For the offshore gang
 

This one's for the offshore gang. Captains who are running their seacrafts 30+ miles into the ocean chasing pelagics and other offshore species.

The question is - would you rather be in a sceptre than a CC?

Don't get me wrong, my restored 23 CC with single 250 4 stroke gets the job done but I keep toying with the idea of restoring a sceptre. A hard top with an enclosure, bracketed twin outboards, and a nice set of rupp outriggers sounds like it would make a nice little offshore rig.

-Mike

Only if I lived where the water is cold and wind blows a lot. The functionality of a CC is big for me. Only if I lived up north would I prefer a cudy. Also the type of fishing, if you troll a lot a scepter with hardtop would be pretty nice. Thats my 2 cents anyway

For the offshore gang
 

I have always liked the Bowrider with a complete set of canvas and clear coverings for the open area of the canvas. I feel the Bowrider offers almost as much open fishing area as a CC but with the added convenience of being able to get out of the weather when necessary.

I'm out west and most of the year the water is cold. Swells and winds pick up in the afternoon. For me the v-berth/cuddy is a must have. Most years our pelagics are found 40 miles west to 70 miles south. Coming home from the south usually sucks and really sucks when everything is wet. Gets real cold on a cloudy day and after sunset. If I get another 23 it will be a Sceptre/Tsunami.

no way !

the sceptre is nice,but not for me - closed bow area - restricted access to the bow - and worse,bracketed outboards...

if you're getting wet,look into a set of spray rails and a good,quality made enclosure...

Depends a lot on what you do with the boat. I run very far offshore and stay multiple days on a 25 seafari(think stretched out Septre.), but mostly dive, not fish. It can get rough, but usually isn't. For me sun protection is the big deal. My extra long Bimini and high windshield are critical to the type of trips I do. For strictly fishing and one day trips, a different choice might be reasonable.

For all out fishing = CC w/ a T-top

Everything else = Sceptre!!

lt me add to this a little...

the sceptre - the helm is more forward than the center console - this will effect how the ride "feels" - the furter aft you move,the less movemet you will feel

"bow area" - when it comes to fishing,real fshing,marlin,tuna,etc - the flush deck of a clean bow is the ideal platform - theguy at the helm can watch the guy on the rod,and react to what's going on - the boat handles much better,when the bow is going forward,versus backwards.
no pulpit,no obstacles to catch your feet...

sceptre - the transom is where to fish - with bracketed outboards,it's tough,there's 3' of engines sticking behind the boat,room is limited...

in the case of chunking tuna:

the boat's anchored,with a boat with a closed bow - like the sceptre,the acces is hindered.if a big fish is hooked up,you want to chase that fish,your access to that anchor is hindered - granted,you can use a "pelican hook",but when the fight begins,once again,you're hindered...

i'm not saying a sceptre can't be fished,what i'm saying is,is much easier to fish from a center console...

Well,I'm not a saltwater guy,but on the great lakes (Ontario and Erie)we'll make frequent runs of 20 miles or so offshore,and It may be flat when heading out in the AM,but it's usually kicked up on the way back to port at the days end.
Always seem to be at least two footers fairly close and I love the Tsunami/Sceptre for those conditions.

With the full windshield and side glass and the full canvas work,I can get up on top of them and get in without getting a drop of water on us.The guys riding amidship in the canvas chairs love the dry ride.

My Tsunami is an I/O and all we do is troll,we never stop.For me this works out great,the high transom keeps out any of those creepy waves at the stern and allows for a nice area to net fish without having to worry about getting the net snagged in rigging as in an outboard.

I can see where the Tsunami/Sceptre may be at a disadvantage for you fellas in the salt who use several different techniques like casting,fly rodding,drifting etc.,but for straight trolling the Tsunami can't be beat.
Different fishing methods require different boat models for many of us.I'm glad that Mosely and Potter kept building that great hull in both designs as cuddys and ctr consoles.

ive taken my 20 ft cuddy out 25 to 30 miles many times for cod and haddock. just gotta pick your days.

When I started blue water fishing the east coast I bought a Sceptre - absolutely a great trolling boat. The cuddy supplies extra storage for rods and dry storage - out of the way. The huge uncluttered cockpit is great for multiple people running around and dragging fish in. I usually fish cc's but that was my favorite for long trips either grouper fishing or trolling, the windshield keeps the wind from beating you up, our grouper trips always involve hours of running in and out - its nice. There is no reason the helmsman can't keep and eye on the fish and fisherman - I wouldn't do brackets as the motors will be way back there though. I had a 650lb V8 on mine and didn't have any issues with water coming into the splashwell which is huge anyway.

In summery - the windshield is nice on long runs - the cockpit being open is very nice - I had 2 movable Pompenette fighting chairs and a 155 igloo and still had plenty of room. Even the infloor livewell worked fine although we didn't have these new ones back then - its like a marine aquarium, you never get it all out LOL - but a feeder well would have been nice - depending on cost.

Being in Fla with the heat I had a bimini with a space between the windshield for air - had a connector but the only time I used it, it quit raining by the time I got it up - that and the side curturins were a total waste of money.

Fished a guys 25 ' aqua sport walk around once in aug. a few yrs ago in the keys I live in s fla and thought the heat was going to kill me give me a CC and some air moving Round me down here

The keys in Aug a CC doesn't help either, nothing helps -

my Sceptre the window would open and the 12" cut over the winshield to the top it was about the same. If the window didn't open I think it would have been different - I hear some did and some didn't

I haven't owned a boat with cuddy. But my next one will likely have one. The lack of rain, spray and sun protection makes my CC a fair weather boat in New England waters. Which is fine, because a 20 footer is not an offshore boat. At least not in my book. But for fishing further out? I want more shelter.

Egg is right on the opening windshield. Even up north, a hot day and no good air circulation makes a cuddy damn hot. Mine becomes a different boat when you open the windows and hatch.

What amazes me is that few, if any, modern cuddy cabin boats have OPENING windshields! Some have little dinky vent windows that don't begin to provide the ventilation you get with an open windshield! I've concluded that whoever designs them never spent any time actually USING them, at least in South Florida!

Both sides of the Seafari's front windshield open straight out so you get the best of both worlds . . . virtually no windshield for hot dry weather (and minimal drag when trailering!), but great protection from wind and spray when it's cold and wet. Moesly also had a brilliant idea when he put the front hatch on a sloping surface . . . it's a big improvement over a horizontal hatch that makes it much easier to crawl through, plus the hatch becomes a big air scoop when open! When I'm anchored out overnight, the hatch rarely has to be opened more than a few inches because it catches even the slightest breeze. These subtle details are the mark of a designer who has "been there/done that"!

I'll need both when the time comes...Actually 3. The 23 CC with a big single and a good roll up enclosure will handle any fishable summer time situation here on Florida's Gulf Coast. As for night snapper trips and winter weather when temps plummet below 70, ( Anything below 70 is chilly for a south Florida native ) a Sceptre with a hard top and good enclosure, twin small bore 200 Etecs (for piece of mind at night) mounted on the transom and a cabin heater will be my choice.

As for the 3 boat theory, I'll never give up the ol' 18 for its inshore/near shore versatility.

Someday...

not sure what the alure of a hard top is vs a bimini - the hard top would get in the way alot IMHO