One of the standout new boats we checked out at this year’s boat shows was the Wellcraft 243 Fisherman. Wellcraft had a 242 Fisherman for years, and if you guessed the 243 was a slightly evolved and updated version of the same boat you’d be half right—but only half, because there’s nothing slight about the changes Wellcraft made. In fact, it’s fair to call the 243 Fisherman an all new boat.
The most obvious change can be noticed in the aft cockpit, which feels like it has a lot more elbow room. Well, that’s because it does. Wellcraft made two major changes back there: first they pushed the console and leaning post forward, and second, they pushed the front of the transom aft. The net result? The cockpit is about a foot longer. That may not sound like much additional space, but when you multiply that foot of length by the boat’s 8’6” beam, you realize it has quite an impact.
The console itself has been upgraded quite a bit, too. It now has a front access (which makes ducking in a lot easier as compared to most side access console doors), and a bulkhead hiding the rigging behind the helm rather than a curtain. The top is integrated with the console, too, so you get a full three-sided enclosure and the tripping point of pipework attached to the deck is eliminated.
On the angling front a much-appreciated tweak is the enlarged bowdeck, which is now sized properly for mounting your Minn Kota bow-mount trolling motor. Fish stowage gets a boost, too, because Wellcraft redesigned the stringer system to create more space belowdecks, then integrated a pair of in-deck fishboxes. And in yet another nod to boosting fishability they also designed in a larger fuel tank, increasing capacity by 37 gallons and providing the range to head clear to the canyons when the weather allows.
The bow layout divvies the difference between family and fishing, with flanking lounger seats to either side but no center wrap-around, so you can make your way all the way forward with a rod in hand. Other angling must-haves include a 23-gallon lighted/timed livewell in the transom plus a secondary 17-gallon livewell, four flush-mount rodholders in the transom as well as six in the gunwales, five rocket launchers in the hard top, upholstered bolsters in the cockpit, under-gunwale racks, a raw water washdown, and space for a pair of 12” displays at the helm.
One big decision you’ll have to make when considering this boat is the power option. The Wellcraft 243 Fisherman can be powered with either a single engine or twins, and the range goes from 250 horses all the way up to 400 hp total, in the form of either Yamaha or Mercury outboards. A single will naturally provide better economy and a lower price of entry, however, there’s not an angler alive who isn’t attracted by max power on one level or another. And with a pair of 200s hanging on the transom top-end cracks the 50-mph ceiling. Cruising at 4500 rpm you can expect to enjoy zipping along in the mid- to upper-30s.
Often when we see a “new” boat come out with a slightly modified model designation from an older one, it’s a re-hash of the same old-same old. Maybe there’s a change in the color scheme, a different seat, some rearranged cup holders, and they call the boat “new.” But that’s not the case with the Wellcraft 243 Fisherman. This one deserves to be called new—and it deserves to be called better, too.
Wellcraft 243 Fisherman Specifications
- LOA – 24’4”
- Beam – 8’6”
- Displacement – 4900 lbs.
- Draft (min.) – 1’4”
- Transom Deadrise – 20 degrees
- Fuel Capacity – 158 gal.
- Max. Power – 400 hp
For more information visit Wellcraft.