Looking for something bigger, beefier and more powerful than the current crop of Nordic-style weekenders? Wellcraft’s new flagship is keen to say hello…
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Untilrecently, each of Wellcraft’s six models was a clear re-voicing of the brand’s time-honoured approach to saltwater fishing. Centre consoles? Check. Deep side decks? Check. Flared bows and high-performance outboards? All was exactly as the keen fisherman would expect. But in spite of its fame as a builder of fast offshore fishers, Wellcraft is no stranger to broader, less specialised forms of boat design. On the contrary, in the past, it has produced a range of Sportsman bow riders, as well as a line of cabin-equipped Coastal sports fishers that did a very decent job for family cruisers. And now, in the form of the mighty new 355, Wellcraft has gone a step further by committing to a flagship that puts multipurpose utility at the very heart of the design.
WHERE DOES IT FIT IN?
First thing’s first. With that plumb bow, inverted pilothouse screen and long, linear wraparound hull window, this is a seriously good looking boat. It carries a heavyweight masculine presence that is easily a match for a boat like the Axopar 37 Cross Cabin or Saxdor 400 GTC. But it seems incongruous to describe the Wellcraft as direct competition for that modern breed of Nordic-style pilothouse weekender because when you get on board, it simply doesn’t feel like a boat of quite the same order.
For instance, while it shares a broadly similar length and beam to the Axopar, the 355 brings with it far greater elevation, as well as 1.5 tonnes of extra weight and an extra 350hp of transom capacity. It also comes with a non-stepped hull that carries the beam much further forward, plus a big pilothouse that ramps up the volume courtesy of an offset deck layout. While the Axopar feels finely tapered and waspish, the 355 feels robust and beamy – and not just in the bow, where it provides a trio of sun loungers and convertible seating for up to eight but also in the cockpit and at the helm, where it feels distinctly mature and workmanlike. Imagine a bulked-out Axopar with a spoonful of Botnia Targa’s offshore intent and a sprinkling of Beneteau’s multi-purpose know-how and you’d get pretty close to how the 355 feels.
FROM COCKPIT TO SALOON
Step into the cockpit and, in spite of the fact that the 355 seems like a major tangent for Wellcraft, the fishing credentials are clear. There are twin side gates, a fold-up aft bench and an optional cockpit helm – and if you want to really maximise the fishing potential, the bench can be replaced with a dedicated fishing station. The fact that the transom is lined with Yamaha F300s means that the under-deck space is also pretty generous.
On the test boat, part of that central space is occupied by a gyro stabiliser and a g
