looking for new boat , Brand/model advise
Posted: Wed Jan 25, 2017 11:21 pm
Looking for a new boat. Last boat I had was a 27 contender open (31') CC glass boat with twin 200 Yamaha HPDI's 2 strokes. Previous Boat was a 24' North River Seahawk with a 300 hp Suzuki. I like certain aspects of both boats and am wanting to combine the features that I liked from both. I am at least a year away from pulling the trigger but am wanting to get ideas and thoughts so I make the right choice. Boat will be used for fishing, in the ocean for salmon, halibut, TUNA, bottom fish and crabbing. It will also be used to fish the Columbia River for salmon and maybe pulling the grand kids tubing when they get older. I fish solo some times so that will be a consideration for handling the boat. I figure I will list what I liked and disliked about each boat of the last two boats that I have owned to help narrow it down.
North River Seahawk dislikes
paint and crevice corrosion, seats that rust and corrode, carpet in gunnels in back half of boat ( I removed) to mold, canvas top that leaked at zippers, the bow that would submarine a lot and end up with green water on windshield and top. cleaning up blood and slime from paint and zolaton (fished off bow of boat and would bring tuna through cabin), floorboard decking that would go soft, lack of ability to chase fish around boat. oh yeh crevice corrosion under paint again. Wiring, just a nightmare. Access to bilge. Scratching paint around docks. Only held 100 gallons fuel, not enough for two tuna tips with a safety margin.
North River Seahawks likes
fuel economy, ease of launching, loading and handling around docks. Ease of towing, power to weight ratio, toughness, not worried about damaging NON ALLOY, ride was pretty good especially when I would ride in stern area and let others drive. Built in floor storage for fish, anchor, and transom storage. pretty stable on the drift. Canvas kept most of spray off crew. Having a removable live bait tank, much easier to tip upside down and clean at end of trip.
Contender dislikes,
fuel economy(not reel bad but not like NR lol) several person job to launch and load, could only launch at certain ramps as the trailer would hang up on the front cross member where the ramp would break over. clean up time, buffing, waxing, polishing, more buffing, waxing and polishing HRS after a trip and hrs hrs after season. stains on NON ALLOY from shoes, blood, bird poop ect. scuffing NON ALLOY and fear of dock, lead, pole, and gaff rash.24 degree hull rolled on the drift. Canvas top, could not bolt/ weld add anything to it. Having to use bean bags for seating, remove from top place back on top, in the way and a pain, lost one and almost lost others a couple times and then have to deal with them on drive home while towing boat. Lack of spray shields, one side of boat would get wet from cross spray. Access to bilge. Built in live well, hard to clean at end of trip and get all the scales out. Twin engines, twice maintenance and extra fuel. More fish storage without having to use so many kill bags, ran three 30x60 reliable bags in bow.
contender likes
Center Console with glass windshield and wiper. Ability to fish around boat, will always have that ability after this. Ride, best ever been on and heard that from lots of crew, really nice with driving position in back third of boat. storage(had a ton of in floor storage and in floor rod storage, over 30 rods fit in floor. Room in boat and how it was set up, 4' behind leaning post and 10' in front console. Rod holders, had 49 of them and still would have liked more at times lol. Wiring, just fantastic best I have ever seen.Bean bag, crew loved the comfort. Auto pilot, loved it sit back and enjoy the ride. 10" screen gps, rader unit. stand alone furuno 585 with 1kw transducer. 200 gallon fuel capacity, could fish tuna for a couple days without needing to fuel at dock. With kill bags held up to 50 tuna, but 3 kill bags took a lot of room and hard to move around. Dive door.
Next boat list
Aluminum 24'-27' center console hard top with glass windshield and wiper. Single main with a high thrust or 20-30 hp kicker. 4' room behind leaning post and 7'+ in front of center console. No paint, zolatone ect, no carpet or extra fluff, just a fishing/work boat. Good riding hull in the ocean chop/swell that does not roll a lot on the drift. 150-200 gallons fuel for 2-3 tuna trips without having to refuel at docks. No carpet or extra fluff. In floor storage. Room for tote to hold tuna in bow in front of center console. Livewell and bleed barrel room on transom. Dual batteries and good wiring. Dive door. Crab davit. Low maintenance, wash, rinse and put to bed lol. there is more I will think of time goes by.
