Discovering the Forgotten Keys

The Dry Tortugas Center Console Style

Standing at the Southernmost Point buoy in Key West and staring at the horizon, it’s easy to imagine that this is the end of the road. But beyond Key West lie the Dry Tortugas, stunning islands that are the polar opposite of their inviting but touristy Florida Keys brethren. Where the Keys bustle with activity and burst with seafood restaurants, waterfront hotels and T-shirt shops, the Dry Tortugas are pleasantly frozen in time with nary an automobile or store in sight.

Keeping with the theme of this month’s issue, we set out to explore this idyllic chain not by yacht or sailboat, but with a team of able-bodied center consoles. We invited three very different boats to make this 70-mile journey from Key West Harbor and prove once again that these vessels are as well suited for cruising as they are for afternoon fishing. We had two trusted names in center console boatbuilding and one new kid on the block that’s about to shake things up. ...

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