Cuddy vs Open Bow

[findinghomer]

Re: Cuddy vs Open Bow

I just can't ever consider a cuddy in less than a 23' boat. The usable space in the bow of a 20' boat is too small to make it effective for any more than a small child or junk storage.

i have a 20ft maxum. me, my wife, and my 100 lb dog all sleep in it overnight.



my first boat, is a cuddy. didnt even really have an option (wasnt really in the market for a boat) i just happen to see a guy i know selling a boat and i bought it. glad it happen to be a cuddy. they are great for camping, changing clothes, storing electronics, shelter from heavy rain, sleeping dog/kids, Television, a porta potty. i will never own an open bow now. only con i have is top speed is slower, and people space. but i hate having alot of people on my boat anyway. 6 is enough

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: Cuddy vs Open Bow

We normally run with a minimim of 6, sometimes 8 people, on board, so a 20' cuddy is just out of the question. My 20' is rated for 10 people, but that starts getting crowded . I'm not knocking the cuddy itself, just that I personally can't see the benefit on a 20' boat. I'm more the type that will have my 20'-24' open bow for the watersports stuff, and a 27-30ft cruiser for when I want to overnight or mess with the rougher water.

In Oklahoma, I would rather not be in an enclosed cabin in 100-degree heat/60-70% humidity! If I'm gonna have a bow to duck under, it's gonna have some A/C available!

 

[26aftcab454]

Re: Cuddy vs Open Bow

My friends call my boat (in avatar )"the 26ft runabout". we don't sleep or cook on the boat but it runs well and smooth in the waves-and has a bathroom and storm protection. We like that its paid for. I kinda wish it was more fishing oriented and sporty. No plans to trade for anything else.
it does get crowded with 6 or more.
Think of how you will use it.

 

[skargo]

Re: Cuddy vs Open Bow

It's personal choice and how you use it.

I see the ridiculous statements bashing the cuddys much more than open bows though, so that leads me to believe that BR owners sometimes have insecurities about their choice of boat. I just don't get it.

p.s. I'm a big man and my wife and I fit fine in my little itty bitty 21'6" boat's cuddy cabin(see what I did there? I pretended to have insecurities too )

Seriously, it's your choice, not ours.

I would also recommend you search the forums as this very subject has been hashed out and kicked around to no logical conclusion.

 

[GatorMike]

Re: Cuddy vs Open Bow

I'm not so sure a cutty is a safer ride in rough water. My cousin died when his 25 foot cutty cabin boat took on water and rolled over. My center console will take waves over the bow and water just runs out the scuppers.

 

[JoLin]

Re: Cuddy vs Open Bow

There are cuddies and there are cuddies. There are bow riders and there are dual console boats.

20' dual console and walk-around cuddy boats (like Pro-Line, Seaswirl, Robalo, Grady White, etc.), are the 'rough water' boats. They'll generally have deep-V hulls, self-bailing cockpits and are seaworthy for their size. The walk-around cuddy will have the smallest cabin of the 'cuddy' type boats.

A 20' Glastron bowrider and a 20' Glastron cuddy, are a different animal. They're protected water boats. Lots of seating and amenities, more room in the cabin than in a walk-around.

I had a 21' Prol-Line w/a and liked it. It was no weekender, but it provided storage room, changing room, napping room and privacy for the porta-potti.

My .02

 

[Mark42]

Re: Cuddy vs Open Bow

I went with a cuddy after a couple of years of a closed bow runabout. With young children (now 6 and 10) the cuddy gives us a place for the kids to go sleep while we cruise, a place to get out of the sun and wind, as well as a place to store things. We have taken naps in the cuddy many times when spending the day at the beach. With the boat anchored just a few feet away, its really inviting to know its there for a snooze, out of the wind and sun. The wave rocking the boat and the sounds of wind and waves put me to sleep in a few minutes.

I have probably the smallest cuddy ever made at just 16' long, yet me and my wife can stretch out together in the cuddy. The head room is non-existent, its hard to sit upright and not have your head touch the ceiling, but we didn't get it as a sitting space.

