Cuddy vs. Open Bow from a cuddy owner

[hostage]

I have heard people talk about the advantages and ask this questions plenty of time. I wanted to give my input from someone who has owned a cuddy for 5 years and I have ridden in open bows many times.

First of all my personal preference is an open bow, though my preference isn't always the first to be considered. Both my dog and my wife love it. They are habitable, in the north, though would never want one in Texas. The water actually keeps the cabin cooler than the cockpit and we have camped on it on two occasions, though I wouldn't say the experience is great, the biggest annoyance were the fumes and the dog. The wife loves having a huge place to store things and change, I have even taken naps in it as we relax on the water. It also has come in handy as a crate for my dog as he gets very anxious when we do water sports. As my wife is now pregnant, I think it will be a great place for the child to have a nap, while we relax on the water. When we have taken friends w/ their kids out, they seem to like the cabin as a little fort. When our kids get older, we will get a larger open bow. Though for now we use the cuddy in ways we never expected. I doubt people camp on it as much as they plan, as I have experienced. Though it seems best for us right now.

 

[poconojoe]

Thanks for that little review. At first we were thinking cuddly, but then purchased a bow rider. We like it very much. Cuddly seems nice, but as you said...Will we get much use out of it? I don't know...

 

[smokeonthewater]

Cuddy not cuddly

Nice review hostage... Thx

 

[keninaz]

I have had both types and the family seemed to prefer the cuddy overall. For just fishing the open bow is better but you have to make the family happy too.

 

[southkogs]

Cuddy not cuddly

Betcha' that's an auto-correct. iOS wants to do that to me constantly.

I've seen a couple of cuddies that I like the layout of, and I think I would like a walk-a-round someday. Mostly though, I prefer my bow rider.

Good review hostage.

 

[airshot]

Very nice review....just thought I might add my two cents in there as well. When the kids were home we had a bowrider and loved it, great for fishing and water sports. As the kids grew up the wife and I decided to do more boating on the big lake rather than the inland lakes so things changed. The cuddy became the favorite as it offered a drier ride than the bowrider as the waves get bigger on the big lake. Great place to store items such as extra clothing where it will stay dry and keeps the extra fishing gear out of the way as well. And the wifes biggest plus is the porta potty feature being allowed to have a bit of privacy while taking care of business.
Loved both style of boats but each one has a particular purpose so it all comes down to what do you want to do with your boat???

 

[four winns 214]

I'm fortunate to have both. They do different things.

My open bow is great for taking lots of folks for a day on the water. The only shade is under the bimini.

My cuddy is 31 years old, but it's a good old boat that has taken me on extended inland river trips totaling 2,000 miles so far.

 

[poconojoe]

Cuddy not cuddly

Nice review hostage... Thx

Yep, darn auto correct! Been meaning to shut that off!

 

[Sailormoon]

We have a cuddy but I think the bow rider makes for easier docking. Our cuddy with the closed in canopy makes it a challenge, starting to get the hang of it though.

 

[redneck joe]

Well cuddly could be accurate..


We've had one and felt it was too small

 

[hostage]

Very nice review....just thought I might add my two cents in there as well. When the kids were home we had a bowrider and loved it, great for fishing and water sports. As the kids grew up the wife and I decided to do more boating on the big lake rather than the inland lakes so things changed. The cuddy became the favorite as it offered a drier ride than the bowrider as the waves get bigger on the big lake. Great place to store items such as extra clothing where it will stay dry and keeps the extra fishing gear out of the way as well. And the wifes biggest plus is the porta potty feature being allowed to have a bit of privacy while taking care of business.
Loved both style of boats but each one has a particular purpose so it all comes down to what do you want to do with your boat???

Yeah forgot to put that as I do go onto Lake Ontario every so often, but the wife is more of the limiting factor when it comes to the lake, not my freeboard

I have gone out on the lake with some rollers and have had water come over the bow, a bit of fun, though wouldn't want to try it with a open bow.

 

[jkust]

Anybody that wants to buy a Cuddy for cheap...buy one from MN. There is almost no lake that it makes sense to own one other than for show and when they sell used, you can get beautiful cruisers, a few years old, for nothing there is so little demand for them. I'd love one if I lived in a state with water that made sense as I am sick of a bowrider at this point.

 

[444]

I have a closed bow speedboat and often I think the open bow would be nice for the extra storage space and room for people. Seems most people feel the same as 99% of the pleasure boats I see out at the lake are open bow. I don't see many people wanting the cuddys around here.