Hustler Powerboats 39 Shotgun

Hustler Powerboats builds a outboard-powered offshore boat based on the same hull of its popular 39 Rockit.

By Gregg Mansfield
Photos by Randy Nuzzo

The popularity of outboards isn’t waning anytime soon and it’s a significant reason why Hustler Powerboats opted to build an outboard version of its 39-foot offshore boat. By losing the engine compartment, designers had a large cockpit to work with on the new 39 Shotgun.

“We took our 39 and we made a new deck, which gave us about another 6 to 7 feet of cockpit space, which really opened the boat up quite a bit,” said Joe LoGiudice, owner of Global Marine, the parent company of Hustler Powerboats.

The result is a V-bottom that can seat 10 people comfortably, has a full cabin and can run almost 100 mph with triple Mercury Racing Verado 400R engines. Using the same hull as on the popular 39 Rockit, Hustler Powerboats designed a new deck for the model.

**Base power for the 39 Shotgun is triple Mercury Racing Verado 400R engines.**

“We wanted to give it a different look, give it some rounded lines,” LoGiudice said. “(We wanted to) take some of that abrupt look of the outboards on the back of the boat and still let it look like a high-performance boat as opposed to looking like a center console or a fishing boat.”

The cockpit offers innovative features including reclining aft seats, a table that pulls up from the floor and a humidor. Cockpit seating consists of individual bolsters for the driver and co-pilot, facing two-person couches amidships and the rear bench. Hustler offers the 39 Shotgun with an optional hardtop and it’s a smart choice, especially if you do most of your boating in sunny Florida.

**Hustler Powerboats’ 39 Shotgun is loaded with creature comforts including a rear bench with reclining seats.**

To port just behind the co-pilot’s seat is a sink and a humidor in the base. Under the port couch is a cooler that can hold up to 48 cans and drains overboard instead of into the bilge.

The driver’s spot has the throttle and trim controls in the gunwale, while the shifters are left of the wheel. A large video screen is front and center with three gauges at the top of the dash for a quick reference. The co-pilot’s spot can be equipped with a GPS screen but comes standard with a glovebox, cupholders and grab handles.

**The driver’s spot is loaded with goodies including a Simrad GPS screen.**

Built-in steps in the cabin door provides convenient access to the deck, making it easier to grab lines and tie off fenders.

Hustler equipped the 39 Shotgun with a full cabin including a V-berth in the bow that sleeps two comfortably. Facing couches can accommodate up to six people. Ample stowage is beneath the V-berth and lounges.

**A couch bottom amidships opens on heavy-duty hinges to provide stowage.**

The cabin also included a galley to port with a 12-volt removable cooler. Buyers can add a sink with a pressurized water system. Hustler provided an enclosed head to starboard that comes standard with a portable toilet but most buyers will likely upgrade to a VacuFlush toilet for the convenience.

***The boat is also equipped with a humidor for cigars, a nod to the high-end buyer of the offshore boat.***

Hustler offers air-conditioning as an option and the builder includes vents in the cabin as well as the cockpit for the driver and co-pilot. “It’s very similar to driving your convertible with the top down in the summer and putting the air conditioning on or in the fall putting the heat on,” LoGiudice said.

Base power for the 39 Shotgun is triple Mercury Racing Verado 400R engines. For those attending the 2020 Miami International Boat Show, expect to see a 39 Shotgun with a trio of Mercury Racing Verado 450R engines. Mercury Racing debuted the power plants earlier this year.

With a combined 1,200 horsepower on transom, the 39 Shotgun cruises at 60 mph and thanks to a 260-gallon fuel tank has good range offshore. LoGiudice said to expect a top speed in the high 90-mph range, though the company did test a 39 Shotgun (without a 400-pound generator) that reached 100 mph.

LoGiudice, who purchased Hustler Powerboats in 2015 under his company Global Marine Power, said the offshore boat appeals to buyers who want performance and the spaciousness of a center-console boat.

“This has the feel of a high-performance boat,” LoGiudice said. “I’ve run it in some pretty big water and it just runs like a regular 39. It just runs through it.”