Boston Whaler 330 Vantage Review
The Boston Whaler 330 Vantage is designed to appeal to a wide swath of the boating market. From day cruising to watersports, and fishing to evening entertaining, this multipurpose luxury dual-console handles it all with aplomb.
At a Glance: Boston Whaler 330 Vantage
BOSTON WHALER VANTAGE
Specs
- LOA: 33 feet
- Beam: 10 feet, 4 inches
- Draft: 25 inches
- Bridge clearance: 9 feet, 3 inches
- Deadrise: 21 degrees
- Displacement (loaded): 14,784 pounds
- Fuel: 285 gallons
- Passenger capacity: 14
- Maximum horsepower: 800
- Base price: $450,000
Power and Performance
- Tested: Twin Mercury Verado 400 hp
- Cylinders: V-10
- Displacement: 5.7L
- Weight: 695 pounds
- Top speed: 50 mph
- Best cruise speed: 35 mph
Features We Love
- Helm station layout
- Choice of windshield height
- Air conditioning at the helm, in the head, and in the compact cabin
- Side boarding gate for easy access for kids, older folks, and pets
- Joystick engine control
- Cockpit seating versatility
- Transom galley console
- Optional Seakeeper gyroscope
- 27-gallon livewell
- Grill
- Built-in rod holders
- 48-inch draining fish box
- Optional electric SureShade over the cockpit
Design and Notable Features
The Boston Whaler 330 Vantage is the successor to the 320 Vantage, and it takes everything up a notch. The core of the design’s appeal is still there, especially the closed-cell foam core construction that Boston Whaler has been promoting for years as “unsinkable.”
The new model has an extra foot of length to spread across, but it still rides on a deep-V hull design with high hull sides that provide safety offshore.
The profile has changed from the predecessor primarily because of the shape of the windshield, which comes in two versions. The half-height windshield is standard and creates a wind-in-the-hair feel. The full-height option reaches all the way to the hardtop and offers better visibility forward because it lacks a frame that can get in the driver’s field of vision whether sitting or standing. It adds $8,000 to the cost but it does provide substantial protection. You can go boating well into the shoulder seasons.
Add onboard air conditioning and the helm is cooled nicely without being battered by wind. Although it weighs a hefty 55 pounds, the middle section of the windshield doesn’t require Herculean strength to swing open. That’s thanks to a newly designed hinge and gas shock system. Passengers moving to and from the bow will appreciate that.
Overall, the new 330 Vantage looks more refined and sleeker, even with the tall hardtop and long windshield. It’s an attention-getter.
Boston Whaler 330 Vantage Helm
The helm is on starboard and the skipper enjoys an expansive dash with either a single 16-inch Simrad MFD or twin 12-inch screens. The throttles are outboard, as is the optional Mercury joystick that makes driving and docking twin engines easy and engaging. Especially with the tall windshield, the visibility is excellent. Everything is at hand, including switches, the stereo head, the Simrad VHF radio, and USB charging ports.
The hardtop overhead is a serious piece of technology with heavy-duty supports, integrated rod holders, and twin opening hatches. Shorter boaters will need to stand on the seats to open and close those hatches. Vents bring in fresh air or air conditioning, if buyers choose that option. The single captain’s chair has armrests and swivels to face the cockpit when the driving is done.
Accommodations for Day Cruising
The Boston Whaler Vantage 330 is perfect for day cruising, even with children. In the console to port is a head. To starboard is a cabin. Both are air conditioned. The wet head has a sink, a shower, and a VacuFlush toilet, and is easy access through a wider door.
The cabin to starboard includes a berth for one adult or a couple of children. Air vents and lighting make this space livable and access is via a safe door that faces the centerline of the boat in the walkthrough to the bow.
Speaking of the bow, this is where you’ll find twin chaise lounges along the sides that are separated by an optional dining table. That table serves triple duty. You can use it to serve food, obviously. Lower it, however, and a couple of other uses are apparent. Cover it with cushions to form a large sunbed. Or remove the cushions to create a casting platform.
An electric windlass is tucked belowdecks in the bow compartment. For easy beach access, there’s also a ladder and a handheld shower to rinse off before stepping aboard.
