Pursuit C238 Review

Pursuit has long enjoyed a reputation as one of the highest quality offshore center consoles on the market today. As part of the S2 Yachts family, Pursuit began as a fishing model in S2’s Tiara Yacht lineup. The Pursuit model was such an enormous hit that S2 wisely made Pursuit a brand of its own, and developed it  into several models ranging from 18 to 40 feet. One of the newest models in the fleet is the stunning Pursuit C238 – a 24-foot center console made for serious fishing.

The Pursuit C238 represents the pinnacle of center console design in what might be the most hotly-contested boat category of all. Standard features like a full fiberglass hardtop with locking glove box, a walk-in console with a head compartment, a tempered glass windshield and forward lounge seats with supportive backrests set the C238 apart, while additional luxuries like double-wide helm chairs that convert to individual leaning posts set it firmly in a class of its own.

Attention to detail has long been a Pursuit hallmark, including the provision of an easily accessible bow anchor locker with shroud and an available windlass.

The most striking aspect of the Pursuit C238 as you approach it at the dock is the huge amount of interior space it has. The neat bow features a split front deck with upholstered seating on each side, and an open access up the centerline. This arrangement provides a clear path to the bow anchor locker with its flush-mount, fiberglass lid. The inviting lounge seats along each side feature fold-out back rests that turn them into comfy forward-facing loungers, each about four feel long. Huge storage compartments beneath these seats house a lot of gear, keeping it safely stowed and neatly out of sight.

The split bow deck in the C238 creates a comfortable and inviting seating area.

A forward-facing seat on the front face of the console is beautifully upholstered and very comfortable. The C238’s wide, flaring bow, generous freeboard and full 21-degree deadrise deep V hull eat big waves, providing a smooth dry ride that makes this seat usable while underway. In some other center consoles, you can’t really sit in front of the console without getting drenched. Not so on the Pursuit, so kudos to the boat’s designers. The seat conceals the access to the boat’s head compartment, opening forward on stainless steel hinges rather than having to be lifted as on some competing boats. The head compartment is quite bright and spacious, with an opening porthole.

The large console, with its hard top, full windshield and double-wide seats, offers plenty of protection for the remaining occupants. There’s a dedicated storage space under the helm leaning post to store a removable cooler, keeping a cold drink always within reach. The helm itself is clean and uncluttered, with plenty of dash space to install one or more large flush-mount multi-function displays.

The spacious head compartment concealed within the console is very bright and spacious for a 24-foot boat.

The rear cockpit is made for fishing, as evidenced by the abundance of rod holders, in-gunnel rod storage and space on the flat gunnels for mounting downriggers and other accessories. A fold-down transom seat provides additional seating capacity when needed, then folds flush into the transom so it’s out of the way when fishing. A lighted 23-gallon live well built into the starboard end of the transom is much appreciated.

The C238 has every imaginable amenity one would expect in a top-of-the-line fishing boat, including LED lighting, all stainless hardware, hydraulic steering, stainless cup holders, pop-up cleats and a telescopic boarding ladder. Pursuit’s long standard feature list doesn’t leave a lot of room for options, but a variety of stereo upgrades, canvas enclosures and electronics upgrades are available to help personalize the boat.

The double-wide helm seats are mounted on a platform that provides full access to a cooler stored beneath them without having to slide it out.

With a single Yamaha F250 four-stroke, the C238 will reach a top speed of 47 mph at wide-open throttle. Cut that back to about 3,500 rpm and this boat will cruise along happily at about 26 mph while enjoying a 280-mile range and delivering fuel economy of almost 3 mpg. That’s great performance for a boat that weighs over 5,000 pounds once fully rigged and with a full tank of fuel. The hull is rated to 300 horsepower and performance with a single 300 isn’t much different – the additional power offset by the additional weight of the bigger outboard. It runs so well with the 250 there’s no real need to spend the extra money on a bigger engine.

Looking for the ultimate center console fishing boat in that popular 24-foot class? You’ve found it. Pursuit’s C238 sets the standard as the one to beat.

Pursuit C238

• Length: 24’ 4”
• Beam” 8’ 6”
• Dry weight: 4,240 lbs
• Fuel capacity: 105 gals
• Maximum power: 300 hp