Why Experienced Boaters Choose Sailfish Dual Console Boats

David Bekus on offshore fishing, family boating, and owning both a Sailfish 245 DC and 276 DC

There are boat owners, and then there are boaters. Sailfish owner David Bekus falls firmly into the second category.

He trailers thousands of miles. Runs to offshore canyons in New Jersey. Cruises the Hudson River with family. Fishes the Florida Keys. Maintains his own equipment. Studies every detail. And after years of real-world experience, he has become one of Sailfish’s most passionate advocates, not because of marketing promises, but because the boats earned his trust.

Today, Bekus owns both a Sailfish 245 Dual Console and recently took delivery of a new 276 Dual Console, a progression that reflects not just brand loyalty, but confidence built over time, offshore miles, and honest conversation.

“For my purposes, the dual console is the better setup,” Bekus says. “It does exactly what Sailfish says it does. It goes from family-friendly to fishing in a heartbeat.”

That balance between capability and comfort is exactly what drew him to Sailfish in the first place, and what ultimately brought him back.

Built on Saltwater, Refined by Experience

Bekus grew up boating. “My father always had boats,” he says. “Fishing boats, ski boats, runabouts. I grew up around the water.”

What began with inland boating and lake days gradually evolved into something more. After purchasing a Regal 2200, Bekus and his son began spending more time offshore, discovering a shared passion for saltwater fishing. Eventually, they realized they needed a platform capable of handling both offshore conditions and family life with equal confidence.

That search led him to the Sailfish 245 DC. Like many serious boat purchases, the final decision became a family decision. “My wife liked the layout better,” Bekus says. “She liked the bathroom. She liked the higher gunwales. It just felt safer and more comfortable.”

It is a dynamic Sailfish understands well. Offshore capability may be a primary requirement, but comfort, safety, and confidence are often what bring families onboard.

Over the next several years, the 245 became the center of countless family adventures. Bekus regularly ran the boat offshore in New Jersey waters, sometimes 50 to 60 miles out, fishing destinations like Atlantic Princess and Montauk. At the same time, the boat comfortably handled Hudson River cruises, summer trips to Maine, and relaxed family outings.

In his now widely viewed “100-Hour Review” of the 245 DC, Bekus documented exactly how extensively the boat was being used. Within just a few months of ownership, he had already logged more than 100 hours across offshore fishing trips, lake boating, watersports, and family cruising.

“Overall, I could say that the Sailfish 245 is a great boat,” he said in the review. “It does what it claims.” For Bekus, versatility was never a marketing feature. It was a requirement.

Comfort Without Compromise

In today’s offshore market, center consoles often dominate the conversation. But Bekus believes Sailfish’s dual console layout is best for the way he and his family use the boat.

Fishing is typically done with his son and cousin aboard, and the layout simply works better. Rear-facing seats improve trolling comfort. Enclosed seating keeps passengers protected in rougher weather. Higher freeboards provide additional security for family and future grandchildren.

Importantly, none of that versatility sacrifices capability. “The boat feels bigger than it is,” he says. “Especially when you’re offshore or bringing family onboard. I’m not afraid to run it and fish hard.”

Bekus’s 100-hour review resonated with boaters because it reflected something many experienced owners understand: real offshore use reveals the details that matter most.

“Most manufacturers focus on what you see,” he explained in the review. “My hope is that the industry will continue to improve their boats and focus on what can’t be seen, because that’s vitally important to the boater’s experience.”

Yet through all of it, his conclusion remained clear. “I wholeheartedly recommend the Sailfish,” he said. “I’m having great fun with it.”

More Capability. Same Philosophy.

Recently, Bekus stepped into his next Sailfish, taking delivery of a new 276 DC directly from the factory in Georgia before towing it more than 1,000 miles home to New Jersey himself.

The move to the larger platform felt like a natural evolution.“Bigger boats are better offshore,” he says plainly. “More stable. More comfortable. More capable.”

Soon, the 276 will make its way to Tavernier in the Florida Keys, where Bekus and his family spend much of their time between Key Largo and Islamorada.

There, the boat will continue doing exactly what he believes Sailfish does best: adapting effortlessly to real life on the water. Fishing trips with his son. Cruising with family. Exploring the Keys. Bringing future grandchildren onboard someday.

That flexibility, paired with genuine offshore confidence, is what keeps Bekus coming back.

The Value of Earned Trust

Bekus shared honest feedback from real offshore use, and the Sailfish team responded and refined from it. Over time, what began as customer feedback evolved into something deeper: a relationship built on mutual respect, shared passion, and a commitment to building better boats.

That kind of trust cannot be manufactured. It is earned offshore, over thousands of miles on the trailer, through family memories, changing weather, honest feedback, and continuous refinement.

For Sailfish, the ongoing dialogue with customers is part of what earns trust offshore.

And for Bekus, that trust is why there are now two Sailfish boats sitting in his life instead of one.

(YT Video reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKSAsieug3w&t=2s)