Thinking about buying my first salt boat and was wondering which manufacturer makes the best hull from a purely fishing perspective. This will most likely turn into a Ford Chevy debate, but I am still interested.....

I love the Pursuit my dad owns. It cuts through chop better than anything I've even been in. It's only 21 ft an it fishes like its 25.
JD

Bayliner...nuff said.

Are you staying in the Sound?

Heading to the coast?

Wanting to fish tuna 40 miles out?

It all depends on what you want to do with it.

Glasply's, Olympics and Tiderunners. I'm a little biases though. Disclosing your budget might be helpful as well.

Arima

17 foot Arima Seachaser. As durable as a hammer, room in back same as a 22 foot cuddyboat, locking stowage in front, launch in a teacup full of water easy to tow, trailer doesn't even need brakes, only needs 90-115 hp, 8 horse kicker, fish all weekend on 12 gallons of gas. Available as a Ranger with a cuddy too if ya need a spot for the wife to hide.

There's a big difference between Aluminium and Fiberglass boats. I've fished boats and much prefer fiberglass, but that seems like a big personal thing. If you like glass boats, I've looked a lot and for sound/straits I'd pick from:

Arima, Grady, Campion, and SeaSport

I've owned 2 Arimas, and they're truly excellent boats, I think they're the best setup boats for fishing of their size. If you go bigger, say 22+ you gotta look at some of the other makes

Appreciate the feedback! Fished out of a Glasply 20 years ago and thought it worked well and recently have made a couple local trips in an Arima. I currently own a 16 ft Willie and a 20 ft North River, so was thinking about plastic for salt. Might fish the coast but probably not for tuna. Budget somewhere less than 20k.

Can't seem to find any Arima's at this price point but maybe they'll show up this winter.

Again, thanks for the info.

Boston Whaler 19 Outrage CC.
Grady White

other peoples

I'm thinking about buying a C-Dory in the 18' range. Anybody have some experience on one?

We came back from Kingston last night in some pretty big water. The two I fished with own an aluminum boat and they were both impressed with how the Seastrike cut through the water even at almost full throttle.
You would probably have to buy one in the south east and have it shipped here.

http://www.yachtworld.com/boats/2007/Seastrike-205-Cc-1667460/Grasonville/MD/United-States

Mines a 96. I bought it in 2000 for $16k. Very strong and heavy boats.
Mine is the 205CC. Only complaints are it's a heavy tow and there is no place to get out of the weather.

Love Grady's too but they cost more.

24ft seasport. Get the volvo D. Not going ot find it for 20K though. My buddy has one and it handles better than any other boat I have been in for the size.

+1 for Arima. I love my 17 Sea Chaser for the reasons cited above. I've never fished on a c-dory but they were high on my list when I was looking.

I love my Arima too. Very stable boats.

I have had the 19ft C-Dory for 4 years now and like it alot. It is a very stable fishing platform. One thing to concider is economy verses speed. The C-Dory has more of a semi-V bottom and does not cut through large waves as other deep-V boats do, but uses much less fuel. I can fish all day on 6 gals of gass. My friend in his 21ft Trophy uses that to get to the fishing spot. In 1-2 ft chop I do about 18-20 nots. In 2-3 ft I'm down to 12-14 nots. Much slower then deep-V boats but I am in no hurry. The hull is concidered one of the best made in the industry, very solid. Hard top, V-birth sleeps 2 and porta potty does all i need. Made local by a company that is really world class.

Wayne on C-Fisher

P is gonna wait until TJCarroll sells me his boat. That's the boat P wants for the Sound and Lake.....

Is North River still in business, I had heard they went under, anyone know?

k9hohriver

They are gone (North River). Those are nice boats too.

Take any boat you are serious about buying out in some weather for a test run. IMO Arimas are calm water boats that will beat the crap out of you in chop. My brother had a Seaswirl that rode great in rough water.

I've had a 21' Trophy and now have a 20' North River Seahawk...I liked the Trophy when it came to getting to and from the fishing areas. But I like the fishing room and the stability of the North River once I am fishing....Also the North River is easier to maintain.

Buddy had a 16' Arima, loved that boat...

+1 For Arima. I have a 17' Sea Ranger. I've been in rollers out of Barkley that I could not see over when standing up and it did just fine. Keta is right in that they are a bit rough in the chop we see here when the tides and the wind get snotty. Just slow down.
Some good advice I received when looking at boats was from Arnie out at Verle's in Shelton - "Buy a boat you can launch and retrieve by yourself. That way you can get maximum use.".

agree with the "buy a boat you can launch and retrieve by yourself"

that's why I purchased the North River, way easier than my Trophy..

just my opinion, if you buy a North River, Alumweld, Boulton etc...spend the xtra doe and get suspension seats, makes a huge difference

Arima's are a modified V hull. A deep V hull will cut the chop when running better but the Arima isn't going to be rolling around while fishing like the deep V will. Apples and oranges. Most of my time is spent fishing versus running so that's where I put my money and I slow down on the way in if it get's rough.

