Boating World

Pro-Line 27 express

The new Pro-Line 27 Express combines three boats in one for great fishing, entertaining and overnighting.

February 1, 2001

After trolling for a couple of hours without a strike, there, barely visible on the horizon, is a black speck that promises to change everything. Bumping up the throttles of the twin 200-hp Mercury OptiMax engines pushes the Pro-Line 27 Express closer to the wheeling black object, which materializes into an albatross. In contrast to the poetry of "Rhyme Of The Ancient Mariner" scribe Samuel Coleridge, an English bloke who had obviously never been offshore fishing, the albatross is good luck to modern mariners. The bird folds its seven-foot wingspan and plummets to the surface of the water, which is churning with piscatorial action.

The drought is over. Throttling up the Mercs and riding obliquely into the four-foot swells of the Gulf Stream, the baits are trolled into the zone, and quickly the anglers are rewarded with the adrenaline-inducing sound of a screaming reel. A dolphin gets some air and curls into a muscular C-shape, going berserk as it feels the unfamiliar resistance of a fishing line. Despite keeping the hooked fish in the water and chumming with cut ballyhoo retrieved from the stern bait-prep station - just in case there is more than one fish in the vicinity - it's evident our fish is a single.

bom-0201The gaudy neon-green fish decorated with blue dots comes alongside, and Capt. Bill Shade grabs the leader and hoists the 10-pound "chicken" aboard as it begins a chameleon-like metamorphosis into day-glow yellow. Dropping the thrashing fish into one of the insulated, 50-gallon in-floor fish boxes, it beats a war dance on the lid.

Our bird is a microscopic dot in the sky by the time we find it again and race after it, looking for a speed that will allow us to angle into the moderately steep waves without launching. The seas dictate we keep the speed just below 30 mph, and the 27 Express rewards us with a smooth ride. With a deadrise of 19 degrees at the stern and a sharper entry, the Pro-Line has the ability to cleave the waves. But it also has an ultra-wide 9-foot-10-inch beam, which when combined with its moderate V-hull, avoids side-to-side waddling when at rest or while slow trolling - a people-friendly trait, particularly for folks who can mimic the dolphin's trick of turning green. Soon, our spotter bird disappears and human eyes replace avian in scanning the surface for signs of fish. After an hour it's apparent that it's one of those days where you grind it out and hope for the best.

During a long day scanning the water for fish, a real plus is the helm position on the 27 Express. Whether you're sitting in the adjustable captain's bucket with a flip-down footrest, leaning or standing, it's a comfortable place to wait for the next hit. Our course is confirmed by the Danforth compass that is mounted in-line on top of the electronic box on the driver's console. With a clear Plexiglas cover to keep our Lowrance LMS/160 depthfinder/GPS out of the elements, the lockable box has loads of space for plenty of other electro-gizmos or personal items. A trio of SmartCraft SC1000 gauges sits atop an angled panel above the electronics box and gives the driver a wealth of accurate information, which is relayed via the electronic control module (ECM) - the brain that manages the flow of data. Using 40 sensors and actuators to monitor potential problems, the driver can be alerted to a situation, often in time to prevent damage from occurring. The System Speed gauge also displays in both analog and digital and provides the captain with information about speed (in either miles or kilometers per hour), air and water temperature, current fuel range and fuel econ-omy. One of the more useful features is called TrollControl, which can be used to set and maintain engine rpm or speed, and selecting 1000 rpm keeps our small, soft-headed Kona-style lures smoking a nice bubble trail near the surface.

With the action slowing down, one of the best attributes of the 27 Express is revealed: There is great seating everywhere. A lot of fishing boats fall short in the area of seating, but the Express excels. For those who want to be close to the rods when a fish strikes, the stern bench is perfect. With a bolster pad for a backrest and a thick cushion, this doublewide seat rests atop the voluminous 35-gallon recirculating livewell. But for real couch-potato pleasure, nothing beats the starboard-side "Cleopatra couch" for getting horizontal and watching the trolling spread in a semi-somnambulant state while testing the drool-resistance of the 32-ounce UV-resistant vinyl that is triple-stitched for durability.

The Express layout creates an amidships salon that gives the Pro-Line 27 immense versatility. On most fishing boats, the captain has to turn around to talk to the crew, but the position of the settee gives the driver easier access to passengers. The galley is topside and located in front of the captain's console.

