I was loving the ride on the Everglades 350EX and admiring the boat's premium angling features when it occurred to me this offshore fishing machine would make a fine cruiser. I get that feeling a lot these days. Perhaps you do too. After all, many builders of boats built to do battle in blue water are designing new models to be as comfortable for the family as they are a threat to game fish. Serious fish boats are no longer the singleminded rigs they once were. They're more like this model, although the 350EX seems to be one of the most impressively engineered walkarounds in its class.

Even addicted anglers will have a hard time staying in the cockpit all day with such a great social space steps away. The area under the hardtop looks and feels more like a true deckhouse, the type you might find on a Palm Beach day boat, for instance. The tempered glass on either side is full height for a great view (and excellent sightlines) and a canvas curtain is aft. Air conditioning is standard, as are three electric vents above the tall windshield and the smart, two-tone Ultraleather upholstery on the lounge. It's a comfortable place to pass time with friends, even on days when you don't drag lines.

From the deckhouse, it's a few steps down to the cabin, with its long and wide convertible V-berth, private head and galley with a drawerstyle refrigerator that appears to be direct from a home kitchen showroom. Headroom is good too. It's one benefit of the builder's patented "Ramcap" construction technique, which allows stringers to be set lower in the hull. Labor intensive, the patented process involves vacuumbagging solid foam between the hull, deck and liner, rather than blowing it into a mold. The result is a stiffer structure, a boat that doesn't creak or shudder, and one that feels bulletproof but looks elegantly finished.

As for fishing features, the 350EX has many standards, including stowage for more than 20 rods, cooler, bait freezer, rigging center, livewell and fish box on the transom. One of the few options is a tower, a good addition for the practical benefits and because it could enhance what are interesting and original lines.

Everglades Boats; www.evergladesboats.com