which boat would ride best

[krazyfisher]

I am looking at buying an older boat/hull and restoring it.

My options that I like are
bertram 20
savage marlin
carribean reef runner

I want to stay with this size for towing and storage.

Any views, thoughts or experance on these would be great.

thanks

[Mindi]

I have fished in two of the three out of Bermagui many times through the 80s/90s and would suggest that it depends on the conditions. Dont know about the Savage but the Bertram has a higher deadrise than the Reef Runner making it softer at speed but a bit of a cow at rest...rolls about a lot. Reef Runner not as soft at any speed in rough but better at rest...........so depends on how much time you plan to spend travelling or at rest IMHO. Both good to excellent offshore boats and happy to be out in either.
Be very surprised if the Savage was bagged by anyone..? have a feeling might be a little more narrow gutted than the others and may be a bit rocky like the Bertram but that's guessing only...no experience.

[GBC]

We had a Savage Bluefin hard top In hervey Bay as a kid. Everything seems exagerated as a kid - so to me the thing was bloody huge - and carved up the ocean like nothing else. It had a 188 mercruiser, hand pumped hydraulictrim tabs, and a paper sounder that apparently the older blokes could decipher?
I remember that it had twin fuel tanks that didn't self level so you had to keep switching tanks, otherwise you'd keep compensating with the trim tabs until you pulled off the plane and the boat would fall over to one side - quite embarrasing really...all in all an awesome beast that was the pride of the fleet - in my eyes anyway. I would think the marlin would be along the same lines.
You've got me reminiscing now - us kids once spent the day in that boat getting towed from Hervey Bay to 1770 (round hill it was called then). The safety brief from the parents -"no silly buggers back there, and if you see a copper keep ya bloody heads down". Between the dust (all dirt roads) and the fumes from the ex pmg landcruiser ute it wasn't as great a day as we thought it might be.....:-/

[krazyfisher]

A bit more detail....
It would be used to run out between 50-75km and then return. Not alot of swell around here mostly chop to 1.5m.
If I am in open water I drift and if around islands I always anchor in smooth water.
when people say rolls alot is that rolls like a 14ft tinny?? or rolls like a normal 17ft glassy. I am trying to compare it to something, because peole say that a whitley sea legend rolls but I have been in a sl650 and find it fine..

any help is great
thanks

[ozscott]

I have a mate with a 21f reefy. You see more of them done up and really are nice tugs. I have a Seafarer Vagabond of the same vintage and his inboard does hadle a little better than the Vag with its outboard, but thats just a weight down low issue - apart from that there isnt much in it and I much prefer the look and layout of mine and its handling generally including cornering.

Cheers

[ashleyhj74]

i've gotta spearfish 21, which is basically the old savage marlin with a centre console/cab topdeck and podded outboard. I, personally, think it rides great. 20/21 degrees deadrise from memory, plenty of flare in the bow so its dry (well, "dry" for a centre console. I'd assume the original cabin versions would be drier cause the helm is further forward, oh and they have a windscreen/cabin too). I find mine to be very stable for the amount of deadrise. My old man only has the use of one arm, and he gets on alright with it.

[Stuball]

GBC, u sound like some sort of old trawler fisho. ive smelt fumes in a landcruiser and it was your ars

[TJ Bear]

Have spent a bit of time in the savage marlin/21 spearfish and think it is a sweet hull, not many modern hulls come close.Loves bunching into some serious chop with the bow buttoned down and is more than acceptable at rest. Peter Pakula told me his old 21ft Spearfish (same hull as Savage Marlin) performed better in just about all conditions than his new 23ft Boston Whaler which is a big call but the guy knows boats and game fishing and I have no reason to doubt his opinion.

[finding_time]

TJ

I can totally understand Peter's remarks;) I punched out into some rubbish off the sea way next to that boat for a while and got a shock at how poorly the boston whaler went!!:o All show no go imho!;)

Ian

[Smithy]

but the guy knows boats and game fishing

More like it is PP's way or the highway. If he owned one, they are the best boat in the ocean, if he hasn't owned one, they are a dog!

[John Buoy]

More like it is PP's way or the highway. If he owned one, they are the best boat in the ocean, if he hasn't owned one, they are a dog!

Isn't that the truth ;D

[Animal]

"More like it is PP's way or the highway. If he owned one, they are the best boat in the ocean, if he hasn't owned one, they are a dog!"

How do you get that result from this comment?


Peter Pakula told me his old 21ft Spearfish (same hull as Savage Marlin) performed better in just about all conditions than his new 23ft Boston Whaler which is a big call but the guy knows boats and game fishing and I have no reason to doubt his opinion.

The only problem with the quote is that my Boston is 19ft not 23. For those who think the quote is wrong and a 19foot boston is better than a 21 foot spearfish then here's your chance.... it's for sale!!!!

I've changed boats again to a 25 foot Grady White, which I hope is better than my previous boats :)

[FNQCairns]

Did anyone actually answer the Q? I will stick my neck out and say the Savage but I would walk over it to purchase the Bertram 20 because they do nothing wrong and I am soft on all the Bertrams from 23 down to 18.

cheers fnq

[Animal]

My options that I like are
bertram 20
savage marlin
carribean reef runner

I'm not 100% sure but I think the hulls of all 3 are the same or incredibly similar. All 3 are great. The choice would be on condition of the boat and topside configuration.

[krazyfisher]

Well
I decided on a bertram 20 well actually a Pride bahia mar just about the same boat. ( chimes and age.) both have a 26 deg V....where as the marlin and bluefin are 21deg....
It came down to the marlin or the bertram.. I have a long run in short chop so the deeper V won.