Yellowfin Hybrid 26

First let me clear something up: the Yellowfin Hybrid 26 isn’t your run-of-the-mill Toyota Prius; there’s no electric propulsion aboard. In the Yellowfin Hybrid 26’s case, the “hybrid” refers to this center console’s unique mix of bay boat and offshore fishing machine qualities.

That means the Hybrid 26 is a boat that’s great at fishing the shallows, yet capable enough to fish in the rough stuff offshore.

In case you’re unfamiliar with Yellowfin Yachts, the company’s ballyhoo is designing and building serious fishing boats with a flair for speed, and a great ride in the worst conditions. With 20 degrees of transom deadrise, a single hull step, and a deep-V hull, the Hybrid 26 has the credentials to do serious offshore work in snotty weather. It also draws only 18 inches with the motor up; this means the Hybrid 26 can also ply skinny waters for shallow-water fish.

Remember that speed I mentioned? Strap a pair of Yamaha’s F200 200-horsepower, four-stroke outboard motors to this boat’s transom, lay the throttle down, and soon you’ll be breaking 60 mph with a ride that’s predictable and smooth in calm water, as well as in a stiff chop; that’s what owning a Yellowfin is all about.

You know this is a serious fishing boat when you lift up the lid behind the helm seating and spy a 50-gallon livewell. There’s even an option for an addition 35-gallon livewell in the cockpit floor. For your family and guests, there is a long, upholstered bench just forward of the transom in the cockpit, a two-person bench on the forward end of the center console unit, as well as an extra seat behind the helm. Overall the Yellowfin 26’s cockpit is spacious and roomy, with plenty of space for a mess of people.

“The all-new Yellowfin Inshore Hybrid 26 is the most versatile center console to be introduced by Yellowfin,” says Lynn Darr of North Shore Marina, Great Lakes only authorized Yellowfin dealer. “The company has successfully combined the features and attributes of its larger center console models with the versatility and fishability of their famous bay boat series. With your choice of cockpit layouts, options and available with single or twin engines, it is the ultimate in a trailerable, high-end quality center console.”