HookedOnFishingBoats.com

The Venture 34

            Gone are the days of convertibles and expresses ruling the over-30-foot fishboat market. Now there are plenty of over-sized CC’s out there, but one of the first was the Venture 34—a top-shelf performer that beat the big production builders to the center console punch. Ready for an oceanic adventure? Then check out this Venture.

            The boat I tested was rigged with a pair of Yamaha 250-hp outboards, which brought this blue water battler to a cruise in the upper 30’s and a top-end just shy of 50-mph. That’s good but not great by today’s standards, but remember that the 34 can take up to 900 ponies on the transom – boosting speed over the performance numbers I gathered is not a problem.

Unlike many center consoles, the Venture includes comfort touches like a big fold-down aft bench seat, which ensured the entire crew had a place to sit. An awesome tackle center behind the leaning post (with six tackle trays on each side plus two huge drawers) made sure we were ready to do battle once the fishing grounds were reached.

            You like to spot flotsam and/or breaking fish from a tower? One feature few competitors offer: the Venture’s hard top is designed for the easy addition of an upper station. Even though our test boat wasn’t fitted with one, it still had the strategically placed supports acting as steps and a hatch in the top, so accessing it was a piece of cake. I climbed up top and checked out the view, and there’s no doubt having this upper access will help you see and (hopefully) catch more fish. Once you sink the gaff into your future dinner, you’ll find insulated fishboxes in the bowdeck that will easily swallow up a half-dozen chunky yellowfin. Fighting them will be comfortable, too, thanks to the gunwale bolsters which ring the cockpit.

            Biaxial glass and vinylester resin construction is boosted by a layer of Kevlar in the hull, which increases the boat’s weight-to-strength ratio. The transom is cored with a high-compression strength ceramic matrix (instead of high-density foam or plywood) which also provides the best strength for the weight.

Now check out that console: it’s huge, which makes for an excellent console cabin and head compartment plus a helm station electronics flat that’s gigantic, sporting enough room for a pair of 15” fishfinders/chartplotters three radios, and an autopilot. They’ll always be protected, too, because the Venture has a locking cover that secures the entire flat. Unfortunately, having a console this big also means you eat into deck space a bit. Add in the wide transom (which houses a 55-gallon livewell and a rigging station with a sink) and there’s less available fishing room then you’d think, for a boat that’s 34’6” by 10’0”.

You need even more gadget space? There’s also an overhead electronics box on the hard top. Under the cockpit sole there’s another stowage compartment, and this one’s large enough to hold a life raft, a week’s worth of food, or a misbehaving crewmember. So go ahead, and run for the deep. It’s an adventure that can be handled, by a Venture.

Venture’s web site is www.venturemarine.com

LOA – 34’6”

Beam – 10’0”

Draft – 2’7”

Dry weight – 6,900

Fuel capacity – 350

Max. HP – 900

Price – Hovering around a quarter mil.

Observed performance notes w/5 people and half load fuel, twin 250-hp Yamaha F-250 four-stroke outboards, swinging 15” x 19” three bladed stainless-steel prop: