Went through, and inspected every square inch, and opened every hatch, and access panel in every center console between 18 and 22 feet, and opened up every hatch, and studied the construction of all the aluminum boats, 'cept Tracker.
Got many of the ideas I was looking for to incorporate into the 20' I want to build, but I was not impressed by most of the tin boats there. Manufactures skimp on way too many details. The general hull construction is great, but the details are skimped upon. The Starcraft, which I really liked last year, had really shot down in quality. Plus, when I tried to sit down in the drivers seat, I couldn't fit. I am not that big - 6'3 and 155 pounds, but there is no way I could get behind that console.
I was impressed with the Triton tin rig, for the most part. Fewer corners had been cut on the detailed interior work. Although, there was one hatch, that unlike the rest, looked like it should have been in the other boats. The SeaArk looked good as far as quality is concerned, but I couldn't stand some of the construction features. On the back of one bow deck, there was a 2 inch high lip. Looked like a major tripping hazard.
On the glass center consoles I thoroughly examined, I saw much of the same. The Carolina Skiffs were pretty pitiful. Cheapest flimsiest plastic latches. Plus, almost every feature they have is bolted on, so there are crude seams all over the place. The Boston Whalers, which used to be as good as the older Carolina Skiffs in my opinion, have gone to the dogs.
In a lot of them, the wiring mess was horrific. They will mount stuff such as a fuel water separator in a storage hatch. Just little things here and there.
The glass bass boats, as usual, had very little problems, as they should, if you are going to pay that much for one.
I guess I am more of a perfectionist than some people, but I just cannot see selling something with that many corners cut, or shelling out that kind of money for shoddy work.
I never cease to be impressed with E-tecs. Yamaha had a good showing, but I am concerned about their F series, from a number of other sources. Honda wasn't there, nor was Suzuki, which I was interested in. Motorguide didn't impress me. They are just behind on much of the technology, and the sales guy couldn't answer my questions as to the fundamentals of how some of the technology worked. There wasn't a MK rep there, but I did talk to a Skeeter guy for a bit about the MK Fortrex, and boy am I impressed. Heck, I have been thoroughly impressed with the Maxxum Pro, and this Fortrex goes even further.
But, in the long and short of it, after opening every hatch I could get access to, on every center console in there, I did get the info I needed.
Got many of the ideas I was looking for to incorporate into the 20' I want to build, but I was not impressed by most of the tin boats there. Manufactures skimp on way too many details. The general hull construction is great, but the details are skimped upon. The Starcraft, which I really liked last year, had really shot down in quality. Plus, when I tried to sit down in the drivers seat, I couldn't fit. I am not that big - 6'3 and 155 pounds, but there is no way I could get behind that console.
I was impressed with the Triton tin rig, for the most part. Fewer corners had been cut on the detailed interior work. Although, there was one hatch, that unlike the rest, looked like it should have been in the other boats. The SeaArk looked good as far as quality is concerned, but I couldn't stand some of the construction features. On the back of one bow deck, there was a 2 inch high lip. Looked like a major tripping hazard.
On the glass center consoles I thoroughly examined, I saw much of the same. The Carolina Skiffs were pretty pitiful. Cheapest flimsiest plastic latches. Plus, almost every feature they have is bolted on, so there are crude seams all over the place. The Boston Whalers, which used to be as good as the older Carolina Skiffs in my opinion, have gone to the dogs.
In a lot of them, the wiring mess was horrific. They will mount stuff such as a fuel water separator in a storage hatch. Just little things here and there.
The glass bass boats, as usual, had very little problems, as they should, if you are going to pay that much for one.
I guess I am more of a perfectionist than some people, but I just cannot see selling something with that many corners cut, or shelling out that kind of money for shoddy work.
I never cease to be impressed with E-tecs. Yamaha had a good showing, but I am concerned about their F series, from a number of other sources. Honda wasn't there, nor was Suzuki, which I was interested in. Motorguide didn't impress me. They are just behind on much of the technology, and the sales guy couldn't answer my questions as to the fundamentals of how some of the technology worked. There wasn't a MK rep there, but I did talk to a Skeeter guy for a bit about the MK Fortrex, and boy am I impressed. Heck, I have been thoroughly impressed with the Maxxum Pro, and this Fortrex goes even further.
But, in the long and short of it, after opening every hatch I could get access to, on every center console in there, I did get the info I needed.
