25

A heavy, no-frills fishing boat with straight inboard or jackshaft power, a functional cabin, and all the amenities required to make fishing or cruising an enjoyable experience—that describes the Carolina Classic 25, a pocket sport fishing battlewagon with a big East Coast following. The 25's distinctive, flared bow, unitized construction, and deep-V bottom let her handle just about any condition a sport fisherman faces. The engine is amidships, set deep in the hull where the weight adds to the hull’s low center of gravity, and connected to the outdrive by a jackshaft which runs under the cockpit sole. This means no engine box taking up valuable cockpit space—a significant factor in a boat this size. On the downside, there’s no in-deck fish box. A centerline hatch on the bridge deck lifts hydraulically for complete access to the motor. Forward is a full-sized cuddy cabin with V-berth, secure rod storage, a stowable electric head and a storage locker. Among several gas or diesel engine options, a single 300hp Volvo gas engine delivers a top speed of 30+ knots, and a 260hp Volvo diesel tops out at 28–30 knots. An outboard version was introduced in 2013.