What do blue tape and foam board have to do with building a hit new family-friendly fishboat? According to Robert Kaidy of Ocean5, the firm that designed the SeaVee 430 SE, almost everything. Kaidy used three rolls of tape to outline a full-sized accommodation plan on the floor of SeaVee headquarters. SeaVee kept the tape in place for months, living with the plan and tweaking it. Then a full-sized, foam-board mockup was built, which was followed by more tweaks and decisions regarding build processes, installations, and accessories. Finally a design was committed to tooling. The result is the fastest, most fishable cruiser I've ever tested. Ever.
This doesn't mean it's perfect. I'd change the tackle locker's large single door. Smaller double doors are easier to manage in rough seas or at high speeds, scenarios in which the 430 SE will thrive. No surprise there, as SeaVee's impeccable track record of building rugged, good-running boats proves. What's surprising is how this renowned builder of center consoles turned out a cabin boat that rivals the best cruisers on the water.
