17 Foot Bowrider in Choppy Bay water

[Sapore di Mare]

Hi, I was thinking of upgrading from my 17 foot wooden skiff to something like a Caravelle 17 ft EBO Bowrider. I plan to use it mostly for pleasure boating with the kids in the bay area. Can anyone share with me their experience with a boat that size/type in the bay? I want to make sure it would be comfortable/fun/ safe for just cruising around, even if the water was choppy. I know larger would be better, but that size seems to be more in line with the age/price of the boat I am looking for.

I greatly appreciate the insight!

 

[Chris1956]

What bay are we talking about? San Fran? GSB in LI? It makes a difference.

 

[Scott Danforth]

welcome aboard

bay of Green Bay is different than San Fransisco which is different than Barnegat bay bay which is different than Tampa Bay

Caravelle boats do not have a lot of deadrise so they do not like choppy water.

 

[Sapore di Mare]

I would mostly be using the boat in Barnegat Bay, NJ

 

[ahicks]

I think the Caravelle might be a good step in the right direction, but you're still going to have to be very careful of the weather and conditions in any sort of open water.

 

[tpenfield]

If the water gets choppy, I do not think you will find a 17 foot Caravelle comfortable/fun/safe for a family. But it has more to do with 17 ft than Caravelle.

 

[racerone]

Can the bilge pump keep up with waves coming in over the front ?-----Not the style of boat for me in open water.

 

[QBhoy]

Being honest...even the best of the 17/18ft bowriders aren’t comfortable or really useable in a bit of chop. I’d like to think my Campion Chase is in the high end category and at about 1400kgs or 4000lbs, it’s no lightweight. In my inland Loch Lomond it can blow up. When it does, your down to displacement speeds or it is just plain nasty. Would even think about it in the sea around here on the west coast of Scotland...unless I had planned a nice day for it. Coming from a UK built sealine 24ft...it’s night and day capabilities. You could do it, but forget taking a swig of your beer unless you want to loose half of it. The bumps, shakes and rattles are hellish. Maybe it’s just the short and sharp chop we get on the Loch and the larger smoother sea swell would be less harsh, but still.

 

[Chris1956]

Barnegat Bay usually has a stiff south wind in the afternoon. You will get wet from spray in a 21 footer, so a 17 footer is usually worse.

A 21 footer is a very good all around boat for Barn. Bay, as it can go in the shallows and stand up to the open water. A 17 footer will be plenty safe, just a rougher ride and wetter.

 

[dingbat]

When it comes to chop, there is no replacement for displacement.

My first boat was a 19’ cutty. Weighed maybe #2,100 soaking wet.

I fished the boat from one end of the Bay to the other but the boat bobbed like a cork on all but the calmest of days. Family friendly days where few and far between.

 

[harringtondav]

I agree with much of the above. My 17' Larson (16'9") has been a great Mississippi river boat, when the chop is <6". It's 4.3 engine makes it a little stern heavy. This means trimming nearly full in, and getting the speed up to stay on top of the chop. Beyond that, it's running at a minimum plane speed, 20 or so mph with the bow up and head for home. Barge and large cruiser rollers result in 1-2 miles of misery.

I have a friend who has a small O/B hard bottom inflatable Whaler dingy. That hull can smooth things out nicely. But it's a Whaler.

 

[Old Ironmaker]

Small chop on Lake Erie is 2 feet. 2 feet is no fun in a 17' bowrider. That to me is a small wind protected lake or slow flowing waters,

 

[Leardriver]

I had one of those 16 Bayliners with an 85 hp in the 80's, when I had more sack than brains. It was, uh, thrilling in rough water. No more of that.

 

[crazy charlie]

Bowriders are wet and there is no way around that.More enjoyable ride on the intracoastal than in any bay.