By the time the sun bubbles over the horizon, the Boston Whaler 320 Outrage is already 50 miles off the coast of Daytona Beach and is still running at 35 mph. A look at the Navman GPS shows that the six fishermen are 105 miles away from their scheduled waypoint. Where are they going? The Bahamas? Nope, their current course of due east would have them making landfall somewhere in Morocco, North Africa, so where are they heading? Believe it or not, the destination is a yellow weather buoy less than 20 feet long, named Station 41010, and while it might be small, its reputation is huge.

For those of you who think a 32-foot center console is too big, just put six anglers on board, head 155 miles offshore, and then re-evaluate that theory. It's likely you won't be saying, 'Gee, I wish I had a smaller, less capable boat.' While the seas are only running a moderate two to three feet, veteran offshore anglers know that the Atlantic, with its malevolent sense of humor, will often allow you to go offshore with impunity only to throw its worst at you on the return to port. So to make a journey this far offshore, you better have a boat that can handle just about anything the ocean can dish out ' and that pretty well defines what the 320 Outrage is all about. Think of it as a fiberglass insurance policy, because no matter what you do to it, at the end of the day this boat will still be floating. The ride in the 'chop' is outstanding, due to the Accutrac hull's sharp entry and 23-degree deadrise at the stern. An interesting modification to this boat is the flat keel section at the stern that helps get the 320 on plane quicker and also stay on plane at slower speeds.

This flagship of the Outrage line weighs a beefy 8,500 pounds, but that's just the beginning. Add 300 gallons of fuel at six pounds per gallon, along with the weight of six non-Atkins' dieting fishermen, and then do a rough estimate of the weight of a dozen offshore-fishing rods, a glacier of ice as well as a pair of mega-outboards, and you're now tipping the scales at close to seven tons.

What are you going to use to push that load and get you there and back safely while still giving you time to fish? You obviously need reliable power, and lots of it, but you also need excellent throttle response for maneuverability in case you get into huge seas or hook an uncooperative fish. But while you're making out a wish list, you also want them to be quiet 'after all, you'll be running them non-stop for 15 hours. The answer is Verado: Mercury's new game-changing 4-stroke outboard that is supercharged to deliver an incredible level of performance. Bolted onto the transom of the Whaler is a pair of 275-hp Verado engines that at idle measure a ridiculously quiet 56 decibels. Often after a prolonged run when using conventional 2-stroke engines, you can get hoarse from shouting over the noise. But with the Verado, the cruise-speed noise level is only 84 decibels, making normal conversation possible. With the 275-hp Verado outboards, the 320 Outrage is transformed into a 50-plus-mph mega-center console.

Settling in for the almost five-hour run, everyone picks his favorite spot to lounge, and one of the best places to be is at the helm. Gripping the substantial stainless-steel wheel complete with spinner knob, and leaning back into the flip-up seat bolster on the driver's bucket seat complete with armrests, you're in battle position to handle what-ever comes at you. But as many avid offshore anglers will tell you, pounding around in rough seas for years takes its toll on your back and knees. So for those battered warriors who are literally on their last legs, Boston Whaler, in cooperation with Garelick Manufacturing, has developed an innovative way to put the spring back into your step. It's called the Active Deck Suspension System (ADSS), and how it works is pretty clever. The section of deck where the helm crew and those who are riding shotgun behind reside is suspended by pneumatic shock absorbers that work differently than those on your SUV. These cylinders release an amount of air that's proportional to the impact level that the crew is experiencing. A compressor then immediately tops off the cylinders in anticipation of the next wave. How well does it work? Well, at first you'll probably think it's too weird, but if you're running in extremely rough conditions, you're going to be sold on the concept. You can set the ride for soft, medium or firm, or you can even disable the system to lock the deck into a fixed position. On relatively calm days ' like today ' you'll probably choose to turn the system off, because when the deck 'tops out' upon returning to its highest position, there's a mildly jarring 'ka-chung' as the travel abruptly stops. This is a small trade-off compared to the bone-jarring impact you can receive when running flat-out in rough conditions ' like SKA competitors are prone to do.

A couple members of the crew are trying to make up for the 3 a.m. wake-up call by attempting to catch some beauty rest (it doesn't take) on the way out and have taken up residence on the massive bow cushions, which can be removed to provide a roomy platform to cast lures or throw a cast net. When in entertainment mode, this area can easily seat eight cocktail cruisers, and with a passenger capacity of 14, you won't have to leave anyone behind. But today, the crew is dreaming of tuna, dolphin and maybe even a marlin.

For nearly 100 miles, no signs of fish have been spotted, and although a beautiful weed line is spotted and worked, it's a dry well. At 125 miles from port, the sight of diving birds causes the driver to jam the 'fly-by-wire' electronic throttle controls on the Verado engines, and the 320 Outrage rapidly accelerates 'birdward.' The experienced Boston Whaler employee crew springs into action: One member swings out the optional Taco outriggers, another heads to the bait prep station located behind the helm seats and goes to the built-in tackle boxes next to the 45-gallon livewell to select the trolling lures, while another gets the ballyhoo out of one of the massive port-side 80-gallon in-floor fish box. The battle-station drill includes dropping the large stern bench seat flush to the transom, maximizing cockpit fighting space. Soon, two rods bend down, and a pair of football-sized blackfin tuna is hoisted aboard. The school dissipates, and the 320 Outrage then continues its previous course until there on the horizon is a glimpse of yellow on the surface of the 2,500 foot-deep indigo-blue water: Station 41010.

All doubts as to whether the long journey is worth it are squashed when the first trolling pass next to the weather buoy results in a giant dolphin rocketing skyward (mahi-mahi for you Red Lobster fans). After a tough battle, a 48-pounder is gaffed and put on ice in the starboard 80-gallon fish box. If that isn't enough capacity, there's also a 108-gallon box up front ' and at the rate they are hauling in the fish, they might need it.

For the next four hours, the six-man crew gets into a groove, and they take turns at each station, as the dolphin action remains constant, with several more beauties being brought aboard, including a 35-pounder. Thanks to the 320 Outrage's roominess and thoughtfully laid out deck, the six anglers have plenty of space, and despite the furious action, the deck remains orderly, and clean-ups are handled quite quickly with the rawwater washdown hose.

The hardest part of fishing in remote areas like this is having the discipline to leave when the fish are still biting. But when they discover that one of the crew members told his wife to call the Coast Guard if they're not in by 8:30 p.m., they have no choice but to reel in and boogie. Fortunately there's plenty of fuel in reserve, so the plan is to run hard and fast for 155 miles, and unless there's a delay, they SHOULD make it home in time.

To find out what happens, read the exciting conclusion in an upcoming engine column about the Mercury Verado.