BlackJack 256 Coastal, the Kenner Hybrid Between Bay and Nearshore

Who builds BlackJack boats, and where the 256 Coastal fits

Anyone looking at BlackJack boats for sale soon learns that they come from a small, family-run plant in Knoxville, Arkansas, not from the coast. K2 Marine, run by brothers Bill and Gary Kenner, builds BlackJack and the more value-focused Frontier bay boats, and the Kenner name has been tied to boatbuilding for more than 70 years. BlackJack itself debuted in 2004 with the 224, added the 256 Bay in 2016 and introduced the 256 Coastal as its third model.

The Coastal was shown as a prototype in 2019 and arrived in full production for the 2020 boat show season, touring Gulf and Atlantic shows. BlackJack's own site still calls it the newest addition to the line, and the range remains just three boats: the 224, the 256 Bay and the 256 Coastal.

The idea is a hybrid. The 256 Bay is a classic guide's bay boat with raised casting decks; the Coastal keeps the 25-foot 6-inch hull but changes the deck so the crew stands lower and more securely when the boat moves into open water. As Salt Water Sportsman put it, many offshore boats draw too much for inshore water and many inshore boats are out of their element offshore, and few boats handle both as well as this one.

Three-piece construction and a lower, safer deck

The Coastal's defining feature is its three-piece design. CEO Bill Kenner explained that the extra molded piece allows more open space on the lower deck, safer seating on the forward deck and more secure standing positions in the cockpit when fishing in rolling seas, while also giving a structural advantage for heavier offshore use. In practice it means a deeper casting deck forward and an open aft deck rather than the high platforms of a pure bay boat.

Construction follows BlackJack's hands-on method. Hulls are laid up by hand and vacuum bagged, stringers are foam filled and there is no wood to rot. The company says it applies catalyzed polyester resin to 57 individual pieces, and the gelcoat colors are sprayed in-house. Testers of the sister 256 Bay found the gelcoat straight and blemish free and the stainless-insert rubrail installed true with no visible fasteners, which speaks to well-kept molds.

Gary Kenner designs the molds himself. The hull uses a concave bow to slice into chop, a reverse flare at the chines to knock spray down and away, large lifting strakes to cut wetted surface and a tumblehome transom that recalls classic wooden boats.

Fish boxes, baitwells and a day-cruiser conversion

The fishing layout favors storage and bait. Two insulated forward fish boxes plus a third in-floor center box all drain through the hull. An insulated forward baitwell has a clear acrylic lid, recirculation and fill, and the fiberglass leaning post adds a livewell, four rod holders and storage. Under-gunwale racks hold three rods on each side, and a large rear bilge-access compartment includes storage for a 5-gallon bucket.

Practical touches are everywhere: a pop-up anchor cleat and anchor locker, finished tubs and LED lighting in every hatch, gas shocks on all lids, cast 316 stainless hinges and rod holders, a wide flat gunwale you can sit or step on, and recessed LED navigation lights that meet offshore rules. A 75-quart Yeti cooler is built into the seat ahead of the front-opening console, which houses the batteries, and a six-gauge trolling-motor harness with breaker protection comes standard.

For family days, optional forward seating with snap-down cushions and removable backrests turns the bow into a lounge where passengers sit inside the boat rather than perched on top. An optional fold-out aft bench and a fiberglass T-top with lights, rod holders, speakers and overhead storage complete the day-cruiser package.

• Three insulated fish boxes with through-hull drains
• Insulated forward baitwell plus leaning-post livewell
• 75-quart Yeti console seat cooler
• Options: forward seating, aft bench, T-top, bolster cushions, Power-Poles

Yamaha power and what the hull can do

BlackJack installs Yamaha outboards at the factory before boats ship to dealers. Salt Water Sportsman's 2025 buyers guide tested the 256 Coastal with a Yamaha F350 V8 turning a 15.25 by 21-inch Saltwater Series XL prop, carrying a 1,293-pound load. It recorded 32 mph at 3,500 rpm and a maximum range of 249 miles from the 80-gallon tank.

For a fuller picture, Yamaha's own performance bulletin for the 256 hull with an F350 (tested in 2015 on the 256 Bay) recorded 66 mph at 6,000 rpm, 31.1 mph at 3,000 rpm on 8.3 gph for 3.75 mpg, and 0 to 30 mph in 6.19 seconds. A 2025 test of the 256 Bay with a Mercury 300 Verado saw 46.5 mph at 5,500 rpm, 3.4 mpg at about 26 mph and a hull that stayed on plane down to 17.4 mph. The Coastal's deeper deck adds weight up high, so expect it to run a little behind the Bay, but the hull's efficiency carries over.

Those numbers explain the guide following. A boat that plans quickly, holds plane at slow speeds and returns well over 3 mpg can cross a choppy bay to reach skinny water without draining the tank.

Running costs, towing and storage

With a single outboard, an 8-foot 6-inch beam and a hull weight under 3,000 pounds, the Coastal is easy to own. We estimate $6,000 to $12,000 a year excluding fuel and depreciation, covering insurance, Yamaha service, trailer maintenance, Power-Pole and trolling-motor upkeep and dry storage. Fuel costs stay low thanks to the 3-plus mpg cruise demonstrated on the sister hull.

The boat tows behind a half-ton pickup or large SUV on a tandem trailer and needs no permits. Its draft, estimated by BlackJack at 16 to 18 inches, means it can launch at shallow ramps that larger hybrids cannot use.

Used BlackJack boats for sale: what to look for

Used BlackJack boats for sale are concentrated along the Gulf Coast, from Texas through Louisiana to Florida, with more in the Carolinas. Guides make up a large share of owners, so expect some boats with heavy hours that have been maintained on a commercial schedule. That is not a bad thing, but it makes engine records essential.

When comparing a 256 Coastal with a 256 Bay, decide how you fish. The Bay's raised decks and 30-gallon wells favor poling and sight casting in calm marshes; the Coastal's lower deck, seating and storage favor families and anglers who push into nearshore water. Both share the same hull and ride, and both hold value well because the brand builds in small numbers.