Re: Fish & ski boats: Tahoe Q5 sf or Glastron GT205 sf?
...wow, I didn't realize that there were more recent additions to this thread!
So I guess I can throw in a mini-review of the boat I purchased, now with ~35 hrs on it. I ordered a GT205 SF at the end of 2009 and mine showed up at the dealer here in Cali in May. Glad to have one of the last "Little Falls" boats. My boat has the 4.3L fuel-injected Volvo Penta, 225 HP. Stock prop.
PRAISE:
-Fit and finish are quite nice. Hull has no visible surface defects, cosmetic or otherwise.
-Very comfortable as a cruising runabout.
-"Booster" seats and tilt steering are great options and function well.
-Motor cranks quickly and starts immediately.
-Bilge stays as dry as my living room. Then again, I'm not constantly retrieving soaked skiers or shipping much water over the bow... so YMMV.
-Volvo Penta runs & shifts well. Throttle movement is smooth, with a detent for idle.
-Trim control is responsive and seems well-tuned to this hull shape/size & motor.
-Planes quickly with 4 or fewer evenly-distributed adults.
-Handles lake traffic chop pretty well.
-Extended swim platform is fantastic, well worth the cost.
-Swim ladder is long and sturdy enough for big guys (240 lb.)
-Re-configuration for fishing is simple. Both casting platforms have lots of useable room.
-Plenty of power to tow tubes, with max passengers in the boat.
-Removable carpeting is a neutral tone, feels good underfoot, fits nicely, and hides dirt.
CRITICISM:
-Bimini top shakes laterally at speed with chop, whether covered or deployed.
-Bimini main attachment screws back out when the top shakes (see other posts)
-Bimini doesn't fold down completely to engine cover when stowing.
-Fuel gauge isn't particularly accurate.
-Came to me without a livewell plug.
-Swim platforms, sundeck pad, seats... everything is a strong dirt magnet.
-Livewell drain is side-mounted, not bottom-mounted. So you have to get in there with a rag to get all the water out prior to drying. Annoying.
COMMENTARY:
-Trolling speed on my motor at idle is 3 mph (GPS), trimmed in.
-I bought a 24v MinnKota iPilot trolling motor for the bow, and it is the best thing since the invention of the frickin' wheel. Remote control, GPS control of heading and speed, virtual anchoring, etc. This multiplies the utility of the boat for fishing; I troll for trout while lounging on the sun deck, controlling the motor via remote... and fight and release my fish from the deck/swim platform. Fantastic. Not a particularly good-looking accessory for your GT205, but beauty is in the eye of the fisherman...
-Supplied (dealer-installed) depth finder shoots through the hull and is accurate at speed. Dual-beam HumminBird unit does not interfere if left on.
-I bought an aftermarket (longer) seat post and saddle seat for the front casting platform... taller guys will probably find the stock seating position to be too low for active fishing.
FISHING AND SKIING?
I'll add some removable rod holders and perhaps even downriggers. This boat is absolutely configurable for effective trolling and casting, I have no concerns.
As for skiing, we don't ski or wakeboard. So I can't tell you about whether the 4.3L setup is sufficient for these activities. My guess would be that you'd still have an acceptable holeshot with three adults in the boat and one skier/boarder... obviously a tower would be a very good idea for anyone thinking about the V6 version of this boat. I drag people around on an average-sized tube most of the time, and the boat is perfect for this. As I mentioned above, you can seat six adults in the boat and tow two more on a tube with no drama.
That's it off the top of my head; feel free to post up with any questions and I'll do my best to answer them if I can.
