Photos courtesy G3 Boats
January 23, 2018
By John Neporadny Jr.
Photos courtesy of G3 Boats
Game & Fish takes a closer look at the G3 Sportsman 200 as part of our series of 2018 fishing boat reviews.
2018 Boat Review: G3 Sportsman 200 Having spent considerable time aboard the G3 Sportsman 200, we can tell you, at nearly 21 feet, the G3 fishes big.
The Sportsman 200 is well-suited for anglers pursing oversized species, like trophy catfish or giant stripers. While this is a big boat, the 200 will complement the avid pan-fisherman's game plan, too.
The console has Faria gauges and your choice of optional Lowrance electronics.
The spacious front deck has a pedestal base for mounting one of the boat's moveable seats.
There is also a large storage area for stowing anchors, drift socks and other essential fish gear.
A spray-in floor lining keeps the boat tidy with just a quick rinse of a garden hose.
The back deck is big.
The four fold down seats are moveable from bow to stern, and the rear seats slide back and forth, offering room to stretch your legs out.
A rod rack on the port side holds up to four 8-foot rods.
Rod holders can be mounted in tracks or on the rails of the aft-deck gunnels. A 5-foot-plus livewell holds 65 gallons of water. Two controllable-flow aerators keep bait and catches frisky.
G&F Fishing Boat Reviews
2018 boat reviews in this series:
The front deck has plenty of room for two anglers to fish comfortably side by side.
Fishability The front deck has plenty of room for two anglers to fish comfortably side by side. There's also ample room to mount rod racks on the port or starboard side for spider rigging. The aft deck layout, with the moveable seating, gunnel tracks and rails for positioning rod holders, is ideal for drift fishing or trolling.
Handling Rigged with a Yamaha 175, the boat's V-entry hull (with 15-degree dead rise) popped out of the hole an average of 3 seconds, with a best time of 2.93 seconds. With the livewell full of water and two occupants, the 200 reached a top end speed of 49.8 miles per hour (GPS reading) turning 5600 rpm.
What We Liked While shifting the boat into neutral at the end of a test run, the boat came to a quick stop with minimal gliding and no backwashing.
What We'd Change Increase storage by adding a cooler or dry compartment to the front deck step and a storage bin under the starboard console.
Specifications
Length 20 feet, 11 inches
Beam 95 inches
Dry Weight 1,645 lbs.
Fuel Capacity 29 gallons
Max Power 200 hp
MSRP $38,595
(MSRP includes Yamaha VF175)