It works well for us. The cuddy holds beach chairs, umbrella, cooler, etc and still has space for two small kids. If we are not going to a beach for the day, but just a cruise to a water side restaurant, then the cuddy is empty. More than once my wife has changed her outfit in the cuddy while tied to a dock. We just drape a towel over the opening for some privacy (I removed the doors and partition wall to make it more open).

I later decided it needed a hard top to protect us from the winds, spray and sun while cruising. So one was added. It works great. We have been out when it started raining, and all the open boats were running for shelter, we just kept on cruising to our destination with lights and windshield wipers on.

An open bow would make anchor duty much easier, but we would lose all the advantages that we got the cuddy for. So I have to climb through an open windshield to get to the bow, it works for me, and its a small price to pay for the advantages of the cuddy/hard top.

There are lots of good reasons to go with a bow rider, or a cuddy. Just be sure you make the right choice for your needs and you will be a happy boater.

 

[skargo]

Re: Cuddy vs Open Bow

I'm not so sure a cutty is a safer ride in rough water. My cousin died when his 25 foot cutty cabin boat took on water and rolled over. My center console will take waves over the bow and water just runs out the scuppers.

Sorry about your cousin, but what a ridiculous analogy. Like no one has ever died in a center console?
A cuddy and bowrider of the same size, in rough water, there;s no comparison IMO.

 

[GatorMike]

Re: Cuddy vs Open Bow

It works well for us. The cuddy holds beach chairs, umbrella, cooler, etc and still has space for two small kids. If we are not going to a beach for the day, but just a cruise to a water side restaurant, then the cuddy is empty.

I just don't understand this logic. I can store chairs, umbrella, cooler, a dishwasher and a VW beetle in the front of my Center Cconsole and use the rear 4 feet for fishing. My point is how does a cuddy increase your storage area? I guess we all use our boats for different reasons. I use mine to get outdoors and fish, not to ride around in a cabin. If I'm fighting a 200 lb tarpon and he goes under the boat I want to be able to walk him around the bow without everybody in the boat being in my way.

 

[skargo]

Re: Cuddy vs Open Bow

GatorMike,
I don't understand the logic of bringing a center console into a bowrider vs. cuddy cabin discussion.

I'm sure your boat is perfect for YOU.

Geez, why did I even come into one of these threads? *unsubscribe*

 

[hubbard53]

Re: Cuddy vs Open Bow

I dont think you can go wrong with either - both a versatile and adaptable. Personally, I believe an open bow is MORE versatile but that is my style.

 

[hostage]

Re: Cuddy vs Open Bow

I was asking this question a couple months ago and I ended up with a Cuddy even though I initially started looking for an open bow. After a month of a lot of use I will tell you what I think.

Pros for Cuddy:
Dry Storage
We have used the Cuddy for changing room
Many v-hull boats look pretty small to sit comfortable with visibility to the driver.

Cons for Cuddy:
Who really wants to use the porto-potty and who wants to clean it out?
Don't get that fun bow riding spot
Even in 70* weather the cabin is pretty warm.
No real good place to put a wet tube

Even with these in mind I do have a couple of specific reasons. I will be mostly using this on a bay, but I do go out onto the Great Lakes and from what I hear the Cuddy can take larger waves than open bows. In addition we have the Erie Canal behind my house so I think it would be fun to explore that and we can go further in the Canal with the Cuddy and porta-potty.

The best answer for you is what is best for your situation. I am happy with my boat.

-Hostage

 

[Mark42]

Re: Cuddy vs Open Bow

I just don't understand this logic. I can store chairs, umbrella, cooler, a dishwasher and a VW beetle in the front of my Center Cconsole and use the rear 4 feet for fishing. My point is how does a cuddy increase your storage area? I guess we all use our boats for different reasons. I use mine to get outdoors and fish, not to ride around in a cabin. If I'm fighting a 200 lb tarpon and he goes under the boat I want to be able to walk him around the bow without everybody in the boat being in my way.

You don't understand the logic because you didn't understand my post. I never said the cuddy increases storage space, that is an assumption on your part. At only 16 feet long, how much space do you think is in my boat after subtracting for a V-birth? I was stating how we use our boat and why a cuddy was the boat of our choosing.