Boat Brands that fit
so far looks like pacific 26 HT fits most of this but have not ridden in one. Do they have reverse chines? Hows the ride and roll on the drift?
what other brands models fit this and at a decent price, not a full custom boat price.
North River Seahawk dislikes
paint and crevice corrosion, seats that rust and corrode, carpet in gunnels in back half of boat ( I removed) to mold, canvas top that leaked at zippers, the bow that would submarine a lot and end up with green water on windshield and top. cleaning up blood and slime from paint and zolaton (fished off bow of boat and would bring tuna through cabin), floorboard decking that would go soft, lack of ability to chase fish around boat. oh yeh crevice corrosion under paint again. Wiring, just a nightmare. Access to bilge. Scratching paint around docks. Only held 100 gallons fuel, not enough for two tuna tips with a safety margin.
North River Seahawks likes
fuel economy, ease of launching, loading and handling around docks. Ease of towing, power to weight ratio, toughness, not worried about damaging NON ALLOY, ride was pretty good especially when I would ride in stern area and let others drive. Built in floor storage for fish, anchor, and transom storage. pretty stable on the drift. Canvas kept most of spray off crew. Having a removable live bait tank, much easier to tip upside down and clean at end of trip.
Contender dislikes,
fuel economy(not reel bad but not like NR lol) several person job to launch and load, could only launch at certain ramps as the trailer would hang up on the front cross member where the ramp would break over. clean up time, buffing, waxing, polishing, more buffing, waxing and polishing HRS after a trip and hrs hrs after season. stains on NON ALLOY from shoes, blood, bird poop ect. scuffing NON ALLOY and fear of dock, lead, pole, and gaff rash.24 degree hull rolled on the drift. Canvas top, could not bolt/ weld add anything to it. Having to use bean bags for seating, remove from top place back on top, in the way and a pain, lost one and almost lost others a couple times and then have to deal with them on drive home while towing boat. Lack of spray shields, one side of boat would get wet from cross spray. Access to bilge. Built in live well, hard to clean at end of trip and get all the scales out. Twin engines, twice maintenance and extra fuel. More fish storage without having to use so many kill bags, ran three 30x60 reliable bags in bow.
contender likes
Center Console with glass windshield and wiper. Ability to fish around boat, will always have that ability after this. Ride, best ever been on and heard that from lots of crew, really nice with driving position in back third of boat. storage(had a ton of in floor storage and in floor rod storage, over 30 rods fit in floor. Room in boat and how it was set up, 4' behind leaning post and 10' in front console. Rod holders, had 49 of them and still would have liked more at times lol. Wiring, just fantastic best I have ever seen.Bean bag, crew loved the comfort. Auto pilot, loved it sit back and enjoy the ride. 10" screen gps, rader unit. stand alone furuno 585 with 1kw transducer. 200 gallon fuel capacity, could fish tuna for a couple days without needing to fuel at dock. With kill bags held up to 50 tuna, but 3 kill bags took a lot of room and hard to move around. Dive door.
Next boat list
Aluminum 24'-27' center console hard top with glass windshield and wiper. Single main with a high thrust or 20-30 hp kicker. 4' room behind leaning post and 7'+ in front of center console. No paint, zolatone ect, no carpet or extra fluff, just a fishing/work boat. Good riding hull in the ocean chop/swell that does not roll a lot on the drift. 150-200 gallons fuel for 2-3 tuna trips without having to refuel at docks. No carpet or extra fluff. In floor storage. Room for tote to hold tuna in bow in front of center console. Livewell and bleed barrel room on transom. Dual batteries and good wiring. Dive door. Crab davit. Low maintenance, wash, rinse and put to bed lol. there is more I will think of time goes by.
Boat Brands that fit
so far looks like pacific 26 HT fits most of this but have not ridden in one. Do they have reverse chines? Hows the ride and roll on the drift?
what other brands models fit this and at a decent price, not a full custom boat price.