Walkarounds - appropriate as run-about?

skategoat

Seaman
Joined
Mar 29, 2004
Messages
74
Still looking for my cottage boat. As I mentioned in a previous post, I need something versatile that will handle fishing, skiing and day cruising. <br /><br />I saw a Wellcraft 23 foot walkaround recently and started thinking it might work. I wanted to solicit some opinions here. I'm sure a walkaround would be great for fishing but does it work for occasional skiing and family cruising?
 

ahein

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Dec 7, 2002
Messages
89
Re: Walkarounds - appropriate as run-about?

Hey Skategoat,<br />I think a walk-around type boat is a great compromise for all of the activities you mentioned. I own a 24' WACC and I use it primarily for fishing with my buddies. But I have a family that enjoys the water as well. A walk-around cuddy cabin allows my wife and daughter to "take care of business" in privacy, and gives my young son a place to relax when he's had too much time in the sun. We don't do much cruising other than the occasional coastal trips between Watch Hill and up into Narragansett Bay (about 30-40 miles). We also sometimes camp overnight anchored off a small island in a sheltered bay. My boat will sleep three in the cabin (I usually sleep on the deck in fair weather). I've never pulled a skier but I've pulled my kids around on a tube. I'm not it would have enough lower end to get a skier out of the water.<br />One word of caution, however. Make sure what ever boat you decide on has plenty of out-of-the-way, dry storage room. It's amazing the amout of stuff my family brings on board for the "overnight stay". :D <br />Good luck, and I'm sure you'll enjoy your time on whichever boat you decide upon. :) :)
 

jeff_nicholas

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Aug 2, 2002
Messages
174
Re: Walkarounds - appropriate as run-about?

Our boat of choice for family cruising is a small W/A (cuddy). Accommodating, easily handled on and off the trailer, low maintenance, ready to go on a whim with little to no preparation, works as well for day trips as it does for those week long cruises.<br /><br />Nick in Spartanburg, SC<br /> http://www.geocities.com/jeff_nicholas/BBR.html
 

BrianTindall

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Mar 8, 2004
Messages
165
Re: Walkarounds - appropriate as run-about?

You won't go wrong with a walk around. I have a 2302 Trophy and it works great for us as an all around boat. Cleans up easily, plenty of room and the all important head (toilet as the wife calls it).
 

PAkev

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Sep 9, 2002
Messages
665
Re: Walkarounds - appropriate as run-about?

You know your specific boaing demands best but as we have decided against a WA, these may also be some legitimate reasons for your consideration of a few downsides to a WA style boat: <br /><br />1. A majority of our lakes here in PA aren't terribly big where we can't make it to shore fairly quick and easy to use restroom facilities.<br /><br />2. Many folks we know end up using their cuddy as a catch all for fishing tackle, water toys, lunch coolers, etc. which end up defeating the purpose of conveniently having a place to go.<br /><br />3. We found the cuddy concentrates deck activity around the helm and stern area of the boat which sometimes tends to make things on board a little crowded.<br /><br />4. We were unable to fit a cuddy into our garage without making some modifications to our garage door height and replacing the garage door.<br /><br />5. Although the term "walk around" suggests you can indeed walk aroud the bow, it takes special attention to safety and balance so you dont end up in the drink when adventuring around the bow area. <br /><br />I do like the fact that a cuddy affords the flexability to be a place to sleep for the evening but our family of 5 would make things quite tight. Perhaps we may find a WA cuddy style boat is more suitable for us in the future but for now we don't find it to be our best choice.<br /><br />Kevin
 

Navigator

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Feb 6, 2001
Messages
517
Re: Walkarounds - appropriate as run-about?

Skategoat,<br /><br />I too looked at the WAC type boats, but what I found to be most usefull is a plain Center Console with a fabric dodger up on the front. It gives you the "out of the sun" protection of the cuddy Cabin, with the ability to fold it down when you want the deck space for fishing, cruising, etc. A lot of center consoles now have a head compartment built into the console so there is still privacy for those biological issues :) <br /><br />Just my 2 cents :D <br /><br />Nav :cool:
 

Jason Adam

Cadet
Joined
Oct 27, 2003
Messages
22
Re: Walkarounds - appropriate as run-about?

