OSPREY - CUSTOM CAROLINA FOR SALE

Fresh year, refreshed price: now $224,000.

Don’t miss this Custom Carolina cold‑molded express sportfishing yacht powered by a single Cummins QSC 540 hp, conceived by Jesse Rhodes and crafted in Charleston, South Carolina by Dixon Boatworks. Her centerline helm pod with a Stidd chair commands a clean, purposeful deck; the hardtop carries flush‑mounted pancake teaser reels and a recently installed G&G enclosure, while the tower with full controls keeps the bite in view. Meticulously lift‑kept, the elegant yet practical, air‑conditioned cabin offers an enclosed head with shower, a compact galley, and a V‑berth with filler cushions, all backed by an Onan generator and digital thermostat for precise A/C. OSPREY delivers an economical 27‑mph cruise, a bow thruster for effortless close‑quarters handling, and a 4‑blade prop set in a pocket for a comfortable 3'3" draft—ideal for skinny‑water approaches. Fresh belly band and bench cushions complement a starboard, aft‑facing cushioned seat by the helm. Fishability is pure tournament express: twin spreader outriggers with a center rigger, rod holders on the aft hardtop and rear tower legs, a transom fish box, and a livewell tucked behind the helm seat. Below, a forward V‑berth with overhead hatch converts to a generous double via two fillers, the mini‑galley is fitted with a microwave, sink, refrigerator, and tidy cabinetry, and a small portside settee completes the layout. This sleek express cruiser/sportfisherman blends Custom Carolina style with offshore capability and inshore agility—a refined, ready‑to‑run platform for tournament fishing, weekend cruising, and bluewater adventure.

Accommodations

Forward, a classic V-berth converts to a full berth thanks to a clever two-piece filler, while just above to starboard a quarter berth adds another generous sleeping nook, making the space realistically comfortable for up to 3. A cushioned coaming softly frames the berth, the sole is a warm teak-and-holly, and the berth area walls are dressed in grass cloth, with cabinet doors, frames, and trim all in rich teak. Climate is quietly mastered by a reverse-cycle Dometic air-conditioning unit with a digital thermostat set to port of the berth. Natural light and fresh air pour through a teak-trimmed Lewmar overhead deck hatch, and overhead, a refined headliner integrates flush-mounted pin-spot lighting for a calm, even glow. Forward of the berth, a dedicated cabinet gives clean access to the anchor rode locker, where a braided line is neatly stowed.

Electronics

At the helm, confident command begins with two Garmin 12-inch touchscreen, full-color GPS/Map multifunction displays paired with a Garmin dome radar scanner for crisp situational awareness. A Simrad NSS12 EVO2 touchscreen multifunction display can also show engine gauges, and a Simrad autopilot is integrated for fingertip control through the Simrad MFD. Communications are clear and redundant via a VHF radio with a remote full-function microphone plug and mount, complemented by an ICOM VHF radio neatly placed in the tower control box. Precision low-speed handling comes from a SidePower bow thruster control, while a Glendinning engine control selector panel ensures seamless mode selection. Entertainment is refined by a JL Audio MediaMaster 50 stereo control head driving JL Audio speaker pairs in both the cockpit and the helm area. Critical engine insight is provided by a VesselView 4 digital engine data display, and fine-tuning ride and attitude is simple with the QL trim tab control panel.

Interior features and galley area

From the bridge deck, enter the cabin through a lockable teak-and-glass hinged door topped by a smooth sliding panel, and step down to an inviting L-shaped settee to port. Above and outboard, two shallow-depth cabinets add smart stowage beside a wall-mounted directional lamp, while at the aft end of the settee a stainless-door Magic Chef mini fridge with a convenient top freezer keeps provisions perfectly chilled; at the forward end and beneath the settee, an extra storage cabinet tucks away cruise essentials. Opposite, the galley gleams with a Corian countertop and an inset stainless-steel sink with a chrome faucet, flanked below by a pair of practical cabinets that also house a fire extinguisher. Outboard and above, a stainless-front GE microwave/convection oven is handsomely framed in teak trim; just beneath it sits a handy cubby shelf and above, another wall-mounted directional lamp brightens the workspace. Just forward of the galley, a teak-and-plexiglass door opens to the head, fitted with a Raritan electric-flush toilet and a shower wand with a wall mount. The compartment is finished in clean white painted surfaces with a rubber mat sole that drains neatly to a grey-water sump box below.

