Pursuit S268 Sport CC

Do-it-all in style

By Andy Adams

The Pursuit S 268 Sport centre console is a do-it-all kind of boat with a solid sense of style. Centre console designs have been developed for the southern blue water sport fishing enthusiasts (and this boat would raise fish with the best of them) but the Pursuit S 268 Sport centre console offers far more utility and enjoyment than just fishing.

Our test boat was supplied by Crates Lake Country Boats in Orillia, Ontario located at the Narrows between Lake Couchiching and Lake Simcoe. I spent my childhood on Lake Simcoe and I have learned that the often-shimmering, flat-calm lake can blow up with big white caps quite unexpectedly. You might say, who needs a centre console that’s over 27-feet long with a 21-degree deadrise deep vee hull in cottage country? Well, there will be days! Of course, serious fishermen would love this boat, but so would day boaters who keep their boat at a marina, or people who own waterfront property and want a do-it-all kind of boat.

Canadian Boating Publisher, Jill Snider, takes a moment to pick her favourite lounge spot in the spacious bow seating.

Overall

With a 27-foot 4-inch length overall on a beam of 8-feet 9-inches Pursuits S 268 Sport is a lovely big size and the test boat was rigged with the optional twin Yamaha F200XCA outboards, so plenty of power too. Perhaps the biggest virtue is the expanse of flat floor that runs right from the bow area back to the swim platforms with just a step by the transom door. Especially at anchor, guests or those working a fish can securely move in comfort all around the boat.

Supporting the do-it-all personality, Pursuit offers the S 268 Sport with a long list of choices and options so buyers can “dial it in” to their specific preferences.

The test boat had the canvas package in black Sunbrella material. This includes a bow cover, hardtop connector side curtains and dodger wings around the console where the canvas slips into tracks. This can fully enclose the boat or be partially open by removing some sections. Protect the upholstery, keep the seats dry and enjoy the shelter in cool temperatures, or inclement weather.

In addition, there is a Mediterranean-style stowable sunshade that you can fly over the cockpit and another one for shading the bow seating when you are moored out in the sun.

The helm is very well set up for navigation with all the key controls in easy reach of the driver but your companion can also see the Garmin screen too. The two drink holder keep beverages out of the way and secure.

Comfort and convenience

For a centre console, Pursuit has put a lot of effort into passenger comfort and convenience. Starting at the bow, there is a generous anchor locker and the test boat was equipped with a Lewmar power windlass with remote control. There was an upgraded stainless-steel anchor in a chute that passes through the bow making anchoring out, effortless. The bow is very spacious with comfortable side seating and optional port and starboard adjustable seat backs so that passengers can sit facing forward and feel secure when you’re running through rough water. Inward-canted handrails add security.

The cushions can be removed to make this a casting platform and there is a large underfloor storage locker. On the forward side of the centre console is a big seat with fold-down armrests. This entire assembly swings open for access to a spacious head compartment. You could really use this in comfort. It’s very accommodating with a China bowl, sink in the port side vanity, pressure water and storage as well. There is a secure spot to carry the tabletop and post that can be used for snacks or dining in either the bow or the cockpit. Get the optional opening side porthole for ventilation. I would recommend that.

Cockpit and fishing features

The cockpit is a second social area. You board the Pursuit S 268 from the starboard side swim platform through the transom door. Across the transom is a folding seat with a self-adjusting backrest. It’s a comfortable place for two to sit, sheltered a bit by the centre console. When you get the rods out, just fold it away flat and you have a nice, padded bolster to lean against when casting off the stern.

On the port side of the transom is a 28-gallon lighted and aerated livewell, with a clear lid. The helm seat base has a great built-in tackle box on the port side with five trays for your tackle plus a drawer and it locks! The back of the seat base also includes a pair of rod holders, bait cutting board and a bottle opener. There’s a handy locking drawer and locker big enough for a cooler in the aft side of the seat base. Then, the starboard side has all the breakers and battery switches conveniently located. On top of that, the test boat had a subwoofer mounted in the seat base for great tunes from the JL Audio system.

More fishing features include rod storage for two in each side below the gunwales. When you’re actually going fishing, there are four rocket-launcher-type rod holders across the trailing edge of the hardtop and then four more in the gunwales. You’ll find another two rod holders in the helm seat base plus five across the transom top. In the port and starboard sides are in-floor fish boxes.

Big fishboxes port and starboard in the floor are useful for all sorts of things if you aren’t fishing.

Helm

The helm is well laid out with a compass on top, Garmin MFD straight ahead, tilt steering wheel with the optional Edson stainless steel sportfish wheel, VHF radio controls by the driver’s left hand, Lenco trim tab controls on the right and next, the Yamaha control box for the twin F200XCA engines. There’s also a Yamaha engine diagnostic screen as well as another screen for the JL Audio system and a molded-in footrest.

Captain and companion enjoy two very comfortable adjustable seats with separate armrests and flip-up bolsters. The very generously-sized hardtop rests on a powder-coated frame and this provides driver and passenger the most secure places to hold on when the going gets challenging.

The head compartment is surprisingly spacious and usable. This view also shows the removable table stowed on the left, the table post, the MSD centre and the sink and toilet roll holder to the right.

Performance

As you would expect with the 21° deep vee hull design, this is a great rough water boat, and it’s fast too. Our test boat was equipped with the optional twin 200 horsepower Yamaha F200’s and they deliver a huge shove when you’re planing off. The test boat had SeaStar power steering by Dometic which we found to be very light and precise. The Yamaha throttles were very responsive and with the twin F200s running at 4,000 RPM, we were making an easy 32-mile-per-hour cruise, great for covering a long distance. The Yamahas were impressively smooth and wide open the boat hit 6,000 RPM traveling at 52-mph!

Tight turns were no issue. The conditions for our test were flat and calm, we had no reason to use the Lenco trim tabs, but they could be very handy in rough conditions or strong side winds. The Pursuit planed off so quickly, you had no need of the tabs to get going. The S 268 Sport was equipped with a ski pylon and you could certainly pull a tube, wakeboarders and more. These days, it’s worth mentioning that you could easily carry a few stand-up paddle boards in the side decks. You could probably set up a carrier on the hardtop too.

To give the Pursuit S 268 Sport it’s due, this is a hot fishing boat, but as we have said all along, you can do it all and do it in style. This offers impressive versatility with classic good looks.

The battery switched and all the other breakers are located behind this door on the starboard side of the helm seat base.

SPECIFICATIONS

ENGINES: Yamaha F200 XCA, 200 hp four-stroke 2.8-litre, four-cylinder with Yamaha’s VCT (variable camshaft timing) and multi-point electronic fuel injection, stainless-steel propellors

RPM MPH*

600 2.7

1,000 4.8

1,500 7.2

2,000 8.8

2,500 10.4

3,000 17.9

3,500 26.9

4,000 32.7

4,500 37.9

5,000 43.2

5,500 47.6