Masters 288 Bay Boat · Features

A windlass with anchor and 300 feet of rope lets you deploy and retrieve the anchor from the helm with the push of a button. It takes the strain out of anchoring, especially in deeper water or changing conditions. For families, it makes sandbar stops and quick anchoring easier for everyone.

A conveniently located freshwater washdown in the anchor hatch allows you to rinse off your anchor as it is coming in and allows those seating up front to use the washdown.

The bow wraps around in a comfortable U-shaped seating area with room for family and friends. Armrests with built-in cupholders keep drinks secure and within easy reach for everyone up front, and storage compartments under both the port and starboard seats keep gear stowed and out of the way.

The wrap around seating on this model allows for an additional storage box at the center. Through this opening you can also gain access to the anchor rode in case there's any tangles in the line.

Located at the center of the bow, you'll find a very spacious in-floor storage box.

Our newly designed paddle-style latch has been designed to allow for easy access to the lid, even when the sunpad is in use.

The included bow bolsters on this boat serve double duty. When the bow cushion bottoms are on, they provide a soft cushion to rest your back but when the boat is set for fishing, they double as knee and leg pads when fighting a fish up front.

For safety and convenience, we include a recessed bow hand rail. This flush design sits below the gunwale for an obstruction-free top deck.

For ease of installation, we have pre-wired this model to accept a trolling motor. At the bow, there's an electrical connection inside the anchor hatch conveniently located for the optimal bow mounted trolling motor location. This plug's harness runs into the console where the additional batteries and charger will get eventually installed.

The front of the console includes a sculpted chaise lounge seat for a comfortable and snug fit. It includes 2 cupholders at the center along with armrests and grab handles.

Flip the bottom cushion of the console-front seat to reveal an insulated 48-quart cooler. Conveniently located for those sitting up front.

A large side-opening storage compartment is built into the chaise lounge, giving you easy access to gear without moving the cushion.

SportLink® is our factory-installed electronics integration system, designed to give you a seamless, turn-key experience at the helm. It includes Garmin displays, JL Audio sound, digital switching on all models with custom Graphics Interface on your displays and a full NMEA 2000 network, all pre-installed and connected for you. Every component is engineered to work together from the start, eliminating the need for aftermarket installs or guesswork down the line.

Learn more about SportLink® here.

One of the first things you’ll notice when you look at this model is the over-sized hard-top. This top has all of the amenities you would want built in while still maintaining an elegant and timeless design.

The 4-legged frame swoops seamlessly from the console up to the top and the design gives it immense structural stability. The class-first D-Tubing structure is not cut and welded as typically done, but rather it is bent and extruded out of a single piece of D-Tubing.

Hard-top with panoramic seamless tempered glass windshield delivering over 35% better visibility for a clearer safer view at speed and in heavy spray.

When the sun goes down, molded in navigation lights can be found at the front corners of the hard-top. This location keeps them out of the way and completely unobstructed. Additionally, these Lumitec lights can dual purpose as docking lights with built in 1000 lumen white dock lights.

Matching the underside of the hardtop to the hull color gives the boat a more custom, finished appearance. It visually ties the top, hull and upholstery together while adding personality without changing the boat’s layout. This is a popular styling choice for owners who want their Sportsman to feel more uniquely theirs.

The console door is hung on a pantographic hinge that swings the door out and away for wide, unobstructed access to 68 gallons of console storage.

Inside the console, there is a built-in storage area. This enclosed space can be used as a changing room or storage of bulky items.

Standard feature on this boat is a freshwater electric porcelain toilet with overboard discharge along with an on-board holding tank. Once the toilet flushes, it gets piped into the holding tank. From there, where legally allowed, a push of a button discharges the tank. Making this a very easy and convenient way of having a fully functional toilet on your boat.

When designing this space, it was extremely important to bring in plenty of sunlight. To achieve this, a large horizontal window on the starboard side was designed in. This flush glass design allows for the largest opening.

We have put the extra space inside of the console to good use by designing-in designated trolling motor battery storage. This allows you to have the 3 trolling motor batteries tucked away from the visible console floor.

Access for servicing the electronics is made easy with the two extra large doors. Opening it reveals a neat, clean and labeled electrical hub. This is also where the override is located for the Digital Switching System.

To keep your devices charged and ready, the helm includes two dedicated USB charging ports that operate independently from other systems. A 12V receptacle is also included for any cigarette-lighter style accessories.

Under the helm pod, you will find two storage boxes built into the step providing you ample storage at the helm. The port box includes brackets to hold a fire extinguisher safely while underway.

The console has molded in steps to offer a place to put your feet while the boat is underway. They are topped with custom pads with the Sportsman logo.

A custom helm pad adds comfort where captains spend the most time. The anti-fatigue material helps reduce strain on your feet, knees and back during long runs or full days at the sandbar. It also adds a clean, finished look to the helm while improving traction underfoot.