Hull and deck equipment

This cold-molded WEST System hull is finished in a timeless Fighting Lady Yellow, accented by a green boot stripe and bottom paint, its bottom thoughtfully pocketed to accept an I-strut and a 4-blade Nibral propeller, yielding a shallow draft of approximately 3 feet 3 inches. The chine carries an extended lifting rail, the bow blooms with the distinctive Carolina flare, and the transom shows off attractive tumblehome styling; with deadrise at the transom, she delivers a notably good offshore ride for her length. A rugged tow eye sits just below the spray rail that leads forward to the bow. The foredeck features a non-skid finish and a notable crown with a white toe rail that breaks at the bow for a hawse pipe with anchor rode and two fairleads. Line hawsers on the transom ease docking, while stainless pop-up cleats are placed at midship and on the bow. Cockpit sides carry a splash rail, and the transom includes a receiver for an Armstrong-style swim ladder, with the ladder itself neatly stored in the engine room. The cockpit is richly trimmed with teak covering boards and coaming panels and fitted with six flush-mounted rod holders, while a centered aft transom fishbox stands ready for the day’s catch. Beneath its hinged lids, Starboard cutting board surfaces invite quick prep. The cockpit deck is non-skid, complemented by a roto-cast step box. Under the side coverboard, sliding-door compartments stow gaffs, brush poles, and gear, with a washdown hose to port and electric reel plug outlets discreetly tucked beneath the coverboard along with the transom cleats. On the forward side of the cockpit, a circular live-bait well sits just abaft the helm chair. To starboard, two top-opening storage boxes with moon spring keepers are matched below by twin doors into a tackle storage area with shelves tailored for Plano boxes. Command is elevated by a Stidd helm chair and a varnished teak helm pod with a single-lever Glendinning engine control and an Edson chrome custom helm wheel with a speed knob. Protection and clarity at the helm are enhanced by a recently fitted three-sided enclosure by G&G Canvas (60 mil forward, 40 mil on the sides, track-to-track), while the helm level is laid in handsome teak decking. Comfort extends with an aft-facing two-person bench seat to starboard and, forward of the helm, a large cushioned bench long enough to stretch out on. Above, a Tuna Tower crowns the package, its hardtop underside color-matched to the hull, with 6 rod holders across the aft edge of the hardtop truss plus 2 more on each aft tower leg. The radar scanner is mounted on a raised aluminum bracket, single-spreader outriggers flank a center rigger, and flush-mounted, pancake-style teaser reels under the hardtop feed teaser lines that exit through the hardtop sides. Flush-mounted lighting beneath the hardtop shifts between white and blue. The tower station is equipped with SmartCraft analog gauges, a single-lever Glendinning engine control binnacle, and a chrome custom helm wheel, and it has recently renewed belly band cushions and tower bench seat cushions. A safety grab rail and footrest frame the tower control box, with the anchor light just beneath; the buggy top above is laced canvas on an arch-style support. Two VHF antennas crown the top with flag leads to either side. Running lights are molded into the forward corners of the hardtop and centered on the aft edge, while three cockpit spreader lights are molded into the tower box beneath the tower seat. A Fortress anchor with lead chain is stowed under the bench seat on the helm deck. For lay days, there is a canvas cockpit fly cover that runs from the track on the aft edge of the hardtop to pins at the transom rub rail, plus a canvas cover for the tower control box and a dedicated canvas cover for the helm console and Stidd helm chair.

Electrical and mechanical equipment

Engine room entry is smartly located beneath the fold-up helm deck steps, revealing an Onan 5.5 kW generator in a sound shield and a ProMariner ProMatic 12V, 30 amp battery charger feeding three AGM-type batteries with rotary shut-off switches. Under the helm console, Blue Sea circuit breaker panels manage 12V DC and 110V AC systems with shore/gen switching, a battery condition switch, and metering that includes an AC ammeter, a DC ammeter, and a DC voltmeter. Shore connectivity is via a 30 amp shore power cord, with 110V GFI outlets placed where needed. Safety is elevated by a SeaFire FE-421 engine room fire suppression system, complemented by a hot water heater and fluorescent engine room lighting. Bilge management is robust with 4 Rule bilge pumps fitted with Ultra switches and check valves—two in the engine room and two in the aft bilge—plus a Rule sump pump box. Fuel and water systems are equally considered: a Teleflex electric fuel gauge, a DC freshwater pump with a pressure meter and filter, and a polyethylene holding tank with deck pump-out. Fishing systems include a dedicated baitwell pump, while low-speed authority comes from a SidePower DC bow thruster and corrosion protection from a bonding system with a transom sacrificial zinc plate. Power is delivered by a single 540 hp Cummins QSC 8.3 liter common-rail diesel; Cummins cooler service was completed approximately 1 year ago. The drivetrain features a ZF transmission, Racor primary fuel filters—1000 for the main engine and 500 for the generator—an Airsep crankcase breather system, acoustic insulation on the engine room ceiling, and a dripless rudder bearing.

Summary and broker comment

OSPREY is a sharp-looking, sweet-running Carolina Custom express sportfish that has clearly benefited from the stewardship of an experienced owner and a thoughtful sequence of updates. Lift kept (#14,430 full load), this cold-molded beauty delivers the custom sportfish aesthetic without the punishing cosmetic upkeep so often demanded by her peers. The Cummins power package is low hour, dependable, and economical with an honest turn of speed, and the hull’s shallow draft and well-mannered seakeeping broaden the fishing and cruising window. Inside, the layout is functional and welcoming, comfortably accommodating overnighters and easy weekend escapes.

Custom disclaimer and exclusions

The details of this vessel are offered in good faith but without guarantee or warranty as to the accuracy of the information or the condition of the vessel. Buyers are encouraged to instruct their agents or surveyors to investigate any particulars they wish to have validated. This vessel is offered subject to prior sale, price change, or withdrawal without notice. Certain personal items aboard may be excluded from the sale; an exclusion list will be provided upon request when accompanied by an acceptable written offer.