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Best Center Consoles for Mobile Bay + Pensacola Bay

Oct. 29 2023 Buying Guide By L&M Marine LLC

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Are you interested in taking a boat out into Pensacola Bay and Mobile Bay? Are you wondering which center console boat would be the best fit for the area? L&M Marine and Day Break Marina hear this question on a regular basis and we’re here to tell you what features are important and what to avoid when searching for center consoles best suited for Pensacola Bay and Mobile Bay. Here are our top picks for the best center consoles for Pensacola Bay and Mobile Bay and what makes them the perfect fit.

Similarities + Differences Between Pensacola Bay and Mobile Bay

Mobile Bay is 413 square miles while Pensacola Bay is deeper and more narrow, with more tidal movement, 144 square miles. Both areas, Pensacola and Mobile Bay, are very accessible and have Passes and are fed by rivers, making brackish and flats easily accessible, and are all connected by the Intracoastal Waterway.


The difference between the two areas is Pensacola Bay is extremely deep relative to other bays including Mobile Bay. Mobile Bay is only 15-20 feet deep, much shallower (and muddier) in comparison to Pensacola Bay, which is made up of local tributaries and can reach up to 60 feet deep in some areas. Mobile Bay has much more volume of water heading down from the much larger Delta and series of rivers that run throughout the state and southeast.


There are a lot more differences than similarities between Pensacola and Mobile Bay, including the fisheries. Both offer very good inshore fishing for trout, redfish, flounder, and tripletail. The depth of Pensacola Bay has a big impact on the type of fish you can catch, as you’re able to catch red snapper and grouper in Pensacola Bay but not in Mobile Bay due to how shallow it is.

Why Center Console Boats Are a Good Fit for the Area

Center console boats are generally used for fishing and are a good fit for Pensacola Bay and Mobile Bay because they’re very versatile. A versatile boat that can navigate in shallow water as well as handle adverse sea conditions is necessary as both Bays can get really rough.


Pensacola Bay and Mobile Bay can both get very rough and a boat with a significant amount of deadrise (the angle of attack in the front) is necessary to be able to handle the chop. The area has so much tidal movement combined with the wind blowing against the tide it creates a super nasty chop. If you’re in a skiff you’re going to get pounded while a modified V or deep V would be better suited. A skiff is a flat bottom boat while a modified V hull is a hybrid between a skiff and a deep V center console’s design features an angled deadrise that allows the boat to cut through the water).


The number one most important thing to consider when buying a boat is your intent - cruising, beaching on the sand bar, fishing, where you’re fishing, etc. If you want a boat that is able to handle both calm, shallow water and rough, deep water, a boat with adequate fuel capacity is necessary as well as a significant amount of deadrise. 


For example, a customer recently was talking about taking his 32’ boat out and was complaining because of the fuel capacity, which was only 200 gallons. In our experience, a 32’ boat with 200 gallons of fuel wouldn’t be enough fuel to be able to get to our fishing spot 75 miles out and to make it back but a 31’ boat that can hold 300 gallons would make for a better fit for that trip.


Important Center Console Features for Pensacola Bay and Mobile Bay

Here are some features that are important for center consoles best suited for Pensacola and Mobile Bay:

  • Fuel capacity

  • Spacious live wells

  • Plenty of tackle storage

  • Shallow draft (for bay boats)

  • Plenty of rod holders

  • Significant amount of deadrise 

  • Enough bow flare to keep you dry


After 40 years of fishing in the area on countless different kinds of boats, here are our picks for the best center console bay boats and the best center console deep V boats.

The Difference Between Center Console Bay Boats and Deep V Center Consoles 

Lots of bay boats come with a stepped hull and can go significantly faster and burn less fuel than deep V center console boats because there’s less drag and less friction because of the design. The design allows the water to hit the boat at different steps/breaks, reducing the amount of contact with the water, therefore providing a more economical ride at higher speeds. It allows you to go faster due to physics, with the same RPM because there’s less contact with the water while burning less fuel. 


There’s a big difference between a 24’ Pathfinder and a 24’ Cobia - the Cobia isn’t a bay boat and it can’t go as shallow as the Pathfinder. The main difference between a center console bay boat and a true Gulf boat (deep V center console) is the height of the gunnel. Bay boats have a shallower draft and lower gunnels while deep V center console have a deeper draft and higher gunnels.

Best Center Console Bay Boats for Pensacola Bay + Mobile Bay 

The Pathfinder 2400 and the Blazer Bay 2440 are the perfect center console bay bosts for the area because they’re both so versatile as you’re able to access both shallow and deeper water below is a comparison of their specs:

Pathfinder 2400:

  • LOA: 24 ft 4 in

  • Draft: 14 in

  • Fuel Capacity: 88 gal

  • Deadrise:15 deg

  • Max HP: 350 hp

Blazer Bay 2440:

  • LOA: 23 ft 9 in

  • Draft: 13 in

  • Fuel Capacity: 76 gal

  • Deadrise: 17 deg

  • Max HP: 350 hp


Here are some reasons why the Pathfinder 2400 Open and the Blazer Bay 2440 are both a great fit for the Pensacola and Mobile Bay area:

  • They ride great

  • They’re fast

  • They’re versatile: You can easily take it snapper fishing 20 miles out and be comfortable and the very next day you can fish the flats and beach it on the sand bar


Both are modified V hull bay boats and the difference between the Pathfinder 2400 Open and Blazer 2440 is the Pathfinder features a stepped hull while the Blazer does not. The Blazer, due to its non-stepped hull design, will stay on plane at a lower speed and will be more comfortable overall, regardless of speed. Speed is necessary to really utilize the design of the stepped hull as the stepped hull is a better ride when it’s calm while the non-stepped hell is a better ride when it’s rough. 


