Sea Hunt Sea Hunt Gamefish 27
A genuinely capable, fishing-first offshore center console that delivers most of a 30-footer's livewell and storage punch for tens of thousands less — as long as you accept value-grade fit-and-finish and a thin warranty.
Best for: Budget-conscious offshore and nearshore anglers who want serious bait/fishbox capacity and big-water ability without paying Yellowfin or Contender money.
The good
- Exceptional fishing layout: 40-gal leaning-post livewell plus a 30-gal transom well, with huge insulated fishboxes (260-qt transom, 200-qt deck, two 172-qt)
- Real offshore ability for the size — owners report it handling big water well, with a sharp 60-degree entry softening the ride despite the wide 9'6" beam
- Strong value/economy — one long-term owner called it 'the most economical offshore boat,' reporting ~2 mpg fully loaded at 30 knots
- 180-gallon fuel capacity gives genuine offshore range for a 27-footer
- 14 rod-holders standard plus a full helm enclosure with integrated mister system
The bad
- Thin one-year warranty that explicitly excludes gel coat finish, osmosis, blisters, cracks, and crazing — a recurring criticism in both pro reviews and owner threads
- Fit-and-finish gripes: owners report loose screws and helm switches that aren't backlit/labeled
- Component-quality complaints — owners cite factory JBL speakers failing (some within ~8 months), a defective Lenco trim-tab switch, and a Rule auto bilge pump that drained batteries
- Removable forward-seat backrests are awkward/clunky to stow, per reviewers
- Reported upholstery/mold issues from earlier-era vinyl (owners noted the upholstery vendor did replace it without hassle)
The Gamefish 27 is one of the best fishing-value propositions in the 27-foot offshore center console class — it gives you near-30-foot livewell and fishbox capacity, real big-water capability, and respectable fuel economy for well below the price of premium brands. The trade-off is honest and consistent across sources: this is a value boat, so the gel coat, hardware, and bolt-on electronics aren't bulletproof, and the one-year warranty's exclusion of gel coat and osmosis is the single most-cited complaint. Buyers who fish hard and value capability-per-dollar love these boats; buyers expecting flawless fit-and-finish or a long warranty should look up-market. For the money, the gripes are mostly cosmetic and component-level, not structural.