[SurfaceStrike]

I'm looking at the Steiger Craft 21 foot Chesapeake for fishing in LI sound. I plan on fishing into December and early in the spring. Would appreciate anyones comments on this boat and any other boats in the size and price range.

 

[Scratcher]

I frequently fish and dive from a 21' Steiger Block Island off of Orient and Montauk. The boat handles rough water very well as long as you don't go too fast. In a semi-displacement mode the bow stays high and you can motor through the snot that Plum Gut and other nasty stretches of water will throw at you. The boat is a modified V, not a deep V, so its not a high-speed rough water boat. The boat I fish is an I/O, so it has a solid transom - a definate plus in rough water. We put a new prop on the boat a couple of years ago, dropping about an inch of pitch off the old one. It really helped the boats running and handling characteristics. We lost some top end, but we're usually fishing with 3-4 guys which is a heavy load for that boat. The lower pitch prop helps a lot. Are you buying new? That setup they have with the small diesel looks awesome.

 

[PDR]

Steigercraft

I fish from a 23 Block Island. Moved from a center console and stretched both ends of the season with the added shelter. Scratcher is right with his diesel comment - the 1.7 they are using now is well matched to the 21. A friend has that engine in a 21 center console and loves it - he also fished this Friday, Saturday and Sunday in the Sound (nuts?) and lived to tell about it, so I guess it handles it pretty well.

If you want to really stretch the season, and you go with an i/o, think about having a heater installed - I think it is like a $400 option. If you have not already done it, go out to Bellport and take the tour, speak to Al, and figure out exactly what you want. Having a boat custom built by Steiger is a great way to spend the winter.

One last thought - not sure if you are set on the 21, but the 23 has more deadrise. The Miami (open back) model is particulary nice...

 

[SurfaceStrike]

Great Info

Thanks for the great information. Do you guys have an idea where the 21 & 23 will run in price with the small Diesel?

 

[baywatch]

Show room

I haven,t heard anything bad about the Later models. Some of the older ones have plywood floors in the ****pit area. From what I understand they went to a fiberglass srtinger system and fiberglass decks.

They are made right in Bayport I think so the best thing to do is go there and look at all the modells and maybe get a peak at the guts beforew they put the top on.

They seem very seaworhty but try to get a deep v.

Diesel is going to cost some $$$ no matter what boat your are looking at, but if you plan on keeping the boat for a lifetime and fish a lot thats the way to go.

 

[Scratcher]

Baywatch is correct, the older 25s were particularly known for developing deck/hull probs. No probs with recent boats though, and the older 21s and 23 MAY be ok, but its always wise to have a survey done prior to buying. When I was at Steiger they told me the cost of the 1.7 liter Mercruiser diesel and outdrive was 13,000. I'm not sure what the difference between that and a gas package would be, but my guess is it would add something like 3 - 5K to the package. With outboards as expensive as they are it might not add anything to the cost. Steiger will be able to give you the exact figures though.

 

[sullystone]

diesel is the way to go

I am the guy PDR mentioned above, 21 center console with diesel. By all means go diesel, merc is pricing them right, I paid no more than the comparable gas I/O, and have saved a fortune on fuel. As for the boat, lots of guides and pros use them, what better endorsement. Tuff hull, much more solid than its competitors. good luck.

 

[Hipshot]

I have a 1994 Steiger Block Island, It's a great boat, very seaworthy amd stable. It has an I/O 350 Valvo duoprop, 225 H.P. It's fast within reason(I cruise at 24+ knots) Have taken it 40mi. offshore on a good day. The only bad things I can say about it are-rough ride in a tight chop, hard to dock in a wind(I have full canvas, And with the I/O engine box, deck room is a little tight. As for a heater goes-do you fish indoors or outdoors, no need for it! By the way my boat is a deep V hull, a buddy at my dock has a 25' Chesapeaque with a modafied V, I think his boat rides better than mine, possibly due to more weight foward. He has a lot more deck room due to the 2' longer lenght and the shorter pilot house in the helm area. They didn't make a deep V when he bought his in 1999/2000, maybe they do know, it would be the way to go! Make sure you get trim tabs to keep the bow down in a chop. Also a windless is great in bad weather, no chance of falling overboard! Diesel is the way to go, but you may have trouble finding fuel, depending where you boat, also not every mechanic works on diesels.
Things to consider!
Hipshot

 

[SurfaceStrike]

Options

Hipshot, you make some good points on what you do and don't like about the boat. Is there another boat in the price range of the 23" Diesel Chesepeake that you would reccommend.

