It didn't take builders long to discover that they could just as well drop in fishing chairs, livewells and rod boxes to appeal to anglers — and still have room to keep the family comfortable.

It didn't take builders long to discover that they could just as well drop in fishing chairs, livewells and rod boxes to appeal to anglers — and still have room to keep the family comfortable.



A pontoon boat is the ultimate example of the artist's canvas. You start with a simple flat rectangular deck and then it's up to the builder's fancy to put whatever it wants on top, depending on what kind of experience the builder wants to deliver.

A typical good-time pontoon will have a bunch of couches, a starboard helm and maybe even a sunpad in the rear, depending on how long it is. But it didn't take builders long to discover that they could just as well drop in fishing chairs, livewells and rod boxes to appeal to anglers — and still have room to keep the family comfortable. At least that seems to be the idea behind the 23-foot Voyager Super Center Console Fish (VS 23CC Fish for short).

In this case, the builder decided to enclose the entire deck in the playpen to take as much advantage as possible of available space. Many pontoons lose a foot or two in the rear because of a motor cutout, but the VS 23CC Fish has a motor pod that extends aft past the deck.

Another break from the typical is the center-console arrangement, which is somewhat rare in the pontoon world. On this craft the center console puts the driver farther forward than he or she would be on a craft with a starboard helm, and being in the center makes it easier to judge distances while maneuvering at the dock and easier to line up while pulling onto a trailer. Center-console craft are also a lot of fun to drive — and they allow for a symmetrical layout, which makes it easier to balance the load.

Fishing is obviously the order of the day, and the VS 23CC Fish comes to the water armed to the teeth. In the bow you'll find a pair of fold-down fishing chairs in each corner and an aerated livewell just forward of the center console — and the livewell lid is padded to add another seat to the equation. On each side of the helm you'll find a rod locker built into the sidewall — and each is made to stow your valuable rods and reels while keeping them from banging into each other. There's also a trolling motor receptacle.

All the way aft is another pair of fishing chairs, which face corner pods with built-in tackle stations, flush-mount rod holders and cupholders. In between the two aft seats is another aerated livewell, which also has a padded lid. Just forward of the rear port fishing station is a large fish cleaning area/refreshment center. It's a fiberglass unit with a freshwater sink (2-gallon tank), a pressurized faucet and an integrated fishbox/cooler with an overboard drain. Just add the optional Lowrance fish finder, and you won't have any problem putting dinner on the table.

While fishing is at the core of what this boat is designed for, Voyager still had room to include some other amenities. Just aft of the helm to each side is a pair of large sleeper lounges. Each has a rotocast base with storage below, and each folds out to make a good-sized sunpad or a place to put down a sleeping bag for the night. The family will also appreciate the standard pop-up changing room located aft of the starboard lounge, which can be outfitted with an optional Porta Potti.

Performance

Because this pontoon is focused more on fishing than on cruising, our test boat only had two tubes instead of three. Instead of round tubes, Voyager uses U-shaped pontoons filled with closed-cell foam, which offer some advantages. U-shaped tubes allow the deck to be fastened directly to the tube, creating a more positive contact between the two, and U-shaped pontoons are more buoyant than similar-sized round tubes. The foam in the tubes will provide flotation in the event of a puncture, and the foam is self-extinguishing, so a damaged tube can be repaired with a weld.

We had two people aboard for our test and a half tank of fuel (about 15 gallons or 94 pounds). For power we had a 135 hp Mercury OptiMax 135 spinning a 17-inch three-blade stainless steel Vengeance prop. With two tubes the maximum hp rating is 135, so we were testing this boat at full power. A triple-tube version will accommodate up to 200 hp.

Acceleration was snappy with a 0- to 20-mph time of 4.1 seconds. Top speed was also impressive at 35.2 mph at 5,200 rpm. The OptiMax 135 has a WOT range of 5,000 to 5,600 rpm, so you can go up or down in propeller pitch to tweak acceleration or top speed to your liking. Top-speed range will be about 74 miles, and our sound meter read 92 dBa at top speed.

Our most efficient cruising speed was 15.7 mph at 3,000 rpm, which will yield about 132 miles in cruising range. The sound level at cruising speed was nice and low at 79 dBa.

Our craft was equipped with Teleflex anti-feedback SeaStar hydraulic steering, which is recommended for 115 hp or more on this craft. Needless to say steering was smooth, tight and responsive. The throttle was also smooth and responsive even to the smallest input, thanks in part to the platinum gear/throttle cable.

Overall

Voyager did a good job equipping the Super Center Console Fish for recreational angling. There's no question that this craft was designed for fishing in comfort. Our test boat, including installed options, lists for $26,950. The only thing left to pay for is a trailer and fees, so this is fairly affordable for a lot of boat and fishing functionality.

Those of you who don't need all those fishing features might want to take a look at the VS 23CC Cruise or the VS 23CC Fish & Cruise. The Fish & Cruise keeps the fishing features forward and replaces the aft fishing features with wrap-around seating. The Cruise model goes one step further and removes the fishing features forward to make room for a pair of large bow lounges. Whatever your fancy, Voyager has you covered.

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Manufacturer Contact Information

Voyager Marine/Lake Raider
(573) 346-1904
www.voyagerboats.net