What’s the difference between a Convertible and a Sportfish??

In my opinion, the Convertible model started out as a marketing tag that tried to define a boat that could fish and cruise, making it appeal to a broader market as the focus wasn't totally on the cockpit.

Some builders like Hatteras and Bertram built convertibles that were what most of us would consider Sportfishers anyways, especially rigged with towers, etc.

So move everything in today's world, and I would say that you can rig most any Convertible into a Sportfisher, but today's true Sportfisher would most likely have a Cockpit Mezzanine and Tackle Center, while a Convertible would most likely have a Wet Bar or Cockpit Grill in lieu of.....

Just curious why a mezzanine would be considered a must have for an SF, particularly when it would be difficult to accomplish in boats smaller then 55-60 feet or so. It would be nice but not practical in smaller SFs.
A tackle center in lieu of a grill, yes I get that. Mezzanine? Not sure..

The Cockpit Mezzanine is today's trend for the modern SF, I have seen them on Flybridge boats as small as a 42' (Viking, etc.).

Sweet for the crew / family, no more standing or sitting on the cockpit coaming exposed to the weather waiting for the fish to strike.

Wow, I didn't realize they were on boats in the 40' range, hafta check it out...
Thanks for the come back.

I always considered the difference to be in the bridge configuration. SF, the helm is to the rear, convert, the helm is forward. Dunno if that's true, but .....

The 44' Cabo express has a mezzanine also. The mezzanine is nice because you're sitting comfortably, out of the sun, watching your lines from an elevated position. Under the mezzanine are your cockpit essentials like tackle storage, a bait freezer, drink refrigerator or cooler.....they're useful in a lot of aspects, also a nice place to sit and watch the dock traffic when you're tied up at the marina.

Yeah I can see that. I like the mezzanine idea, didn't realize they were in smaller boats...

Jserb, what kind of fuel consumption do you get when at cruise speed, say 8 knots? I was curious to see if a "convertible" and a trawler running at the same rpm would attain the same speed and the same fuel consumption?

FWIW, I'd guess his "cruise" speed is probably somewhere between 16-23 kts, depending on all the various factors. Our "convertible" (so labeled by the manufacturer) is very sportfish-like, and cruise is between 20-22 kts.

At or near theoretical hull speed, closer to 8 kts, our diesel consumption is approximately the same, probably slightly higher, as most recent semi-displacement twin-screw "trawlers" -- somewhere around 2 gph per engine, depending on load, wind, tide/current, etc.

The planing hull may or may not be comfortable at 8 kts; very dependent on sea states. Beam seas are very uncomfortable at slow speed, following seas may or may not be OK.

-Chris

What’s the difference between a Convertible and a Sportfish??

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Ummm, the top goes down?

I think back in the day they had two different meanings, and maybe a convertible was somewhat more plush. However today the two names are interchangable, and convertible is not used very often......

At 8 knots, a 41' SF with Diesels will get somewhere between 2-3 mpg.

Old-ish thread, but...

Of the "convertibles" I've been on or seen... the helm is also aft-ish, with good visibility and even "hand-down" access (rods with fish on, and so forth) to the cockpit.

Sport bridges, sedan bridges, motor yachts, etc. seem to have helms located more forward.

I've seen many older "sportfish" boats that had no enclosed saloon. Not so much like that today (mezzanines and so forth), but wouldn't surprise me if the first "convertibles" were pretty much the same boats with an aft bulkhead under the flying bridge enclosing the saloon, marketed so wifey might go along for the ride.

-Chris