Re: Center console v dual console
Very rare here in Michigan as well. You last comment has me concerned however. I'm on a fairly large bay of Lake Michigan and one of the thiings I'm looking for is stabilty when the water gets hairy. I was seriously thinking about one of the Scout DC 175 Dorado, but maybe it's too light.
tom
I would recommend taking a good look at Scout -- the quality of hardware, fit and finish is considerably beyond what I've come to experience as "normal." We have the Dorado 175 but our main boating takes place in Ontario's Muskoka region which is but a puddle compared to Lake Michigan.
As for the ride, Scout has come up with an interesting hull design that combines some moderate deadrise which levels out flat at the chines for fishing/casting stability as well as introduces a very subtle, almost tri-hull like design up front. They tout the results of all this as enabling the boat to trap air at speed which provides more boyancy, less time to plane, greater fuel effiency etc. After living with our 175 for a season I would say all of those things are in some evidence with the downside being some harshness in a boat as light as the 175 under the aforementioned conditions. It seems to me the culprit is that some wave action gets amplified when it hits the cupped areas of the hull.
My hunch is that if you went up to a heavier model DC Scout (Dorado 185 or even 205) the weight of the boat would offset the slap of chop. For the kind of water you are talking it's probably a good idea anyway. At any rate, sea trials in various conditions are a must when trying to decide these things. Unfortunately with the 175 mine were on dead calm water the only day I could arrange it.
Not that I don't think our 175 isn't up to the odd bigger water experience -- ironically, I think my boat might actually be better in bigger water. My theory is that once you get beyond the annoying smaller chop and into the bigger rolling surf, the inherent boyancy and stability of the boat will shine through. I will probably try to get up to Parry Sound this weekend to test this theory.
(As an example, there's considerably more freeboard up front than some other traditional "bowriders".
I stuffed the nose of our SeaRay 170 into some big waves a few timesand it was scary to watch it dive rather than climb. Thought I'd protect myself by using the bow cover in that kind of water and the next time the nose went in, green water just rolled on up and over over the windshield into my lap. Scared the poop outta me. Although "small" at 17.5 feet, that boat was too heavy for a craft with so little freeboard.)
As a side note you won't go too far wrong with the factory choice of Yamahas that Scout specs on their boats. Our 4 stroke 90 is smooth, quiet and powerful (although with the current positive things I'm hearing about the E-tecs you might want to check them out as well).
Finally, lest you think this is nothing but a thinly disguised Scout Love-in I was also checking out a Key West 185 DC during the early stages and was quite impressed. Unfortunately it sold before I could get to it for a closer look.
I'll try to post some pics of the hull design later tonight to show you what I mean.
