Best 21' Cuddy for Lake O

[pescado]

Hey Guys,

 

Looking for some feed back ....I want to get the most stable 21' cuddy around.  Here's why 21' ...easy for towing, fish solo quite a bit, quick enough for tubing/sking with the kids, and easy launch/retrieval.  I don't mind older boats if there is a year/make that stands out and will consider any new boat.  Fish mostly Lake Ontario so needs to be handle the waves as best as possible for a 21'.  Prefer cuddly style as I really like the protection from wind and kids nap there on slow days.

 

Thanks...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Priority1]

Francis, I see this is your first post so a warm  to you.

It sounds like you are looking for a quality F/G boat that can take the pounding that our Great Lakes can dish out. I haven't looked at new boats in awhile but I'm sure you will get some input from the good folks here. Let us know if there are other things we can help your with.

[pescado]

Thanks for the welcome...looking forward to participating on this forum.

[mrhookup]

I picked up a 21.5' Aquasport Explorer this past June, it's a 2004, and I've loved it so far. While I was researching what to get, I wanted something in the 21-23' range with an outboard and kicker motor and small 2 person cabin. Wellcraft, Aquasport, and Proline were all very similar layouts and hull designs. Ours takes big water very well so I'd assume the others would too.

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[Divemaster]

Welcome to the forums! We fish out of a 22' Sea Ray Express Cruiser and it works great for all purposes. The main engine (250 HP) is a bit overpowered for trolling to we put on a Minn Kota saltwater Riptide trolling motor and it works great. Mounted a pair of cannon Downriggers on the back and put in some tracks on the sides for dipsies and inline planers. Like you said, the nice thing about this kind of boat is that you can haul it around easily to different places and it's technically a pleasure boat when you buy it, so you can get them going pretty fast (our's loaded up cruises at about 25-30mph and will get up to 42mph).

[pescado]

Thanks guys...Wellcraft, Aquasport, and Proline are boats I have definitely considered.... really like this Sea Ray Express Divemaster mentioned.  I like the double duty it would be able to do, lots of comfort and style for when I'm not fishing.

Divemaster how is that Minkota working for you? how long have you had it? How much time out of the batteries? What speed range due get?

[Divemaster]

27 minutes ago, pescado said:

Thanks guys...Wellcraft, Aquasport, and Proline are boats I have definitely considered.... really like this Sea Ray Express Divemaster mentioned.  I like the double duty it would be able to do, lots of comfort and style for when I'm not fishing.

Divemaster how is that Minkota working for you? how long have you had it? How much time out of the batteries? What speed range due get?

Works very well for us, just got it last season. We can get about 12 hours out of the batteries without charging them but we like to fire up the main engine every 4-8 hours or so to charge them up. It'll push us from 0.5-10.0mph so great for everything from controlled drifting for Catfish to high-speed Musky trolling.

[Long Lines]

I don't think how many are out there, but I love my '91 Pursuit 2150 express cuddy.  Great for fishing and family, easy to tow and launch...very stable in choppy seas with a high and dry ride.  Might be worth a look if you can find one for sale.

[hubba1tj]

18 hours ago, Divemaster said:

Welcome to the forums! We fish out of a 22' Sea Ray Express Cruiser and it works great for all purposes. The main engine (250 HP) is a bit overpowered for trolling to we put on a Minn Kota saltwater Riptide trolling motor and it works great. Mounted a pair of cannon Downriggers on the back and put in some tracks on the sides for dipsies and inline planers. Like you said, the nice thing about this kind of boat is that you can haul it around easily to different places and it's technically a pleasure boat when you buy it, so you can get them going pretty fast (our's loaded up cruises at about 25-30mph and will get up to 42mph).

I have a 22 ft sea ray express cruiser as well. It has been a great boat. I do have issues with trolling speed. Divemaster, is your trolling motor an engine mount? 

[Divemaster]

4 minutes ago, hubba1tj said:

I have a 22 ft sea ray express cruiser as well. It has been a great boat. I do have issues with trolling speed. Divemaster, is your trolling motor an engine mount? 

Yes, it mounts right on the outdrive.

[pescado]

4 hours ago, Divemaster said:

Works very well for us, just got it last season. We can get about 12 hours out of the batteries without charging them but we like to fire up the main engine every 4-8 hours or so to charge them up. It'll push us from 0.5-10.0mph so great for everything from controlled drifting for Catfish to high-speed Musky trolling.

I probably should have started a new thread for this one...

 

0.5 -10.0mph is a amazing range of speeds.  How many batteries does it require and what model do you have?  I've seen a single and a twin.  I was really considering getting one of these last year but was afraid it wouldn't push the boat...does it  work well in the chop and wind?  the lack of engine noise must also be a big plus

[Divemaster]

19 hours ago, pescado said:

I probably should have started a new thread for this one...