No, I don't fish for 200 lb tarpon in a 1100 lb boat. We prefer to take day trips and ride around in a cabin.

Although you probably didn't realize it, you reinforced my point: Get the boat that supports your needs.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Cuddy vs Open Bow

skargo--ease up. Around here, too many people think boat=bowrider. The center console is a great alternative to the bowrider, but frequently not considered. When someone asks about options, it's a good idea to respond with options. Afgter all, a CC and a bowrider are both "open bow" boats.
Around here, an area of experienced boaters, the "sofa boat" bow rider is seldom seen, and even more seldom owned by seasoned boaters. The reason is simple--you can do anything in a CC that you can do in a bowrider, and more; the opposite is not true. Additionally, many of the bow trider designs are not as seaworthy in open water.
If someone asked about boats for a 2 mile lake for riding around and looking in the 3 months of summer, it would be more appropriate to focus on sofa boats. But the inquiries are seldom specific enough to respond properly. This one, however, opened up a range of appropriate options.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Cuddy vs Open Bow

^^^Dang nabit someone added CC's into the mix and ya done dragged HC out from under the bridge

 

[GatorMike]

Re: Cuddy vs Open Bow

GatorMike,
I don't understand the logic of bringing a center console into a bowrider vs. cuddy cabin discussion.

I'm sure your boat is perfect for YOU.

Geez, why did I even come into one of these threads? *unsubscribe*

Skargo, read the first post.....nowhere was the term bowrider used in the title or body of text. The question was Cuddy Cabin vs open bow. Maybe I am wrong but I think most Center Console boats fall in the category of open bow. Either way my comment was about the original posters mention of a cuddy cabin being more stable when taking water over the bow. I just pointed out that if you start taking waves over the bow that cuddy cabin is going to be as much of a hinderance as a help and to think of it as some kind of life jacket for your boat is dangerous as heck.

 

[hubbard53]

Re: Cuddy vs Open Bow

this is sorta/kinda on topic...

One of the stated benefits of a cuddy is the closed bow and reduced chance of taking too much water over the bow.

If one were to have a bow rider (not CC), would a snap-on canvas bow cover and closed windshield give you the same level of security?

 

[wildspeed]

Re: Cuddy vs Open Bow

Like mentionned earlier, there is Bowrider (BR) and Dual Console (DC), they are both open bow boat.The difference is that usually the DC's have the same hull that there cousins Cuddy and Center console and handle rought water better than a lake bowrider

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: Cuddy vs Open Bow

this is sorta/kinda on topic...

One of the stated benefits of a cuddy is the closed bow and reduced chance of taking too much water over the bow.

If one were to have a bow rider (not CC), would a snap-on canvas bow cover and closed windshield give you the same level of security?

I mentioned this back on the first page:

. . . That being said, a canvas snap-on bow cover will create a cuddy out of an open-bow in less than a minute and keep out 90% of the water in nasty conditions (should they arise). You can't turn a cuddy into an open-bow without a sawzall!

 

[Mark42]

Re: Cuddy vs Open Bow

...... The question was Cuddy Cabin vs open bow. Maybe I am wrong but I think most Center Console boats fall in the category of open bow. Either way my comment was about the original posters mention of a cuddy cabin being more stable when taking water over the bow. I just pointed out that if you start taking waves over the bow that cuddy cabin is going to be as much of a hinderance as a help and to think of it as some kind of life jacket for your boat is dangerous as heck.

I agree with you here. If the boat is in water that is coming over the bow, its a bad time for all, open bow or cuddy. I still think the cuddy has an edge over the classic bow rider, because every cuddy I have been had higher freeboard all around than a bow rider, which traditionally have low freeboard. My 16" cuddy has at least 3" more freeboard in the aft, and probably a foot or more in the front and sides than the "sister" bow rider model that was available. That is significant, and will fend off some serious water that would be swamping the bow rider version.

Center console boats are generally designed with high freeboard. So water over the bow means really big waves. I would prefer to be in a CC rather than a bow rider in rough waters any day.