BLACKFIN 262 HB

Luxurious and Serious About Fishing and Fun

By Andy Adams

My first meeting with the Blackfin 262 HB was in Tampa, Florida, at the introduction of the new Mercury V10 425hp Verado engine last summer. A small group of journalists were brought down to be the first to experience the Verado 425, and we tried it out on several boats, but one of the most impressive applications was on the Blackfin 262 HB.

“HB” stands for “hybrid bay” and it’s a design that will appeal to fishing enthusiasts from Tampa to Toronto and beyond. This is a serious fish-raiser for both offshore and inshore waters. First, in my opinion, it’s a great-looking boat, but you can be the judge of that. What I really liked was the exterior styling with the sportfish-inspired Carolina sheer, where the bow is higher to better handle rough water, while the sheer sweeps down lower in the stern making it easier to land a big fish.

Another part of the Bay Boat style is that it has a 17-degree V bottom instead of something in the 20-degree range or higher. It can still handle rough water beautifully, but the milder vee gives more stability at rest, reduces the draft and probably adds speed as well. Also, the Blackfin 262 has a double-stepped hull for greater speed and efficiency.

Bay boats are intended to make their way into the shallows and to best facilitate that, Blackfin gives you a standard equipment jack plate system to raise or lower the engine vertically for shallow water as well as higher speeds.

Our test boat had the optional twin Garmin screen and features like the Fusion audio system, UVA flooring on the foot rests with an extra thick fatigue mat. To access the stand-though upper helm, us the console side braces, the footrest and dash top as your ladder.

Fishing Features

You could certainly enjoy the Blackfin 262 HB for all kinds of recreational activities, but there’s no question that it’s brilliantly laid out for fishing.

Beginning at the bow, this 26-footer has a few choices that a buyer needs to make. The bow area can be configured with either a wraparound seat with removable seat backs allowing passengers to face forward, or you can leave the area clear for more fishing room.

The foredeck is flat without obstructions for comfort and safety when casting. Hookups for a trolling motor are included. There is an anchor locker, port and starboard live wells and a large centre well with aerator. This also has four interior hooks to stow lines out of the way.

The Blackfin 262 HB centre console has a comfortable front seat that hinges forward, giving you access to a generous head with storage, the electrical panel and ignition switch. It’s easy to get in and out of, and a handy place to store things such as the removable seat backs for the bow.

An efficient bait station is built into the helm seat frame and it has two drawers, slots for three tackle boxes and a storage slot for the cutting board. A Yeti cooler was fastened below.

Stern and Cockpit Features

At the stern is whereBlackfin gets really serious about fishing. You know that for sure when they fit a V10 engine as standard and give it a jack plate system as well. Optional power pole systems for shallow water can quickly deploy to prevent the boat from drifting or spinning in the wind.

A large cooler can be added just ahead of the engine. The aft deck is flat with flush cleats and you can get cushioned flooring. On port and starboard are 30-gallon live wells that are aerated and also feature a site glass to see your bait. The centre section is a flip up seat with a nice high back. This may be the most comfortable passenger seat in the boat.

In addition to that, this entire section lifts for access to the batteries and other mechanical systems so the 262 HB is easy to maintain.

The cockpit sole has an in-floor locker or fish box big enough to handle a pair of 5-gallon pails. Ahead of that is a large Yeti cooler mounted in the floor. Above that is a very well-equipped bait station with two drawers and three slots for Plano tackleboxes, and the top has a removable cutting board that can be stowed. The centre console roof is perfectly positioned above with rocket launchers. This is a beautifully set up bait prep station just where you want it.

Hull-side drop-down doors give access to lockers set up to hold items such as your deck brush or to secure rods.

The bow can be set up with maximum open floor, a raised step / seat with a storage locker and drink holders, recessed cleats and padded inwales. Our test boat had the Garmin trolling motor and all hook-ups.

Helm Features

The helm seats are on a tubular mount so you can hose under it, and Blackfin includes both raw water and freshwater wash downs on coiled hoses for convenience. Helm seats are thickly padded with flip-up bolsters, armrests and footrests.

The test boat had all the tricks and toys with twin Garmin screens, Mercury control box andActive Trim system, so the engine automatically trims to the optimum position. There’s a control on the steering wheel hub that adjusts the jack plate without taking your hands off the wheel.

The cockpit is feature-rich with lift-up stern seat, recessed cleats, rod holders and port and starboard aerated live wells with windows. This whole centre section lifts for access to the batteries and mechanical systems.

Performance

Even with the base 350hp V10 engine this is a very fast boat, but with the new 425 horse, we almost hit 60mph out in the gulf. This is one fast boat!

Mercury’s new Verado 425 V10 engine is smooth and quiet but it still sounds like it means business. Acceleration is impressive, hitting 30mph from a standing start in just 8.8 seconds. We were impressed that the boat stayed on plane down to 17.5mph at an economical 3,500rpm.The 262 HB also hangs on in a tight turn, and the power steering delivers precision with low effort. ‘Hat’s off’ to the designers—the Blackfin 262 HB handles the Verado’s prodigious power with ease.

The test boat also had an unusual feature, but it’s one that really appeals for fishing the shallows for bass. It’s a stand-through upper helm. The centre console is designed so that you can step up onto the dashboard without stepping on your instruments and slide open the roof panel. Up on the roof is an upper seat with flip up bolsters. You can securely drive the boat from this upper position, giving you a tremendous view of the water. It’s a very cool feature.

Throughout the Blackfin 262 HB you find high-quality hardware and luxurious features to match the blazing performance. This is a hot rig!

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine: Mercury Verado V10 425 hp

Prop: RevolutionX 4-blade

RPM	MPH
1,000	5.1
1,500	7.6
2,000	8.7
2,500	9.7
3,000	12.7
3,500	17.5
4,000	32.7
4,500	38.9
5,000	44.4
5,500	49.1
6,000	54.5
6,500	59.3

LOA w/Swim Platform: 26’3″ 8.00m

LOA W/Engine:     28’6″       8.68m
Beam:     9’2″         2.79m
Deadrise:              17°          17°
Fuel Capacity:      100GAL 379L
Water Capacity:    15GAL    57L
Waste Capacity:   11GAL    42L
Water-ready Weight:           6300LBS               2858KG

Base price: Base starting NAP price $165,067 USD for 2026

Boat and price supplied by Blackfin Boats, www.blackfinboats.com