It's 6:30 a.m. on a Saturday in Islamorada. You're idling out of the marina with three friends, a cooler full of bait, and enough fuel to run 150 miles offshore if the bite calls for it. By 7:15, you're anchored on a wreck in 80 feet of water. Rods are rigged. The livewell is humming. Someone fires up the grill for breakfast sandwiches while you wait for the current to shift. By noon, you've boated six mahi and two kingfish. You pull the anchor, run 12 miles to a sandbar, drop the tables, crack cold drinks, and spend the afternoon in three feet of crystal water. You're back at the dock by 5 p.m. with enough energy left to hose down, fillet the catch, and meet everyone for dinner at 7.
That's the S328 in a single day. Not a fishing boat that can cruise. Not a cruiser that can fish. A true dual-purpose platform that refuses to compromise on either mission.
Who It's For
The S328 is built for the owner-operator who wants one boat to do everything well. You fish hard but you also entertain. You run offshore but you also anchor in the shallows. You want yacht-grade fit and finish but you're not hiring a captain. You're 45 to 60, you've owned boats before, and you're done with the "good enough" compromises that come with mass-market center consoles.
This is not an entry-level boat. At roughly $450,000 to $550,000 depending on power and options, the S328 sits in premium territory. You're competing with brands like Grady-White, Everglades, and Yellowfin. What separates Pursuit is the attention to detail in the cabin, the quality of the upholstery, and the thoughtfulness of the layout. This is a boat designed by people who actually use boats.
If you're purely a tournament angler, you'll find more raw fishing space elsewhere. If you're purely a cruiser, you'll find more seating and shade. But if you want both, and you want them executed at a level that doesn't feel like a compromise, the S328 is one of the best answers in the 32- to 34-foot range.
Design and Layout: Every Inch Matters
Pursuit redesigned the S328 from the keel up for the 2025 model year — the yard's own page calls it the revolutionized S 328 Sport. The outgoing boat had run a long time with very little changed, which is a tough act to follow. The design team didn't just refresh the graphics and call it new. They touched every surface, reworked the hull, eliminated the motor well, and reimagined the cabin.
The result is a boat that feels bigger than 34 feet. The 10-foot 10-inch beam helps, but it's the layout that makes the difference. The bow seating features electrically actuated backrests that deploy from the gunwales. You press a button and suddenly you have forward-facing lounge seating with proper lumbar support. It's a small detail that changes how you use the space.
The cockpit is where the versatility shows. Two fold-out seats and two removable fiberglass tables convert the fishing cockpit into a social zone in under two minutes. The transom now houses a large insulated cooler instead of a motor well. The dive door on the port side folds completely open against the gunwale, making water access seamless. The livewell holds 24 gallons and recirculates. Two insulated fish boxes sit in the sole. Rod storage is everywhere: gunwales, console, hardtop, transom.
The cabin is a legitimate overnight space. A convertible V-berth, a Vacu-Flush marine head with a 10-gallon holding tank, a sink with a Corian countertop, and an opening portlight forward. It's not a stateroom, but it's functional. You can shower at the marina, sleep aboard, and wake up ready to fish at first light. That's the point.
Performance: Speed as a Tool, Not a Trophy
Pursuit's page describes the S328 as powered by twin Yamaha 300 or 350 engines, and every published figure on the boat is quoted on the F350s. On the yard's own test sheet that is 51.2 mph wide open at 5,925 rpm, with best cruise marked at 27.1 mph at 3,500 rpm — 20.4 gallons an hour, 1.33 miles per gallon and 348 miles of range. Push it to 4,000 rpm and you get 34.3 mph at 26.1 gallons an hour, which still leaves 344 miles in the tanks.
Speed matters, but not for bragging rights. Speed is freedom. It's the ability to run 40 miles to the fishing grounds, spend six hours on the water, and still make it back for dinner. It's the difference between being stuck in a weather window and having options. The S328 with F350s gives you that margin.
The hull is a modified-V with 20 degrees of deadrise at the transom. It's not a deep-V offshore hull, but it's not a flat bay boat either. It's designed for South Florida conditions: three- to five-foot seas, short chop, and the occasional six-footer when the wind clocks around. The ride is dry. The hardtop and windshield deflect spray. The Seakeeper 2 gyro stabilizer is optional and worth every dollar if you spend time at anchor or drifting.
Yamaha's Helm Master EX system is standard. Digital electric steering, joystick control, set point, and autopilot. You can hold position over a wreck in current without touching the wheel. You can dock single-handed in a crosswind. It's not a gimmick. It's a tool that makes you a better operator.
Ownership: What It Actually Costs
Let's be honest about the money. The S328 starts around $450,000 with base power and climbs past $550,000 with F350s, a generator, air conditioning, upgraded electronics, and the full fishing package. Add another $50,000 to $75,000 per year for slip fees, insurance, maintenance, and fuel if you run 100 hours annually.
This is an owner-operated boat. You don't need crew. You don't need a full-time captain. But you do need to be comfortable running systems, managing fuel, and handling your own maintenance schedule. Yamaha outboards are reliable, but they still need service every 100 hours. The generator needs attention. The electronics need updates. If you're not mechanically inclined, budget for a good relationship with a service shop you trust.
Resale on Pursuit boats is strong. The brand has a reputation for quality, and the S328 was a bestseller for nearly a decade. A well-maintained example should hold its value better than most center consoles in this range, though nobody should hold me to a percentage on a boat this new.
The real cost is opportunity cost. If you're only fishing, you're overpaying for the cabin and the social features. If you're only cruising, you're overpaying for the fishing amenities. But if you're doing both, the S328 eliminates the need for two boats. That's where the value equation makes sense.
Where to Start
The S328 is a serious boat for serious owners. It's not the cheapest option in the 32-foot class, but it's one of the most thoughtfully executed. If you're looking for a single platform that can fish offshore, entertain at the sandbar, and sleep two adults comfortably, this is the short list.
Start by running one. Spend a full day aboard. Fish in the morning. Anchor for lunch. Run it hard on the way back. Pay attention to the details: how the seats adjust, how the tables stow, how the cabin feels when you're changing clothes. Those are the things that matter after the first year.
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