New to thread which boat

[strokersquid]

Re: New to thread which boat

oops

What was the size & power system on your boat ? Was it a water heater with exhaust water or block water ?

Mine is 5' 2" and works best at night

 

[oops!]

Re: New to thread which boat

oops

What was the size & power system on your boat ? Was it a water heater with exhaust water or block water ?

im running a 350 i/o that i plumbed thru the block water.

 

[oops!]

Re: New to thread which boat

Mine is 5' 2" and works best at night

i just got that

 

[cyclops2]

Re: New to thread which boat

A 5' 2" unit is too big for me.

 

[halfmoa]

Re: New to thread which boat

Mine is 5' 2" and works best at night

Me too. Like an oven.

 

[strokersquid]

Re: New to thread which boat

hey stroker.......

one of the points that grabbed me ......was the fact that you mentioned that "they like to go inside when its cold"

got something for you to think about.....might be an option.

i live up in kelowna (north of spokane in canada) ....it gets really cool at night during early spring (feb-march) and late fall......

i put a heater in the boat......it is fantastic !!!! ill never own a boat with out one !

even on a cold day.....and no canvas on the boat......just the heater blowing on our feet and arms is all we need ! we can boat in very cool temps and be "just right"
even after a evening waterski....cold....wet....just sit by the heater vent and all is well !

now......if i had a big tent like canvas on a boat with a heater in it.......wow.....no worries...who needs a cuddy?

just some food for thought !

cheers
oops

good idea. actually i think they go down below to ditch their dads as much as anything else.

 

[strokersquid]

Re: New to thread which boat

What the OP (and other beginners) desperately need to understand, is that pleasure boating is; 1. Not a poor mans hobby. 2. A series of compromises. 3. An expensive learning curve. If one cannot afford an appropriate tow vehicle, safety gear, registration, permits, maintenance and storage fees and the inevitable operating expenses ...he has chosen the wrong hobby. If one cannot afford multiple boats, one must ALWAYS compromise on something...be it size, power, amenities, name brand, condition, practicality for the intended use, etc. Every choice one makes in an effort to pursue this hobby requires money. Mistakes cost more money. Stupidity can cost an extremity or your life. Please give opinions you've received here their due merit. It may save you an immeasurable amount of grief.

I put the Arima on hold based on your thread. What would the 19' seaswirl cuddy be classified as ? Is the problem with the Arima its (rather) poor comfort in waves ? Is the Seaswirl better in waves ( I know how that one handles ) ? I have the funds to buy a new Arima, so I am not thinking this will be cheap. My friend keeps asking me to buy half of his Seaswirl, but I do not know how that would work out. Anybody here share boat ownership ? Would you do it again ? I go out with him as much as I can and share costs, but he often works weekends when I am off and vice versa. Even when he is off he changes plans a lot, often on short notice.

 

[chriscraft254]

Re: New to thread which boat

I put the Arima on hold based on your thread. What would the 19' seaswirl cuddy be classified as ? Is the problem with the Arima its (rather) poor comfort in waves ? Is the Seaswirl better in waves ( I know how that one handles ) ? I have the funds to buy a new Arima, so I am not thinking this will be cheap. My friend keeps asking me to buy half of his Seaswirl, but I do not know how that would work out. Anybody here share boat ownership ? Would you do it again ? I go out with him as much as I can and share costs, but he often works weekends when I am off and vice versa. Even when he is off he changes plans a lot, often on short notice.

The thing about boat parnerships is they very rarely work out to be even partnerships which means most likely someone is feeling cheated in the end. The ride of the two different style boats is probably going to be similar in comparision to one another because they are in the same size range.

I say, go buy a larger arima and have him come out with you and split the costs. Still think you should get yourself a center console with a bow dodger. Will be a great first boat for you to learn the ropes. With this type of boat, if it has a t-top and front dodger, you can have curtains made to connect them and be fully protected and have one very large cabin.

 

[cyclops2]

Re: New to thread which boat

Buying a boat together is never a problem.
Maintaince standards, how often, Where it is done, How much should / needs to be done. Checking out a noise / leak. How the boat is kept CLEAN enough. ...