If you don't plan to overnight, and since it is for your cottage, I assume you won't, a cuddy is impracticle. You would much better utilize space by going with a center consoule design. WA's do not utilize space very well.
 

Solittle

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Apr 28, 2002
Messages
7,518
Re: Walkarounds - appropriate as run-about?

My 23' CC has a Dodger & Bimini top. When not needed they can be folded down giving you access to the entire boat. I have seen CC with full bow to stern canvas.<br /><br />Years back we had a 19"er with full canvas. The wife & I would go down to the Fl Keys and stay out 3-4 days at a shot. When the rain clouds came up the canvas came out.
 

skategoat

Seaman
Joined
Mar 29, 2004
Messages
74
Re: Walkarounds - appropriate as run-about?

I think you guys are right. I think a CC is the way to go for us. I like the low maintenance, easy wash-out nature of a centre console. The only drawback is lack of seating and the fact that they are mostly outboards. A lot of CCs that I've seen have the two seats at the console and nothing else. I need at least a bench at the back. <br /><br />The outboard issue is not as important. My wife prefers the quiet and lower emissions of an I/O, so maybe a 4-stroke is a good compromise.<br /><br />Now another question. With an average 19 foot centre console how much power do I need to effectively tow an adult male water skier/wakeboarder? And, with that said power, what is the minimum planing speed? I know it will vary with the hull so I'm talking general numbers only. <br /><br />Okay, one last question - what CC hulls are best? I know Boston Whaler and Grady-White, but what are some lesser known makes that are good value?<br /><br />Thanks,<br /><br />Henry
 

bgmarfleet

Recruit
Joined
Aug 3, 2004
Messages
2
Re: Walkarounds - appropriate as run-about?

skategoat<br /><br />I grew up boating in Muskoka. We had a few boats but by far the most useful/versatile COTTAGE boat was a 18-19 foot bowrider I/O with (at least) a big V6 motor (4.0L). <br /><br />You'll notice that a few of these CC lovers are near the ocean. They are probably in salt water in offshore environments. I bet they love outboard motors too! All these features are perfect boats for saltware/bigger seas. But as a freshwater lake cottager with docking space and easily accessible restrooms (even in towns/marinas), you don't need/won't use the cuddy cabin unless you plan to trailer it away from your lake (we never have done this in 25+ years of cottaging). <br /><br />You may use it for fishing, probably for skiiing and tubing. The open bow is a decent fishing platform and great for cruising with the family and the sterndrive I/O V6 or small V8 will provide tons of low end torque to pull even a 200lb guy out of the water on one ski. I've never tried skiing behind a CC boat.
 

ThomWV

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Dec 19, 2003
Messages
701
Re: Walkarounds - appropriate as run-about?

Well, at 57 years old I can tell you it wouldn't bother me a bit if I never set foot on another CC boat. Give me the walk around every time - at least now days.<br /><br />We fish off shore in ours (30~50 miles out) but I have pulled water skiers in small lakes too. We have used it up rivers for picknicks with family and friends aboard, my grand children love it. Now and then my wife and I stay in it at marinas (Hatteras) and sometimes when I go fishing alone and stay at camp grounds I just get up in it and sleep. <br /><br />Ours, which is a 23' boat, sleeps two very comfortably, three of they are friends, and 4 if they are very very close friends. We have a sink, little alcohol single-burner stove, and a porta pottie. Good enough for our needs Oh, we haven't done an long distance cruising with it but we've made the run back and forth between Ocracoke and Nags Head (usually with a stop at Hatteras Village) a good bunch of times.<br /><br />They are just great versitile boats. The cabin doesn't fill up with $#!T if the Captain doesn't let it and I find the room in the back ample. After you've got caught in a couple of storms that cabin starts looking mighty good too.<br /><br />
cockpit.jpg
<br /><br />Thom
 

steam_mill

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jan 16, 2002
Messages
413
Re: Walkarounds - appropriate as run-about?

