This is an inquiry, since I will never own an "open console". However, I notice there now very large sized with massive v12 outboard Open Console boats on the market.
All great for high speed runs to the boon docks, in reasonable seas. However, how will they be in a big blow, which is when I would want to be in a Hatt, Bertram, Viking (ssshh), etc. Is that when the traditional sport fisherman will be appreciated?
Just askin'...
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A Hatt Sport Fish vs. the Open Consoles
50 Years on the Great Lakes...
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11-22-2021 11:18 PM #2Senior Member
- Join Date
- Jun 2015
- Posts
- 339
Re: A Hatt Sport Fish vs. the Open Consoles
Right now Hatteras is the only one not making one. Viking has their vallahalla line and Bertram has large center consoles too. Not my cup of tea but well liked by many
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Re: A Hatt Sport Fish vs. the Open Consoles
When I made the move to Florida permanently I bought a center console for inshore fishing. Other than bottom fishing and kingfish I found the Hatt would outfish the CC by far. I think the noise and thru hub exhaust scares the fish especially billfish. Then there’s the problem of the outboards in the way when your fighting a fish. If you get caught in any kind of weather all that weight of the outboards hanging way back on the brackets is a bad deal in following seas. We were fishing off Marsh harbor in the Bahamas some years ago. We were in a fleet of about 10 boats working a pod of blue marlin in a area known as “the bridge”. It was pretty sloppy to the point the baits wouldn’t skip right if you trolled into or down sea. Either on the quarter or in the troughs was the only way to keep the baits in the water. Anyone who’s bluefished in New Jersey can appreciate the coordinations of trying to not run over other boats lines. Most of the boats were 50’+ prefishing the BBC but There was a 31 contender in the mix. At one point he turned down sea between me and a big Paul Mann. I see a larger maybe 8-9’ wave overtake him. Said to my son “his motors are going to drowned out” the outboards disappeared and the transom went completely under. Within seconds the only thing you could see was the bow sticking straight up and the guys coolers and stuff floating in the water. Luckily the guys on the Mann were right there and picked them up. I think about that every time I see one of these CC’s with giant multiple engines.
"DON'T BELIEVE ANYTHING YOU READ OR HEAR AND ONLY HALF OF WHAT YOU SEE" - BEN FRANKLIN
Endless Summer
1967 50c 12/71n DDA 525hp
ex Miss Betsy
owners:
Howard P. Miller 1967-1974
Richard F Hull 1974-1976
Robert J. & R.Scott Smith 1976-present
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Re: A Hatt Sport Fish vs. the Open Consoles
CRICKET
1966 HAT50C101
Purchased 1985 12v71Ns
Repowered 1989 with 8v92TI
Repowered 2001 with 3406E
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