The strike is about as subtle as an angry bull in a china shop. One minute Chad Madson is holding onto a rod and reel loaded with 30-pound test line, and the next, it's emptier than a gambler's savings account. Although the crew is fishing for king mackerel, the massive strike is probably a shark that is precisely the size that you don't want to see when diving for lobster, like some nearby boaters are doing. There is a gathering of nearly 100 boats plying the waters just offshore of West Palm Beach, Florida. Although better known for its more glamorous species like sailfish, marlin and dolphin, the spring migration of kingfish draws plenty of fishermen to 'Trump Town' looking for action. Among the fishing fleet is a 28-footer that might not be as fancy as the 40-something sportfishing boats surrounding it, but the fish don't seem to care.

As you cruise through Lake Worth Inlet, the tide is slack and the three-foot sea swells pose no problem for the Caravelle Sea Hawk 280. As you turn to the north, the driver dials the twin F225 Yamaha 4-strokes up to 3500 rpm, which pushes to a cruise speed of more than 30 mph. The optional tilt steering allows the driver to adjust the stainless-steel wheel for maximum comfort. And with a two-tiered footrest, the pilot's feet have a place to be whether they are standing, leaning or sitting atop the firmly padded leaning post that has an optional seatback, and for thirsty fishermen, a pair of cupholders. There is no pedestal for the throttles that are mounted flush to the dash, which is fine when standing, but it causes the driver to have to reach when leaning. The accurate Yamaha gauges are set into a burl wood dash and are easily visible, so the driver can see that at this speed the pair of F225 engines are burning just 13.8 gallons per hour, which nets 2.23 miles per gallon.

The center console is huge, giving owners plenty of room behind the locking clear Plexiglas door to install big-screen electronics. The stylish optional Sunbrella acrylic T-top doesn't have an electronics box, but considering the amount of room in the console compartment, it isn't really needed. A nice feature is the overhead life jacket storage compartment that means you'll have one within arm's reach in an emergency. The tinted Plexiglas windshield is very tall and provides a high degree of protection from wind, rain and spray. The large console offers a roomy head compartment that has plenty of room left over for storage.

As you get near the gaggle of boats, the Sea Hawk is dropped down to idle, which causes the Yamahas to become inaudible, measuring just 61 decibels. Tommy Gaston from Seagate Marine in nearby Stuart heads to the 25-gallon aerated livewell in the stern and begins to chum with live glass minnows. Chad first goes to the three-drawer built-in tackle box on the starboard side and retrieves a couple of triple-hook rigs that have weights at the front, then goes to work rigging the large Spanish sardines at the bait-prep station next to the livewell in the stern. The crew has an impressive array of rods that are stowed in the 18 rod holders and rocket launchers. After rigging four of them, Chad washes off his hands with the standard freshwater transom shower that is fed by a 9-gallon tank, and everyone drops their baits down for the hunt in the 80-foot deep water.

The first bite comes in less than five minutes, and after a blistering run, the line goes slack ' 0-for-1. You know you're in the right spot when several commercial boats start circling nearby and sure enough, you get another bite, and this time it stays hooked up. After a lively battle, the fish comes alongside and Chad gaffs it perfectly on the first attempt. The 15-pounder looks pretty big until it is dropped into the cavernous five-foot-long and deep insulated fish box, where it seems to shrink. There are three other fish boxes in the bow that also drain overboard, which most owners will use as dry storage. Although the compartment lids are heavy, they are not secured by latches, so running hard in heavy seas will probably precipitate some hatch banging.

The next two strikes are truly spectacular. The first one breaks the line after ripping off about 100 yards of line in just a few seconds. Jason Birdwell notices the line is abraded 10 feet or so above where the hook formerly resided, indicating it was probably a large shark like a hammerhead. A few minutes later Chad's bait gets inhaled, and before all the other lines can be cleared and the engines started up to chase down the leviathan, all that is left of the line is the arbor knot tied to the spindle of his Penn reel. The rod bends to its maximum in the tug of war, and the line fortunately breaks off at the hook, allowing Chad to retrieve the 30-pound test line, albeit stretched out.