skategoat:<br /><br />I'm wondering where you cottage?<br /><br />Unless you are on the Bay, Lake St. CLair, Erie or Ontario a 23' boat is big.<br /><br />I would make sure that your water levels don't very a lot. Your boat may become unusable.<br /><br />I wanted a fishing boat (Like a 17' Legend etc.) but also wanted a bowrider.<br /><br />My decision was to purchase two boats. I have a small 12' tin boat. Great for fishing the shallows and uses little fuel.<br /><br />I also bought a 17' bowrider that is over 7' wide. Fast and fun.<br /><br />In this way I got the best of both worlds.<br /><br />I went the o/b route. My preference. I feel that outboards have less mtce and if something goes very, very wrong I can always swap and engine in less than a week. Not true of a sterndrive.<br /><br />With our short boating season I like to max out the season.<br /><br />I find myself putting the tin in the water in April and only taking it out in November. I now have no pressure to launch the bowrider either.
 

bgmarfleet

Recruit
Joined
Aug 3, 2004
Messages
2
Re: Walkarounds - appropriate as run-about?

Steam_mill is right. A lot of it depends on what kind of water you plan to be on. If you're out on Georgian Bay or Lake Simcoe or Nippising a 23 footer might be perfect. It would probably be OK on any of the Muskoka lakes or Lake of Bays it would be too much boat for a smaller lake. Another thing to think about is the draft. How deep is the water at the end of your dock? Is the water level stable? How rough does it get? <br /><br />I had a friend with a cottage near Minden where the lake was a reservoir for the Trent canal system and it would drop 3' over the summer. He had 6 feet off the end of his dock in spring but by the end of summer anything big could have been grounded. His boat was a fairly flat bottomed outboard because of this.<br /><br />This raises other issues. Are you on a lake that accesses the Trent or Rideau system? Would you want to take extended trips on one of the canal waterways?<br /><br />I suggested the bow-rider I/O because the comfortable (carpeted and upholstered interior) tends to appeal to the ladies in the family compared to the spartan and utilitarian<br />self-baling CC decks). We had just enough depth at the dock (about 4') to moor it comfortably. In fact the boat became a hang out spot that was an extension of the dock. Folks would sit in it and listen to the CD player. That never happened in the aluminum outboards we had.
 

JasonJ

Rear Admiral
Joined
Aug 20, 2001
Messages
4,163
Re: Walkarounds - appropriate as run-about?

For my purposes, the center console layout is unbeatable. Most avereage sized cc boats have the helm seating, and also seating in front of the center console. Bench or jump seats at the rear also show up from time to time. The front casting deck can serve as a good sundeck if need be. 4 stroke outboard would be far more practical, gets the engine out of the boat, gives you more room, and you still have the quiet operation and low emissions. I have found that women don't like outboards because they make the boat seem too "fishing boaty". There is some irrational belief that an I/O boat is a better option, somehow more sophisticated. I have heard this vocalized from a large amount of ill informed women who go off of the memory of their fathers old fishing boat. My better half loves my CC contraption. She likes the fact that there is no carpet to get wet, no motor doghouse in the way, and plenty of sundeck out front. In the end, you have to decide what you will use the boat for, how many people on average will be on board, size of lake, etc. The standard issue 19 foot open bow runabout with I/O is what the vast majority of families use.
 

asgrinne

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jul 16, 2002
Messages
105
Re: Walkarounds - appropriate as run-about?

I am also looking at W/A as options. Have 20 ft Cuddy with 200 OB power. Its a great family sport utlity. More than enough juice tub or ski or cruise. The 205 gets up to 52 mph with a standard family of 4 load.(clean hull) 48-49 dirty. <br />The 205 has a beam of 7'8 which handles the heavy water with ease. <br />I am on the chain o lakes in Northern IL which is tiny and has horrific traffic on hot summer days. The tiny lock has the highest volume of rec boaters in the entire United States.<br />Looking for a trashed motor or a sinker 21-ish cuddy o/b to replace my tired 205.
 

jmcreynolds

Recruit
Joined
Aug 8, 2004
Messages
1
Re: Walkarounds - appropriate as run-about?

Originally posted by Brian Tindall:<br /> You won't go wrong with a walk around. I have a 2302 Trophy and it works great for us as an all around boat. Cleans up easily, plenty of room and the all important head (toilet as the wife calls it).
 
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