Pursuit S 358

Two boating seasons into this persistent pandemic and manufacturers like Pursuit are finding a rush of first-time boaters eager to escape crowds and reassess how they spend quality time with loved ones.

During the debut of the much-awaited S 358, Pursuit’s first ever 35-foot center console, company president Bruce Thompson noted that new buyers have helped lower the average age of boat owners from the mid 50s to mid 40s. Twelve percent of Pursuit sales are with first-time boaters, and that’s consistent with the global uptick in new boaters. In fact, data from the National Marine Manufacturers Association showing 415,000 first-time boat buyers entered the market last year alone. Not only are these new buyers averaging younger, but they are also 1.5 times more likely to be women than other buyer groups. Inspired by these statistics, Pursuit has introduced a flurry of new models in the past two years. The new S 358 fills the center slot in Pursuit’s ever-growing Sport family portfolio.

Nothing overlooked

Joystick piloting to make docking easy — got it. Enclosed head and shower, along with overnight accommodations — competitive advantage! The most aft cockpit seating and social zone configurations — check. Seakeeper 2 to smooth out the seas — an option that nearly all new boaters opt for.

“In true Pursuit design tradition, nothing has been overlooked,” says Thompson as he introduced director of brand management Mark Taiclet, who guided me out of the harbor at Ft. Pierce, Florida, for our test ride.

Fall weather at Pursuit’s plant is a mix of everything the Great Lakes has except the cold. Instead we had oppressive humidity and a growing line of sea breeze-generated showers. Fear not, as an oversized fiberglass integrated hardtop and tempered safety glass windshield envelope three helm chairs and permit entry below through a yacht-style cabin entry door. Both areas are cooled or heated by separate HVAC units — a rare find on a 35-footer. For fresh air ventilation and access to the rooftop-mounted antenna array, Pursuit has designed a large glass hatch that slides forward. This eliminates awkward standing and leaning on the gunnels to lower or raise antennas and outriggers or to clean.

Rehydrating is a must, and a refrigerator loaded with chilled water was easily accessible from the cockpit, along with a sink and cooler tub, electric grill, tackle storage and trash receptacle that make up the multifunction entertainment center and wetbar.

“We purposely designed the mezzanine seating with 60/40 dual fold-out seats,” Taiclet says, demonstrating the wide-open cockpit that lets a crewmember use the grill without displacing seated passengers. “These seats are more comfortable. They used to take up 6 inches in the fold-up cavity, but we added 3 additional inches for thicker padding and a flip-up backrest.”

But wait, there’s more

That same forethought applies to the forward-facing folding aft seat, resulting in the largest open aft cockpit space in class. For landing fish, there is a hullside door that opens inward and aft up against the 32-gallon livewell with Oceana Blue tub and a clear lid, aimed at better bait-keeping. This configuration precisely offers the right amount of space for aft cockpit coaming rod storage. In-floor insulated fishboxes on both sides of the boat are configured with independent diaphragm pumps rather than macerators. I asked why, since many competitors favor macerators. Taiclet, who is a pretty solid angler himself, says they learned from experience that errant hooks and similar debris clogged and jammed macerators, whereas the diaphragm did not.

As a fishing machine, the S 358 is a tight, neat package. An optional hardtop rod rack six pack, Taco 18-foot extending outriggers with gunwale-mounted line tensioners, and multiple fresh and raw water washdowns at the transom, midship, and anchor locker makes for a very complete offering.

In the spirit of the holiday season and the famous Ginsu knife, “but wait, there’s more!”

The bow area seating is a standalone social zone. Adjustable console seating becomes a lounger; electrically actuated backrests swing inward to double the number of comfortable lounges with under-seat insulated storage tubs. A custom fiberglass table with synthetic teak inlay that rests flush in the bow can be raised and lowered by an electric actuator and functions as a table, sunpad or footrest. Inside the cabin is an enclosed head, a true rarity on a 35-footer, L-shaped seating that converts into a large, two-person berth, and you probably want the standard 28-inch TV and microwave for that morning cup of joe. I like the steps leading down. They are wider and deeper than others. You don’t have to stop and think, “which foot do I lead with?” They were also thinking of skippers whose beer belly interferes with the steering wheel movement. An extra couple of inches in the center helm seat is much appreciated. Take a good look at the triple cockpit seats. Each one has independent armrests. No sharing. Maybe the airlines could take a design tip for that dreaded center seat.

Engineering marvels

In a nutshell, that’s the walk-through. What you don’t see is reassuring from a naval architect viewpoint. The S 358 is a deep-V, 22-degree hull bottom with a rather aggressive bow entry and reverse chine. This gives you a dry ride and handles a less forgiving sea while you seek the call for adventure. Below the cockpit sole is a freshly designed structural grid with a bit of forward thinking. If you decide on adding a factory-installed Seakeeper Gyro, the helm area mechanical space is designed to accommodate the unit with easy access for maintenance. Another hidden engineering gem are the independent drain channels for all the water that keeps the mechanical bay dry. It’s here where the battery banks and chargers reside, again easily accessible for service.

Pursuit has every feature engineered to yacht-caliber standards and provides a yacht-like delivery. Because they have Garmin engineers working in its factory installing all aspects of the electronics package, new owners qualify for a free two-hour, one-on-one session with a Garmin rep. Those of us who have enjoyed the excitement of new boat ownership understand that on the first day, first week or two, you can’t think of every question to ask, especially on the feature-rich electronic integration of today’s boats. Pursuit recommends waiting a couple of weeks to gather your questions, then make the Garmin connection.

At the Pursuit-sponsored owners’ rendezvous, hands-on training is available, especially for the families who, for decades, realize that spouses are lousy teachers when it comes to docking.

Test ride

Twin Yamaha 425 XTO engines power the S 358. Lately, the industry has shifted to triple engine power for a boat of this size. This twin engine package has more than enough horsepower, is controlled by a joystick when docking, and delivers an acceptable fuel economy at cruise. Aside from the heat, the seas were nothing more than a washboard during our test. We easily cruised at 31 mph, turning 4000 RPMs. A readout on the twin 16-inch Garmin multifunction displays at the helm calculated fuel burn of a gallon a mile with a range of 327 miles.

For grins we did a WOT run with the GPS fluctuating between 50 and 51 mph. A fellow boat journalist on my run turned off one engine, tilted it out of the water and then simulated a limp home under single power. It would be a long ride, but at least you are getting back to shore. Both engines sit in a well with optimized platform extensions. The motor well is flat, making it possible to cross between the two easily, no hoses or cables to snag a line, and certainly enough room to change a propeller without getting in the water.

Pursuit’s S 358 has powerful good looks with a classic sheerline and a through-stem anchor system. A word of advice: With so many new boaters coming into the recreational lifestyle and established boaters looking to trade up, I wouldn’t wait for the spring boat shows to secure a production slot. The worldwide supply chain is only adding to backlogs and inflation, and this is going to be a popular boat.