 

0.5 -10.0mph is a amazing range of speeds.  How many batteries does it require and what model do you have?  I've seen a single and a twin.  I was really considering getting one of these last year but was afraid it wouldn't push the boat...does it  work well in the chop and wind?  the lack of engine noise must also be a big plus

It takes two 12v batteries. The saltwater one which we use has two props but overall it's not that bulky. The freshwater one only has one prop but not enough thrust to push anything over 18' or so up to Trout/Salmon and Musky speeds. It handles pretty well in chop, not as good as say, an inboard, but just as well as any outboard kicker.

[FBD]

I have a 1987 Four Winns 215 Sundowner.  If money was not an option and I had to get another boat, I would get a 1987 Four Winns 215 Sundowner. Or maybe a 1988.  Absolute tank, pretty much problem free, pretty lines, tons of storage, fast.  It's got a stupid deep v so it cuts waves hard and takes a bit to plane out, little wobbly in the through but a pair of trolling bags sucks her down into the water nicely.

[pescado]

6 hours ago, Divemaster said:

It takes two 12v batteries. The saltwater one which we use has two props but overall it's not that bulky. The freshwater one only has one prop but not enough thrust to push anything over 18' or so up to Trout/Salmon and Musky speeds. It handles pretty well in chop, not as good as say, an inboard, but just as well as any outboard kicker.

so I guess you have three batteries on board?  thanks for the info...

[pescado]

Hey guys here's a chance to show off your rigs....I would love to see pictures of these 21 footers rigged up!!

[Divemaster]

Just now, pescado said:

so I guess you have three batteries on board?  thanks for the info...

Four. Two for the main engine and other electronics (Fishfinder, etc) and two for the trolling motor.

[N II Deep]

7 hours ago, FBD said:

I have a 1987 Four Winns 215 Sundowner.  If money was not an option and I had to get another boat, I would get a 1987 Four Winns 215 Sundowner. Or maybe a 1988.  Absolute tank, pretty much problem free, pretty lines, tons of storage, fast.  It's got a stupid deep v so it cuts waves hard and takes a bit to plane out, little wobbly in the through but a pair of trolling bags sucks her down into the water nicely.

I had a 87' Fourwinns 245 Vista,  like Kevin's Sundowner they shared the same hull design. it was a great boat and the current owner uses it as a charter boat on Lake Superior.  We fished 5' seas on lake MI with out issue.  The sundowner would be more of the type I think you are looking for.  if you look at Fourwinns you want to stay 1987 or older,  1988 the company was sold to OMC and the powertrain was switched from Mercruiser to OMC Cobra, making spare parts harder to find.

[FBD]

"Four Winns Water"

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[dan agnello]

I have 1994 21' Grady White Adventure 208 with Cutty and 130HP Honda 4 stroke outboard. Has two built in 115qt coolers so you don't need fish box on board. Even with full crew and gear she'll cruise at 26-30knots. What I love is fishing area in back is like 8' x 8'. These ocean boats eat up the Great Lakes. They aren't cheap; new one runs around $70,000; but you can get used ones from $12-$20K. I bought mine online, had it surveyed and picked it up in Hampton, New Hampshire.  Oodle.com has a lot of boats for sale. Good luck.

[Long Lines]

'91 Pursuit 2150 Express Cuddy

4.3 Mercruiser stern drive 

Added Fish On Sports Arch and Canvas Innovations did the top and Isinglas.

When its not in the driveway looking pretty, it gets 3 Traxtech diver holders down each 48" side track and a Canon Mag 10 on each 12" corner track.  Cuddy is small, but has a porta potty and I made some rod storage space.  I have slept in it; just a little small for more than one person...teo kids is doable though.

[mrhookup]

2004 Aquasport Explorer 215, T-Top, 200hp outboard with 9.9 kicker. First 3 pics are from the original listing, but I've since added three adjustable rod holders from Fish On Sports on each side of the T-Top support bars for running planer boards. You can see those in the fourth pic taken from an afternoon of just cruising with some buds.

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[FBD]

Trying again.

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[FBD]

"This content is not supported"  Android phone.  Used to work.

[westwind]

I have a 1997 Sea Ray Express 215.  It's the second one I have owned and love it.  I didn't realize how good it was until I sold the first one and tried a SeaSwirl and also a Proline.   Those were both decent boats, but didn't compare to the Sea Ray.  Sea Ray makes an awesome heavy duty boat and you won't fall out of it either.  I also have a 8 HP honda kicker with the TR1 - Gold system.  I love the boat and will have it for a long time to come.

 

 

[pescado]

wow...those are some nice rigs!  The Pursuits, Aquasports, and Grady White's all have a great reputation for being great quality performance fishing boats....I'm looking for something like the Sea Ray seen above ... I thought Doral once made a nice 21' kinda fishing boat?  So instead of a fishing boat doing double duty as a cruiser I guess I'm looking for a cruiser that can double duty as a solid fishing boat.....love the all the pic's keep them coming.