About Our Vessel

Our season begins aboard our brand-new 2026 Hewescraft 250 Alaskan, featuring a fully enclosed heated cabin designed to keep you comfortable while enjoying unobstructed 360° views of Alaska’s incredible coastal wilderness. Built for true ocean performance, this 28-foot vessel delivers exceptional ride quality and safety while offering added comforts such as suspension seating and a full-size onboard restroom.

Explore the bays and fjords the way locals do aboard our custom aluminum vessel. Its low-profile design allows us to approach wildlife with a unique perspective, keeping your viewing angle close to the waterline—perfect for photography and unforgettable wildlife encounters.

When the weather turns, guests can stay warm and dry inside the heated cabin while still enjoying excellent visibility. The spacious rear deck provides plenty of room to step outside, and the forward windshield hatch allows easy access to the bow for capturing every angle. Large sliding windows on both the port and starboard sides bring the action right to your seat.

The boat comfortably accommodates up to six passengers plus the captain, with two suspension captain’s chairs and two large bench seats. There’s also ample storage space for photographers and their equipment, so you can bring everything you need to capture the images of a lifetime.

Our vessel is equipped with state-of-the-art marine electronics to ensure a safe, efficient, and highly capable experience on the water. Systems include marine radar for navigation and collision avoidance, chart plotter GPS for navigating Alaska’s countless coves and rugged outcroppings, sonar to monitor activity below the surface, AIS transponder technology for increased vessel awareness and safety, and marine VHF communications to stay connected with other vessels and the U.S. Coast Guard.

Powered by twin 200 HP outboard engines, the vessel provides the speed and maneuverability needed to quickly reach wildlife locations and position the boat perfectly for viewing and photography. To further enhance the photography experience, the boat is equipped with the Yamaha Helm Master EX full maneuverability system featuring integrated autopilot and joystick controls. This advanced technology allows us to precisely hold and maneuver the vessel’s position using GPS, helping create stable shooting opportunities and optimal positioning when photographing whales, wildlife, glaciers, and rapidly changing scenes in Alaska’s dynamic marine environment.

  • FAQ's

    Find the answer to the most common questions we get about our charters.

  • Gear Up!

    Find out the best gear to bring on your private charter trip.

  • Conservation Efforts

    Learn how Closer to the Wild adheres to responsible practices to ensure minimal disturbance to whale populations and their habitats while promoting sustainable tourism.

  • What's Out There?

    What can you expect to see on the various charters and species of wildlife?