When a professional captain turns to building boats, first for themselves and then for others, it seems they always incorporate seemingly insignificant custom touches that make ownership easier. For example, frequently maintained systems are easier to access and systems, which might need to be replaced one day, are designed with future replacement in mind. There is a higher level of thought and execution, and to the experienced eye, it shows.

That was definitely the case when Capt. Jon Duffie built his first boat for himself and his family. The 64-foot Billfisher, splashed in spring 2021, immediately started turning heads—and cashing checks. In August of the same year, Duffie and his team landed a 1,135-pound blue marlin during The MidAtlantic tournament, setting a new Maryland state record and winning more than $1.1 million. It was just the third confirmed blue marlin weighing more than 1,000 pounds ever landed off the coast of Maryland. Duffie’s boats checked all the boxes for a top-shelf custom builder: fast, efficient, beautiful lines, easy to own and easy to maintain. One of his newest hulls is the 70-footer Dem Boys.  

While custom sport-fishers might all start to look similar to some folks, Duffie’s boats stand out thanks to its engine-vent design, which mimics the curvature of the forward brow and side glass. Several recent builds have also eschewed the standard tuna tower; while opinions vary widely in the sport-fishing community, many feel that the additional weight, maintenance and expense of a tower outstrips the benefits, especially in fisheries such as the East Coast where there’s little need for the added height. At any rate, Dem Boys doesn’t have a tower, nor does it need one to compliment its classic lines.  

Entering the salon from the cockpit, there is a gray U-shaped sofa on the port side, with a substantial cabinet and wine cooler to starboard. A generous L-shaped dinette is also to starboard. The galley is to port and equipped with four slide-out Sub-Zero refrigerator/freezer drawers, a convection cooktop and all the amenities needed to keep a team of hungry fishermen happily fed for days. 

The Duffie 70 has a four-stateroom, three-head configuration with the master stateroom on the port side at the bottom of the steps. It has a king berth and abundant stowage, including multiple hanging lockers. 

Forward, just above a small step, is a dedicated tackle area with vertical storage for more than a dozen rods and reels. Beneath this step is entry to the fully finished forward bilge—complete with LED lighting—with access to all forward pumps, fittings and machinery. This area also doubles as a stowage for overflow provisions or tackle.

The forepeak VIP has a raised queen berth. A  stand-alone Garmin display is flush-mounted with the teak cabinetry, allowing the captain to keep an eye on systems and positioning during those overnight trips. Two additional guest bunk rooms are to starboard, with an additional shared head.

Outside, the flybridge has a pair of Release Marine helm chairs just abaft a peninsula helm laid out to port. The helm console has three 24-inch Garmin multifunction displays, along with omnidirectional sonar. Seating abounds on the bridge, with additional stowage for dry goods beneath nearly every seat..

The teak cockpit has a Release Marine Trillion, unlimited-class fighting chair in the center, but perhaps even more noticeable is the absence of a traditional scupper system for drainage. Duffie uses a French drain system running along the full length of the transom to remove water quickly, an advantage when backing the boat down hard on a potential tournament winner. The air-conditioned mezzanine has comfortable seating atop a configuration of freezer and refrigerated stowage, while an ice box beneath the step is fed by a Dometic ice chipper, ensuring that the fresh catch stays that way.

A pair of 2,400 hp Caterpillar C32B engines and two 30 kW Phasor generators reside in the engine room, which is well lit with room to move outboard of each engine. Duffie uses a proprietary closed-loop freshwater cooling system, virtually eliminating fouling when compared to conventional seawater-cooled pumps and accessories.

Dem Boys is a strong performer, thanks to those Cat diesels. Turning 1,850 rpm,the boat cruises easily at 32 knots while the engines burn a touch over 160 gallons per hour. At 2,000 rpm, fast cruise is 36.5 knots, enough speed to make those long canyon runs considerably shorter. Fuel burn at this speed is less than 200 gph. At top hop, Dem Boys sped to 43.5 knots. 

For those with a need for speed as well as a desire for luxe touches, first-rate amenities and superb fishability, the Duffie Boatworks 70 checks the boxes. 

Take the next step: duffieboatworks.com

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Top Luxury Fishing Boats

The following 13 sportfish yachts are all vessels we’ve reviewed. They are listed in no particular order.

