Advice on Key West Boats?

[saltydog2]

I am considering buying a Key West. Does anyone have any comments about their quality, ride, durability? Thanks in advance.

 

[mbb]

Re: Advice on Key West Boats?

Id have to tell you that they are middle of the road boats equivalent to 90% of whats made today. But to be honest, 90% of whats made today is crap, esp. considering the very high price you pay for it. Construction is light, features are not oriented toward serious use. Its an entry level boat sold basically on looks, like the rest of the 90%. To really appreciate the difference, you need to spend time looking over a few serious fish boats. Boats should be simple, functional, seaworthy, and built like a tank.

 

[Major Woods]

Re: Advice on Key West Boats?

I hope mbb is speaking from experience. I, am, purchased a Key West model 2220 center console in May 2001 after owning a Grady White for many years. I spent 6 months doing research, taking test rides and talking to owners and dealers on diffrent boat makes. Some conclusions that I came to are, wood rots (my Grady White had this problem) so any wood construction was out of the question. Fishing is my focus, so fishing extras (baitwell, rocket launchers, raw water washdown, ect.) on boat is a selling point for me. Overall construction methods and fit/finish hull to deck. And the big one is price, but just not bottom line price but price for what you get, Quality, Options, Construction, Warranty, Safty, Ride and so on. I was not willing to pay extra for a brand name, each dealer had to sell me on the points that I held near and dear to my heart. In conclusion I feel that my boat stands side by side in quality, construction and usability to the more well known fair, at a fair price. Just my $.02, I'm sure other will differ. By the way ride is outstanding, when other head in I'm still out there fishing. <'))))><

 

[mbb]

Re: Advice on Key West Boats?

Maybe I should add that prob 90+% of buyers are satisfied with the boats they buy. I dont mean to imply that any of the boats made today will fall apart the first time out, but when you can finance a boat for 15 yrs, it should hold up to 15 yrs of hard use. Few can do that. A well made boat with wood is far stronger than a cheaply made one with no wood. Stamas still uses solid wood stringers, so does Dusky. (not plywood) You just have to keep water out of the wood, easy to do IF a mfg cares. Contender achieves its scary light wt by using balsa coring in the hull sides above the waterline only. Very few IF ANY mass marketed boat mfg's care about anything but bottom line profit. Over the past decade I witnessed too many good small Florida boat companies start turning out crap after getting bought by major corporations to believe anything else. <br /> I never rode a keywest, so I cant comment on ride. I looked them over a yr or 2 ago thoroughly. I found hull/deck joint is screwed together,typical cheap vinyl rubrail, transom area had numerous places for water to get into the hull, including a cheap poorly sealing hatch right in front of motor, they try to inject a little foam into space between hull and liner to help provide flotation/rigidity thru a couple of ports that are removable. I found cracks in the gelcoat in the liner where floor meets sides on several new boats that werent even rigged with motor yet. An ominous sign was a cheap plastic drain plug (on a 22' boat), when a mfg wont spend $5 for a brass garboard drain, you know that profit is a priority over quality.

 

[Major Woods]

Re: Advice on Key West Boats?

FYI, 2001 Key West update! thurhull fittings are brass on 2220 model. Hull/deck is bonded together and also screwed as were other name brands that I looked at. Rubrail is the same material as a Grady White and other name brands. Sealing hatches, same as all the other makes. I can not find numerous places for water to get into the hull thur the transom area, the company might have taken care of this 2 years ago? Unfortunately it is true about the cheap drainplug, plan on replacing it as a winter project. Good quality at a good price. But then again I drive a Dodge to work instead of a Lexus

 

[mbb]

Re: Advice on Key West Boats?

You said it yourself, its put together similar to others you looked at. Most people are satisfied with their boats, because they use them within their limitations.<br /><br />I hook up to oil/gas platforms and rigs to fish frequently. Sometimes incidental contact is made, and a boat needs to be able to withstand that. I had a boat that was holed above waterline by minor impact, and have seen quite a few where the screws broke thru the thin glass when impacting on the rubrail with only moderate force. Its not something I want. There are a few very high quality constructed boats made that are affordable, but they are not like the run-of-the mill mass marketed liner boats that all look the same. If youve never seen a Cape Horn, go to www.capehornboats.com to see an example of this type boat. The original poster asked about quality, Im only giving my view based on my experience. Tight lines.