Sea Hunt console layouts: what you get at the helm, by series
In this article
Every current Sea Hunt is a center console: the helm sits in the middle with walk-around room on both sides. What changes by size is the helm and the seat behind it. Smaller Ultras and the BX 22 BR use hydraulic steering, a 9-inch Garmin and Yamaha digital gauges; mid-size and larger boats step up to electric steering, a 12-inch or dual 17-inch Garmin and Yamaha's CL5 touchscreen. Ultra consoles lean toward family comfort, Gamefish consoles toward fishing, and BX consoles toward bay fishing. The leaning post behind the helm changes the most; our seating guide has the post-by-model table.
The console is where you drive, run your electronics and stash your gear, so its layout decides how the boat feels on a long day. On a center console it also shapes how people move: the walkway on each side, where the cooler goes, and whether the crew fishes off the stern or lounges up front.
Below: what's at the helm on every Sea Hunt, how the helm changes with size, what's inside the console, how the three series differ, and console covers and care. Equipment comes from Sea Hunt's current model pages across the Sea Hunt lineup.
What's at the helm on every Sea Hunt?
Some things are the same whether you buy a 21-foot Ultra 219 or a 30-foot Gamefish 30 CB. Every current model comes with:
- Yamaha power and Yamaha controls, with a tilt helm so you can set the wheel angle for sitting or standing.
- A Garmin GPS and sonar package with a VHF radio, flush-mounted in the dash.
- A waterproof Bluetooth stereo and a wireless phone charger at the helm.
- Cockpit bolsters, plus bow cushions on every model except the Gamefish CB boats, which give the bow to a coffin box.
The dash is laid out the same way across the line: display in the middle, engine information beside it, switch panel by your right hand and the throttle right of the wheel. If you move up a size later, the new helm feels familiar from the first trip.
A helm feels right when you can reach the throttle and trim without letting go of the wheel, see over the windshield seated and standing, and read the display in glare. Stand at the helm of the boat you're considering to check all three.
How does the Sea Hunt helm change with boat size?
| Group | Steering | Display | Engine info | T-top |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ultra 219, 229, 234; BX 22 BR | Yamaha hydraulic | Single 9″ Garmin | Yamaha digital Command Link gauges | Optional |
| Ultra 235 SE | Yamaha hydraulic | Garmin (see model page) | Yamaha digital Command Link gauges | Standard, with misters |
| Ultra 239 SE to 275 SE; Gamefish 25 and 27; BX 25 FS | Yamaha electric | Single 12″ Garmin (dual 12″ on BX 28) | Yamaha CL5 touchscreen | Standard, with misters |
| Ultra 285 SE and 305 SE; Gamefish 28 and 30 | Yamaha electric | Dual 17″ Garmin | Yamaha CL5, plus Yamaha autopilot | Standard, with misters |
Standard equipment from our model pages, current model year. Hydraulic jack plates, Helm Master and bigger displays are options on some models.
The jump from hydraulic to electric steering is the change you feel most. Hydraulic steering on a single outboard is direct and simple. Electric steering is lighter at the wheel and pairs with Yamaha's helm systems, which is why it comes on the bigger single engines and every twin. The CL5 touchscreen shows engine data, fuel flow and trim on one screen instead of a row of gauges.
Dual displays and an autopilot on the 28- to 30-foot boats are about long runs: one screen for the chart, one for sonar, and the autopilot holds a course while the captain watches the water ahead. On the bigger twin-engine boats, Sea Hunt also lists Yamaha Helm Master with Setpoint as an option, which adds joystick docking. If you'll dock in a tight Florida marina with current running, it's worth trying.
What's inside a Sea Hunt console: storage and the head
Storage. The Ultra 219 through 245 SE have a 48-quart front console storage compartment. Bigger boats move more storage into the deck and the bow (130 to 188 quarts of in-floor storage on the 255 SE and up, depending on the model). Inside the console itself is where most owners keep the life jackets, the first-aid kit, a dry bag of spare clothes, and the boat's paperwork.
FWC requires each life jacket aboard to be easy to reach, so keep them on top of the tackle bags, or in a bag you can grab in one move.
The head. A China toilet is standard on the Ultra 245 SE and up, on every Gamefish and on the BX 28. On the smaller Ultras, the BX 22 BR and the BX 25 FS, a Porta Potti is an option. For a family boat this line often decides the sale, so check the console door opening and headroom in person.
