The SeaVee 400Z offers speed, range, comfort and all the fishing amenities you could want.When SeaVee announced it was discontinuing one of its most popular boats, the 390Z, from its line of center consoles and replacing it with a new model, it made a lot of waves. The 390 debuted at the Miami International Boat Show in 2006 and had a sleek, sexy look, lots of fishing space, plenty of power and a great ride. It was a showstopper. The Miami-based builder updated it several years later with a stepped hull, and it continued to sell well. That begs the question: If it ain’t broke, why the new model?
The owners of SeaVee are avid anglers who understand the evolving wants and needs of today’s hardcore fishing crews, namely more power and more systems. It was time to make some changes, and that’s where the 400Z comes into play.
The 400Z is beamier than the 390. SeaVee also moved the livewells to the corners and thinned out the transom to provide even more fishing space on deck.“This was not a task we took lightly,” said Ariel Pared, SeaVee president and one of the company’s owners, as he gave me a tour of the 400Z at this year’s Miami show. “What we’ve done has really made the boat more efficient, and we’re excited about that.”
The 400Z is an entirely new boat with new tooling. It is not just an update. Pared and his design team made the boat 4 inches longer, 4 inches beamier and 8 inches taller than the 390Z. While that might not sound like much, when you step on board, the boat has a much larger feel. By making the boat taller, SeaVee was able to raise the deck to increase fuel capacity from 540 gallons to 650. The coaming height on the 400Z, however, is the same as the 390, so anglers won’t feel any change as they brace their thighs against the coaming pads to fight fish.
“We kept the coaming height identical,” Pared says. “All we did is bring the floor up, which gave us more fuel, more storage and better access.”
Running on the proven SeaVee twin-stepped hull, the new 400Z will top out at 65 mph with triple 400s.The 400Z runs on SeaVee’s twin-stepped hull with multiple lifting bodies. This helps the boat accelerate out of the hole with very little bow rise and cruise at a consistent, 6-degree running angle. The boat is available in triple- or quad-outboard configurations. With triple Mercury 400s, Pared says, the boat hits a top end of 65 mph. He expects quad 400s to push it to 75 mph. The V-10 outboards offer a ton of torque and get the boat on plane almost instantly, even with heavy loads.
The cockpit layout feels much larger than the 390Z. SeaVee achieved more space by moving from one live well across the transom to twin 40-gallon live wells, one in each corner. The builder also thinned out the transom to get anglers closer to the outboards and provide more room to clear a fishing rod over the top of the engines. Underway, you can set a removable bench against the transom, but I really like how open the area is without the extra seating. A port-side door with an integrated ladder is ideal for boating big fish or doing some snorkeling.
The wiring and access on a SeaVee is a thing of beauty.I’ve always admired how clean the rigging and plumbing is on SeaVee boats, and the 400Z is next level. Much of the rigging was removed from the bilge and put behind a transom hatch. The pressurized live-well system runs on an adjustable manifold so you can easily alter the amount of water flowing to the baits. There’s also a built-in engine flush.
The deck houses two large 100-gallon fishboxes, one on each side of the boat, as well as two bilge-access hatches with bucket inserts. The buckets are a great place to toss trash or things like downrigger balls that roll around. There’s another bilge-access hatch on centerline. A large hatch can accommodate an optional Seakeeper gyro-stabilizer. My favorite hatch in the cockpit is designed for dedicated stern anchor storage. This narrow hatch perfectly holds a Danforth anchor. It slides right in and stays out of harm’s way. A stern anchor makes setting up at the sandbar much easier. This hatch would go away if an owner were to choose a rocket launcher.
The cockpit offers twin 100-gallon fish boxes, a dedicated hatch for a Seakeeper, a clever spot for a stern anchor and access to livewell pumps and bilge.The amount of access SeaVee put in the deck is impressive. You can get to anything you need without being a contortionist. “I think as boats get more complex, our challenge is to make all the systems accessible so you can maintain them,” Pared says.
An aft-facing seat on the leaning post has magnetic cushions that conceal tackle storage, drawers and a fold-down workstation. Pared says the console is an entirely new design. The attention to detail is impressive; there’s a place for everything. The top of the dash has built-in storage for things like cellphones, sunblock or binoculars. There is a deep glove box on both sides of the dash, and cup holders are within easy reach of the three helm chairs. Owners can option the boat with a second row of seating. As for rod storage, this boat can hold a tackle shop’s worth of rods. There are 18 rod holders on the sides of the console alone.
The SeaVee 400Z is ideal for offshore fishing, running to the Bahamas or enjoying a day on the hook with the family.The helm is dominated by twin 24-inch Garmin displays. The black dash knocks down glare, and the illuminated switch panel on the helm is attractive and makes controlling systems a breeze in bouncy seas. The wraparound enclosure provides the operator with a clear view, as there is no middle webbing. The seat forward of the console slides electrically to access the head. Access to the back of the electronics and wiring is inside the console. SeaVee offers a range of hardtop and tower options.
SeaVee also offers different bow configurations on the 400Z. This model had two lounge seats with electric, adjustable headrests. The lounge seats don’t run all the way to the bow, which leaves space for an angler to stand on deck way forward and fight a fish as the captain runs it down. I also like that the lounge seats are set safely below the gunwale. There are too many videos going around these days of bow passengers getting tossed out of the boat. That should never happen.
The amount of storage space on the bow is impressive with a massive compartment belowdecks and a designated area to stow lifejackets and safety gear.The amount of storage in the foredeck is staggering. There is space under each lounge seat and a designated spot for safety gear and life jackets under the gunwale. A massive in-deck hatch can hold equipment or fish. Owners can also opt for a large coffin box on the bow, as well as another live well. You can hose down the bow with a designated washdown, and fenders and lines store in a compartment inside the anchor locker.
The SeaVee 400Z comes standard with three helm chairs and an optional second row.
The door to access the head in the console opens electrically.
The dash on the SeaVee 400Z has been completely redesigned.
SeaVee offers several bow configurations for the 400Z.
With triple 400-hp V-10 Mercury Outboards the 400Z can hit speeds in the mid 60s.
Walking through the 400Z with Pared, I could see the pride and the amount of thought he and his team put into every detail. The beauty of a boatbuilder run by boaters is that they are always trying to improve their product because they are their own customers. At the end of the day, they want owners to catch more fish, get home safely and enjoy their time on the water. And just because something ain’t broke, doesn’t mean it can’t be improved upon. The 400Z is testament to that.
SPECIFICATIONS
LOA: 39’4”
BEAM: 11’3”
DRAFT: 28”
DISPLACEMENT: 15,200 pounds (dry, no engines)
FUEL: 650 gallons
WATER: 20 gallons
MAX POWER: 2,000 hp
BASE PRICE: $740,200 (with triple 400-hp Mercury V-10s)
