Would You Fish Out This? Could You?

[Tim Kelly]

Buy it John. If the world recovers you can zoom across the Atlantic and we can cruise up the Thames together!

[MN Fisher]

13 minutes ago, Tim Kelly said:

Buy it John. If the world recovers you can zoom across the Atlantic and we can cruise up the Thames together!

Just cruising I hope - I wouldn't want to even catch anything in the Thames.

 

(My now deceased sister-in-law lived in Kensington - I've heard...stories)

 

BTW: Aren't you awake awful early...what is it...5am there?

[Tim Kelly]

11 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

Just cruising I hope - I wouldn't want to even catch anything in the Thames.

 

(My now deceased sister-in-law lived in Kensington - I've heard...stories)

 

BTW: Aren't you awake awful early...what is it...5am there?

The Thames is pretty good a little further upstream. There's a big sewer outfall at Putney that's supposed only to work as a safety over flow, but everything's at capacity all the time now, so it overflows too often. Kensington being downstream is not ideal paddling country! 

 

I couldn't sleep, wide awake at 3am. The trouble with being isolated at home is that I'm sitting round eating all day so never get enough exercise to sleep properly. 

[MN Fisher]

4 minutes ago, Tim Kelly said:

The trouble with being isolated at home is that I'm sitting round eating all day so never get enough exercise to sleep properly. 

Well...there's always Page 3 to liven things up.

[Tim Kelly]

Even that's part of history now. ? I blame Harvey Weinstein ?

[MN Fisher]

5 minutes ago, Tim Kelly said:

Even that's part of history now. ? I blame Harvey Weinstein ?

I know they toned it down...but it's completely gone now?

 

The horror, the pain....

[Tim Kelly]

I believe so. It was always a terrible paper, but with ****. Now it's just a terrible paper. LOL

[Jigfishn10]

I'll be up front, I didn't read thru the whole thread.

I was in the whaler camp before I was talked into an Edgewater.

The owner of Edgewater was the senior designer for Whaler, so his boat have all the same capabilities. What comes standard on the Edgawater are options on the whaler...I found.

Coincidently, they're both manufactured within mile of each other. The Northeast rep is still in my phone if you want to get more info.

 

[J Francho]

1 hour ago, Jigfishn10 said:

I'll be up front, I didn't read thru the whole thread.

I was in the whaler camp before I was talked into an Edgewater.

The owner of Edgewater was the senior designer for Whaler, so his boat have all the same capabilities. What comes standard on the Edgawater are options on the whaler...I found.

Coincidently, they're both manufactured within mile of each other. The Northeast rep is still in my phone if you want to get more info.

 

Any pics of your boat?  They look pretty nice.  I don't see anything that drafts less that 20" or so.  Shallow draft is a must have.  I'd say 14" would be my cut off.  I know the compromise I'm up against.  

 

I've recently added Pathfinder to my short list.  BW disco'd the 240 for their new 220/250 platform.  I'm not super keen on the seating, so they low on y list.  Scout is another I'm looking more closely at.  The BW dealer I've been working with also carries Scout.

[Jigfishn10]

No pics, it hasn't shipped from Florida yet. Supposed to be shipping next week.

The Edgewater 230CC - 22'8" Center Console - Drafts 15"

[Junger]

6 hours ago, J Francho said:

Any pics of your boat?  They look pretty nice.  I don't see anything that drafts less that 20" or so.  Shallow draft is a must have.  I'd say 14" would be my cut off.  I know the compromise I'm up against.  

I went on a back bay charter in Key West in October and went out on a Yellowfin 24'...we were going in and out of mangrove cuts with the TM and it was really maneuverable. Check that boat out...and also Key West boats, which seem like a little more bang for the buck compared to YF. Both draft at 14" and under per their specs.

[J Francho]

22 hours ago, Jigfishn10 said:

The Edgewater 230CC - 22'8" Center Console - Drafts 15"

I took a really close look at this and if I was more than 75% out in the big lake, it would make the list.  The helm seating is DOPE.  I also like the fell bench in the back.  It lacks a proper conversion to platform for the stern, and the bow is way too high for largemouth fishing in the bays.  It's probably perfect for what your doing, and I would be taking some big water excursions for sure in it.

16 hours ago, Junger said:

I went on a back bay charter in Key West in October and went out on a Yellowfin 24'...we were going in and out of mangrove cuts with the TM and it was really maneuverable. Check that boat out...and also Key West boats, which seem like a little more bang for the buck compared to YF. Both draft at 14" and under per their specs.

