44 Cabo Hardtop Express

Source: Power & Motoryacht Magazine

The design of the New Cabo 44 hardtop is a new design and is unlike any boat that the company has built before. The builder says that the integrated hardtop signifies the “next step” in express design evolution for Cabo. Utilizing its three-sided enclosure to offer better protection for the elements, improved visibility, and greater comfort on the bridge deck, Cabo has adopted for its new express fishboat what has been going on in express cruisers for a number of years. The new 44 replaces the old 45, yet the new boat is same size below thanks to a clever utilization of space and a different layout. The new 44 will have two sleeping cabins in addition to a dinette and galley below.

The Back Story

Cabos are fish boats, obviously, taking their name from the tip of Baja California where sportfishing can be a full-time occupation. Cabo was founded in Adelanto, California (near L.A.) in 1991 and in the latter half of that decade took the North American sportfishing scene by storm, quickly elbowing other famous and old brand-names aside as the new kid on the block showed everyone a thing or two.

The two men that started the company had come from the highly competitive sailboat industry, where every detail is worried to death by sailors. As a result, the company’s founders were masters of building strong boats with an eye to the details customers cared about. And since sailors are notoriously close with a dollar, Cabo was also used to competitively pricing its products.

Cabo became the only major production convertible builder on the west coast and fulfilled a need that had long been there. After all, people fish on the west coast, too. Most importantly, Cabo proved that it could build a strong, functional offshore fishing convertible for a lot less money than the big-name East Coast builders, yet still have a boat with all of the important things done right, and with presentable interior finish work. After its founding in 1991 new models came out nearly every year until it was building a full line of quality convertibles and express fishboats from 32’ to 52’ – the heart of the offshore sportfishing boat market.

In February of 2006 the Brunswick Corporation bought Cabo and put it under the wing of Hatteras Yachts, the granddaddy of all modern production convertibles. By combining the traditional east coast boat-building experience of Hatteras with the Californians’ approach to yacht building and lower price-point, the marriage was one of the best we have seen in the industry during the last 25 years. Making it an even better fit was the fact that Cabo started at 32’ and stopped at 52’, and the smallest Hatteras’ convertible built is a 54-footer.

Cabo could profitably build boats down in the 32’ range – something that most east coast premier production convertible builders were unwilling, or unable, to do. In this way Brunswick could bring fishermen in their Cabo line and dealerships early in their careers, and let them trade right up through the brand until they were ready for one of Hatteras’ battlewagons.

Cabo now builds seven express models and six convertibles.

The New Cabo 44

Cabo likes to point out that the design of each of its boats starts in the cockpit and moves forward from there. Cabos are built for serious anglers, first and foremost. It is one of the few companies that is not actively working both sides of the street, also touting its boat as an ideal cruiser. Fish boxes, a tackle center, and bait well in the transom are all standard — and new mezzanine seating provides a comfortable perch when watching the spread. The combined area of the cockpit and mezzanine bests both the old Cabo 45, and – according to the builder — the competition as well. And like many of the latest Cabos to be introduced in the past few years, the 44 is a Michael Peters-designed hull.

How does all of this compare with the competition? Well, strangely enough, there is precious little competition. In fact we find only one major builder with an express fishboat in her class. As a result, one assumes it was relatively easy for Cabo’s designers to create a boat that was slightly larger in beam, with less displacement, and therefore significantly less draft. With equal power, the new Cabo 44 should go faster because is she lighter and draws less than the competition, given that they both have the same 15% deadrise at the transom.

Below Decks

Below deck the new Cabo 44 is a significant departure for Cabo and it creates an interior offering a comfortable living space for anglers. The two things that are different in the 44 are the galley which has been moved to the aft bulkhead, and the addition of a narrow cabin on the starboard side that is partially tucked in under the bridge deck.

This design means that you can easily sleep four anglers, two in the bunk beds in the small starboard cabin, and two in the forward cabin. This is an important design attribute because it obviates the need to break down the dinette, which no one wants to do. If you don’t want a four-sleeper, then the small mid cabin can be used for storage of fishing gear and other equipment.

Summary

Most important of all are two things the folks at Cabo have told us about the new 44. First, they say that its new boat will have “more luxurious appointments.” That is important for Cabo because historically the interiors of its boats have all been pretty much the same in terms of selection of woods and joinerwork. While not Spartan, Cabo interiors would never be described as plush. Nor were amenities and extra features lavished on its boats.

But that aspect of the Cabo heritage and market-positioning plays into the second thing we’re told about the new 44 express, and that is that it will have “aggressive pricing.” Bingo. In this day and age that is the name of the game: a well-built, utilitarian fishboat with all of the fishy stuff and some nice features below, at a price that is not a poke in the eye. Our guess is that Cabo is taking dead aim at the Achilles heel of its competition.

Hardtop or Open?

Anglers seriously considering this boat will have to decide if they should go with the open version or the hardtop? Our advice is to go with the hardtop. Hardtops are a trend and we’ll be seeing more of them in the future, not fewer. As the baby boomers become older, they seem to be less enamored with flying bridges and more inclined to see the merits of a hardtop. (And just ask their spouses’ what they prefer!)

Want a place to spot fish? Then, put up a tower. FYI – without a tower the Cabo 44 has a bridge clearance of 11’ 2” (3.43 m) which is pretty close to what European boats have that are designed for canal cruising. All of this means your boat will be worth more on the used boat market – and will sell faster – because this boat has more utility with a hardtop, and besides, she looks beautiful. What more could one ask?

Boat Specification: 44 Cabo Hardtop Express

Length Overall                        47′ 7”
Dry Weight                 46,000 lbs.
Beam                           16′ 6”
Fuel Cap                      800 lbs.
Draft                           3′ 7”
Water Cap                   100 gal.454 L

Deadrise/Transom       N/A

Bridge Clearance        N/A

Max Headroom           N/A