Behind the helm. The leaning post is the other half of the layout, and the part Sea Hunt varies most: an aluminum frame, a bait tank, a mezzanine seat or a full entertainment center. Our Sea Hunt seating guide shows which post comes on which model.
How do Sea Hunt consoles differ by series?
| Series | Console built for | Sizes | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ultra | Family comfort: bow seating, shade, a head from the 245 SE up | 21′ 4″ to 30′ 2″ | Families who fish |
| Gamefish | Fishing: bait tanks and livewells in the leaning post, a head, big electronics | 25′ 8″ to 30′ 2″ | Offshore anglers |
| BX | Bay fishing: compact console, casting room, lockable rod storage | 22′ 10″ to 28′ 6″ | Bay and inshore anglers |
Sizes and equipment from our model pages.
The Ultra console is built around people. On the 255 SE and up it sits between dual side entry doors, with a bow beverage center or a telescoping bow table forward, so guests can move around it without climbing over gear. The Gamefish console is built around the cockpit: the leaning post behind it carries the main livewell (a 35-gallon bait tank on the 25, a split mezzanine livewell on the 27 CB), so bait sits within a step of the helm. The BX console stays narrow to leave casting room on the bow and stern, and its storage leans toward rods, with lockable rod lockers on the BX 22 BR.
Looking for a dual console? Sea Hunt has discontinued the Escape line, its dual-console series. If you own one or are shopping used, the Ultra is the closest current family layout, and the BX suits inshore fishing. You can also check our used boats.
How do you protect a Sea Hunt console? Covers and care
Searching for a Sea Hunt console cover? A dash cover, a leaning post cover and a cockpit storage drape are factory options, plus covers for the aluminum post, the Gamefish coffin box and a full shrink wrap. Factory covers are cut for the exact console, so they don't flap and chafe the gelcoat on the trailer. Put them on whenever the boat sits, since Florida UV breaks down vinyl fast, and rinse the console, windshield and switches with fresh water after every saltwater trip. Call service if an electrical problem comes back after a rinse and dry, the steering feels stiff or uneven, or the engine display shows an alarm you can't clear; those point to corrosion or a fault, not cleaning. More in our Sea Hunt accessories guide.
How do you pick the right console layout?
Two or three anglers can share a leaning post, and bait tanks and rod storage at the helm point to Gamefish or BX. A family will want captain's chairs, forward seating and a head, which points to the Ultra: the mezzanine post and console head start on the Ultra 239 SE and 245 SE. Bring the display sizes you want to check the dash fits them, then stand at the wheel.
Two examples. A couple who fish the Indian River and Mosquito Lagoon twice a week will be happy with an aluminum post and an open console on an Ultra 229 or a BX 22 BR, and will value deck space over a head. A family of five who spend Saturdays at the sandbar and fish nearshore on Sundays should look at the mezzanine post and console head, so guests have a seat facing the action and a private toilet.
Stand at the helm
Tell us which series you're looking at and how you spend a day on the water, and we'll help you compare the consoles side by side.
Questions we hear
Does Sea Hunt make a dual console boat?
Not anymore. Sea Hunt has discontinued the Escape line, its dual-console series, so every current Sea Hunt is a center console. Used Escapes still come up for sale. If you want a family layout on a new boat, the Ultra SE models offer bow seating, side entry doors and, from the 245 SE up, a toilet in the console. For inshore fishing, look at the BX bay boats.
Which Sea Hunt boats have a toilet in the console?
A China toilet is standard on the Ultra 245 SE and larger, on every Gamefish (25, 27, 28 and 30) and on the BX 28. On the Ultra 219, 229, 234, 235 SE and 239 SE, and on the BX 22 BR and BX 25 FS, a Porta Potti is offered as an option. Check the console door and headroom in person before you decide.
Does Sea Hunt make a console cover?
Yes. A dash cover, a leaning post cover and a cockpit storage drape are factory options, along with an aluminum leaning post cover, a coffin box cover on Gamefish models and shrink wrap. Factory covers are cut to fit the exact console. Cover the dash and post whenever the boat sits, because Florida sun breaks down vinyl and fades gelcoat quickly.
What is a mezzanine leaning post?
A mezzanine leaning post adds an aft-facing seat to the back of the helm seat, so guests can sit facing the stern while the boat is stopped. On Sea Hunt's Gamefish 27 CB the mezzanine holds a split livewell; on the Ultra models it has flip-out footrests. It's standard on the Ultra 239 SE through 275 SE and on the bigger Gamefish.
