In July of 2014 I joined the SeaArk Boats Pro Staff. I sold my boat when the Summer channel catfish action slowed down towards the end of the Summer and I ordered my first SeaArk Boat, the SeaArk ProCat 240 catfish boat.
SeaArk Boats has long been a leader in the catfish market. Their slogan “#1 In Catfishing” is well deserved as they’re one of the most popular boats for catfish and the first company to build a catfish specific boat, the ProCat 200 and ProCat 240.
SeaArk builds one of the toughest aluminum boats with their all welded .125 gauge hulls. They offer a variety of stock boats where you can order from their specs also but offer more customizations that any aluminum boat manufacturer in the business. This gives you the opportunity to start with a base model and then add the customizations and features desired based on your personal preference.
Choosing My SeaArk Boat
When I joined the SeaArk Boats Pro Staff and was faced with the decision of choosing my next catfish boat it was a tough one.
I loved the look of the ProCat boats but I’d been fishing from center console boats for so long I had an idea that I needed a center console boat. I looked long and hard at the Big Daddy Center Console but I kept coming back to the ProCat, its features and the layout of the boat (as well as the full windshield).
I started calling catfish anglers that have been fishing from the ProCat boats for years. Every single person I spoke to had nothing but good things to say about the ProCat boats and every single one of them loved their boats. It was an easy decision at that point so moved forward and ordered the SeaArk ProCat 240 catfish boat.
The boat comes in a 200 model (20 foot long) and a 240 model (24 foot long) with both models being similar with the exception of seating and floor space.
Why I Chose The ProCat 240
Here’s a few of the main reasons I chose SeaArk Boats and the ProCat 240:
- Optimal layout for catfishing using a variety of techniques.
- Excellent floor space and consoles are far forward on the hull opening up the rear of of the boat and it has minimal deck space, just the right amount of deck.
- All welded .125 ga aluminum hull. The entire hull is .125 aluminum, not just the bottom or part of the hull. The entire hull is .125 aluminum.
- The fifteen degree hull is capable of handling the roughest water you throw at it yet it’s still capable of running super skinny water, especially with the floatation pods.
- Extra large livewell
- Plenty of storage space throughout.
ProCat 240 Features and Specs
The standard model SeaArk ProCat 240 comes with an impressive list of standard features you can find here (I’ve also listed the standard features at the bottom of this article).
The hull specs on the all welded aluminum hull are:
- .125 Gauge Aluminum
- 24 Foot Long
- 94″ Beam
- 72″ Bottom Width
- 26″ Side Depth
In addition to the standard features they also offer a number of paint and interior options including camoflauge or urethane paint, interior finishes like non-skid, Gator Hide and more.
There’s also a ton of additional options and accessories as well which are all listed here.
In addition to the standard features from SeaArk I added the following options.
- Platinum Urethane Paint
- Gator Hide Interior
- Grab Rails
- Floatation Pods and Ladder
- Suzuki 225 Four Stroke Outboard
- Four Blade Stainless Steel Prop
- Hydraulic Steering
- Stainless Steel Steering Wheel
- Tilting Helm Steering Wheel
- Horn, Speedometer, Trim Gauge and Voltage Meter
- Talon Mounting Bracket
- Additional 12V Accessory Outlet
- Bimini Top
- Minn Kota Three Bank Digital Charger
- Minn Kota Terrova 80 Trolling Motor
Rigging My Catfish Boat
I picked my boat up in October and shared a few pictures while I was getting electronics and rod holders installed and getting it rigged as well as a video covering how to break in an outboard motor.
I started getting a ton of questions about the boat when I covered how to install Minn Kota iPilot Link about the boat and requests for more details and photos of the catfish boat, and questions on how I was rigging it so I put this together.
When I started the rigging I added the following items:
- Humminbird Onix 10 Sonar
- Ballzout Sonar Mount
- Humminbird 360 Sonar
- Minn Kota iPilot Link
- Lakemaster Mapping
- Custom Built Fishing Rod Holders
- Custom Built Rod Storage Rack (loaded down with my Signature Series Catfish Rods)
2015 Model Video Walkthrough
Here’s a video walk through of the 2015 Model SeaArk ProCat 240 catfish boat.
2016 Model Video Walkthrough
Here’s a video walk through of the 2016 Model SeaArk ProCat 240 catfish boat.
Detailed Photos
Here’s detailed photos of the SeaArk ProCat 240 showing many of the features and available options.
You can view the standard features at the bottom of this article. My boat has both standard features as well as options and upgrades from SeaArk as well as additional options I added after receipt.
List Of Standard Features
Here’s the list of standard features on the ProCat model.
Standard Features
* 15º All-Welded Hull
* Standard Paint*
* .125 Gauge Treadplate Floor
* Bow Storage Box
* Storage Netting
* Self Draining Bow Deck w/25 Gallon Livewell (Bait Well)
* Designated Area for Individualized Bait Tanks,Complete w/ Tie-Down Eyes
* Two (2) Aluminum Side Consoles
* ProCat Walk-Thru Windshield
* 80 Gallon Livewell
* Courtesy Light
* Four (4) Deluxe Captain’s Chairs
* Two (2) Stainless Steel Base Plates
* 50 Gallon Belly Fuel Tank
* Four (4) Cleats
* Trolling Motor Wiring (6 Gauge)
* Navigation Lights
* Auto Bilge Pump
* Bow Tilt-Trim Switch
* 12 Volt Accessory Outlet
* Three (3) Battery Trays
* Dual Steering
* Covered Battery/Storage Area
Other “Catfish Specific” Boat Models
In addition the the ProCat 240 I’m fishing from they also build the ProCat 200 model which is the same boat in a 20′ model. The major difference between the 240 and the 200 models is less floor space from the consoles back. If you don’t need the massive floor space and seating of the 240 then the 200 would be a better option. The ProCat 200 is a very popular boat among tournament anglers.
SeaArk also builds other “catfish specific” boat models including the RiverCat, V-Cat and the Big Daddy in addition to an impressive line of species specific boats for a variety of other fish and standard aluminum hulls, jet boat hulls and even mud runners.
If you don’t need a lot of bells and whistles you can start with one of the base jon boat models and then add options to meet your needs.
There’s also a very impressive center console I checked out call the Bay Extreme that would make an excellent multi-species boat for both freshwater and saltwater.
You can get more information on the SeaArk Boats website or through your local dealer but feel free to contact me if you have any questions about the ProCat 240 or any of the other models and I’ll be happy to help answer your questions.
Want More?
I’ll be back in the future with more details on specific aspects of this boat, catfish boat rigging tips, some more information on the Humminbird Onix 10, Humminbird 360, iPilot Link and more to help you catch more and bigger catfish.
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