Breaking the size barrier in a boat brand can be a tricky proposition. Besides trying to keep the family resemblance of a brand, there are questions about how many new features the builder should add, how long or short the options list should be, and how much extra length is necessary to keep the brand loyalists in the fold without making the boat too large. Building boats is all about building the right stairs so owners can move up without falling through the cracks.

EdgeWater is a Florida builder that has built a lineup of boats ranging from 15 to 26 feet during the last eight or nine years. The line's styling and quality has attracted owners that can reasonably compare their boats to a Boston Whaler or Grady-White of similar sizes, though EdgeWater boats have a more classical center console look than the more stylized profiles of the other two brands.

The new EdgeWater 318CC has maintained the EdgeWater profile - a straight and narrow hull with curves around the cockpit - while taking a big step up from the next-smallest model, the 265. Super-sizing 6 feet could be a gamble for any manufacturer that's never built a boat this large, but the designers got it right. This is much more than a 26 on steroids - the Edgewater 318CC brings the company to a whole new level.

There are a few rough edges and minor design nitpicks, but overall, the boat is proof that EdgeWater 318CC can play with the big boys in the 30-foot-plus range. Boating World took a half-day test drive out of Ponce Inlet near New Smyrna Beach, Florida, as well as extended walkarounds of the EdgeWater 318CC at the Ft. Lauderdale boat show last November, and recently at Brewer's Marina in Old Saybrook, Connecticut.

The first impression, all three times, was consistent: great-looking boat at the dock with a light-blue-and-white hull and twin Yamaha 250 4-strokes on the transom. The T-top, powder-coated aluminum handrails and leaning post add the touch of class that defines the brand. A definite head-turner.

But it's more than a pretty face, as we find out in the ocean. The water on this day isn't extreme, but the confused 2-foot chop gives a sense of how the boat will handle in big bays or along the coast. There's a solidity to the boat that you can feel in the chop. The pounding is minimal, but even when we come down off a wave top, the landing is solid, not tinny. The 6,500-pound boat handles nicely in turns, without losing its tracking, and settles into a friendly cruise speed of about 25 mph (15 gallons per hour) in the waves. You could also throttle back to 3000 rpm, and burn about 12.1 gph for a more fuel-efficient cruise speed of 14.8 mph. At 1000 rpm, the EdgeWater 318CC burns about 2.4 gph, making extended trolling a gas-saving option.

The matching helm and companion seats both measure 19 inches by 24 inches, and though the wheel's on the left (which takes a little getting used to), visibility from the helm is good. The wraparound seats are cushy, with great padding for the bumpy ride out to the fishing grounds. There's not time for fishing during the test, but the amenities on the boat are extensive and well-laid out. It's a fishing boat that's family-friendly rather than the other way around.

While running the boat, you quickly see its functionality. There's an overhead electronics box and good space on the console for displays, an Edson stainless-steel tilt wheel with power knob, a canvas enclosure overhead for PFDs and a Ritchie compass. The area feels non-cluttered and functional - and protective against waves that come over the side. The test boat is loaded with about $25,000 worth of options, including big-ticket items like the hardtop ($7,900), aluminum leaning post with 150-quart Frigid Rigid Cooler ($4,461), and 18-inch Taco Radial Outriggers with crank adjustment integrated into the hardtop ($3,963). Some options are necessary; others, like the cushioned bow table with electric pedestal ($2,915) definitely fall into the "luxury'' category. EdgeWater could consider making the trim tab indicators ($389) a standard item, since the Lenco trim tabs already come standard.

But EdgeWater wanted to show that the boat could come fully loaded, and the list of standard features is decent, including a 66-gallon transom baitwell/fishbox, a second 28-gallon transom baitwell, lockable rod storage, VacuFlush head with pumpout and many small nice touches. The quality is there. You see it in the layout of the cockpit (130 square feet), especially aft, which has 77 inches by 101 inches of open deck space, and 27-inch high gunwales. The walkthrough to the transom on the starboard side is 27 inches high and 15 inches wide, with a lockable door (though the button on the test boat seems to stick).

Thick coaming runs around the edges and toerails line the floor. It feels safe and snug inside the cockpit - and that will help parents feel comfortable enough to let kids ride in the back. There's an aft pull-down seat that measures 15 inches by 56 inches. It's a bit narrow for an adult, and the backrest isn't particularly comfortable. Plus, in the down position, there's not enough clearance between the seat bottom and deck to keep your foot under it. It's a minor detail, but the design flaw could be an annoyance if you're fighting a fish off the back and keep banging your foot against the cushion.

There are rod holders and rocket launchers everywhere on the boat, including a few up at the bow. The 10-inch cleats on the bow are retractable and add to the 318CC's clean profile. The 73-inch by 73-inch bow area is particularly well-designed for either bow-casting or socializing. It has a drop-down table with cushions (both options) to turn the area into a large sunpad. Again, you get the feeling of security up here, with a 20-inch depth between the seat and the bow deck. Powder-coated white railings run the length of the sides. There's big storage in the in-floor fishbox, which measures 27 inches by  30 inches, is also a plus.

The eight stainless-steel screws showing on the top of the bow table aren't as sleek as the rest of the bow area, which breathes quality. Even the EdgeWater 318CC at the Connecticut dealership looks good after being outside for several weeks. There's depth to its quality and construction; edges are clean and the material is top-notch. 

EdgeWater is using a vacuum-infusion process called Single Piece Infusion (SPI) to build a lighter hull boat with fewer emissions. The EdgeWater 318CC also has an internal one-piece structure called Perma-Grid that gives it more stability. You feel it in the boat's solid handling in the chop, and its tight handling during turns at speed. There's not that flexy feeling you get on other boats; another intangible pointer to quality construction.

The console compartment is as full-featured as you can get on a center console, with the VacuFlush toilet (the test one is the optional electric), pull-out freshwater shower, good ventilation and decent headroom. The starting batteries and electrical distribution panel are also located in this console. The chance of dousing the panel is probably slim to none, but boaters can be boaters. Even a plastic covering over the electrical panel would make sense.

Overall, the Edgewater 318CC is a thoughtfully designed boat that will appeal to fishermen and family members alike. It's also a big leap forward for EdgeWater, and brings the brand to boaters who may have considered it a small-boat company. Now, it's running with the big dogs.