The perfect boat?

Sea-r-cy · Mar 22, 2012

I've owned several boats, but none has been close to perfect. I'm currently own a 26' Twin Vee weekender. It's a good boat with a great ride, but far from perfect. The electronics are exposed to the weather and spray. When it rains, I get wet. :yes: Yes, there's plastic curtains that can be put up, but it's a real hassel. I had a 22' C-Hawk with a dry cabin, but the ride was a killer.

Most of the cabin-type boats are hard to walk around, and have little/no fishing room in the bow. My current boat's cuddy is only used for storage.

I think I would like a cat hull boat for the ride. The floor of the boat would be self bailing, and be several inches above the water line when boat is at rest.
A pilot house, 2 people wide would sit where the leaning post and center console usually are. On the front of the pilot house would be a built in ice chest with seating for 2 on the top. Facing backward on the rear of the pilot house would be another seat for 2 with storage underneath. The pilot house would have a hard top and sides that extends far enough back to provide shade and rain coverage for the back two riders. Fish storage in the sponsons would be great, long enought for a big wahoo or king. In the bow would be an area to keep an anchor and rope out of the way. Of course, built in tackle lockers.
Live wells forward and aft would be nice.

Think of anything else?

Sea-r-cy

aroundthehorn · Mar 22, 2012

You make a great point about storage. That's a real issue.

Orangebeach28 · Mar 22, 2012

Seawater to beer conversion pump?

aroundthehorn · Mar 22, 2012

Yeah, what about all the naked ladies? FWC invisibility cloak?

tjwareusmc · Mar 22, 2012

A friend of mine had a cat hull boat for a while, don't remember which maker but he sold it pretty quick, said it was the roughest ride he had ever had....

SteveFL · Mar 22, 2012

I have a Grady 228 and absolutely enjoy it in every way. True it's a walkaround and bow access is just how you've described it. But by having it, I'm able to go out in the dead of winter, rain or whatever (short of lightning) and have a great time while staying warm and dry. Plus I'm able to lock everything up should we dock from time to time. I haven't been out much in the last few months and expenses have been zero in that time, no docking fees, etc.. And living on a trailer, it's easy to work on.

And it's big for a 22' with a 3' bracket so ride isn't bad at all. I've been caught in 6's with 5 guys and not felt unsafe at all. So about 2 months ago, I got the bigger-better fever thinking twins and 26' would be nice ....but quickly found what I have is just about perfect for what I enjoy. I guess there's no perfect boat, you have to figure out what's most important for the way you use it and go from there.

SHunter · Mar 22, 2012

I disagree that cats ride rough. The ride has a lot to do with the handler knowing how to trim. I bought one and it took a while playing with it to understand what to do. Weather conditions can make any boat monohull or catamaran ride badly. Unless you are going to buy a boat with an enclosed cabin made out of aluminum or fiberglass, I think most boats will get you wet when it rains. My question is, does the Twin Vee get you wet when you ride from bow spray?

I don't know if this would be considered the perfect boat but I have been attracted lately to the RIB's with the small cabins. I'm talking about the kind the USCG and police use. I just think that they are way cool to look at and they can take on bow waves like nothing else. Not sure about making a fishing vessel out of one. I did see a surplus RIB being used to dive off.

But, I think that if I were going to buy the perfect boat for me today I would first look at the Glacier Bay Canyon Runner because it looks like there is a lot of room to walk around as well as storage. I also want to put a cover over me to protect from the sun. The Glacier has a semi displacement hull that usually rides smoother than the planing cat. I think Twin Vee is a semi, is this correct? Anyway you have a good boat and as you said none are perfect for everything.

Sea-r-cy · Mar 22, 2012

SHunter said:
My question is, does the Twin Vee get you wet when you ride from bow spray?

Twin Vee "sneezes" in some some seas. Just enough to get you wet after a while. Sea-r-cy

hjorgan · Mar 22, 2012

The perfect boat is....... paid for.....

Splittine · Mar 22, 2012

Or a buddy's that you have full rights to.

Flounderpounder · Mar 22, 2012

Perfect boat.....In my limited experience, there is no such thing! I like a CC with curtainsand top, but a WA w/hardtop is cool too.The more things, types of fishing, you want to do with it...the less perfect it becomes. The only thing worse than owning a boat is not owning one (that's where I am now....DOH). But catching a ride on a friend's boat is NICE. Every time I'm offered a ride, no matter the boat, I'm having a GREAT day! P.S. I DO like cats!

reelthrill · Mar 22, 2012

I fished for Cobra boats out of New Jersey one season. We fished their 32 and 36 cat boats. They are extremely fast, fuel effiecient, and do not bang when you hit a big wave.

Nat · Mar 22, 2012

perfect for me is a boat you can use inshore for fishing and use offshore and is a single engine, fuel efficient,easy to trailer.
finding an inshore boat that has shallow draft,higher gunnels and can handle rougher waters without getting soaked or beat half to death.

I wound up with one of these little cat hulls

http://www.tidelineboats.com/reviews/

the OP, should check out the 22' Compmellinia Cat Hull

http://www.thehulltruth.com/boating.../boating-forum/239623-grabbed-tiger-tail-new-catamaran-construction-photos.html

fuel efficient, rough water capable...........

The perfect boat?

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