Anglers Journal took a ride on the Front Runner 43 Cat, an offshore fishing machine. This 43-foot catamaran has a beam of 12 feet, 4 inches and holds 1,000 gallons of fuel. Powered with quad 400-hp Mercury Verado outboards, the boat tops out in the 70-mph range. The boat is rigged for long-range offshore fishing and that speed comes in handy when you’re headed 60-plus miles offshore.

While the top-end speed is impressive, so is the boat’s overall ride. There was no vibration or clattering. The boat made sharp, carving turns with no issue and never sneezed.

While on board, we spoke to Front Runner co-owner Mark Lacovara to learn more about Front Runner, the St. Augustine, Florida-based company and how they’ve managed to grow so quickly in the world of high-performance offshore fishing center consoles. Front Runner builds both deep-V and catamaran style fishing boats. Come along for the ride.