This feedback received from the buyer/owner of the boat posted above.
Oct 3, 2017
From: Josh Weston
To: Xtaero Boats
Subject: Feedback on Xtaero Boat
Via email: unedited
My wife and I purchased our Xtaero 24’ Long Cabin in May of 2017. Our plan had been to build a custom 24’ Aluminum skiff in two to three years. We spent a lot of time discussing our layout, plans for use and budget for a boat we felt would give us the best flexibility for use, safety and functionality.
When we went for a test ride in the Xtaero we ultimately bought we realized it met all our criteria without the effort involved in a custom build and at considerable cost savings.
We’ve had the boat for one summer and as usual in Alaska, just didn’t get to use it as much as we wanted. That being said, it just had it’s 100 hour service last month. We had several halibut trips with guests that were very comfortable (and successful) which we wouldn’t have been able to pull off with our old boat. The Xtaero 24’ can accommodate more people in much greater comfort in marginal weather than any similar production boat I’m aware of.
We have loaded up people, paddleboards and picnic stuff for long afternoons across the bay. The “pocket yacht” took six adults comfortably on several occasions with folding chairs on the spacious aft deck. When it is time to leave the rods stowed and just relax, the details on this 24’ make for an excellent platform for fun.
When it gets breezy and chilly, close the cabin door, fire up the heater and get the trolling gear down. We had a very successful summer of salmon catching and I’m looking forward to a lot more time spent this winter finding kings. 4 full grown men don’t have to squeeze anywhere on this boat during a trolling trip.
We made a fantastic trip to the shoal waters of China Poot with my sons and their girlfriends in July. The shallow draft allowed us to maximize our time fishing in this tidal area. Turns out we didn’t need it. The teens came back with 36 dipnet fish in about 20 minutes allowing us to take our time trying to snag a few more. It’s noteworthy that snagging is a family favorite, but can be difficult if you don’t have enough room. For those who’ve never tried it each angler needs quite a bit of space when snagging. Once again, the Xtaero 24’ shines in ways that may never have been intended. It has been my experience that a thoughtful design often has unintended benefits.
While most of our time is “dayboat” use, my wife and I did have a very nice overnight in Halibut Cove lagoon.
After every use I seem to be saying that I love the boat more each time I use it. The large capacity fuel tanks allow longer trips or fewer stops for refueling. The cabin is large and comfortable. The interior is attractive and well appointed. Throughout my maritime career I have been involved in many construction and repair projects of commercial vessels of all types and materials. The highest praise I can give Xtaero is that I believe they are overbuilt – specifically, they are sport boats built like commercial vessels. The materials are high quality and oversized and the construction is rock solid.
Guests always comment on the number and placement of hand holds fitted about the vessel. The visibility from inside the cabin is excellent. The large and sturdy cabin top can hold any toys you care to stow without affecting stability. I have been pleasantly surprised at how much I love the self bailing deck and the swim platform.
Easily my favorite feature of my Xtaero 24’ is the hull design. No production boats and few custom boats are built with this much dead rise, or “deep V”. This is the largest factor in creating a comfortable ride in rough water. Xtaero has managed to incorporate this deep V without appreciable loss in efficiency while still maintaining a very light draft. I find that with the 300 HP Suzuki the best operating speed in moderate chop is 24 knots while burning 11 gallons per hour at 4,200 RPM. This translates to about 2.6 miles per gallon which compares very favorably with similar sized boats. The boat doesn’t pound and the ride is very dry.
When we were first considering buying this boat it was very apparent to us that the quality of materials and workmanship made it a very good deal. After our first summer of ownership we are even more confident that we have purchased a lot of boat for the money. I have owned enough boats to have an opinion on quality. Every aspect of this boat – hull, machinery, design, systems, electronics, workmanship, finishes, support- has been great.
Finally, as a small start up company in a highly competitive market, customer support has to be a high priority for Xtaero. What little need we’ve had for this has been dealt with above and beyond our expectations. I am proud to be an Xtaero owner and expect to see many more of these fine boats on the water in the near future.
Josh Weston, Homer Alaska
Xtaeros website is
www.xtaeroboats.com