The Outrage 420 Anniversary Edition - Review 2023

The Boston Whaler Outrage 420 is a statement. It’s the new flagship and, after 50 years of doing things well, seems like the company is showing off everything they do right.

This is an amazing day boat for fishing and entertaining a lot of people very comfortably. It’s an offshore center console boat that rides more like a yacht. Its teak details and elegant paneling also make it look more like a yacht.

A full beam houses a sizeable birth with a full head, shower and nice galley. It’s worth looking at the options too because there are quite a few customizations available.

The first Outrage was introduced by Boston Whaler in 1971. It was a solidly built, virtually unsinkable center console fishing vessel that still cruises the waters today. In 2014, the Outrage 420 was launched–BW’s flagship.

The 420 is the culmination of Boston Whaler performance with the added luxury details that appeal more to entertainment than to offshore fishing. But its performance aspects are undeniable in this, the anniversary edition.

Starting with the propulsion, the triple outboard Mercury 600s are amazing. They are fully serviceable from the top of the outboards and they only need check and service after 1000 hours.

Without the tower, these FourStrokes can get this Outrage up to 64 mph and will reach 60 with the added weight and drag of the secondary helm station.

Raymarine screens with multifunction options sporting a really nice and streamlined operating system give a complete picture and make driving intuitive. The digital throttle and shifts are made by Mercury Marine and the Skyhook function also makes maneuvering in the marina very responsive.

The spacious cockpit has a retractable sunshade, helping fully enclose it with climate control. The outdoor cleaning counter with sink has a fridge and a livewell (option to switch out livewell for an additional fridge) and the whole unit can close and turn into a bench for 3.

All details are like a luxury car with bells and whistles everywhere, including camera mounts on the cockpit roof for capturing the moment when a marlin is reeled in.

Customization and versatility best describe this bow lounge section, maxing out the amount of passenger seating in different configurations for both cruising and relaxing. And there’s a self-draining, insulated cooler under the bow couch.

The optional tower has a lounge and secondary helm station with a minimized, but comprehensive instrumentation. The view while driving the boat from here is amazing. But climbing up here is not easy. In bigger waves, it’s probably dangerous and might be best left out if the main cruising grounds are the choppy and roiling Gulf of Mexico.

Storage space under the gunnels is intelligently taken advantage of. There’s space for a selection of rods, tackle and warm weather gear.

Awesome comfort in the birth where the lighting highlights the elegance of the interior design. There’s a bit of natural light too–though not all that much. From the birth, it looks more like a cabin cruiser.

From the inside to the out, the Outrage 420 is highlighted by beautiful paneling where the subtle Boston Whaler brand name is displayed and projects pride of place.

Perhaps with other brands, this might be arrogance, but after 50 years with the type of recognition Boston Whaler commands, it projects prestige that attracts even non-fishing boating enthusiasts.

See our full list of the best Boston Whaler boats here.