![Everglades 243cc out fishing](https://www.boatingmag.com/uploads/2022/12/BTG1222-243cc-gallery3.jpg)
Editor’s Note: This story is a preview of a longer form article by Capt. John Page Williams that discusses a number of boat models that have remained current in their respective builder’s lines for decades. What makes a boat stand up to the test of time? Captain Williams will provide some answers. Look for his story coming in Spring 2023.
![Everglades 243cc offshore](https://www.boatingmag.com/uploads/2022/12/BTG1222-243cc-gallery2.jpg)
In 2004, BOATING tested hull #4 of the brand-new Everglades 243cc, the first “hybrid bay boat” that could run shallow inshore but still handle big seas offshore. Built with Bob Dougherty’s patented, rock-solid RAMCAP process, it was impressive then and still is, eighteen years and 1,400 hulls later, judging by a new one we ran recently in sporty big-water seas. Curious about why the basic 243cc hull remains in the Everglades line, we talked with David Brown, Vice President of Product Development & Engineering at Everglades Boats. “It’s the ride and the variable-deadrise hull shape,” he explained. We still build 70-80 243cc’s each year because demand remains strong. It’s sort of a cult boat.” Even so, Everglades adds features as they become available.
The 243cc was designed for Yamaha’s original 225-hp four-stroke outboard. Today’s engine is the company’s F300, which offers more power on less fuel, plus Helm Master EX electronic steering and controls, with autopilot and joystick.
![Everglades 243cc inshore](https://www.boatingmag.com/uploads/2022/12/BTG1222-243cc-gallery4.jpg)
![Everglades 243cc hardtop](https://www.boatingmag.com/uploads/2022/12/BTG1222-everglades243bimini.jpg)
Other upgrades include switches, lighted stereo speakers, SeaDek pads, a Yeti cooler mounted on a slide under the helm seat, and Garmin electronics. Everglades engineers monitor updates to the systems standards promulgated by the American Boat & Yacht Council (ABYC) and the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA). For example, the three 12-volt trolling motor batteries fit into a bow compartment on mounts that must pass an ABYC pull test. After eighteen years, the Everglades 243cc remains a safe, seaworthy rig, an investment whose working lifespan measures in generations rather than years. It endures.