Boston Whaler 280 Outrage Review

The Boston Whaler 280 Outrage might just be the ultimate center console boat – at least in the wildly competitive under 30-foot class.

That’s a pretty strong claim, but boats have always been about blending the latest technology with proven designs that have stood the test of time, and few companies manage this better than Boston Whaler. The 280 Outrage has always been a popular model in the Whaler lineup, but now thanks to a brilliant refresh, it moves straight to the head of its class.

Stretching 28 feet even in length and riding on a generous 9-foot, 4-inch beam, the Boston Whaler 280 Outrage immediately feels bigger than it really is, and that’s largely due to its substantial 28-inch interior freeboard. Where center consoles designed for serious fishing have sometimes left occupants feeling like they’re going to take a dive over the side in big waves, not so with the 280 Outrage, which provides a real sense of security in open water.

A full 28 inches of interior freeboard give the 280 Outrage a real sense of security offshore. Note the toe rails and upholstered coaming for even greater comfort.

Like all Boston Whalers, the 280 Outrage is unsinkable, constructed of floating materials that keep the boat level and on top of the waves even when it’s full of water and cut full of holes. The cockpit is self-bailing, so any rain or spray that does wind up on deck simply runs down the to the drains and harmlessly over the side. This is a great feature, especially when combined with the standard raw water wash-down system, which allows you to spray down the deck as needed and keep the boat clean even when the fish are biting hard.

The open bow provides plenty of raised casting space or, with the addition of optional cushions, great seating. Add the removable cockpit table and you have the ideal lunch spot.

The Boston Whaler 280 Outrage follows a fairly conventional center console layout with an open aft cockpit, a spacious central console with seating on its forward face, and a raised casting deck in the bow with storage spaces below. One element of the redesign to this boat is the provision of a wider bow that not only provides more casting space, but creates an inviting seating area with the addition of an optional cushion set. A pair of stainless steel drink holders – two of eight in total – plus a neatly recessed, stainless steel bow railing – make this an attractive spot to flake out and enjoy the ride. A small metal receptacle accommodates a removable cockpit table, which adds to the appeal and creates a perfect lunch spot. The facing seat on the front of the center console makes it a terrific place to enjoy a cold drink and relax, while concealing a huge amount of storage space for gear in its base.

The fold-down transom seat is surprisingly comfortable thanks to its generous proportions and full-size cushion.

This consideration for guest comfort continues in the spacious aft cockpit, where a standard fold-out seat extends from the inner transom to accommodate a couple of passengers in surprising comfort. These folding seats are often uncomfortable and upholstered with only a thin pad, but the one in the Boston Whaler 280 Outrage is beautifully executed and more than comfortable for even longer rides.

In-floor fish boxes, under-gunnel rod storage, tons of tackle storage and no less than 14 rod holders give the 280 Outrage serious fishing credentials.

Look around the cockpit and the boat’s fishing credentials immediately become clear, with under-gunnel rod storage on each side, a 30-gallon aerated live well in the back of the helm seat, in-floor fish boxes for the catch, a couple of drawers on the port side for tackle storage, and no less than 14 rod holders in all, including three across the transom, three on each gunnel, and five in the T-top.

The helm provides space for large touch-screen displays and a tilting stainless steel steering wheel with a turning knob.

The T-top deserves special mention in this boat, first for being standard equipment and second for being so well designed. There’s the expected life jacket storage compartment, but what’s not expected is the boat’s unique lighting package, with a forward-facing flood light, cockpit floodlights and a bi-colored dome with the option of white light at dawn or dusk, and red after dark to preserve the driver’s night vision.

Both the standard and deluxe leaning posts come with flip-up bolsters.

Out back the standard twin 250 horsepower Mercury Verado engines are surrounded by a swim platform that includes a covered telescoping boarding ladder and a handy stainless steel grab rail. Those twin 250s will push the Boston Whaler 280 Outrage to around 55 mph at full throttle, while burning about 45 gallons of fuel per hour for comparatively good fuel economy of 1.18 mpg. Max the boat out with twin Verado 400s and you’ll gain another 9 or 10 mph in top speed, but chew through just under 80 gallons of unleaded every hour for fuel economy of around 0.8 mpg.

The aft side of the leaning post houses a 30-gallon live well, a sink and a faucet with pull-out sprayer.

The control center for all this power – and the heart of the boat – is its newly redesigned center console, which houses a spacious head compartment in its base. The helm has all the goodies, including dash space for twin 12-inch touch-screen displays, a couple of drink holders, a 12V receptacle, a compass, storage for personal items, a courtesy light, a big stainless steel steering wheel with a turning knob and tilt function, and a locking dry glove box.

Choose the deluxe helm seat and you get a 35-quart Yeti cooler on a slide-out base.

The standard leaning post includes flip-up bolsters and the aforementioned live well in its back side, along with a freshwater sink with a pull-out sprayer and three tackle storage drawers on port side. Upgrade to the deluxe leaning post and you lose the tackle drawers, but gain a slide-out 35-quart Yeti cooler in their place.

With its standard power the 280 Outrage will approach 55 mph at full throttle while delivering very good fuel economy. Multiple engine upgrades are available for even greater performance.

Being a Boston Whaler, the 280 Outrage offers all kinds of options so buyers can get exactly the boat they want, including a number of engine and electronics upgrades, an automatic engine trim function (which is highly recommended), a cockpit sun shade, and a useful second live well (17 gallons) on the port aft corner.

The Boston Whaler 280 Outrage is a lot of boat, and a huge value for buyers who want the best. With its new refresh, one of the best models in the Whaler lineup just got even better.