Privateer Boats... What do you think about them?

[flyingfrizzle]

I was wandering what you guys think about boats build by Privateer. They are a local company here in NC that produces quality hand laid hulls. From everything I hear they make on hell of a boat. Our marine fisheries us them and some of the water law enforcement as well. There is a lot of commercial guys that use them and beat them to death as well. Just wanting to know if anybody up here has had one or known someone with one and weather or not what they liked about it and disliked. The main model I would like to know about is the 2800 Sea Prowler deep vee 28' hull. I believe it is a splash of an 28' whitewater or another hull that came originality from the formula 233. I think the P&d 25' came from the Formula 233 and the P&D lead to the 25 sea vee, contender and whitewater. Then contender, see vee and whitewater took their own road to develop different hulls /sizes to meet consumer demand. Some where down the line the 28' Privateer got splashed from one of those hulls that was derived from Don Aronow's original designs (owner/founder of formula/magnum/donzi/cigarette/cary 32/ect). Privateer is know for super strong no frill hulls and have a cult like following similar to the seacraft. They are a simi custom built boat all done by hand. Not the best finish but well built and a good ride for what people say. Any info on the 28' model would be appreciated.
http://www.privateerboats.com/2800_image5.htm
http://www.privateerboats.com/2800_image6.htm

[Bigshrimpin]

There are a lot of them up here in NE . . . Most of them are old and used as workboats. I've seen a Privateer Roamer 21? pulling pots and bass fishing around the islands.

[CaptMick]

One of the guys who works for me picked one up about a year ago. I thinks it is about a 28/ I'll holler at him and get back to you if anything he says seems important.

[kmoose]

The only ones I have closely checked out were the 21 foot. Seemed like a well put together boat but was definitely not a deep V hull in that model. Funny to hear about the formula 23.3. I had a 24 Fleetcraft (23.3 formula splash) that seemed to be some what of a mutt. Well built and did ok offshore, but after I moved into my Tsunami there was really no comparison in ride.

[Mikem8560]

along time ago my fathernlaws friend fished a 20+ CC with a pilothouse for tuna out of Gloucester mass it was a great solid boat

[Fr. Frank]

Early Privateers were extremely strong modified V-hulls with a single stepped chine in the 18'-24' range. Rumor back in the 80's was that they had been popped off the late 70's T-Craft 21' & 24' hulls.

We carried Privateer in in '84 and '85 until T-Craft threatened to pull their line from our marina.

The 1984 24' was available in an 8' and 10' beam (The 10' beam was actually 24'8", and the 8' beam was 23'11")

The 18' was available as no-console (tiller steer), and center-console,

The 21' was available as a no-console (tiller steer), center-console, side console, and center-console Pilot House (no cuddy).

The 8' beam 24' model was available as a side-console, center-console, and with a Pilot-house hard-top cuddy-cabin, that was just an insert screwed into the center-console hull liner similar to the early Dusky models.

The 24' with the 10' beam was available as a dual-console, center-console, and center-console Pilot House (no cuddy).

We sold only one 24' x 10' with a 140hp Volvo single-screw diesel inboard, all the rest were outboards, although their literature listed a stern-drive as an option, with a 140 hp 4 cyl. Mercruiser as "standard" for the 21', and a 228hp 305 ci V8 Mercruiser as "standard" for the 24.

All the outboard models in '84 came with an unusually stout 2.25" thick transom (wood core), and a transom cut-out that would easily accommodate twin motors. the 10' beam model came with the recommendation that the motors be mounted 48" apart (center to center) with a 1.5" toe-in for maneuverability purposes. (Don't forget, counter-rotating motors were only available for racing applications in those days, twins were always both RH rotation).

Not a smooth ride back then, but very solid, heavy boats.

[Fr. Frank]

Oh yeah, the inboard 24' Privateer we sold also had a solid stainless-steel round keel shoe that was just like the one available on the early 23' Fish-Nautique.

[medic1227]

They're very good boats,they ride well,decently fast and they fish great.Skip Conklin has one out of Morehead that's always in the money in King Mackeral tournaments.