Marlin 300 vs Freedom 325 for fishing?

[devnull]

hi all, I'm looking at the Freedom 325 as a nice compromise for fishing/cruising days but I don't want to sacrifice too much on the fishing side if possible as that will be my primary use.

It seems the 325 has the features from the Marlin that would appeal to me for fishing:
big cockpit, nice livewell, fishbox, dual screen real estate, outriggers, etc...

I don't plan on overnighting so the cabin is a wash. Besides that are there any differences in fishing features I'd lose going with a Freedom 325 over a Marlin 300? I haven't seen a tower on a Freedom yet so that might be one callout if the top can't support the weight.

thanks!

 

[Macrophylla]

If you don't need the cabin I'm not sure I'd want to forfeit the space up front for riding around when you're not fishing.

 

[seasick]

Two very different boats. That said, you need to make a prioritized list of the features you must have and them could live without, If you are an avid fisherman and fish with friends, as opposed to taking the family out, then you might find a better match with something like a Canyon

 

[devnull]

thanks seasick, I have a 27' center console now and I'm looking to get some foul weather coverage that I like with the Marlin and Freedom to have that full windshield and wrap around glass to stay out of the elements on those longer rides.

 

[Bird Blaster]

Haven't been on either. You need to figure out priorities.

For me I went from a 22' bow rider to a GW Gulfstream 232 as I valued the fishing capabilities more and I wanted the little cuddy for kids, storage and even the once and awhile overnight. I see the space on my Gulfstream as way more usable than a bowrider.

I think if you want to cruise more and entertain the 325 will be a better choice.

 

[Macrophylla]

thanks seasick, I have a 27' center console now and I'm looking to get some foul weather coverage that I like with the Marlin and Freedom to have that full windshield and wrap around glass to stay out of the elements on those longer rides.

That was my thought process too on getting our Freedom, we looked at the Marlin and Express but couldn’t justify all the wasted space of the cabin (for our purposes) and the Freedom is plenty fishy although I’ll probably add another couple of rod holders at some point

 

[Fishtales]

Really need to decide how much fishing you will do. The Marlin is far better for saltwater fishing and had the ability to keep you dry in the bad weather. The Freedom is more of a day boat for cruising and entertaining. I'm partial to the Marlin, but know many folks that like the Freedoms.

 

[efx]

I had the pleasant experience of 40 miles in 4-6 swells at 9 sec. with wind driven white caps the entire time. Head sea and beam sea. The Marlin pushed through it at 2500 rpm and kept everyone dry. It’s a rough water boat with the 10 6 beam. Not sure about the freedom, but I had a lot of confidence with my Marlin. And we trolled almost the entire time. The boat likes to fish and especially troll.