fishingdan
Lieutenant Junior Grade
- Joined
- Feb 12, 2005
- Messages
- 1,045
Purchased this boat used approximately one and half years ago.
The boat is a 1978 Penn Yan Explorer (outboard version). There weren't that many of these boats.
I am in the process of slowly restoring it. It currently has a wide open cockpit. I don't know what the original seating configuration was. I suspect it had some back-to-back seats in it.
I think the bow area of this boat is somewhat unique. One can open the center section of the windshield, push a sliding deck hatch forward and then walk to the bow to access any one of three storage compartments or handle the anchor. This is a very handy feature and not one that I have seen on other boats.
Another nice feature for a boat this size is the fish box. It has a 5' x 24"W x18"D fish box (I guess that is what it is) in the sole between the operator and passenger seat at midship.
The boat is currently powered by a 1982 Merc 150. It is rated for 200hp, but I find the 150 to be a very good match. The boat cruises comfortably at 25mph at about 3800 rpm. WOT can be as high as 42 mph lightly loaded. The classic hull shape gives it a nice easy ride in most conditions. A big chop will give you a bumpy ride at high speeds given that the operator is sitting (or standing) so far forward.
Things I like about the boat:
- It is built like a tank. The PY folks really made a solid hull
- Nice soft ride in most conditions
- Performance with a 150hp engine
- Wide open cockpit
- Access to the bow
Things I don't like:
- It is a very heavy boat
- PY's building method included a wood cored sole and sole hatches. I have re-cored the sole hatches. I need to re-do the floor at the end of this season and I may do the transom at the same time while I have everything ripped up.
- Hardware near the transom is completely unreachable. This includes cleats on the aft deck as well as the bilge pump. To swap out the bilge pump, one needs to pull a fuel tank unless their arms are 6' long.
These picture are from last year and there have been some small changes, but you will get the basic idea of the boat.
The boat is a 1978 Penn Yan Explorer (outboard version). There weren't that many of these boats.
I am in the process of slowly restoring it. It currently has a wide open cockpit. I don't know what the original seating configuration was. I suspect it had some back-to-back seats in it.
I think the bow area of this boat is somewhat unique. One can open the center section of the windshield, push a sliding deck hatch forward and then walk to the bow to access any one of three storage compartments or handle the anchor. This is a very handy feature and not one that I have seen on other boats.
Another nice feature for a boat this size is the fish box. It has a 5' x 24"W x18"D fish box (I guess that is what it is) in the sole between the operator and passenger seat at midship.
The boat is currently powered by a 1982 Merc 150. It is rated for 200hp, but I find the 150 to be a very good match. The boat cruises comfortably at 25mph at about 3800 rpm. WOT can be as high as 42 mph lightly loaded. The classic hull shape gives it a nice easy ride in most conditions. A big chop will give you a bumpy ride at high speeds given that the operator is sitting (or standing) so far forward.
Things I like about the boat:
- It is built like a tank. The PY folks really made a solid hull
- Nice soft ride in most conditions
- Performance with a 150hp engine
- Wide open cockpit
- Access to the bow
Things I don't like:
- It is a very heavy boat
- PY's building method included a wood cored sole and sole hatches. I have re-cored the sole hatches. I need to re-do the floor at the end of this season and I may do the transom at the same time while I have everything ripped up.
- Hardware near the transom is completely unreachable. This includes cleats on the aft deck as well as the bilge pump. To swap out the bilge pump, one needs to pull a fuel tank unless their arms are 6' long.
These picture are from last year and there have been some small changes, but you will get the basic idea of the boat.