5 of the Best Outboard Cruisers for 2019

Outboard power gives big cruisers more space and performance than ever. Here are five of the best outboard cruisers for 2019.

Cruisers used to be the show boats – the ones that always drew more than their share of ooohs and aaahs with their sleek forms, racy designs and over-the-top luxury. Today, the hottest boats on the water are outboard cruisers.

Every bit as luxurious as their ancestors, outboard cruisers have even more space thanks to the addition of outboard power. As outboard engines have grown more powerful and more capable, they’ve begun to replace traditional sterndrives and inboards in cruisers, allowing boat builders up adopt all-new open floorplans and devote far more cockpit space to passengers and their gear.

See for yourself – here are five of the best outboard cruisers you’ll see on the water this year.

Boston Whaler 420 Outrage

Boston Whaler 420 Outrage

Center consoles are popular because they do so many things really, really well. Bowriders are popular because of their versatile seating and family-friendly layouts. So what do you get when you blend the two? Something like Boston Whaler’s awesome 420 Outrage, which neatly balances power, luxury and versatility like a luxury SUV. Built for onboard entertaining, the big Whaler offers a great helm seating arrangement that accommodates six people and converts easily to face forward or aft. There’s an electronic cockpit sun shade, a VacuFlush head with a shower, a retractable aft bench seat and a comfy cabin below decks with seven feet of headroom (!), making it a great boat for overnight trips. Standard power is four Mercury Verado 350s, so you’ll get to your destination in no time flat.

Formula 400 SSC

Formula 400 SSC

Formula is no stranger to offshore performance yachts – they invented them when the company transitioned from building championship race boats to more luxurious boats many years ago. One of the hottest boats in Formula’s lineup today is the all-new 400 Super Sport Cruiser, a magnificently luxurious 40-footer that’s powered by four Mercury 300 Verado outboards for a total of 1,200 horsepower. Want more speed? Four 350s are available as an upgrade. But there’s more to this gem than just big power, it’s one of the most elegantly appointed outboard cruisers on the water today with luxurious lounge seating, a full galley, a motorized sunroof in its hard top and even available air conditioning.

Monterey 385 SE

Monterey 385 SE

With its innovative cockpit layout, massive bow seating area, main deck galley and luxurious amenities, Monterey’s 385 SE stands out among the best outboard cruisers anywhere. Incredible features like a 40-inch HDVT with an available satellite receiver, an audiophile Fusion stereo with a Blu-Ray player, a full galley with a microwave for after-lunch popcorn, SeaDek cockpit inlays, a large and comfortable head, Raymarine electronics and a water heater give the big Monterey all the comforts of home and then some. Triple Mercury or Yamaha 300 or 350 horsepower outboards push this big boy well over 50 mph, for performance to match its racy good looks.

Pursuit OS 385 Offshore

Pursuit OS 385 Offshore

Almost 40 feet long and powered by up to triple Yamaha F350 V8s, the Pursuit OS 385 Offshore comes with so many standard features there isn’t much left for the option list. Bow thruster? Check. Air conditioning? Yup. Big LED TV? Of course. There’s also a full galley, a spacious head with a shower, a comfy bed for overnight stops and a glass dash just like you find on the latest fighter jets. Plenty of rod holders, fish boxes, rod lockers and a great stereo mean you can spend your daytime hours enjoying tunes while tackling tuna, before tucking in for a gourmet meal and a great night’s sleep. Who couldn’t get used to that?

Regal 33 XO

Regal 33 XO

Like to have your cake and eat it too? Regal’s all-new 33 XO is a new outboard-powered version of the company’s long-popular 33 Express, giving buyers the best of both worlds. Switching to outboards frees up a ton of cockpit space in the XO model however, allowing for a huge multi-position aft sun lounge and an enormous in-deck lazarette for storage, while still providing the wraparound swim platform and king-sized bed of the original. Add a killer Fusion stereo, a full galley, an electric head and even a 32-inch LED TV and you have the kind of boat anyone can love. With twin Yamaha F300s, the big Regal doesn’t waste any time getting from A to B.