Boston Whaler 420 Outrage, Price, Engine Packages and Ownership Guide

The Boston Whaler 420 Outrage as Whaler's offshore flagship

Boston Whaler has been building Outrage center consoles for more than fifty years, and the Boston Whaler 420 Outrage sits at the top of that line. It was announced in 2014, shown in scale-model form at that year's boat shows, and delivered as a 2015 model with four 300 hp Mercury Verados on the transom and a base price of $744,792. Boating named it a 2015 Boat of the Year. At the time it was one of the largest production center consoles on the market, and it remains the biggest boat in the Whaler fleet.

What sets it apart from rivals is the same thing that sets every Whaler apart. Since Dick Fisher founded the company in 1958, Whalers have been built with foam injected between the hull and deck liner so that the boat stays afloat even when swamped. On the 420, Whaler lists a swamped capacity of 4,000 pounds. No other builder in this size range makes that claim, and it matters to families and to anyone who fishes far offshore.

Whaler, owned by Brunswick since 1996 and built in Edgewater, Florida, pitches the 420 as a crossover: a serious bluewater fishing boat that also has the cabin, seating and comfort to work as a family day yacht.

From quad 300s to triple V12s, the engine packages explained

The 420 has carried three distinct power generations, and understanding them is the key to shopping the used market. Launch boats ran quad Mercury Verado 300s, with quad Verado 350s as the step-up. Sport Fishing magazine's test boat on quad 350s reached 53.6 mph at 6,400 rpm and returned its best economy, 0.68 mpg, at 35.3 mph, while earlier testing on quad 300s produced 50.1 mph. Those early boats carried 600 gallons of fuel and a 1,675 hp maximum rating; current boats have a 700-gallon aluminum tank and an 1,800 hp ceiling.

When Mercury introduced the 600 hp V12 Verado with its two-speed transmission and steerable gearcase, Whaler made a triple V12 rig the centerpiece of the 420 Outrage Anniversary Edition that marked fifty years of the Outrage line. Today the builder lists two packages: quad Verado V10 425s or triple V12 600s, both with joystick piloting, and a minimum rating of 1,200 hp against a maximum of 1,800 hp.

Triple V12s save an engine's worth of maintenance and leave more room on the swim platform, and their two-speed gearboxes improve acceleration. Quad V10s cost less up front and offer more redundancy. Neither is wrong, but on the used market the V12 boats command a clear premium.

Measured speed and fuel burn on triple 600s

BoatTest ran a 420 Outrage 50th Anniversary Edition fitted with triple V12 600s, the optional upper station and tower, three people, 385 gallons of fuel and 48 gallons of water aboard, for a test weight of 29,079 pounds. It planed in 5.7 seconds and reached 30 mph in 10.4 seconds.

Top speed was 53.5 mph (46.5 knots) at 5,400 rpm, burning 124.8 gph. The sweet spots came between 3,500 and 4,000 rpm. At 3,500 rpm the boat ran 29.5 mph (25.6 knots) on 51.7 gph, and at 4,000 rpm 36.3 mph (31.6 knots) on 64.2 gph, both around 0.6 mpg and about 355 statute miles of range on 90 percent of the 700-gallon tanks.

Those figures are for a boat carrying a tower and upper station, which add weight high up and noticeable lean in tight turns. A boat with just the standard hardtop will run a little faster and flatter. Either way, think of the 420 as a 30-knot cruiser with a mid 40s top end, not a stepped speed machine.

Two rows of helm seating and a cockpit that converts

Whaler designed the 420 around social space. The helm has three individual captain's chairs with fold-up bolsters, and a second row folds out behind them so six people can sit facing forward. Outboard seats rotate to face aft at anchor. The glass dash takes triple 16-inch multifunction displays plus a Mercury VesselView screen and joystick.

In the cockpit, the deluxe leaning post doubles as an outdoor kitchen with an electric grill under a hinged solid-surface lid, a freshwater sink, a 2.3 cubic-foot refrigerator drawer and tackle drawers. A transom bench folds out, two teak tables mount on posts in the deck, and suddenly the cockpit is a dining room. Under a wide hatch in the deck sits a mechanical room with batteries, pumps, strainers and the generator (a 7.5 kW low-CO gas unit is standard, diesel optional).

Forward, chaise lounges on the front of the console and wraparound bow seating around an electrically raised table make the bow the best spot at anchor. Passageways beside the console are about 23 inches wide, generous on a center console.

Fishing hardware and the optional upper station

Fishing features are solid rather than extreme. A pressurized 24-gallon livewell sits in the aft port corner and another in the leaning post, with a 40-gallon upgrade offered on some editions. In-deck fish boxes can be ordered with refrigerated chill plates so they do not need ice. Rod holders line the gunwales, transom and hardtop, and a port hullside dive door makes landing a big fish or reboarding divers easy.

The upper station option is the feature serious anglers should consider. It adds a full second helm with a VesselView screen, a 12-inch chartplotter, a three-across bench and five rod holders, and raises bridge clearance to 18 feet 6 inches. Spotting birds and weed lines from up there is a different game, but check your marina and storage height limits before buying one.

Cabin and overnights

Below, Whaler claims seven feet of headroom; BoatTest measured an average of 6 feet 5 inches and Boating listed 6 feet 4 inches, still excellent for a center console. A skylight and hull side windows bring in light. There is a modest galley with sink, Isotherm refrigerator and microwave, a table that folds and spins, a convertible double berth forward with a backrest that hinges up to extend the bed to about seven feet, and a 12,000 BTU air conditioner. The enclosed head has a solid-surface counter, an electric flush toilet and a shower.

It sleeps two comfortably, three in a pinch. That makes the 420 a great weekend boat for a couple and an excellent day boat for a family, but not a cruiser for two couples.

Price, ownership costs and resale

Industry valuation guides list a base MSRP around $1.1 million for recent model years, and a typically optioned new 420 in 2026 lands between about $1.15 million and $1.6 million. Used boats range from roughly $450,000 for an early quad 300 boat to about $1.25 million for a nearly new triple V12 example.

Boston Whaler resale is among the best in the industry, helped by the brand's name, Brunswick's dealer network and the foam-filled safety story. Expect annual costs of $60,000 to $115,000 including insurance, a 45-foot slip, outboard service on three or four engines, generator and Seakeeper maintenance and fuel.