible twin-diesel sportfish yacht. That demand has been met with more than a handful of options that incorporate these features into an outboard-powered boat. Add the ability to run the boat single-handedly if necessary, and you’ll quickly see the appeal of a rig such as the Everglades 455CC.
The option of firing up your boat and running her with a shorthanded crew (or even solo) yet still having the real estate onboard, along with the amenities to host a large gathering with family and friends, held a powerful draw for the West family of Palm City. Patrick, Laura, and their daughter, Sophie, have enjoyed boating together with other family members and friends for years. Much of their experience involves planning extended voyages to the Bahamas, dating back to when Sophie made her first crossing to West End when she was just 11 years old.
More recently, their adventures have involved traveling farther abroad to the Out Islands of the Abacos and Exumas. Often these trips include large groups, and the Everglades 455CC has proven to be more than capable of handling the family’s needs, providing both comfortable lounging space stem to stern as well as fishability.
The list of creature comforts available on this model is impressive and extensive. There is plenty of seating—bow seating, two rows of ladderback captain chairs behind the helm, and mezzanine seating aft featuring air-conditioned seatbacks perfect for hot days in the tropical sun.
An air-conditioned cabin with a large berth and enclosed head, plus a flat-screen television, make overnights more enjoyable. A 15-kilowatt generator offers self-sufficiency away from the dock, and the addition of a Seakeeper 6 gyro stabilizer keeps the wave motion to a bare minimum offshore. Refrigerated chiller plates inside cockpit fish boxes and a large, refrigerated drink box under the mezzanine add further convenience when the Wests are spending days away from civilization.
For this family, a week spent cruising in the tropics with a crowd of good people is made more enjoyable in the more personal space offered by an open-cockpit center console. And for Patrick, a day fishing for deep-water grouper and snapper, or trolling for dolphin, is easier with a group when they can interact on a single-level deck that is more intimate than a flybridge or express boat. Ultimately, for the West family, the Everglades 455CC makes every day on the water infinitely more fun.
Power File
Length: 45 feet
Beam: 13 feet, 3 inches
Draft: 50 inches
Deadrise: 25 degrees
Weight: 28,000 pounds
Fuel: 683 gallons
Max HP: 1,800
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