I heard it said more than once at this year’s Palm Beach boat show that the docks were overwhelmingly choked with center consoles. And while it’s true that anglers and the go-fast crowd have plenty to appreciate in the layout and speed, center consoles are almost always—and perhaps inherently—lacking in most other departments.
One model that didn’t get lost in the slew of small boats oscillating in my mind, however, was Sōlace’s new 30CS. The third and smallest of the CS (Center Step) lineup, which also includes the 32CS and 37CS, it is about the most amenity-laden “small” center console outfit I can recall seeing shy of something in the 40-foot and seven-figure price range.
Those familiar with the Sōlace brand might be aware of a similar model, and series: The 30HCS, or “Hybrid Center Step.” The builder bills the CS line as being “tailored more towards offshore pursuits.” That, they say, is due to its more open, fisher-friendly layout and larger fuel capacity (270 gallons to the HCS’s 187).
From the easy boarding via the stern platform to a family-friendly bowrider-esque pointy end, a capacious head (with 6 feet, 5 inches of clearance) in the console and coaming pads all around (save for the dive door), this little number is as much a day boat as it is a fishing boat.
Not that there aren’t any tradeoffs where anglers might be a little miffed. There are, even in the best-case scenario, always tradeoffs. The first gripe an angler could have is the seating behind the helm. It’s convenient when trolling, but it occupies precious dance-floor space for a relatively small center console and requires the extra bit of attention that all cushions do when smattered in blood—and there are a lot of cushions. Opposite that, the forward-facing stern bench might seem redundant and further cumbersome with what little deck space a 30-footer offers, but it conveniently folds down and serves as a makeshift work bench or rigging station. Beneath it rests a pair of coolers, which can be removed for easy bilge access.
The last point I’ll make in all the seating and associated upholstery is that, apart from serious comfort, the stain-resistant silicone material is about as angler-friendly as it gets. The magnetic feet on the cushions also serve as risers to create space for water (and whatever else) to channel through and drain out. That thoughtfulness even extends to magnets running along the gunwales under the gelcoat—a blessing in situations from securing a filet knife or pair of pliers to saving an errant set of keys. Folks sporting, say, a stainless steel artificial joint just may want to tread cautiously around (and over) them.
Comfort at the helm abounds, too—something that I feel is all too often overlooked beyond an ergonomic chair or bench, a cupholder and a cellphone caddy. The builder dubs it the “command center,” which might be a bit amplified, but it’s well-appointed enough to warrant a hat tip with its large dash and windshield, flush-mount Garmin MFDs, a fine JL Audio system, joystick control and lighting galore. My favorite feature though, just might be underfoot: a generous, several-inch-thick pad that skippers won’t mind one bit, and which passengers will take full advantage of, too. What a difference some extra padding for your soles makes, and while I haven’t yet had a chance to run the boat, hours walking the boat-show docks spoke volumes to the sweet—if brief—relief this little luxury offered.
A pair of heavy-duty electric pistons open and close the outsize windshield, originally designed to aid in nighttime navigation. Reflection can be a killer when running in the dark, and with the amount of lighting on Sōlace’s boats, being able to eliminate it is a thoughtful touch. Of course, it also offers ventilation to the helm on extra balmy days.
More fishy features include 30- and 50-gallon in-deck fish boxes, 21- and 39-gallon livewells, optional outriggers, plenty of rodholders including a rocket launcher, and recessed scuppers with beefy stainless-steel grates keep the deck clean and clear. “My son made me do that,” Sōlace founder Stephen Dougherty tells me, pointing to a slyly placed pair of rigging brackets behind the aft-facing seating, behind which is tackle storage for eight boxes. And in front of that, under the helm seat? Sōlace’s trademark dedicated grill storage. Again, right when I find something to nit-pick from a sporty angler’s perspective, my criticism is largely assuaged.
Where general performance is concerned, this boat’s dual-stepped deep-V hull with a narrow bow, (10-foot) wide transom and a hard chine are designed to lend better offshore capabilities than its hybrid cousin (still powered by the same twin 350 or optional 400 Yamahas), while the large dive door and bow ladder make for easy reboarding by land and sea.
The bow is rigged to accommodate everything from a handful of sunset cruisers to a sightcaster—possibly two. The platform doesn’t leave a ton of room for error underfoot when casting in heavy seas, but with copious seating and a stow-away table, families and dinner parties will be delightfully surprised by its functionality with so much fishy business abaft.
Much as I feign exhaustion when presented with yet another new, does-it-all center console, certain considerations and layouts move the needle in their favor. It should come as no surprise that Dougherty—also the founder of EdgeWater and Everglades Boats, a man who practically grew up in the Boston Whaler factory where his father, Bob, was SVP and Chief Engineer—should be that needle mover. Throughout, creature comforts and fishability strike a steady yin and yang and the innate critic in me of such Swiss Army-knife center-console layouts is largely, uncustomarily, hushed.
Sōlace 30CS Specifications:
LOA: 30’9”
Beam: 10’1”
Draft: 2’
Displ.: 8,150 lb. Fuel: 270 gal.
Water: 20 gal.
Power: 2/350-hp, 2/400-hp Yamaha
Have a closer look in the gallery below:
