"John H" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 07 Jun 2004 16:00:07 GMT, Dan Millard wrote:
Thanks John HOw does she ride in chop? Nice and dry?
On Mon, 07 Jun 2004 11:57:35 -0400, John H
wrote:
On Mon, 07 Jun 2004 14:28:57 GMT, wrote:
Hi there
New to the group so let's see how I do.
I am the proud owner of a new 225hp Suzuki 4 stroke outboard (long
story) and am now researching the choices for boat to go with it. I
live in Mobile, AL and will use the boat for river and bay boating
with the occasional fishing trip to the Gulf of Mexico, but probably
not WWOT.
I had a 1988 Grady White 20' but the transom rotted out on it (go
figure) I was happy with that boat but it was very rough riding in
anything more than a light chop.
I am looking at a Sailfish 218. Nice looking boat with lots of
pluses. Anyone have any experience with this boat or recommendations
on other choices.
Thx!
I love my Proline 21'er. I think they're a little cheaper than the
Grady's.
John H
On the 'Poco Loco' out of Deale, MD
on the beautiful Chesapeake Bay!
It depends on the chop. I'm sure it's not as comfortable as a Grady,
'cause its
on as heavy.
When talking about ride comfort, hull design matters a lot more than weight.
I had a 23' Grady and it rode terrible. It was much too wide for it's
length...and had touble staying on plane below 19-20mph. I can ride on
plane at 15-16mph in my 25' Whaler...and around 13 mph in my 17' Whaler.
The 25 has a greater than 3:1 length to beam ratio...which plays a large
role in how a boat rides.
Generally speaking, however:
1) a heavier boat rides better than a lighter boat
2) a narrower boat rides smoother than a wider boat
3) greater deadrise at the transom means a smoother ride
You can always find exceptions, but the aforementioned guidelines usually
suffice.
If the lighter boat has greater deadrise than the heavier boat, and both
boats are travelling at an adequate speed to launch the boat clear of the
water when coming off a wave, then the lighter boat will ride better. When
you're talking about boats in the 17-23 foot range that are travelling 18+
mph in a 2-3 foot chop, they spend a lot of time airborne...and the transom
deadrise is very important for a smooth ride. Contender boats are a very
good example.