Large filler cushions can transform the cabin into a huge berth with more than enough stretch-out space, and lifting the center cushion reveals the marine head. The cuddy is well-lit with electrical lighting along with other ambient light from the large rectangular Bomar hatch and portholes with shades for privacy.

Despite the floating Sargasso weeds that are starting to form golden lines on the indigo-blue surface and are usually fish magnets, there are no other bites. The anglers have accomplished one of the rarer feats in Keys' fishing: catching only one dolphin. Turning back to 360 degrees, the arrow on our Lowrance GPS points toward Duck Key, and traveling downseas the cruise speed is pushed up until the SmartCraft gauge reads just below 40 mph. Setting the trim a little higher, the 27 Express stays on top of the two- to three-footers heading home, and the balance is such that the Pro-Line avoids stuffing the nose and causing the boat to plow up hundreds of gallons like some cuddies are prone to do.

Nearing Hawk's Cay, the idea to find a few lobsters for dinner is hatched, and a line of mangroves off to the right looks to be a likely spot. Traversing the amply wide walk-around to the bow of the 27 Express, the hook is dropped, and after attaching the Armstrong ladder, the divers descend and patrol the shoreline, finding a submerged wooden structure that betrays the presence of "bugs" by their telltale protruding antennae. A call to the boat to toss the net is answered with a one-word question, "Net?" An ensuing attempt to capture the crustaceans freehand results in a cloud of stirred-up silt, a helter-skelter of escaping lobsters, and a pair of defeated divers.

It's getting late, and taking the "express" route home - over shallow water - requires that we get on plane quickly. So with trim down and the throttles buried, the 200-hp OptiMax engines cause the 27 Express to burst onto plane and accelerate to 30 mph in the ridiculously short time of 3.6 seconds. With almost no bowrise we easily get on plane in the shallow water and streak toward Hawk's Cay at a top speed of more than 48 mph just in time for the sunset and a margarita.

Savoring the day over a platter of lightly grilled mahi-mahi with a side order of wild rice and steamed vegetables, the day is pronounced a success, just like the Pro-Line 27 Express. This is three boats in one: at the stern it's all fishing boat, amidships it's a boat for entertaining, and up front it's a comfortable overnighter. If your tastes are more specialized, Pro-Line has a 27 Sport center console version for those who just want to fish and a 27 Walk with a cabin that belies it 27-foot length. All three are covered by Pro-Care, which means that Pro-Line will take care of everything on the boat from engines, mechanical systems, controls, electrical systems, factory-installed electronics and accessories for a period of five years, along with its
10-year transferable hull warranty. As tested the 27 Express retails for $109,843, which includes the huge Bimini top, OptiMax engines and a host of other options. Expensive? Sure, but considering you are getting three boats in one, it only averages $36,000 apiece. The fun is there waiting for you, and the express lane is now open.

LOA: (including pulpit) 29'1"
Beam: 9'10"
Weight: (w/o engine) 5,900 lbs.
Fuel: 200 gal.
Base Price: $80,996 (w/twin 200-hp Mercury Classics)
Price As Tested: $109,843 (w/twin 200-hp Mercury OptiMax)
Hull Warranty: 10 Years

Pro-Line Boats
P.O. Box 1348
Crystal River, FL 34423-1348
(800) 866-2771
www.prolineboats.com

Test Data
Performance data was gathered with twin 200-hp Mercury OptiMax, two adults on board and 2/3 tank of fuel.

Top Speed: 48.3 mph
0-30 mph: 3.6 seconds
Decibels @ Idle: 61 dB-A
Decibels @ 30 mph: 83 dB-A
Decibels @ WOT: 91 dB-A

Standard Features
Pro-Care 5-year limited warranty, circulating baitwell, cockpit bolsters, compass, drink holders, glove box w/lock, F.I.S.T stringer system, closed-cell foam floatation, full galley w/sink, icebox, butane stove, portable head, electric horn, insul-ated fish boxes, integrated dive platform, three-step ladder, navigational lights, raw-water washdown, four rod holders, cockpit rod racks, captain's helm seat, cockpit lounge w/storage, transom seat with cushion, self-bailing cockpit, shore power w/cord, tackle box, transom door, stainless-steel through hulls, trim tabs, tempered glass windshield.

Options
5,000-BTU air conditioning, dive ladder, head w/dockside discharge, electric head w/macerator, holding tank and overboard discharge, ice maker, DC refrigerator, AM/FM radio/cassette player w/four speakers and remote, radio/CD player w/four speakers and remote.