Re: Buying a 79 22ft Center console tomorrow!
Well the boat made it's first big water voyage 6/1/13 and it went great. I've got a lot of rough edges to smooth out but it's turning out great. Had my motor set way too low and it was spraying so bad on the maiden voyage at a local res that it was coming over the spashwell into the transom as effective as a firehose while on plane.:faint2: no joke here...you literaly could not see the sides of the outboard cowl.....borderline panic attack. Luckily I had 1500gph bilge pump all wired in.
I can assure I needed it. Raised the O/B about four inches and now I'm going to try a new prop pitch this w/e to try to go 50 mph. It went 49 mph and that's WAY too close to 50 not to go 50 for me. Two new Humminbird's are working great, and let me tell you, if you buy a new Merc, buy the smartcraft gauge. Price is a bit scary but the features and controllability is fantastic.
Ok. So here is my assesment. The hull is amazing. I've been fishing for 30 years and this boat will be with for a long time. It leaks about 5-6 gallons over 12 hours of big water fishing and I just don't care because of how well it runs, handles and fishes. I'm going to put in an 80# Minnkota as a Bow mount and two batteries with a dual pro charge in front of the console under the seat as I think it needs more bow weight. I'll add a 15 hp kicker eventually but honestly the 150 pro xs is so sweet, no hurry here. I'm going to build a custom locking bait box in the front were the deck open between the two cabinets.
By the end of summer it will be carpeted and fully trimmed on the inside. Paint will have to wait til I get the O/B paid off.
Epic fishing boat for big water.