Another difference is the Pathfinder 2400 Open does not have forward seating while the Blazer 2440 does. Plenty of people enjoy forward seating, but to some fishermen it’s seen as a waste of space. The 2400 Pathfinder is available in 2 models, the 2400 Open and the 2400 TRS, both models have the same running surface. We carry both models of the Pathfinder 2400 as well as the Blazer 2440, at our L&M Marine location in Baldwin County, Alabama.

Best Deep V Center Consoles for Pensacola Bay and Mobile Bay

If you’re strictly interested in offshore fishing or riding in choppier water and not concerned about draft or fishing shallow areas a deep V center console boat is the way to go. Deep V center console boats can also be a stepped hull design, the ones listed below do not. Here are our picks for the best deep V center console boats for Pensacola Bay and Mobile Bay.

Cobia 240 CC:

  • LOA: 23 ft 7 in

  • Draft: 18 in

  • Fuel Capacity: 18 gal

  • Deadrise: 21 deg

  • Max HP: 300 hp

Parker 2400CC

  • LOA: 27’8” ft

  • Draft: 11 in

  • Fuel Capacity: 97 gal

  • Deadrise: 17 deg

  • Max HP: 300 hp

EdgeWater 230CC:

  • LOA: 24’6” ft

  • Draft: 15 in

  • Fuel Capacity: 110 gal

  • Deadrise: 20 deg

  • Max HP: 300 hp


Here are some reasons why the Cobia 240 CC, Parker 2400CC, and EdgeWater 230 CC are the best deep V center consoles for Pensacola and Mobile Bay:

  • Allow for a softer, more comfortable ride due to the angle of dead rise

  • Durable enough to hand both Pensacola and Mobile Bay

  • Consistent + quality builds 


Due to the angle of the dead rise with their deep V design, this allows for a more comfortable ride. Cobia, Parker, and EdgeWater all have a reputation for their durability and consistency and both brands are available at our Day Break Marina location in Pensacola, Florida. Small things like their quality hull fittings (as opposed to plastic hull fittings like some other manufacturers) can make a big difference and can also prevent your boat from sinking.  Another impressive detail is the Cobia 240 CC’s live wells are painted blue which has been historically proven to keep fish calmer and increase longevity and the Edgewater 230CC comes with a shower with a 12-gallon reservoir.


The Cobia 240 CC features two insulated 33-gallon fish boxes and one 28-gallon livewell while the Parker 2400 CC has one insulated 30-gallon livewell and the Edgewater 230CC has a 12-gallon livewell and an optional 28 gallon livewell. 

The Right Size Boat for Mobile Bay and Pensacola Bay

Every 2-3 feet you go up in size or down in size makes a huge difference in how the boat rides. As far as boats for Pensacola Bay and Mobile Bay, you can go too small and as your boat size increases your expenses go up (fuel, motor, etc.) and since we do have access to very good offshore fishing in the area without having to travel too far, you don’t need a 30+ foot center console to catch red snappers.


One of our customers is on their fifth Pathfinder 2600 and refuses to buy any other kind of boat. It all depends on your application, you could take a 39’ Contender and 24’ Pathfinder out, and both have their pros as well as their limitations. 


Most new makes and models generally have a max-rated horsepower. The motor shouldn’t affect your decision between boats as you can easily swap the motor out for a different one and boats of the same size usually have the same horsepower. For example, the Pathfinder 2400 and a Blazer 2440 both have a maximum horsepower of 350, and the Cobia 240 CC and the Parker 2400CC both have a maximum horsepower of 300.


Summary

The angle of the deadrise of deep V center consoles allows them to cut through water easier providing a smooth ride. The con of this is that the more deadrise you have the smoother the ride will be while in motion but the boat won’t be as stable while on the drift and the deeper the V, the deeper the draft of the boat therefore limiting where you can go. 


There’s a happy medium with the modified V bay boats, as it allows them to handle the rough conditions of Mobile Bay and Pensacola Bay while still being able to access the shallower waters found nearshore. The con with these is the choppier the water, the rougher the ride. 


Which center console you pick, whether it’s a modified V center console bay boat or a deep V center console boat, will always ultimately depend on your intended use. Deep V center console boats are better suited for deeper, rougher water while modified V bay boats are equipped to handle shallow and deeper water of Mobile and Pensacola Bay.


Check out our current inventory of both modified V hull center console bay boats and deep V center console boats and if you have any questions, feel free to call us or visit us at either location.


  • Day Break Marina - (850) 434-9022 - 811 S R Street, Pensacola, FL 32502

  • L&M Marine - (251) 937-1380 - 34600 AL-59, Stapleton, AL 36578


Our team would be happy to answer any questions and to set up a Sea Trial so you can experience which center console is the best fit for you.