rehookdup
forget how they look in the showroom,
or at the dock,
TAKE IT OUT FOR A RIDE ON A SNOTTY DAY !
you will quickly get your answer about the boat you want to purchase.
ride it into a head sea, ride it with a beam sea, and a following sea.
take the anchor and drop it, see how the boat sits at anchor.
try a drift or two, see how the boat drifts.
i almost made a huge mistake by not testing a boat a few years ago, i fell in love with the 31 ocean master at the boat show, tried every local dealer to get a test ride, no one had one available, i ended up flying to florida and chartering a 31 ocean master just to check the ride, thank god i did, it would have been a $120,000+ mistake if i didn't.
the boat rode so hard in the sea, i left my kidneys and a few teeth on that boat !
needless to say, there was no ocean master in my future. (hull has since been modified and it is currently a decent boat)
FOUR STROKE is the way to go, ESPECIALLY with twins, there is about a 20% difference in price between 2 and 4 stroke, you will make up that difference in gas within 2 years, plus no oil to deal with and they are quiet, quiet , quiet.
i just got a 115hp yamaha 4 stroke for my carolina skiff, it so quite and fuel efficient. the only way to go now.
BOAT OPINION- not many people are qualified to express a learned opinion on how boats ride, as they have not had the opportunity to ride on many different boats in various sea conditions, the boat that mr. x reccomends might be from one trip on a perfect weather day on that boat, toss some wind and waves in and the boat is now a different animal.
if you want smooth riding boat, the deadrise MUST be atleast 23.5 degrees, any less and you will sacrifice a smooth ride.
my suggestion is CONTENDER, go take a ride in a contender 23 or 25 on a REALLY BAD DAY, a day you would not normally go out on, i think you will be impressed.
other good choices are cee vee, sea craft and regulator.
these are the better riding center consoles on the market.
you will pay more, but your body parts will thank you.
if you have more specific question , please feel free to ask.
ps. i have owned 15 different center consoles, have been fishing 25 years, i currently own a 25 foot contender. i dock it in montauk in the fall, and run 120+ miles offshore without fear because of the this boat.
i have also taken many fellow boat owners out on my boat to fish, these guys own, mako, grady white, proline, parker, steiger craft and more. they all come off the boat with a totally different point of view on how a boat could ride. several have gotten contenders in the past few years.
check out the 23 with a single 250hp, or if you can go the extra $, the 25 with twin 200hp.