A compass is one of the simplest and most trusted tools on the boat. Even with today’s advanced Garmin electronics, it gives you an immediate heading reference at the helm. Paired with your chartplotter and good seamanship, a compass adds confidence when visibility changes or conditions become less predictable.

Comfort and function meet when it comes to these premium captain's chairs. Designed with versatility in mind, it can accommodate two adults comfortably. The individually adjustable flip-up bolsters offers the convenience to allow you to stand or sit and the armrests add that extra comfort touch. Wrapped in our Sileather fabric, this is a very luxurious helm chair, that feels as good as it looks.

For this model, we install the chairs on a 180° swivel mount which allows the chairs to rotate aft. You'll love this feature at the sandbar!

A toe kick is molded into the back of the leaning post, giving you a sturdy place to brace your feet while working the cockpit.

A dedicated control pad at the leaning post puts the leaning post livewell pump, livewell light and the port and starboard fish box pump-outs right at your fingertips. No more walking back to the helm while you work the cockpit.

Access to the battery switches has never been easier. Located at the leaning post, the new-style switches operate with a single button, and all batteries charge simultaneously when the motors are running.

When it comes time to fuel up, this model also includes fuel fills on both sides. This allows you to pull up to the gas dock or gas station from either side with ease.

These hard-top rod holders point straight off of the side of the boat and allows you to extend your spread out further than you could with the gunwale-mounted rod holders. The height also keeps them away from any rods in a deck rod holder.

At the back of the leaning post, a 25-gallon aquarium livewell lets you keep an eye on your bait. It can also double as a cooler for drinks and food.

Talk about the "WOW" factor with this pair of aquarium 21-gallon livewells. The livewells are insulated and are sure to meet the needs when the time comes. They can also double as coolers for drinks and food. They can be operated together or separate with the pressure selector valve inside.

On either side of the leaning post, you will find a pair of 168-quart insulated and macerated in-deck fish boxes. The macerator pumps make clean-out quick and easy with the push of a button.

This boat includes 6 high-quality Gemlux rod holders flush mounted on the gunwale. Outside of the obvious use of holding fishing rods, you may add any number of available 3rd party accessories designed to be mounted in a rod holder.

Storage for 7 rods is possible with the under gunwale rod racks. Each can accommodate a full length rod and doubles as a great place to store a gaff or net.

Padded under-gunwale reel protection helps keep rods secure and reels protected while stored along the cockpit sides.

Comes standard with a freshwater washdown and a 24-gallon tank. Perfect for rinsing off the deck, cleaning up after landing a fish or washing off at the sandbar. It’s a simple comfort that quickly becomes essential.

Raw water washdown uses outside water to help rinse the deck, cockpit and fishing areas throughout the day. It is especially useful after handling bait, cleaning up sand or rinsing down gear. Because it draws from the water around you, it pairs well with freshwater washdown and helps save freshwater for final rinses.

Cockpit washdown buttons make cleanup simple by placing freshwater and raw water pump controls right where you need them. Located near the hose bibs, these convenient buttons let you activate the washdowns quickly without walking back to the helm.

For extra added comfort when fishing, the cockpit bolster cushions provide a nice soft surface to push your knees and legs into when reaching into the water or fighting a fish.

Molded-in bench seating accommodate up to two adults comfortably. The inboard seating is safer for the little ones than traditional outboard jump seats and the bigger single center cushion, gives you superior access to the bilge.

The rear Total Access Hatch gives you the ability to have large storage that's still incredibly easy to access. it's the perfect place for your life jackets, extra anchor, safety equipment, scuba gear and anything else you may need. When empty, it offers best-in-class access to your essential pumps and seacocks.

Each outboard is mounted on its own heavy-duty 6" hydraulic jack plate. They provide you with higher speed, gains in fuel economy and the ability to run in shallow water.

Fiberglass swim platforms on both sides of the twin outboards each include their own boarding ladder, so getting back aboard is easy from either side.

Underwater lights add a premium look to your Sportsman after the sun goes down. Mounted below the waterline, they create a striking glow around the transom and can help illuminate the water at the dock or sandbar. Built with marine-grade materials, they bring style, visibility and nighttime personality to the boat.

All Sportsman Boats feature Sileather® Marine silicone-coated fabrics. These high-performance fabrics are designed to be tough and durable and able to withstand even the harshest of conditions.

Offered in Coastal Beige, Smoky Gray and Icecap White.

Powder coating adds a durable, protective finish to the boat’s metalwork while giving the overall design a cleaner custom look. Available in select colors, it helps match the hardtop frame, leaning post and other metal components to the boat’s style. It is both a visual upgrade and a practical layer of protection.

We have two groups of colors, light and dark. A light color is included standard on this boat. You have the choice of one solid full hull color or a side and bottom color. View All Color Options