On Thu, 30 Sep 2004 16:25:31 GMT, Short Wave Sportfishing
wrote:

On Thu, 30 Sep 2004 15:00:05 GMT, wrote:

I'm looking at my first non-sail boat purchase. What seems to be most
likely is a 16 or 17' Cape Craft with a 50/90 hp Yamaha respectively.
Can anyone possibly offer any insight, feedback on this please?

Thanks in advance. Don

I assume that we're talking about this boat:

http://capecraftfishingboats.com/cc_...cfm?Model=17CC

Ok, here's the skinny. What you are basically buying is a center
console bay boat. It's not described that way, but that is exactly
what it is.

Don't expect this to ride nicely in a light/medium chop and forget
about any waves. The boat won't sink, but you will get bounced around
and very wet. These boats are light with a thin draft to get into the
flats and shallow inlets/rivers and aren't really designed for any
heavy weather conditions. Don't expect to back down on a big fish
either - you will have more water in the boat than out.

These boats can also be difficult to trim to keep the nose high enough
to keep the spray off and/or out. Even trim tabs don't work.

If you are going to do a T-top, get the manufacturer's T-top. On a
boat this small, you really shouldn't, but do youself the favour if
you do.

If you plan to do anything other than fishing, get a different type or
bigger boat. These type of boats are designed for light tackle
fishing which translates into relatively protected bays and
river/inlet systems. This does not mean that you can't use the boat
out in the open on good days, but keep a weather eye out and if the
wind starts to rise, get the hence to the launch ramp.

With respect to fishability, if that's what you are going to do the
most, they are all pretty much the same at this size. This is where
the old adage of center console is a center console is a.....comes in.
They all pretty much fish the same.

I have a lot of experience with these type of boats and every one that
I've ever tested, driven, owned have had all these same problems to
varying degrees.

Including my 20 foot Ranger.

As to the engine, it's a Yamaha - eh. I'm pretty sure it's not direct
injected, so your real decision isn't horsepower, but if you can live
with a carburated engine rather than the more costly, but way more
economical, direct injected engine. The 90 will push this boat around
well enough.

As to Yamaha, I wouldn't own one. It's a good engine, but parts,
around here anyway, are a problem. If you can, try to upgrade the
fuel system on the engine at the very least if you can't switch to
Mercury or Johnson/Evinrude.

Good luck.

Take care.

Tom

"The beatings will stop when morale improves."
E. Teach, 1717



Actually, the boat YOU are describing is this one:

http://capecraftfishingboats.com/cc_...fm?Model=17BAY

Capecraft makes 2 lines of center console boats.
One is the CC line which have deep vees (check the deadrise figures)
for rough conditions.
The other is the BAY line which are shallow draft boats designed for
the calmer type fishing areas as you describe.

I was replacing a 21' I/O runabout with a 20 degree deadrise that I
have had for about 9 years and spent a LOT of time crusing the bay in
that boat and was always impressed with how well it handled the rough
bay and how safe I felt in it.
Nothing is more scarey than getting caught in a storm on the
chesapake with 6-8 foot seas and the best you can do is ride it out
by keeping the bow into the wind/waves.

So when I decided I wanted a low maintenance boat , I turned to the
Center Console boats with Outboards and wanted to find one that was
up to the task of the 21' bow rider I was replacing.
I spent a lot of time researching and water testing boats this fall
in the Chesapeak Bay which gave me a chance to see how several Center
Console boats with a deep V handled the rough water.


My budget was to keep the boat under $27,000 so I had no problem with
choices to try and I watyer tested 5 boats.

Long story short, I decided on the Cape Craft 20CC with a Yamaha four
stroke 150 hp outboard

Granted, it is bigger than the 17CC that the poster asked about but I
had to speak up to correct a few comments you made.

I already mentioned the 2 lines of boats but still I would not be
comfortable in the bay in a 17 footer - deep V or not. Step up just a
few feet and the boat gets a LOT bigger in all dimensions.

As far as your comments about Yamaha, I disagree (at least in my area
- Annapolis). Most of the newer outboard boats that you see around
here have Yamaha or Honda 4 strokes and getting parts/service is a
non-issue. We both know that parts and service are as important as
the boat you buy and I researched that as well.

You notice how the Cape Craft website shows Merc's on the back?
The 2 Cape Craft dealers that I visited have them all outfitted with
Yamaha or Honda's because the dealer's told me that is what folks
want.

Not trying to start an argument but just wanted to point out the 2
different lines of Cape Craft boats and give a differing opinion in
the Outboard.

Joe