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Boats · Top 10

Top 10 Boats for the Gulf Coast in 2027

By Kory White · Updated Oct 2026 · 4 min read
Pathfinder 2500 Tournament
Direct answer

The Pathfinder 2500 Tournament is the best Gulf Coast boat, with a 13-inch draft and up to 400 hp from $116,754. The Sportsman Masters 247 ($113,190) is #2 and the Shoalwater 23 Cat, with an 8-inch draft, is #3.

At a glance

#PickLengthBest for
1Pathfinder 2500 Tournament24 ft 9 inThe all-round Gulf bay boat
2Sportsman Masters 24724 ft 4 inTournament-style fishing on a budget
3Shoalwater 23 Cat23 ft 8 inSkinny-water flats and back bays
4NauticStar 274 Bay26 ft 2 inBigger Gulf water and nearshore runs
5Sea Hunt BX25FS25 ft 3 inFamily fishing with forward seating
6Blazer 2550 GTS25 ft 5 inSpeed and range across big bays
7Pathfinder 2600 Hybrid26 ft 2 inA smoother ride in Gulf chop
8Shallow Sport X325, 29 or 32 ftRunning the skinniest water in Texas bays
9Majek 25 Illusion25 ft 6 inFlat-bottom draft with V-hull handling
10Pathfinder 2300 Tournament23 ft 6 inThe lowest-priced boat on the list

Pick by what you want

Best overall
Pathfinder 2500 Tournament
Best value
Sportsman Masters 247
Best for skinny water
Shallow Sport X3
Best for big water
NauticStar 274 Bay
Lowest price
Pathfinder 2300 Tournament

The ranking

1

Pathfinder 2500 Tournament

Pathfinder 2500 Tournament
Answrs VerdictThe best Gulf Coast bay boat.
Length: 24 ft 9 inDraft: 13 inMax horsepower: 400 hpPrice: Starting from $116,754 with a Yamaha F300XSBFuel: 78 gal

The Pathfinder 2500 Tournament is 24 ft 9 in with a 13-inch draft, 78 gallons of fuel and up to 400 hp, starting from $116,754 with a Yamaha F300XSB.

Go ifThe all-round Gulf bay boat
Skip ifYou fish mostly offshore
Why #1 over #2: Its 400 hp and 78 gallons go beyond the Masters 247’s 350 hp and 65 gallons.
2

Sportsman Masters 247

Sportsman Masters 247
Answrs VerdictThe value tournament boat.
Length: 24 ft 4 inDraft: 14 inMax horsepower: 350 hpPrice: Starting at $113,190Fuel: 65 gal

The Sportsman Masters 247 is 24 ft 4 in with a 14-inch draft and up to 350 hp, starting at $113,190.

Go ifTournament-style fishing on a budget
Skip ifYou want 400+ hp
Why #2 over #3: Its 65-gallon tank and V-hull handle open bays better than the Shoalwater cat’s 40 gallons.
3

Shoalwater 23 Cat

Shoalwater 23 Cat
Answrs VerdictThe shallow-water catamaran.
Length: 23 ft 8 inDraft: 8 inMax horsepower: 300 hpHull: CatamaranFuel: 40 gal

The Shoalwater 23 Cat is a 23 ft 8 in catamaran with an 8-inch draft and up to 300 hp.

Go ifSkinny-water flats and back bays
Skip ifYou need a big fuel tank
Why #3 over #4: Its 8-inch draft gets shallower than the NauticStar 274’s 16 inches.
4

NauticStar 274 Bay

NauticStar 274 Bay
Answrs VerdictThe big-water bay boat.
Length: 26 ft 2 inDraft: 16 inMax horsepower: 450 hpPrice: Standard MSRP $160,833Fuel: 79 gal

The NauticStar 274 Bay is 26 ft 2 in with a 16-inch draft, 79 gallons and up to 450 hp; its standard MSRP is $160,833.

Go ifBigger Gulf water and nearshore runs
Skip ifYou fish skinny flats
Why #4 over #5: Its 450 hp tops the BX25FS’s 350 hp for longer runs.
5

Sea Hunt BX25FS

Sea Hunt BX25FS
Answrs VerdictThe family bay boat.
Length: 25 ft 3 inDraft: 15 inMax horsepower: 350 hpPrice: Starting at $122,382Fuel: 68 gal

The Sea Hunt BX25FS is 25 ft 3 in with a 15-inch draft and up to 350 hp, starting at $122,382.

