For the past two years, the Boat Specialists dealership has been selling Sea Fox Boats to the Southern California boating community. This popular boat line, tested and perfected on the choppy waters of the East Coast, was built to endure whatever the ocean throws at them. In September of this year, our crew took three of their top-selling boats out to the Channel Islands to get video footage of them performing on the open ocean. Sea Fox boats are designed to handle seamlessly in a variety of conditions, and these spectacular boats did not disappoint!
Our crew launched out of Ventura Harbor at 8 am. The weather forecast was for sun and flat seas, and while we cruised through the harbor, the weather remained pleasant. However, as soon as we got beyond the break wall, the ocean had a mind of its own, and we encountered some severe chop right away. While the sudden change in weather was unexpected, we were excited to see how the boats would ride and perform in actual conditions. Let's just say we were pretty impressed.
If you are unfamiliar with the Channel Islands and the Santa Barbara Channel, things can get a bit hairy real quick with the wind and swells that funnel through there. We had three boats out on the shoot; leading the way was the powerful 328 Commander, followed by the 288 Commander. Both boats are outfitted with twin Yamaha Outboards and are fully capable of these conditions. The versatile 228 Commander bringing up the rear became a bit more of a wild ride! Conditions were rough, but even on the 228 we stayed relatively dry. The boats powered their way across the channel in 20 knot winds, and about 45 minutes later, we made it safely out to Anacapa Island and its iconic Arch.
Anacapa Arch is perhaps the most photographed part of the islands. Getting a picture of the boats in front of it is the money shot; luckily, our camera crew was prepared for a challenge. The inner side of the island was pretty rough, so we swung around to the west side, where things flattened out, and we could get some photos and enjoy the environment for a bit. If you have not been out to Anacapa island, you must; what a gorgeous place! After a few minutes of enjoying calm waters, we decided to jet back across the Channel to Channel Islands Harbor in Oxnard. The direction towards the Channel Islands seemed to offer a smoother ride back to the mainland. With this, we were able to really push the boats and see how they handled at higher speeds. (Don't tell anyone, but just maybe we got the 328 Commander entirely out of the water, props out!). We managed to get a few more photos and video footage around the break wall at Channel Islands Harbor and enjoyed a relaxed lunch on the boat before heading to our last location.
On the way back towards Ventura Harbor, the water started to settle down, so we buzzed over to the Ventura Pier where we captured a few more shots and cast out some lines to catch some dinner.
These Sea Fox Boats really go. The deep vee design cuts through the west coast chop with ease while keeping the passengers dry. Additionally, the seating in the Sea Fox Boats makes it so you can comfortably spend a whole day on the water. We were very impressed with the lineup and were able to get more familiar with real water action. After pushing the 328 to speeds (that we will not say) it was time to head back home. Even on rough seas, it was a great day on the water and the perfect opportunity to get familiar with the boats and how they handle out here on the west coast.
Check out the short video and let us know what you think!
The full lineup of Sea Fox Boats can be viewed online at Sea Fox Boats or at our Boat Specialists showroom In Ventura.
Special thanks to, Caleb Grabendike, for the video and drone footage.