I've liked Yellowfin since I saw one a dude brought up from FL.  I was able to chat with him a bit, and the boat was perfection.  The layout is pretty close to what I would want, plus max HP is up there too.  Unfortunately, there are no dealers anywhere close.  Same for Key West.  Spend this much on a boat, and dealer/factory support is important to me.

[Jigfishn10]

2 minutes ago, J Francho said:

I took a really close look at this and if I was more than 75% out in the big lake, it would make the list.  The helm seating is DOPE.  I also like the fell bench in the back.  It lacks a proper conversion to platform for the stern, and the bow is way too high for largemouth fishing in the bays.  It's probably perfect for what your doing, and I would be taking some big water excursions for sure in it.

It's the dialog of others that sway our decision to our purchases. I started out looking at a Key West, then went to Whaler, Mako, GW and ended up with an Edgewater.

 

What caught my eye on this thread was the Dauntless. There are 2 beauties in the bay where my boat is moored and if I didn't have a note on my summer home I would buy the Dauntless in a snap. 

 

I also went smaller than I wanted as well. This summer's hurricane season reminded me why. I've been mooring a boat in the bay since 2010 and this summer was the first time I had to get it out of the bay due to a pending storm coming up the coast. The bay has a river on either end of the bay and we have friends who have a home well inside the river. I was able to get my boat down there and tied off to his dock. A boat bigger than 17' doesn't make it down there and the hassle of pulling the boat out meant taking a day off from work to do so. 

 

When the seas are rough - and I respect the seas - going to the river(s) gets you on the water either way with plenty of schoolie striper in those rivers. 

 

All I did was plant a seed as someone did for me. Keep doing your homework as I know you are and I wish you luck with you decision.

[J Francho]

While my reasons are different, I'd be looking at much bigger if I was thinking about leaving it moored somewhere, but I prefer to trailer, so there's a weight cutoff.  Whenever there's a bad storm in coastal areas, I'm always dumbfounded at all the smaller boats (<30') that are left behind.  It seems like a no brainer to grab your trailer and yank it when a storm is impending, but I guess it's a totally different mentality.  Many people don't even have a trailer.  It's way less expensive install a lifting eye on the bow, and let a marina deal with launch and removal.

[Jigfishn10]

It is a different mentality, no doubt. My house is 2 hours away from my permanent home. It took me a few years to get used to the fact that it will sit unattended during the winter while I'm paying a note on it.

 

Some of the boats in the bay are worth well over $100K. I'm not sure I can stomach that. I saw one beautiful sail boat drift off the mooring because the chain rusted/rotted. Chains need to be replace every 2 years and I think this sail boat owner wasn't aware of what salt water can do. 

 

The other reason  to leave moored and get down the river is that 2 times a day, you have a 4 hour window to get down the river to the ramp. You can only do 1 boat at a time. There's at least a 5 year wait for a mooring permit so you can imagine the mayhem of people looking to get their boat out during a pending storm not to mention the disagreements around the ramp.

 

Agree, a lifting eye is inexpensive, but Marina fees in a seasonal market isn't. Just another thing to consider. 

[slonezp]

On 2/3/2021 at 9:57 AM, J Francho said:

Any pics of your boat?  They look pretty nice.  I don't see anything that drafts less that 20" or so.  Shallow draft is a must have.  I'd say 14" would be my cut off.  I know the compromise I'm up against.  

 

I've recently added Pathfinder to my short list.  BW disco'd the 240 for their new 220/250 platform.  I'm not super keen on the seating, so they low on y list.  Scout is another I'm looking more closely at.  The BW dealer I've been working with also carries Scout.

Not impressed by the Pathfinder videos I saw on youtube. There are nicer boats in the same price range.

[J Francho]

Anything specific?  Which videos should I look at?

[slonezp]

I'll have to look Monday on my work computer. I can't find the videos on my home computer because I'm a moron. I wasn't impressed with the storage on the <25 foot models, I felt the layout was less versatile than other brands as a fishing/family rig.  

[haggard]

On 2/4/2020 at 3:49 PM, J Francho said:

What do you think?

If you're looking for quality, versatility and comfort in a more family friendly yet totally fishable boat for some bigger water, I think you're right on target, if you can live with the price.

 

Someone living down the street from me has that boat and it seems a little massive, but as long as you're comfortable with a bigger boat and have the appropriate tow vehicle, and don't need to clear low bridges with the T top, fine.