Cockpit and Transom
At the opposite end are numerous available configurations. The most popular choice will be the galley with an electric grill, sink and refrigerator. If cooking isn’t a priority, however, you can specify a drop-down transom seat.
A portside opening transom gate provides easy access to the swim platform. A narrow ledge ahead of the engines leads to the opposite platform. It’s skinny but traversable when the boat is at rest.
A side hull door on starboard is a useful feature that allows easy access for pets and people and makes loading the day’s provisions a snap. This also makes a perfect dive door since it keeps people away from the engines and props.
Boston Whaler is known for its high-quality, innovative, and clever seating. Twin benches to port feature hinging backrests. Depending on the positioning of those backrests, those seats can face each other for conversation, or they can become forward- or aft-facing beds. There’s even a small flip-up table that hinges up from the side.
A separate and optional full-sized table can accommodate dining for four. I’m surprised that Boston Whaler didn’t put its engineers to work designing one that would flip up and extend out for a more practical and elegant solution. As is typical with this builder, all the seating mechanisms are polished chrome and add to the overall aesthetic as well as the functionality.
Just ahead, a double companion seat is to port across from the helm. Behind the swiveling captain’s seat is a 4-foot settee propped on an insulated and draining icebox, which can also be used for dry storage. The 320 Vantage had the galley module here, but not the new model. Boston Whaler moved the galley aft to create room for more seats. Nine people can sit, although four or five would be more comfortable in this well-laid-out cockpit.
Boston Whaler 330 Vantage Fishing Features
The Boston Whaler 330 Vantage is a multipurpose boat, so add a few options and it can go fishing, too. A 27-gallon livewell is integrated into the transom on starboard and is right next to the grill, so if you don’t catch anything, you can cook your bait right there. If you don’t fish, just fill it with ice and drinks.
Under the cockpit sole hides a 48-inch draining fish box for when the fishing is good. Also below the sole on the centerline is rod storage, and the transom module holds drawers for fishing tackle. Three rod holders are built into the transom, and you can add optional outriggers, rod racks, and a bait prep station.
Need-to-Have Options
Boston Whaler offers many options and upgrades, and while you can go barebones, why would you? One key amenity is a Seakeeper gyrostabilizer. It adds $80,000 to the price but may save your day of fishing or family cruising.
Other goodies include:
- A second MFD
- A full galley that includes a refrigerator
- Air conditioning at the helm and below in the cabin and head
- A water heater
- An electric SureShade over the cockpit
- The fishing setup
If you’re stretching to get a Boston Whaler, why not stretch a little further and get it all? A well-equipped boat will help with resale value as well.
Performance and Power Options
Boston Whaler 330 Vantage buyers have choices of propulsion packages. The minimum standard package includes twin Mercury V-8 300 hp outboards. The upgrade features twin Mercury Verado V-10 400s. The 400 hp motors push the boat just past 50 mph with a fuel-efficient cruise of 35 mph to 38 mph at 4500 rpm.
At cruise, the engines achieve a 1.25 mpg burn rate. Given the boat’s onboard fuel capacity of 285 gallons, you can run offshore to fish the Canyons or criss-cross a lake while towing toys all weekend.
The V-hull cuts through chop and the bow flare throws spray to the sides, leaving the decks and helm dry. Turns are sharp and deliberate without excessive heeling or skidding. The ride builds confidence in skippers of all experience levels.
Conclusions About the Boston Whaler 330 Vantage
Boston Whaler, with its reputation for quality, performance and unsinkability, launched this latest model as the flagship of their Vantage series. The 33-footer is packed with amenities that make it a solid choice for a boat that can fish in the morning, tow watersports-obsessed teens in the afternoon, and entertain a pair of couples on an evening cruise.
Boston Whaler trades on the strength of its brand, so the base price is $450,000 but that shoots up to $600,000 with added options that many buyers will see as necessities. That’s not nothing, but the new model’s versatility and expected longevity will put the Boston Whaler 330 Vantage at the top of the short list for many.
Images courtesy of Boston Whaler.
Boston Whaler Vantage Models
Zuzana Prochazka
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