What brand/model center console has highest person capacity ?

[winstonwilliams]

I am interested in buying a new/close to new boat in the near future but I had a question for you guys. I have always had wake boarding boats or bigger cruising boats that carried A LOT of people. We have just moved and the local boat ramp is kind of shallow and the water is salt so I feel like the best boat for our new location is trailerable boat with a outboard. My wife is trying to talk me into a pontoon but I am not a pontoon type of person (no offence to the pontooners). I did look at the Hurricane deck boat but I have heard they can be a little rough out in the chop. We live close to the ocean so I want something that will withstand the chop. I was leaning towards a center console so I started looking at the Sea Hunt 234 but then I found out that it only holds 8 people! What company is out there that makes a center console that holds a lot of people?

Thanks for the help

Winston

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: What brand/model center console has highest person capacity ?

Carolina Skiff. Look at the numbers; you will be astounded. PLus excellant boats for coastal waters, deep and shallow.
There are some copy cats, too: bay runner, skimmer, maybe Palm Beach but I;m not sure.

 

[dingbat]

Re: What brand/model center console has highest person capacity ?

The "max. person capacity" figure is a number manufactured by the marketing department. The number that matters is the max. weight capacity, that includes persons, motor and gear.

The max. person capacity is based on individuasl weighing #150. To put that into perspective, the average US male weighs #195 and the average female weighs #166. So.... that advertised 8 person, #1,200 capacity is effectively a 6 person capacity. Load a couple coolers and you can throw another person of out the boat. Three Sumo wrestlers will certainly overload any 22-24' boat built.

 

[Techtraveler]

Re: What brand/model center console has highest person capacity ?

I have been thinking more and more about Carolina Skiffs. You think they work well in a chop? I figured that flat bottom would beat everybody up with a small chop.

 

[dingbat]

Re: What brand/model center console has highest person capacity ?

I have been thinking more and more about Carolina Skiffs. You think they work well in a chop? I figured that flat bottom would beat everybody up with a small chop.

Depends on which model. The skiff will beat you silly. They make also deepvVee that rides pretty good, all things considered.

 

[H20Rat]

Re: What brand/model center console has highest person capacity ?

The "max. person capacity" figure is a number manufactured by the marketing department. The number that matters is the max. weight capacity, that includes persons, motor and gear.

Until you are talking to the friendly law enforcement that pulled you over for a safety inspection. Unless you are grossly overloaded with the 3 sumo wrestlers, they don't know nor do they care about the weight of the people on board. But if you violate the max #, EVEN if you are well under the weight, you stand a chance of getting an expensive reminder. (ie, 4 parents, 5 kids, on a boat rated for 8 people. You can be well below the weight but over the headcount by one.)

(depends on your LEO also... Get one fresh out of academy and its going to be letter of the law, weight OR headcount. (he might even carry a scale!). Get an old salty LEO that knows better and you won't have an issue.)

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: What brand/model center console has highest person capacity ?

I have been thinking more and more about Carolina Skiffs. You think they work well in a chop? I figured that flat bottom would beat everybody up with a small chop.

it's simply a trade-off, like every part of the boat-buying decision. There are smoother riding boats that carry fewer people. But obviously if they were intolerable they wouldn't be selling them all up and down the coast like crazy. Anmd of all the various popular hull designs, none are smooth as silk in chop and none will "knock your teeth out" as the uninformed like to say. It's all a matter of degree and personal tolerance, so you need to see for yourself.

Go ask around the marinas; you might even get a boat ride out of it.

I doubt you'd be taknig a large crowd out if it's choppy unless they are fishermen and then they won't care. You certainly don't want a pontoon for coastal waters.

 

[moosehead]

Re: What brand/model center console has highest person capacity ?

OP, as others suggest, capacity gets a bit complicated by average weight per person and the amount of additional gear you bring aboard. As you are likely aware, Center Consoles' capacity may not necessarily provide for maximum number of persons both in seating configurations and perhaps due to anticipated additional gear load for tackle, gear, live wells, conditions, etc. You may want to search for some of the recent threads on Dual Consoles.

FWIW, most if not all NASBLA State Boater's Safety Courses counsel not to exceed either the maximum number of persons nor the weight limit on capacity plates.