When most manufacturers measure their boats, they usually try to puff up the number by including the swim platform or pulpit, or both. So why would Trophy market its honest-to-goodness 25-footer as a 23-foot boat? Three letters: SKA (Southern Kingfish Association). Due to what is a curious rule at best, the 23-and-under division is for boats that have a waterline of 23 feet 11 inches or less.

Cool, so you measure your Wavebasher 26 and find that the waterline is only 22 feet, so you no longer have to fish in the open division, right? Nope, the rule states that to be eligible, you must have a boat that's classified, advertised and published by the manufacturer to be 23 feet or less (what happened to the 11 inches?). That's the reason that though the Trophy 2305 and 2503 look similar (all images shown here are of the 2503), they're the same boat ... sort of.

Unlike some builders who just re-badge existing boats for this competitive SKA division, Trophy actually goes to the trouble of making the two models different. What you don't see on the SKA model is a beefier keel section that features an extra layer of fiberglass, a deck that's joined to the hull with bolts instead of glue and screws, and an aluminum plate reinforced transom that can handle up to 500 hp. Why do they do this? Because SKA fishermen subject themselves and their boats to an incredible amount of abuse. Picture yourself catching a potential tournament-winning kingfish an hour before the weigh-in deadline and having to travel 45 miles to reach the dock. Well, you can be sure you're not going to let a little thing like 6-foot seas get in the way.

It's clear that with the introduction of the 2503/2305, Trophy has decided to become a real player in the mid-sized offshore boat market. Its clean shearline starts at the bow with a generous Carolina Flare and swoops down near the transom to the beautifully integrated swim platform that has a hidden three-step boarding ladder. While looking at the stern, you notice that this baby is loaded for bear with a pair of 250-hp Mercury Verado 4-strokes to bring the 2305 up to its maximum allowable horsepower (the 2503 is rated up to 400 hp). What you didn't notice right away as you approach the boat is that the ultra-quiet, supercharged, in-line six cylinder engines are already running.

Eager to get started, the lines are shucked, and the digital throttle and shift levers are smoothly engaged into forward with no clunk. The hydraulic steering system for the Verado engines is also Cadillac-like, and even with one engine application helps to all but eliminate steering torque. Measuring the sound level at idle, the engines register only 58 decibels, and even after you put the Trophy on plane, which happens in 4.5 seconds, the sound level only reaches 83 decibels at 30 mph. No one who experiences the Verado's kick-in-the-seat-of-the-pants acceleration for the first time can keep from grinning. And the stopwatch bears out what your body is feeling when you see that you have reached 30 mph in just 6.7 seconds. With no traffic in sight, you can't resist running the twin 250s wide open. The Trophy comes up just shy of 60 mph (58.7), and at this speed the 2305 feels very stable. The engine rpm only reaches 5500 rpm, which is 300 rpm below what Mercury has established as the low range for maximum engine speed (5800 to 6400 rpm), which likely means that with different props the 2305 should have a true top speed in the 60s. According to a Trophy company representative, the 2305 hit 67 mph with twin 250-hp Mercury XS engines during testing at Lake X.

The 2305 is a happy camper cruising at 45 mph, and it displays excellent agility. It can really turn hard without ventilation, but you can induce some bow steering if you drive like a maniac and whip the wheel hard over at high speed (typical writer maneuver not often seen in the real world). The Trophy features a variable deadrise T.H.S. hull that is 21 degrees of deadrise at the stern, and sharper toward the front of the running surface, which gives it a good blend of slash-ability in sloppy conditions, but features better economy and hole shots than boats with deeper-V hulls. In the shipping channel leading to Governor's Cut in Miami, conditions are rough and confusing, but keeping the 2305 on track and running dry and level isn't a problem, in part due to the standard electric trim tabs.

The center console is on the large side, which gives you plenty of room for large-screen electronics. Wheel placement and throttles are right where you want them, and the tinted glass windshield is a stout, three-section affair that is reminiscent of the one seen on Cobra attack helicopters. The aluminum bracing where the sections meet is pretty wide, so there's some intrusion into your field of vision, but nothing short of a cannonball should break it. A nice feature is the 36-quart Igloo cooler behind the footrest that will make it easy for the captain to re-refresh on the run. The standard leaning post is not only comfortable, but also features loads of storage with room leftover for three batteries underneath the flip-up seat bottom.

The console sits slightly forward, which gives you maximum fishing space in the cockpit, which has a sure-gripping, but hard-on-bare-feet non-skid surface. For added security when leaning over to land a fish, there are a pair of toe rails. There's a 30-gallon livewell that's centered in the middle of the transom to prevent listing, and with a standard 3.3 gallon-per-minute pump, it will have no problem keeping the bait live ' even if its occupancy is denser than a spring break bar serving free drinks. Those ordering the Pro Pac on the 2503 (the Tournament Edition already comes loaded with everything) get a raw-water washdown hose and a freshwater shower at the transom with a 20-gallon tank. Also included are the hand cutting board that drains overboard and a handy well for a 6.5-gallon Igloo cooler next to the livewell that allows you to carry aboard your frozen trolling baits like ballyhoo and mullet, and just drop them in place.

A really nice option is the flip-up bench seat with backrest behind the leaning post that allows those watching the trolling spread to sit in comfort. There's even a forward-facing flip-up bench at the transom for the ride home. Other innovative features are the hanging board for trolling lures behind the leaning post, which also has slots for knives and pliers. Thirsty anglers (are there any other kind?) will appreciate the six cupholders set into the gunwale. When you get the optional fiberglass T-top or new lightweight version now available, you get four more rocket launchers, giving you a minimum rod storage capability of 19.

In the front of the console is the easy-to-enter head compartment that comes standard with a portable head and features 5 feet 10 inches of headroom. There's a large, standard table for the bow area that drops down to form a casting platform, and located under the pair of bench seats are a pair of 50-gallon fish boxes that drain overboard.

You can go two distinct ways with this boat, depending on your needs and budget. The standard version 2503 when rigged with a single 225-hp Mercury EFI runs $42,314, which is an outstanding value, although it's a little underpowered. Or you can opt for the Tournament Edition 2305 with twin 250-hp Mercury Verado engines and every option you can imagine, including an electronic array with a Northstar 6000i GPS plotter with a 10-inch screen with radar, VHF radio, and the Mercury's advanced SmartCraft 5000 display, which brings the price to $99,900. Most buyers will probably kick the field goal and order the 2503 with the Pro Pac and an engine package like twin 200-hp Mercury OptiMaxes, which will run you $61,928. Whichever you choose, you'll agree that with these two boats, Bayliner's Trophy division will gain some respect with the hardcore offshore crowd.