Go ifFamily fishing with forward seating
Skip ifYou want the shallowest draft
Why #5 over #6: Its published $122,382 price and forward seating suit families better than the Blazer.
6

Blazer 2550 GTS

Blazer 2550 GTS
Answrs VerdictThe fast bay boat.
Length: 25 ft 5 inDraft: 13 in fully loadedMax horsepower: 400 hpFuel: 78 gal

The Blazer 2550 GTS is 25 ft 5 in, drafts 13 inches fully loaded and takes up to 400 hp with 78 gallons.

Go ifSpeed and range across big bays
Skip ifYou want a catamaran
Why #6 over #7: Its 13-inch loaded draft beats the 2600 Hybrid’s 15 inches.
7

Pathfinder 2600 Hybrid

Pathfinder 2600 Hybrid
Answrs VerdictThe rough-water hybrid.
Length: 26 ft 2 inDraft: 15 inMax horsepower: 450 hpFuel: 88 galDeadrise: 18 deg

The Pathfinder 2600 Hybrid is 26 ft 2 in with an 18-degree deadrise, 88 gallons and up to 450 hp.

Go ifA smoother ride in Gulf chop
Skip ifYou want the lowest price
Why #7 over #8: Its 88 gallons give more range than the X3’s 80.
8

Shallow Sport X3

Shallow Sport X3
Answrs VerdictThe shallowest runner.
Length: 25, 29 or 32 ftDraft: 5 in on plane, 9.5 in at restMax horsepower: 350 hp recommendedFuel: 80 gal

The Shallow Sport X3 comes in 25, 29 and 32 ft and drafts 5 inches on plane and 9.5 inches at rest, with 350 hp recommended.

Go ifRunning the skinniest water in Texas bays
Skip ifYou want a classic V-hull
Why #8 over #9: Its 80 gallons double the Majek’s 40.
9

Majek 25 Illusion

Majek 25 Illusion
Answrs VerdictThe Texas flats boat.
Length: 25 ft 6 inDraft: 8.5 inMax horsepower: 300 hpFuel: 40 galMax capacity: 1,500 lbs

The Majek 25 Illusion is 25 ft 6 in with an 8.5-inch draft and up to 300 hp.

Go ifFlat-bottom draft with V-hull handling
Skip ifYou need big fuel range
Why #9 over #10: Its 8.5-inch draft beats the 2300 Tournament’s 12 inches.
10

Pathfinder 2300 Tournament

Pathfinder 2300 Tournament
Answrs VerdictThe budget pick.
Length: 23 ft 6 inDraft: 12 inMax horsepower: 300 hpPrice: Starting from $89,111 with a Yamaha VF250LBFuel: 61 gal

The Pathfinder 2300 Tournament is 23 ft 6 in with a 12-inch draft and up to 300 hp, starting from $89,111 with a Yamaha VF250LB.

Go ifThe lowest-priced boat on the list
Skip ifYou fish big open water

How we ranked these

We ranked each boat on what matters in Gulf bays (shallow draft, ride and range), then on each builder’s published starting price. Facts are taken from each maker's own published information; check the official site before you buy.

Questions people ask

What is the best boat for the Gulf Coast?

The Pathfinder 2500 Tournament: 24 ft 9 in, a 13-inch draft and up to 400 hp, starting from $116,754.

Which Gulf boat has the shallowest draft?

The Shallow Sport X3, at 5 inches on plane and 9.5 inches at rest; the Shoalwater 23 Cat drafts 8 inches.

What is the cheapest bay boat on this list?

The Pathfinder 2300 Tournament, starting from $89,111 with a Yamaha VF250LB.

How much does a NauticStar 274 Bay cost?

Its standard MSRP is $160,833.

Max horsepower (as published) at a glance

Shoalwater 23 Cat300 hp
Majek 25 Illusion300 hp
Pathfinder 2300 Tournament300 hp
Sportsman Masters 247350 hp
Sea Hunt BX25FS350 hp
Shallow Sport X3350 hp
Pathfinder 2500 Tournament400 hp
Blazer 2550 GTS400 hp
NauticStar 274 Bay450 hp
Pathfinder 2600 Hybrid450 hp
Max horsepower (as published), as published by each maker. Picks without a published figure are left off.

Official sites

Prices, specs and availability change; confirm on the official site before you buy.