" I was too busy to clean it up & REFILL THE GAS TANK. "

The REAL problem happens when 1 person needs / wants to sell at a time or price the other does not LIKE AT ALL. WHO IS PUSHIER about the present friendship ? It will all change down the road in most bussiness / friendships.

Buy..... YOUR OWN BOAT. The friend will always be your friend. VERY TRUE.

 

[cyclops2]

Re: New to thread which boat

Is there a reason you can not have the boat in a boat slip / dock? Then size is no problem & neither is towing or storage. You will pay more for gas at marinas then a street gas station. But there are loads of things to check out & compare.
I have a 19' footer because it is in the water all season & I just fill the tank anywhere. Feels more like boating to me. There used to be a Maine or Vermont that would do a lifetime registration for a 1 time fee. So much to check out.

Slow down & keep asking for advice. Some will be good others bad..............That is the bad part of all web forums.

 

[ondarvr]

Re: New to thread which boat

The Seaswirl will ride much better than the Arima. Arimas were designed for long hours of slow trolling and to be able to use low HP motors for their size, this means a wide relatively flat bottom. The Seaswirl has a much deeper V and is designed for going faster in rougher water. They are both good boats, just different hull designs.

You don't want a center console for this type of boating, its just not the right boat.

 

[strokersquid]

Re: New to thread which boat

The Seaswirl will ride much better than the Arima. Arimas were designed for long hours of slow trolling and to be able to use low HP motors for their size, this means a wide relatively flat bottom. The Seaswirl has a much deeper V and is designed for going faster in rougher water. They are both good boats, just different hull designs.

You don't want a center console for this type of boating, its just not the right boat.

Thanks. Best answer so far.

 

[strokersquid]

Re: New to thread which boat

Is there a reason you can not have the boat in a boat slip / dock? Then size is no problem & neither is towing or storage. You will pay more for gas at marinas then a street gas station. But there are loads of things to check out & compare.
I have a 19' footer because it is in the water all season & I just fill the tank anywhere. Feels more like boating to me. There used to be a Maine or Vermont that would do a lifetime registration for a 1 time fee. So much to check out.

Slow down & keep asking for advice. Some will be good others bad..............That is the bad part of all web forums.

There are over 1100 miles of navigable fresh waterways in the SF delta, and the entire SF bay and GG Bridge area. There is no marina that will allow access to all of it. You have to tow to get places.

 

[cyclops2]

Re: New to thread which boat

Squid

I have it very good & do not know it.

Rich

 

[halfmoa]

Re: New to thread which boat

Buying a boat together is never a problem.
Maintaince standards, how often, Where it is done, How much should / needs to be done. Checking out a noise / leak. How the boat is kept CLEAN enough. ...

" I was too busy to clean it up & REFILL THE GAS TANK. "

The REAL problem happens when 1 person needs / wants to sell at a time or price the other does not LIKE AT ALL. WHO IS PUSHIER about the present friendship ? It will all change down the road in most bussiness / friendships.

Buy..... YOUR OWN BOAT. The friend will always be your friend. VERY TRUE.

+1 to that. GREAT way to ruin a lifelong friendship. One of my friends parents shared a boat with another couple and ended up in civil court at the time of sale. It was a complete disaster. Both sides are really great people and very easy going, it just doesn't work out too well in the long run.

 

[jacoboregon]

Re: New to thread which boat

Hey squid, you've had a bunch of great responses. I too, have owned a cuddy (1979 20' searay) that I liked very much (mostly for the way it handled), but would never own another one. I much prefer the room and options an open bow, or even better a center console presents. A removable canvas top is awesome and it can be folded and stowed when not needed/wanted and easily put up to get out of the weather. If you don't have an I/O to use oops option of plumbing in a heater from the engine block you can also install one of the catalytic propane heaters that are great (no flame)! Most, if not all of the fishing guides up here in the NW use them in their open drift boats for winter fishing on the rivers.

Also, as stated earlier, you do not necessarily need a full size pickup to tow a larger boat.

