Ahh, a question that could start wars!
I only have experiance with the 25, so I'll stick to it. It is, by far, the best boat of its size for what I do, that I've ever been in. It's probably not the best boat for everybody. Several things make it great. Performance in head seas is too good to be believed unless you have ridden in one. Really, that is no exaggeration. Performance in almost every other angle to the sea is extremely good. The boat is funny in some ways. I've had it out in conditions that look crazy scary to the eye, but the boat never feels anything other than "a walk in the park", even in big steep following seas. The contrast between what it looks like and what it feels like is startling. Quartering away from the wrong size sea requires care not to have the boat land flat on the vee. It is very much a "drivers boat". Performance is good no matter who is driving, but attention to the wheel and experiance with the boat pays huge dividends. It took me a year or so to learn how best to drive it. Deck space is adequate for me, but might not be for someone else. Layout is just perfect for me. I need the cabin and shelter from the wind. Superior cap design is subtle but important. After owning a lot of other boats, the difference is really noticeable. Everything is in just the right place. Hard to quantify, but really really nice. The boat is extremely dry riding. Not sure why, it doesn't look like it should be, but very nice in a warm climate. We can keep the windows open nearly all the time, even when runing in rough water.
Being so sharp, the boat has a pretty good roll, but it doesn't snap roll like many deep Vs, which makes it acceptable to me. No snap roll probably depends on getting the CG low enough. Mine has a 5.7 V8 outdrive and works extremely well. Fuel economy with an older engine is marginal. I get about 2nmpg when loaded heavy. Also, its not real fast. Cruise is 25 knots loaded light and about 21 knots loaded heavy. More power would be nice if you could get it without paying an mpg price. Bigshrimpins right on fuel, even with an iron belly, there's room for another 30 gallons or so, forward of existing fuel tanks.
Its a small 25, just like the 21 is a big 21. Being narrow and very sharp constrains the interior space.
I call the boat "Someday Came", cause someday really did come for me when that boat entered my life.
|