This is the latest offering from the long-time Tennessee manufacturer (one owner since 1980) of small batch, high performance bass boats. The boat tapes 21’10” long, 91 inches wide and weighs just 1,380 pounds. It is actually not rated for a specific horsepower limit and said to be able to achieve speeds in excess of 85 mph when properly rigged with a 250.
The area Bullet dealer is Propeller Dynamics in Disputana, Virginia (near Petersburg), operated by well-respected high performance boat guru, Robby Patterson.
Patterson shared some insight into the new Bullet.
“The 21XST is the same hull as the XRS with an updated interior and top cap. Bullet created more deck space by moving the console back and reshaping the bow deck to be wider forward.”
Patterson also told W2 that anglers can choose traditional opening rod lockers (open to the sides) or gull wing opening lockers than open toward the bow.
Other notable choices by Bullet on the new XST include push button analog controls (no more rocker switches and no touch screens to fail), oversize mounting spaces for today’s marine electronics, clean power wiring (heavy gauge wire for modern electronics), an option to pad the entire deck, standard SeaDeck material in the cockpit and other high wear areas (like along the passenger rod ramp), floor, deck, livewell and compartment LED lighting and two day box compartments in the front deck.
As far as performance, Patterson is looking forward to getting delivery of the first XST this month. He’s expecting the boat rigged with a 250 Mercury Pro XS to run in the mid 80’s with a full tournament load.
“Once I get one in here, we’re gonna break it in and run it a bit.”
While he can rig the boat with larger motors, Patterson notes most will be compliant with tournament regulations that limit participants to 250 hp.
So why did Patterson choose to take on one of the most high-performance fishing boats in the market?
It’s a family run company and they literally build one boat at a time, about 100 each year. Their commitment to the customer and dealer really drew them to us. “They’d rather build quality than quantity. Also, these aren’t the old Bullets that were really thin and light. These are well built fishing boats that go very fast.”
Bullet has a unique manufacturing process. Obviously, they are built by hand, and they still incorporate balsa wood and Kevlar construction that makes them light and strong.
Patterson noted the Bullet color options are pretty much limitless.
“If you want purple and pink, they will do it. You can send them a color sample and they will do it after your approval. They only build 100 boats a year. It really is a custom boat.”
According to Patterson, Bullets arrive as boat, motor and trailer. All the electronics, trolling motor and other accessories are added by the dealer. The boat, motor and trailer will be in the mid to upper 80’s.
Editor’s Note: the image included here is of a Bullet 21XRS as there weren’t any images of the new XST available at press time. You can view a video tour of the new boat by visiting our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/woodsandwatersmagazine.