I wish the best to you in your search! Boats, like anything else, are largely personal preference, but without a clear direction and if lacking in experience it is very wise to seek out and adhere to counsel from others.

 

[ondarvr]

Re: New to thread which boat

Since several people have suggested a small center console, lets discuss them.

Pros
Light for their size sometimes because there is less structure.
Good visibility.
You can walk all the way around the boat (sort of).
Easy to launch, they just feel smaller and are lighter.
If you like to stand on the bow and fish you can.
Easy to tow because with less structure there is less wind resistance.
In warm weather areas they can be very good for certain types of ?fishing?.

Cons
There is very little dry storage.
There is very little storage at all, even unprotected.
The only protected seating while running is for the person driving the boat, and even that's not very good.
There is very little comfortable seating, most seating in a CC is an after thought.
When the weather gets bad you?re sitting in it, wind, rain, sun, whatever.
Most of the time the center console is in the way, especially on a small boat like this and trying to get around it can be a hassle.
When you bring stuff with you much of it ends up being on the deck and under foot, so when moving around it?s always in the way.
The selection of CC?s is very low on the West Coast, mainly because the type of boating is not favorable for this design, so there aren?t that many around.
CC?s are designed for certain types of fishing, if you don?t use it for those types of fishing 95% of the time, then it is almost useless.

Most wives and kids don't like them for the above reasons.
You can have a custom canvas enclosure made, but it will be inconvenient to use and cost a couple thousand to have built.


I base this opinion on living and boating my whole life on the West Coast, some of it living on an island and most of the rest living on either lakes or rivers, plus having had 2 CC?s in this size range. One I changed to a different layout, the other one, a 19', is rarely used because of the cons listed above. I have sort of started a project to change this boat to another layout, but the lack of time and energy have slowed progress to a halt.

I have also spent time in parts of the country where CC?s are popular, mostly the South and East where the water and weather are warmer, and again, used for certain types of fishing. Rarely are they used for a ?family fun boat? by non fisherman.

 

[cyclops2]

Re: New to thread which boat

I thought that the original design of a Center Console was to ....Give as much rail area as possible to a person fighting a BIG fish in a small boat. Allowing him to zip around the entire boat as often as he needed to.

Anything else on the boat... DID NOT MATTER... as much.

Rich

 

[chriscraft254]

Re: New to thread which boat

Since several people have suggested a small center console, lets discuss them.

Pros
Light for their size sometimes because there is less structure.
Good visibility.
You can walk all the way around the boat (sort of).
Easy to launch, they just feel smaller and are lighter.
If you like to stand on the bow and fish you can.
Easy to tow because with less structure there is less wind resistance.
In warm weather areas they can be very good for certain types of ?fishing?.

Cons
There is very little dry storage.
There is very little storage at all, even unprotected.
The only protected seating while running is for the person driving the boat, and even that's not very good.
There is very little comfortable seating, most seating in a CC is an after thought.
When the weather gets bad you?re sitting in it, wind, rain, sun, whatever.
Most of the time the center console is in the way, especially on a small boat like this and trying to get around it can be a hassle.
When you bring stuff with you much of it ends up being on the deck and under foot, so when moving around it?s always in the way.
The selection of CC?s is very low on the West Coast, mainly because the type of boating is not favorable for this design, so there aren?t that many around.
CC?s are designed for certain types of fishing, if you don?t use it for those types of fishing 95% of the time, then it is almost useless.

Most wives and kids don't like them for the above reasons.
You can have a custom canvas enclosure made, but it will be inconvenient to use and cost a couple thousand have built.


I base this opinion on living and boating my whole life on the West Coast, some of it living on an island and most of the rest living on either lakes or rivers, plus having had 2 CC?s in this size range. One I changed to a different layout, the other one, a 19', is rarely used because of the cons listed above. I have sort of started a project to change this boat to another layout, but the lack of time and energy have slowed progress to a halt.

I have also spent time in parts of the country where CC?s are popular, mostly the South and East where the water and weather are warmer, and again, used for certain types of fishing. Rarely are they used for a ?family fun boat? by non fisherman.

