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Strike 37 Walkaround
By Marshall Brodie
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This boat 'strikes' a compromise that appeals to fishermen, families
Strike Yachts is one of those
builders that despite having
been around since 1977,
remains relatively unknown outside of
the circle of serious anglers. Yet, if you
were to visit many of the world’s premier
fishing grounds, you will most likely
come across a Strike Yacht, often in hard
use, in charter boat fleets. The original
Strike Yachts, the 26 and 29, are known
as tough, good riding, no-nonsense
inboard-powered fishing boats. Strike
Yachts continued that reputation when
it stretched the 29 to create the 35. A
44-foot Express model was then added to
the lineup. Now, Strike’s newest addition
and perhaps most interesting is the 37
Walkaround.
Combining the 360-degree
fishability of a center console boat with
the interior comforts of an Express, the
Strike 37…um, “strikes” a compromise
that should appeal to hardcore anglers
and family cruisers alike. In this size
range, walkarounds are a rare breed
though there are notable examples
such as the Gamefisherman 34, 37 and
42, the L-and-H 33 and the 42-foot
“Margaritavich” by Rybovich which is no
longer produced.
The first thing that hits you while
taking a quick look around the decks
of the Strike 37 is the abundance of
fishing room. Like a big center console
boat, anglers can spread out along the
gunwales. The deep walkways at 21-
inches are wide enough so that anglers
can pass each other and the deck is flush
from bow to stern so there are no steps to
trip over while fighting a fish.
These same walkways make the
Strike 37 also a great boat for anglers
that like to fish alone. Unlike an express
or sportfisher where the captain must
scramble to climb up on deck and
navigate the tricky narrow side decks to
go forward, it’s a cinch to quickly and
safely run to the bow to grab a dock line
in the Strike 37.
The Strike 37 has a comfortable
cabin like that of an express albeit, a bit
smaller. All of the essentials are here, an
eight-foot long V-berth, galley, dinette,
TV, stereo, aft portside berths and a full
size head and shower enclosure. There is
plenty of storage in cabinets and under
bunks along with rod storage racks.
The cabin has more than 6 ˝ feet of
headroom that helps with the feeling of
spaciousness, but there is only one port
for natural lighting. Properly outfitted,
the 37 can sleep up to five. In reality
though, the cabin is not a place that more
than several people will want to hang out
in due to the cozy confines. The cabin of the Strike 37 is more
elegant than the basic interiors of the Gamefisherman and the
L-and-H.
Like other Strike Yachts, the 37 has all of the right stuff
for bringing up fish including a 44-gallon transom livewell, an
optional bait prep center and a six-foot by 18-inch fish box in
the cockpit deck with a diaphragm macerator pump. Saltwater
and freshwater washdowns are standard but a cockpit shower
is optional. All Strike Yachts are semi-custom boats allowing
the buyer considerable freedom to outfit the boat the way he
or she wants. For instance, a Palm Beach-style center console
can be ordered instead of the standard starboard helm if the
customer wants.
Our test boat was equipped with an optional cockpit
fighting chair that takes up too much space. Besides that, the
walkaround concept is ideally suited for standup fishing as
anglers can easily follow a billfish around the boat. I would
think that most buyers will end up skipping on the chair which
will leave the cockpit with plenty of room.
Before pulling away from the dock, Kenny Willmer,
owner of Strike Yachts, raised the bridgedeck with the push of
a button to open up the engine room. Here, a pair of optional
Cummins 540-horsepower diesels filled much of the engine
room. The standard Cummins 425-horspower engines have
a slimmer profile and take up less space. Still, there was
sufficient access for a technician to work his way around the
engines. The generator, filters and plumbing were in easy
reach. When asked about the absence of a day hatch for quick
checks of vital engine fluids, Willmer says that already has
been designed into the mold for future models. The engines are
strongly mounted to the stingers on ˝- by five-inch aluminum
angles. All wiring and plumbing were well secured and neatly
rigged.
Ready to go, we started the engines and pulled away
from the dock to head out Hillsboro Inlet. The bow thruster,
Glennding electronic engine controls and power steering
make easy work maneuvering in tight quarters. Visibility from
the helm is good in all directions. The reclining Pompanette
Prestige helm seats were very comfortable and supportive.
Our test boat had two Furuno 10-inch displays as well as two
Mercury SmartCraft engine monitoring displays. The dash
was designed so that the electronic displays are mounted close
to the helm so that the operator does not have reach out with
a fully extended arm. Anyone who has tried to touch a tiny
button in bouncing seas with an outreached arm will appreciate
the design forethought of this helm.
Coming out of Hillsboro Inlet, we encountered a two to
three foot chop, which the 23-degree deep-V hull of the 37
took on effortlessly. Looking for something more challenging,
we found some large yachts heading out also. We attacked
their wakes from differing angles but the 37 still kept us dry
and comfortable. Acceleration is brisk after a momentary
hesitation as the turbos spool up before getting us up on plane
in nine-seconds. Bow rise is minimal even without using the
trim tabs. Handling is responsive. Willmer says the rudders
are offset nine-degrees for faster response to the wheel and to
eliminate cavitation in hard turns. Engine noise was noticeable
but we could talk without raising our voices while cruising.
Top speed with a half tank of fuel and two people was 35.5
knots at 2,650 rpm. Cruising at 2,100 rpm is 26 knots. Coupled
with the standard 350-gallon fuel tank (an additional 125-
gallon tank is available), this rig is capable of trips to the
islands and back without refueling. Prop pockets help reduce
draft while increasing efficiency.
The Strike 37 is heavily built with three-inch wide
composite stringers, solid fiberglass laminate bottom and cored
deck and hull sides above the water line. Vinyester resin for
increased blister resistance is used. One-piece deck molds are
used to minimize the number of fabricated pieces, reducing the
chance for flexing and leaks.
Strike Yachts are known for serious fishing boats and the
37 is no exception, but now weekend creature comforts are
included as well as 360-degree fishing room.
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