The Rise of Outboards and Center Consoles

We love our little ski boat and it's always great to have a second boat in case the primary is being serviced.

I got into boating because I loved the idea of enjoying the boat all day and being able to sleep on it at night! The boat has 100% delivered! A center console could be a great second boat.

Several years back we were at Lower Matecumbe Key for a week of fishing and the local neighbors on our canal were retired and converting to catamarans for the room and ride. Said it extended their ability to fish for years. Also had a friend that bought a 30' cat with twins, it had a good ride with a lot of room. Saw a large Freeman cat in the bayou a week ago with 4 ob's. Awesome rig.

90 mph and no one is wearing a life vest. Right.

When seeing a center consoles with 4 ob's we would joke about if it had 5 ob's we would buy it. Well, not joking about that anymore.
Now this: https://www.hoax-slayer.net/eight-outboard-drug-runner-boat-photograph/

Back in the day, the running joke was getting more than 3 outboards to run at the same time. The higher the horsepower, the more valid the joke.

Yeah, imagine that with 6 outboards, if you lose one or two just tilt them up and carry on. Back in the day, we called twin outboards "Double Trouble" and have returned on one engine a few times, usually because of overheating.

Missed Opportunity- no photos!

While anchored in Golfe Juan today, I heard (and felt) an offshore power boat humping a pair of V8 inboard/outboards nearby. Being a 1970's kid I have a natural curiosity and soft spot for these loud and obnoxious one-trick-ponies, so I walked out to the bridge wing to see this 28-35' Cigarette pushing it hard in a 1' chop, struggling to keep the props in the water.
Then to my amusement I saw a 30ish' Axopar (yacht tender) flanking this Cigarette and keeping pace, with a completely flat attitude in the chop. No porpoise, no jockeying throttles. Just running smooth with an (obviously) smiling deckhand at the helm.

I'm not sure I would choose the Axopar over the Cigarette (product of Tubbs and Crocket here), but it was sure a testament to modern boat design!

Late to this thread, so if I am repeating points already raised, then excuse me.
As much as I get the attraction of a good CC for the fisherman out for a quick jaunt, or even a fast & long distance jaunt, as well as the day boater or family wanting to enjoy the water for a day, it's difficult to get an understanding on spending the same kind of capital on a CC as you would on a large 3 cabin sportfish or trawler yacht. I've owned Grady White & Boston Whalers. Great for what they are built to do. Yet I think the latest boats are not being bought or used for their design purpose.
If you spend anytime on You Tube or similar channels, then these highly attractive, multi outboard engined, extreme coloured boats are cruising Florida waters with loud music, louder bodies (lots of this & not all that slim with plenty hangin' out. Am I aloud to say this or should I lie & say it's a great look?).
Makes me wonder if this is about fishing, general boating or, in fact cheap finance with far too much flexing on offer.
Let's wait & see how the resale market takes up the slack once the true effects of multiple interest rate rises & insurance costs bite in. This could be the real test of whether this is a genuine change in the market or simply an enormous wave of new boat buyers about to get dunking.

Some of those boats with the multi colored seats, in rows 4 deep, remind me of a carnival ride.

Such a true statement. I see someone flying around the boat or even out of the boat in those videos.

You can be on the water in 5 minutes in one of those center consoles simply by lowering the lift and starting the motors. Taking out a 3 stateroom SF takes a whole lot more time......lines/fenders/shore cord/ checking fluids, and you need someone good at getting lines.......So a lot of people are more apt to use the CC because it's a lot more convenient to do so.

I have to agree with Pascal, nobody will tell me a 40 plus foot center console doesn't have shore power and all the usual stuff around a dock.
And I could have my 44 Viking off the dock in maybe 10min, don't want to do it every day that way, but I do do it on occasion.