 

My jon got crashed I went to look for Boat #2 wanted something good for lakes and inshore salt, small enough to be manageable, big enough to not feel crowded. Always heard about great Whaler quality but never "got it" until I went to look at one in person, and I was sold on it. Ended up with a 15 ft center console Montauk, basically a bay boat, but I run it on lakes, and inshore when conditions allow. Short bow and as another person said it's a tight squeeze between the console and gunwale but I knew there would be tradeoffs in a smaller boat. I'm sure the 24' Dauntless offers a wider path. Absolutely zero regrets. On a lot of products I find places where someone cut corners to cut costs. On the Whaler, I just can't find any. The price is high but you're getting what you pay for. If the price was twice what it is, I'd say yeah, maybe consider another brand, it's not worth it.

 

As others have mentioned, check out Robalo and Grady White. If you haven't seen a Whaler in person, get to a boat show and put your hands on one.

[J Francho]

@haggard congrats on the Montauk. My best friend in school's dad had a 17' that was awesome. Robalo is out. There's a couple dealers here and they don't exude a solid feeling in a test drive - felt chintzy. Grady white has almost the same boat as the Dauntless. It doesn't exactly turn my screws, but it would work. 
 

@slonezp I do know what you mean about the layout on Pathfinder.  I dig that it's a fishing machine. Truth be told, the 24 CE Yellowfin would be my pick, and there's really no family features on that boat other than a back rest that goes in the stern rod holders, lol. 

 

A pump out head, lots of seating a T-top, and a table conversion for the bow are the concessions I have to make. Everything else is fair game. 
 

That Scout 251 XSS is starting to look really good. BW disco'd the 240/240 Sport platform for the new 220/250 boats. They removed all the things I liked, and added to the stuff I didn't care about, making a good looking boat that I wouldn't buy. I get what they are going for, but the new designs have zero personality. 

[slonezp]

7 minutes ago, J Francho said:

@haggard congrats on the Montauk. My best friend in school's dad had a 17' that was awesome. Robalo is out. There's a couple dealers here and they don't exude a solid feeling in a test drive - felt chintzy. Grady white has almost the same boat as the Dauntless. It doesn't exactly turn my screws, but it would work. 
 

@slonezp I do know what you mean about the layout on Pathfinder.  I dig that it's a fishing machine. Truth be told, the 24 CE Yellowfin would be my pick, and there's really no family features on that boat other than a back rest that goes in the stern rod holders, lol. 

 

A pump out head, lots of seating a T-top, and a table conversion for the bow are the concessions I have to make. Everything else is fair game. 
 

That Scout 251 XSS is starting to look really good. BW disco'd the 240/240 Sport platform for the new 220/250 boats. They removed all the things I liked, and added to the stuff I didn't care about, making a good looking boat that I wouldn't buy. I get what they are going for, but the new designs have zero personality. 

Which is why I'm leaning towards the Robalo Cayman. Family and fishing friendly layout. I love the Grady crossover but paying 6 figures for a boat isn't in my wheelhouse at this time.  I'm quite perturbed that there was no boat show this year.  

[12poundbass]

42 minutes ago, slonezp said:

Which is why I'm leaning towards the Robalo Cayman. Family and fishing friendly layout. I love the Grady crossover but paying 6 figures for a boat isn't in my wheelhouse at this time.  I'm quite perturbed that there was no boat show this year.  

Cruise on over to Novi, Michigan I hear their’s is still going on. The flea market (boat show) in Grand Rapids is canceled because the DeVos Place is rented out at $12k/day for COVID vaccines so the Novi show is still on. Enjoy Detroit. ?

[J Francho]

1 hour ago, slonezp said:

Which is why I'm leaning towards the Robalo Cayman. Family and fishing friendly layout. I love the Grady crossover but paying 6 figures for a boat isn't in my wheelhouse at this time.  I'm quite perturbed that there was no boat show this year.  

Try to get some seat time. I wasn't impressed with the Robalo. 

[slonezp]

6 hours ago, J Francho said:

Try to get some seat time. I wasn't impressed with the Robalo. 

You've ridden in one?

[Jigfishn10]

Just looking at some notes from this past fall and I had circled Sea Ray as a potential purchase. Unfortunately I didn’t note why it didn’t make the cut. 

 

Just wanted to throw that out there.

 

@haggard congrats on the Montauk! I was ready to pen a deal on the Whaler Sport 160 before my family and I decided that the EdgeWater was right for us. 

If you see an EdgeWater with a blue Bimini top in  Kennebunkport it’s probably us. ?. Good luck!