• Viking 82 Convertible: A new breed of sportfishermen emerges from this iconic New Jersey boatbuilder.
• Royal Huisman 171: This superyacht sportfish is touted as the biggest sportfish yacht ever built.
• Rybovich 94: A 41-knot, super-sized sport-fisherman from a legendary name in the boatbuilding game.
• Release Boatworks 43 Gameboat: An owner-operator-size, custom-built competitor with classic lines and modern performance. 
• Viking 38 Billfish: One of the top inboard-powered sport-fishermen under 40 feet available today.
• Jarrett Bay Boatworks 64: Rebelette is a 43-knot fish chaser from the custom North Carolina boatbuilder.
• F&S Boatworks 82: Special Situation is special indeed: 82 feet of custom sportfisherman, with a top speed of more than 40 knots.
• Bayliss Boatworks 60: The first walkaround model for this noted boatbuilder, Sequentis is designed to fish the competitive South Florida tournament sailfish circuit .
• Viking 90 Convertible: The flagship of the Viking fleet, the 90C leads a new breed of mega-yacht sport-fishing boats. 
• Merritt 88 Sky Bridge: The renowned custom boatbuilder introduces an 88-foot sky-bridge model designed for global sportfishing adventures.
• Duffie 70 : This 70-footer from Maryland’s Duffie Boatworks blends craftsmanship, performance and fishability.
• Albemarle 53 Spencer Edition: Blending production efficiency with custom-boat design was a dream several years in the making, and the result is well worth the effort.
• Winter 46: The boatbuilders at Winter Custom Yachts have optimized the walkaround concept with this MAN-diesel-powered 46-footer.

Viking Yachts 82 Convertible

Viking Yacht Company recently debuted its newest sport-fisherman: the 82 Convertible. Hull No. 1 is serving as the factory demo for the busy summer tournament season in Bermuda and along the East Coast. Thanks to many factors, including the use of computational fluid dynamics, performance is exceptional: twin MTU 16V 2000 M96L engines provide a reported 42-knot top hop and a 36-knot cruise speed. This 82-footer also leverages several proven systems for ease of use and efficiency, such as digital switching from Octoplex as well as the Optimus electronic power steering system. The Viking 82 is engineered for many systems that were previously custom installations and are now on the options sheet, including omnidirectional sonar, multiple water makers and crushed ice machines, tuna tube bait systems as well as the extensive use of refrigerated storage boxes. The Viking 82 is available in three models: open bridge, enclosed bridge and sky bridge.

Quick Specifications

Royal Huisman 171

A 171-foot sportfisherman? Yes. That’s exactly what the six-deck Special One is, from Dutch builder Royal Huisman. The interior and exterior design is from noted Dutch yacht-design firm Vripack, which calls the vessel “a sport-fisher on steroids.” The hull and superstructure of the supersize sportfish is Alustar aluminum, a material known for its strength and relatively light weight.

Even with six decks, Vripack has managed to create sleek lines. It starts with a high freeboard forward that seemingly dares the ocean to approach. Transitioning from the bow, the sheerline slopes downwards in a steady cadence. The flowing sheerline resolves seamlessly at the cockpit. The vessel’s raked house and stacked deck are juxtaposed against the long profile, creating a sinewy aesthetic, which is no simple feat in this 171-footer. Add in all of the expected angling accouterments and 30-knot speed, and you have a sportfish yacht ready to chase fish around the world.

Quick Specifications

Rybovich 94

Size, speed and agility is a unique trifecta in a sportfish boat, but the 94-foot, 41-knot III Amigos from Michael Rybovich and Sons checks all those boxes as well as a few more too. The sportfish boat, designed by Patrick Knowles with naval architecture from Dusty Rybovich, is built in cold-molded mahogany. Prop pockets help keep the boat’s half-load draft down to a Bahamas-friendly 5 feet. The Rybovich 94’s impressive speed is helped by a pair of beefy 2,600 hp MTU diesels.

The owner of III Amigos also owns a 196-foot Feadship superyacht and, while he wanted the sportfish to be all business on the outside, he wanted luxury-yacht finishes on the inside. Subtle but telling touches are the solid doors to the staterooms; each mimics the owner’s Feadship with ¾-inch thickness. The doors close flush (each has hidden hinges), and the sound is of a Rolls-Royce door closing.

Quick Specifications

Release Boatworks 43 Gameboat

Reminiscent of arguably one of the most classic sport-fishing boats of all time—the 43-foot Merritt—the 43 Gameboat from Release Boatworks takes that design to a new level of sophistication and performance. These include a hull built using blister-resistant modified epoxy resin, which is vacuum-infused using Airex foam cores with E-glass hybrid fiberglass laminates to maximize strength while minimizing weight. The stringers are built with fiberglass encapsulated foam, and the bulkheads are vacuum-infused with composite cores. The extensive use of composite materials throughout the boat creates a strong finished product and saves a great deal of weight, providing admirable performance. With standard twin 550 hp Cummins QSB6.7 diesels, the 43 Gameboat cruises at 30 knots and tops out at 35 knots. Notable options include 600 hp Cummins QSCs or Volvo Penta D-8s, omni sonar, gyrostabilization and various tower options. The Release 43 Gameboat is also available in walkaround, flybridge walkaround or express layouts.

