Same manufacturer as Palm Beach. They're made in Douglas, GA.They are average quality. If this a deep V, the ride should be good. Stay away from their "Bay" boats.
You will find that the Key West is a bit light and 'whippy" ( Don't know a better word) Overall good quality, but you can do better. Look at Cape Horn and Boston Whaler too.
Key West boats are made in SC. The owners of Key West and Scout are related. Not sure that it is true that they also made Palm Beach boats. From most reports, it is a mid tier boat.
We just purchased a 196 Bay Reef with a Yami 150 TXR and I must say that it is a real decent boat. Key Largo and Palm Beach are totally different boats than Key West. Key West also did pretty well in the JD Powers and Associates rankings. Made a higher score than did the Scout.
KEY WEST ARE NOT WHAT THEY SAY THAY ARE GO TO MY KEYWESTBOAT.COM AND SEE WHAT HAPPENED TO MINE.SEE HOW THEY DONT REPAIR THEIR BOAT RIGHT. AND THAT THEIR WARRENTY WORK STINKS. THEY DONT BACK THEIR BOATS LIKE THEY SAY THEY DO.
I have a 2003 1900 CC that I have been happy with, the only improvement that I made to the boat that improved the handling was to add suicide knob (steering wheel knob) to the steering.I love the boat.
__________________ If you can't run with the big dogs, just stay on the porch.
Model # E 150 STL CO H, Serial # J 0578813
I have a 216 bay reef and love it it has one of the best rides of any bay boat iv ridden in. it has 22 degree deadrise so its pretty smooth in rough water. as far as light and whippy goes it is acually one of the heaviest boats in its class at 2200 pounds
My Key West serves me well for any tidal river use and limited Chesapeake bay use. However,I don't take it in the Delaware bay.
1900 CC Specifications:
STANDARD
Length:19'2"
Beam:7'9"
Transom:20"
Approx. Weight:1600 Lbs.
Fuel Capacity:60 Gals.
Maximum HP:150 HP
Recommended HP:115-150 HP
Dead Rise:15°
Draft:10"
__________________ If you can't run with the big dogs, just stay on the porch.
Model # E 150 STL CO H, Serial # J 0578813
I have an 05 186 CC. I have not been anywhere that I cannot use it yet. Draws 12''. I use it in shallow bayous, and have been out about 13 miles from shore with it. Just make sure if you are going to put a trolling motor on it that it does not have bow rails. They can be a pain to deal with.
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2005 Key West 186 CC 115Yam. 4-St.
Key west boats are great. Don't listen to anyone bad mouthing them. Probably means they were very mean to the people on the phone about something that was probably their fault to begin with. I own a '99 Key West CC 19 footer. I regularly go out of Ponce inlet to do offshore bottom fishing. She is at home in 4 foot swells doing 20 to 25mph the whole way. With a very comfortable ride. The farthest, admittedly, i've been is 13 miles. Without 2 motors, any farther kinda worries me.
The boat is equally at home in the Mosquito Lagoon. this spring water levels were just right for the Bay / reef boat to get into some really skinny water. I love the boat. No other boats, beside bay / reef models, will let you do flats fishing in the morning and offshore in the afternoon. All of you with 26' offshore boats can't say that. AM redfish, PM grouper! It doesn't get better.
FYI...I went to "mykeywestboat.com" and it linked me to this very forum. No pictures of any horror stories. Buy Key West. There is a reason you see them everywhere...they are good boats for a great price. Want a GREAT boat at an unreasonable price? Go Grady or Whaler. I'm on a budget and its great for me. Besides, with a 60 gallon gas tank it really doesn't hurt to fill it up. My other friends with 23 and 25' offshore boats have 100 to 300 gallon gas tanks...ouch! We take my boat a lot more than theirs and its much lighter. I tow with an old Nissan pick up.
Key West boats are built in South Carolina,no relation to Key Largo's at all.No comparison.The 1900 is a tried and true hull that the company has tried to update but demand has kept it in production.I've seen them powered with old Johnson 88's all the way to Yamaha 150 VMax.They are very popular on the Gulf Coast.
Key West and Key Largo are not the same company. Key West is similar to Scout in quality and finish and uses no wood. Key Largo uses wood stringers and a speckle finish on the deck. Key Largo is probably a decent boat but for sure they are not the same.
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Key West 1520CC
Yamaha 70 HP/2 Stroke
My 2002 Key West 2020 DC is stable and quick boat for it's size and power. (150 Yamaha). Planes in 2.2 sec, about 4.0 mpg, dry and comfortable. I usually fish from CC's but with the big 8' beam, there is a ton of room behind the seats. Lots of storage, including under the back to back passenger seat.
I was able to buy this rig this year with only 63 hrs on it and it's like having a new boat.
We have several reefs and wrecks about 23 miles off shore around the Bayport area, West coast of Florida, and I will have no doubt taking this boat offshore. With the windscreen closed the ride is very dry. Also, no rattles form the big 'screen, stantions, or hatches.
Only thing I did was add the extra battery and wired in the Yamaha's alternate charging output from the rectifier/regulator. It comes already fused and with a bullet connector. The Yamaha manual and many posts on this forum helped me with all that.
Would like to keep this post active with other KW boaters, as I have yet to find an owners club!
I too would like to see this thread come back to life. I bought a 176cc about a month ago and it was the beginning of a love affair. I am totally impressed with the boat. So far I have had it out in only about three foot seas max, but for a 17 footer it handled like a dream. Tomorrow I am going to install a 55lb thrust Minn Kota remote control trolling motor, but I noticed there is no wood installed by the manufacturer in the bow so it may be a little more complicated than I had anticipated. I am planning on fishing mosquito lagoon, so this will go a long way to getting me up in there. I have really high hopes of taking the rig off shore when seas drop to 1-3 for a few days. Should be an adventure.
DBL, just read your post and I am surprised to read that there is no backing for the trolling motor. On my larger 20' I found a trolling motor wiring harness dead ended when hooking up my second battery. I do not want a troller, but found it interesting I have one prewired and on your smaller rig there is not one. Oh well, seems like you are having fun with yours, and good luck. By the way, how did she come powered??
There's is no wood installed anywhere in any Key West these days. That doesn't mean there isn't sufficient backing for a troll motor though. Key West uses alternative materials instead of wood since wood can and usually does rot eventually. In the area where a troll motor is typically installed there is a coring material glassed into the laminate sufficient to hold a 55 lb. thrust motor.
I don't know if there is any composite where the trolling motor goes. There is a plug installed in the bow so you would think that they would allow something to screw the motor onto, but who knows. I think I will go ahead and put a piece of pressure treated plywood in there anyway just for piece of mind. This boat came powered with a Yamaha four stroke 115. Shorelander trailer and a bunch of extras. I put a Lowrance gps/sonar and I am slowly decking it out.
Buying a Key West...
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