2018 Pursuit S368 Sport

To find the proper path, I’ve found there are some devices that help to accelerate the process. Exhibit A is the Pursuit S368 Sport, thanks to a visit to the boat in the Bahamas, to tag along and fish with David Glenn, marketing director of S2 Yachts, and a group of old friends to see what she can do.

On the first morning, I had to push the slo-mo button for a minute and watch how the crew used the layout of the S368. Two buddies were in the cockpit reviewing the terminal tackle and checking knots and rigs. Meanwhile, a third had his laptop out on the companion seat, looking over some of the images he had shot the night before. And in the bow, still another pal was packing a cooler with fresh ice and cold drinks. Everyone could get around without getting in anyone else’s way. The result: reduced stress for a crew to get off the dock on a schedule.

The space worked just as well under way, as we sprinted for the fishing grounds with our crew of seven and topped-up fuel on the S368, which was equipped with triple 300-horsepower Yamaha F300 outboards. On the S368 at around 4000 rpm we saw a cruising speed of 24 knots with a fuel burn of 27 gallons per hour.

Pursuit seems to have hit the nail on the head with this Sport line, and the S368 is really a standout. The boat is centered on a console that is sizable enough to have some meat to it, but not so big you feel like you’re looking around it. There’s a cabin with a berth and separate head. There’s also a hardtop, not a T-top, with an integrated windshield and sturdy aft stanchions, all powdercoated. The helm area is on an elevated deck and the seating is comfortable.

I caught up with Pursuit’s design team, Mike Ward, and Andrew Bartlett, to learn why the boat works. “We have an engineering and design team that is full of boaters,” Ward said. “We get it. We’ve had the good days on the water as well as the bad. We understand the wants and needs of our market and blend them with our personal experience to refine each aspect of the boat to be the best we can make it.”

That personal experience must have included fishing on a boat with no comfortble seating at some point, because this boat has it right where you want it. “The raised aft-facing mezzanine seat became a feature we wanted to protect during the S368 development process,” Bartlett added. “It’s a highly functional feature that provides a superior vantage point while fishing the boat, and it provides comfort underway and at rest. It has become the favorite seat in the house.”

Next stop, we hit the beach. David and I set up the forward sunshade, which deploys easily on three stainless steel spars and adds a satisfying bit of shade, even as the afternoon breeze kicked up a notch. It was a nice addition, all the better because of its simple, solid engineering.

With a layout that offers plenty of room for everyone to be comfortable and stay out of each other’s way, the Pursuit S368 Sport helps make the most of time on the water, blue or otherwise. And if that’s not the proper path, I don’t know what is. —Jason Y. Wood

LOA: 37’11”
BEAM: 12’0”
DRAFT: 3’5”
DRY WEIGHT: 16,659 lb.

FUEL: 425 gal.
WATER: 45 gal.
TEST POWER: 3/300-hp Yamaha F300 four-stroke outboards
BASE PRICE: $436,000