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Viking Yachts 38 Billfish

The Viking Yachts 38 Billfish offers a special place in the hearts of bluewater sport-fishing enthusiasts around the world, with its combination of versatility, comfort and performance. The reasons are numerous. As an owner-operator vessel, the 38 Billfish offers simplicity and ease of maintenance, serving as a ready-to-go fishing machine that is equally adept at inshore and offshore excursions as well as for extended cruising with family and friends, thanks to its reliable inboard diesel power. It has a large cockpit as well as the speed and range to fish well offshore alongside much larger vessels, while also providing a fast, safe and comfortable ride in a variety of sea conditions.

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Jarrett Bay Boatworks 64

North Carolina’s Jarrett Bay Boatworks latest build is the 64-foot beauty known as Rebelette. From its spacious tackle center to a one-of-a-kind walnut interior Hull No. 65 is a tailored fit, and it also has the latest in propulsion tech in the form of twin 2,025 hp Caterpillar C23B diesels. Taking full advantage of the Cat power, Rebelette cruises ­comfortably at 1,750 rpm while making an easy 31 knots. With 1,650 gallons of fuel, it has range to spare at this speed. Push this vessel up to 1,950 rpm to reach a fast cruising speed of 37 knots, which is impressive in any book. Wide-open throttle is 43 knots, fully loaded and ready to fish.

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F&S Boatworks 82

F&S Boatworks’ stellar reputation stands tall in the world of custom sportfish builders so it’s no surprise that its latest creation, the 82-foot Special Situation, continues the tradition. One of the hallmarks of any F&S is the performance and Special Situation certainly doesn’t disappoint in that department. Powered by a pair of  2,600 hp MTU 16V 2000 M96L engines, at 2,000 rpm and 80 percent engine load, cruising speed is 36 knots, burning just south of 200 gallons per hour. Backing off to 1,650 rpm, it’s using 122 gph at 28 knots. At the other end of the spectrum, the top hop is more than 42 knots at 2,450 rpm.

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Bayliss Boatworks 60

The 60-foot Sequentis was recently delivered to its new owners by the team at Bayliss Boatworks and it represents the first walkaround design for the storied North Carolina custom boatbuilder. Designed for live-bait tournament sailfishing in South Florida, Sequentis has 360-degree fishability as well as multiple livewells and pitch-bait tubes. And in a sport where having the ability to quickly relocate to a hot bite can mean the difference between finishing in first place or dead last, Sequentis is also fast. Powered by two MTU 12V2000 M96X diesel engines, it reportedly hit speeds of well over 42 knots during the initial sea trials in July 2024.

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Viking Yachts 90

The flagship of the Viking fleet, the 90 Convertible, has improved elements including the builder’s latest lifting-strake design, a refined driveline and prop pockets, and advanced propulsion systems. Performance was optimized through the use of computational fluid dynamics software, allowing the Viking design team to analyze pressure distribution, study trim angle and trim tab effectiveness, and modify the strakes and chines to increase running efficiency.

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Merritt 88 Sky Bridge

Merritt’s Boat & Engine Works introduces its latest, an 88-foot sky bridge designed for global sportfishing. Featuring luxurious interiors, advanced electronics and twin 2,600 hp MTU engines, this sport-fisherman offers yacht-level comfort, high performance and functionality for long-range angling adventures. The Merritt 88’s performance is greatly enhanced due to the extensive use of carbon fiber, Corecell and advanced epoxy in its construction, making this boat not only stronger, but also lighter weight and faster than its predecessors.

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Duffie 70

The new 70-footer from Duffie Boatworks, Dem Boys exemplifies exceptional craftsmanship, with notable features such as a luxurious four-stateroom layout and high-tech systems, including a proprietary closed-loop freshwater cooling system to virtually eliminate fouling. At 2,000 rpm, the Duffie 70 has a fast cruise of 36.5 knots, enough to make those long runs to the distant offshore canyons considerably quicker, while consuming less than 200 gph. At top hop, Dem Boys hit 43.5 knots.

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Albemarle 53 Spencer Edition

Albemarle Boats and Spencer Yachts formed a partnership to design and build a semicustom Carolina boat, with the goal of bringing in the characteristic design elements, styling and performance from the custom world but to do it in a production setting, allowing for faster build times on the order of months rather than years. It was a dream several years in the making, and the result is the Albemarle 53 Spencer Edition.

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Winter Custom Yachts

Tim Winters and his team of boatbuilders at Winter Custom Yachts in North Carolina have truly optimized the walkaround concept, taking full advantage of its inherent versatility. Anglers are no longer confined to the limited space in the cockpit and have the freedom to fight fish all the way around the boat from bow to stern. Even just taking the family on a shorthanded picnic cruise is safer and easier since everyone has full access to the bow without having to navigate a slippery deck. Its latest 46-footer, Thumper, is one of the most versatile boats in this size range on the water today.

Quick Specifications

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