The Return of Cabo Yachts

Cabo Yachts is coming back.

The brand, founded in 1991 in California, was long considered a major player in the 36- to 52-foot offshore fishboat market. At Cabo’s height of operations, in 1995, it employed about 550 workers, and the brand remained strong for years, selling to Brunswick Corp. in 2006.

Then, of course, the global recession hit, taking down numerous boatbuilders with it. By 2010, Cabo production had moved to New Bern, North Carolina, where Brunswick-owned Hatteras Yachts is located. In 2013, production of the Cabo line ceased.

“Now, we feel the market conditions are right to bring back the proven Cabo line of hard-core fishing boats,” Hatteras/Cabo Yachts President and CEO Kelly Grindle stated in a press release. “Even though Cabo boats have not been produced for a few years, consumer research shows a continued strong affinity for the brand. Cabo ranks as one of the top brands for quality and reliability. We intend to build on this well-deserved reputation as we fill a growing demand in the marketplace for inboard offshore, express-style fishing boats — a niche that Cabo once owned. Cabo will provide a step up from a center console to a boat that offers greater comfort and amenities while owners pursue their passion for angling offshore.”

The first new Cabo model, scheduled to premiere at the 2019 Miami International Boat Show, will be the Cabo 41. It will have a length overall of 42 feet 10 inches, with standard twin 626-horsepower Volvo Penta D11s along with optional 670- and 725-horsepower engines or Cummins QSM11s.

Other options will include the Seakeeper 6 stabilization system, and custom towers and outriggers built by Hatteras partner Carolina Custom Towers.

Design features on the Cabo 41 will include mezzanine seating above the cockpit, an open helm deck, a queen-berth stateroom and a dining settee that converts to a second berth.

“The Cabo 41 is aimed at the sportfishing enthusiast who wants a better-performing, higher-quality, more comfortable offshore fishing platform,” Grindle stated in the press release. “This model is only the beginning. The new Cabo line we have in development will be made up of easy-to-own, durable fishing machines that give anglers the confidence to fish longer, and the satisfaction of catching more fish while staying dry and comfortable, even in rough conditions.”

More specs on the new Cabo 41: displacement is 31,000 pounds, with a 550-gallon fuel capacity and 95 gallons of water.