+1, .....except I typically just dont slow down, batten down the hatches, and punch it! :p

The day I sell my Arima it will be for the purchase of a bigger one.

Went through this two years ago, looking for my first boat (after 'ho-ing for 15 years).

Ended up with a 19'-0" Arima Sea Ranger Hardtop, w/ 115 Merc(aha) 4-stroke. I dig it.
Nice and dry underway, and extremely stable/level while trolling. Roomy, wide dance floor. Cuddy is long enough to sleep (2) 6'-2"-ers.
Top speed: 34mph, Cruise: 26-28mph. Great mileage.

As others have said, it's a bit poundy in medium chop, but big enough that it comes down soft so as to not pulverize your kidneys.
Slow down, no problemo.

This boat will do anything I need, for the foreseeable future. Would not hesitate to take it offshore--with standard safety and common-sense factored in, of course.

Really looking forward to getting it out to NB, WP, Ucluelet, Bamfield, etc. when I get a few more hours under my belt...

Glasply or Arima.

For you arima guys. I launch and retrieve off a gravel beach, no dock. Would it be too much to try and do this with a 17' or 19' arima?

I have but it depends on the site. I've also scratched up the bottom on barnacles but, while I didn't want to do that, it's part of the deal around here.

Nope. Bailed after a call from TJ.

Summerrun also bailed.

It's a small coho show down there now due to the tides. No thanks.

I caught wind that the bank is operating North River and is accepting custom orders.

I've heard the same thing.

does that mean the bank is up holding any warranty stuff

do you want to sit in back and control the trolling motor or steer from the front. do you want a CC or small cabin.
18' will fish any where in sound and safe in the ocean bays.
I went to the boat shows the past few years looking for a newer boat, but nothing out there allowed me to control the trolling motor from the back. So I put a new motor on my '93 boat 18' CC. For the rain and cold you just buy good dry/warm gear

No Trophy fans out there? Sure see a lot of them on the water,

fb

I got a 1981 17 ft glaspy with a newer 115 2 stroke, smashes thru the chop, is a bit tipsy for my liking. fished on my buddys arima sea chaser and man those are nice boats. mainly fish out of my 14 ft sea nymph aluminum because I can launch it with ease at primitive launches by myself.

I have a 22 C Dory Cruiser. I have to say I was impressed with the way the boat just slipped over the waves, as opposed to blasting thru the chop, which was a much more pleasurable ride while coming back to Everett last Thursday afternoon when the water got pretty stirred up. The C Dory's plane at about 6-8mph, which allows the bow to stay low in the water at 10-16 mph. While I liked my previous Fiberform deep v boat would top out at 40+ with a 200 HP yamaha 2 stroke, the bow would rise up while trying to get on plane at a comfortable speed during rough water.

+1 for Arimas!
I have a 19ft Sea Ranger that I have put over 300hrs on the big motor in the past two summers chasing salmon.
Just as mentioned above, they can beat you up in chop, but you get a boat that planes easily and is stable as heck.
I have been 25 miles out of Lapush in some pretty nasty stuff and it rides really well.
Easy to tow and launches in little water.
Nice cuddy cabin that my wife and I spent 5 nights in the San Juans in this summer and the kids have a place to hang out when the rods aren't exploding.

I love my C-Dory 22 Cruiser and fish out of it lots. I agree with all that was said about the fuel economy, the ride and the chop. However, if I were to use a boat solely for fishing, I would get either the 19' or 22' anglers, not the cruiser. Having said that, I would also look at the Arimas for purely fishing. You still get the fuel economy and stability on a boat designed for fishing.

I have to say I'm very happy with my 76 Glastron Gulfstream 204 Inboard Chevy Inline 250 it's weight is 4,000 lbs wet. Allowing is to ride tollerable at 26 mph in 2ft chop with top speed of 33mph but burn 10.7 GPH at top speed. And is able to go 45 miles in the san juans on 16 gallons of gas, tank can hold 60 gallons. Best perchase was a 2000 Yamaha 9.9 high thrust kicker & Penn swivel mounts.

I agree that more open space would be desirable for fishing. However, if you store your boat outside and have electronics in it, having a closed cabin with a warmer in the winter is the way to go. Having the creature comforts for overnighting and a wallace stove / heater in the cabin is a plus for fishing in the winter as well. If I ever get 100 g's to spend on my next boat, I'll go for the wooldridge 26 pilot house, but I am happy with my CD 22 Cruiser.