Opinions on Dual Console versus CC as family/fishing boat

[GetWet]

Hi everyone,
I'm looking at buying another boat. My First boat was a 25 foot cuddy cabin hard top. It was an older boat, promised to be trouble free by seller, but was nothing but problems. I learned alot about all boat systems, and can fix everything now including big two strokes.
But here's my dilema, I now have a Wife and two babies, my 2 year old will soon be fishing with me, and I am looking for a new muiltipurpose boat. I've been on plenty of center consoles, and until you get to 22' plus I don't think the seating serves a family day on the water well.( made to facilitate open fishing) The big flat bottoms again are typically with out comfortable seating accomodations. So that brings me to a 21' Dual console I've found. The only bad review I've found is that in 3-4' swells the ride gets a little wet (spray ). But how will a dual console work for me fishing in inshore for red, specs and flounder, and then nearshore? And what condidtions have any of you been offshore in a dual console? will it need to be glassy? Again I want this boat to be multiplurpose. I am looking at used boats in a specific range, and most of the boat prices are unreasonable, so it's limiting.
And Centruy owners, please provide any information on the quality or lack there of of the hulls.
Thanks for any help,
Bill

 

[jaxnjil]

Re: Looking for some simple opinions from multi boat owners

Re: Looking for some simple opinions from multi boat owners

reading the first line in your post bill, i have to ask.

will your wife 2 babies and small sone be comfortable in a open boat? maybe a cuddy or cruiser is still in your future

 

[wildspeed]

Re: Looking for some simple opinions from multi boat owners

Re: Looking for some simple opinions from multi boat owners

reading the first line in your post bill, i have to ask.

will your wife 2 babies and small sone be comfortable in a open boat? maybe a cuddy or cruiser is still in your future

really depends on his location....cuddy's in florida are nice "storage".

If you are planning to go out in 3&4 on a 21', you will get "spray".

Fishing inshore/nearshore should be no problem as long as you check the weather, and you can usually mount a trolling on the front if needed for the flats.

 

[GetWet]

Re: Looking for some simple opinions from multi boat owners

Re: Looking for some simple opinions from multi boat owners

Well the wife and I met on a boat ( Friends 22 foot contender centerconsole), our little baby would maybe go out on the river or intracoastal the first year, my 2 year old is more like a 3 year old, no worries.
We are in Southeastern NC, Semi Tropical, as far as weather, I'll be getting a Raytheon or Lowrance with weather service regardless.
I guess basically my question is how much fishing functionality will I get out of a dual console. I had a friend in college whose family had a 24' dc that was great for weekend island hopping, but we never fished off it.
That's good to hear about a trolling motor, I was wondering if a trolling motor would work on the bow. I'm trying to begin looking at select boats this coming week. I guess i neeed to measure the height of the bow to the water line?
I've been 30-45 miles ofshore in a 21' center console in rolling 4-6' seas, and if was a dry comfortable ride, the rise of the dual consoles overall appears lower, and then the flare would be the next thing to look for?

 

[wildspeed]

Re: Looking for some simple opinions from multi boat owners

Re: Looking for some simple opinions from multi boat owners

That's good to hear about a trolling motor, I was wondering if a trolling motor would work on the bow. I'm trying to begin looking at select boats this coming week. I guess i neeed to measure the height of the bow to the water line?
I've been 30-45 miles ofshore in a 21' center console in rolling 4-6' seas, and if was a dry comfortable ride, the rise of the dual consoles overall appears lower, and then the flare would be the next thing to look for?

Yes you will have the measure to decide the shaft lenght, my KW2020DC is prewire for it, but I have a high bow rail that intefere for a 'simple" plug in.

Usually the DC, CC and WA of the same serie share the same hull, so it's only "appearance"

ie:
KW225CC

KW225DC

KW225WA

We use ours 50/50 fresh/saltwater and 50/50 fishing/watersports . Not a fishing machine by all mean, but serve us nicely for our needs..

Here is a tread about a 21DC rigged for fishing
http://www.thehulltruth.com/boating-forum/297192-offshore-fishing-21-foot-dual-console.html

 

[commander315]

Re: Looking for some simple opinions from multi boat owners

Re: Looking for some simple opinions from multi boat owners

My boat before my current one was a dual console Century. They are high quality hulls and their design puts the "spray" coming from the bow past the helm, which i thought was awesome. They are just really nice boats in general.