Like you I have owned CC and Wa. The boat that the op is referring to is niether, it is a cuddy cabin boat. Thus giving it a somewhat larger cabin than a WA around the same size would have. To get back "On Topic" the reason some of us are recommending a center console is because in the "size" boat the op is referring to, the boat imo will be useless and will not be big enough in the cabin for his kids to enjoy, especially as they get older. Even 19 feet is going to be better than 17 feet. The useable cabin space on these boats is limited just because you can't get the square footage or head room on a boat so small. Most boats smaller than 20 ft are not going to have a very useful cabin. Storage space is what it becomes and don't even try and stand up in there if you are an adult. If you are talking about your kids just being able to stow themselves down there for a few minutes, fine, but thats gonna be about the end of the cabin use. Even on my 26 footer, I would like to have more room, and it has a pretty open layout. One of the reasons I am gutting the interior as we speak.

The biggest reason for more cabin boats and less cc on the west coast compared to other parts is weather and wave conditions. Doesn't really have anything to do with fishing species that you fish for. Unless you are talking comfort. You can land fish of any species on any boat if you can get to them. Some boats are better for drifting etc, but that is hull design usually, not wether it is a CC, Wa, or cabin.


I trully won't argue to the above post on the pro's and cons on this thread. I will just say, when growing up as a kid, we had a 19 ft mako. Full canvas dodger that when ugly out could be raised to protect you from wave/wind splash, but lowered on those beautiful days to allow for more room on such a small boat. We also had a full inclosure that allowed us to fish year round, one of our favorite things to fish were stripers in the middle of winter. We put a small achohol heater in there and stayed nice and toasty.

Not every boat or size boat is going to be right for everyone. There is going to be some give and take with whatever boat you choose to buy. The smaller the boat, the less options you have as far as how much gear,people, fuel, storage etc. etc. etc. that you can take with you on excursions. Wether it be fishing or just cruising! Op, whatever you decide to get, I am sure you will enjoy it, you just may be limited in that enjoyment in the size that you are talking about. If at all possible, I would go larger no matter what boat you buy.

 

[ondarvr]

Re: New to thread which boat

The topic is ?what kind of boat? and it's good to discuss it, many people will read this and it may help them decide what boat may be best for them. So to hash out the desirable or not so desirable details and features of each design is what?s needed.

I never recommended a small Cuddy for them, and I said the Arima wouldn't be a good choice, but for a family that doesn't fish at all, a CC would be even more undesirable because of the cons previously listed. Between the two an Arima would be a much better choice. I agree that for a cabin to be useful as a space to be in the boat needs to be much larger.

I live to fish and that means boats for each type and location of doing that, so do all my friends. Only one friend has a CC and the only reason he got it was the same reason I picked up mine, the price was so low we couldn't pass it up, looking back I should have sold it right away and taken the profit. I have eight boats for different types of fishing, I don?t do much pleasure boating, it?s mostly just to fish, the boat is just a tool get to where the fish are. Before my kids grew up and moved out we did multi day family whitewater river trips with little or no fishing included, this is about the only time I?m on a boat without a rod in my hand. I only say all this so people can understand where my priorities are when it comes to boating and they can evaluate anything I may say in light of it.

Salt water fishing and general boating here (on the Wet Coast) sort of falls into two boat styles, small cuddy's and open general purpose ski type boats. Small cuddy's are the mainstay of the sport fisherman in the saltwater due to exactly what you mentioned, the cool temps, waves, wind and rain. There needs to a place to store all the stuff you bring along and that?s what the cuddy if for, it?s not really used as a place to sit in or hang out, just a big dry protected place. The main part of the boat typically has a full canvas for hiding from the weather and it can be taken down for boating in good weather, but even in the summer most leave them up here.

The other style, the open multi purpose ski boat still has a canvas enclosure unless it?s used only in the summer on good days on fresh water, most of those that take them out in the salt have the canvas up all year. In these boats you are still well protected from the weather and the seating can be quite comfortable. This type is family baoting.

For mom and the kids to be happy on the water they need to be dry, warm and comfortable, a CC offers none of these while cruising, which is what they?ll be doing.