 

[Hipshot]

Surfacestrike,
Take a test ride in the 23' Chesapeaque, it just may be the right boat! The 23' Chesapeaque can be had with a deep V bottom, trim tabs and a diesel engine. With the helm more foward then the Block Island you should deffenetly have a better ride than either the 23' Block Island or the 25' Chesapeaque. Also you will have more deck room than the Block Island! I believe the 21Ft. can be had with an Izuso Diesel and the 23'and up with a Yenmar diesel. Steiger has an open house I think usually in Jan. or Feb., they don't have a display at the Javitts Boat show so they usually have an open house(you can even see how they are made). Whether you are intending buying new or used, Make a list of questions and pick their brains and bust their Ba--s! Make arrangements for a test ride as early as possible so you can run the boat in sloppy weather, not just on a lake of glass where ALL boats ride nice!
Hipshot

 

[Hipshot]

At my dock a guy has the 21' Steiger Chesapeaque(older-year?) with a 115 Yammie. He takes it to Fishers Island Race from Southold regulary (40mi. round trip) and also takes it shark fishing 12-15 mi. off of Montauk (Montauk Pt. is app. 60 mi. round trip from my dock) plus the 24-30 mi. trip from the point for shark (yes he refuels). It's a good boat! I have never ridden in his.
Hipshot
P.S. I forgot to mention this stuff on my last post.

 

[bigbillybass]

what about prices, i love the stiger craft boats, does anyone know how they compare price wise to the other pilot houses ie,. parker?
also for the people who own stiegercraft how tall is the cabin inside, i'm 6'6" and i wonder if it is tall enough?

 

[loonzter]

I've always loved the look of the Steigers and the fact that its made here on Long Island, would have been my first choice when I'm ready to get a 23-25' but there is a lot of talk of the crappy ride they give when the wind kicks up. Modified or deep V doesn't seem to matter much when the seas get tight seems the consences is you get the crap beat out of you either way. Is this a fact or fiction??

 

[sullystone]

rough conditions

I have not had that experience in my 21, and i have been out in the worst the Sound can offer. Common sense and a light hand on the throttle.

 

[620427]

loonzter- ITS NOT TRUE

quote:
Modified or deep V doesn't seem to matter much when the seas get tight seems the consences is you get the crap beat out of you either way. Is this a fact or fiction??

there is a HUGE DIFFERENCE in the ride of a TRUE DEEP V and a MODIFIED V

PROBLEM ARISES when you ask people their opinion on the ride of each style hull. many people own boats with deadrise of 20 or 21 degrees and consider them deep-v, THEY ARE NOT TRUE DEEP V BOATS they are modified V , and that is why you hear from these people that deep-v pounds like a modified v.
they are just plain wrong, because they do not understand their boat is NOT a true deep v.

TRUE DEEP V HULLS deadrise will be 23.5 degrees or more, and makes a HUGE difference in the ride.

infact "when the seas get tight" a deep v planning hull will have a EASIER time riding over that type of waves, since you can keep on top of them.
it is when they are spaced out more and you cant reach the crest of the next wave before the bow falls into the gully that you have to slow down.

take a ride on a true deep v hull, then take a ride on a the BEST modified v hull you can find on the same day and you will understand the difference.

most people own modified v boats for many reasons,
that is what most manufactures build, because they are cheaper to build than a deep v, offer better fuel economy, and take less HP to get them moving.
all this allows the manufacturer to publish some really good looking performance numbers.
ofcourse these numbers have nothing to do with how the boat will ride in sloppy sea conditions or how wet you will be, or how you will now choose to stay at the dock more often because you are tired of knocking your teeth out on sloppy days.
but those performance numbers look great on paper.

TAKE A RIDE ON A TRUE DEEP V CENTER CONSOLE AND YOU WILL UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE.
try a ride on a contender, regulator, intrepid or even a sailfish(not as good, but very close) and you will see.

also one other point,
STEERING STATION PLACEMENT
if you want a boat like a parker with the cabin in the bow, you will get a rougher ride than with the same boat if the steering station was closer to the stern like a center console.

closer to the bow you are, rougher the ride PERIOD, this is true for any boat or hull design.

so dont expect a smooth ride in sloppy seas with a 23-25 foot boat if your steering station will be in the bow.

 

[Hipshot]

What Megalodon says is true, if you could steer from the stern of the boat they would all ride smooth. But there is a difference between riding smooth and the boat running smooth. As I said the further you are astern, the smoother the ride. The more foward the more pounding you take. You still want some weight foward so the boat doesn't slap (AKA the old 13' Boston Whalers) they looked like someone clapping with their hands sideways. There is no perefect boat or hull. Deep V rides better, modafied V doesn't roll as much. Test ride and take your pick (in bad weather)!
Hipshot

 

[onitis]

21 deep vv

A good friend of mine a lifetime boater and whose opinion I value recently bought a 21 ft steiger deep vee with a test ride in the bay on a calm day.After going out on a snotty day he is putting it up for sale after owning it for only 2 weeks and he already bought back his former boat for 1ogs more than he sold it for(25 general marine).He said the steiger was like a rubber duck.

 

[onitis]

21 deep v

A good friend of mine a lifetime boater and whose opinion I value recently bought a 21 ft steiger deep vee with a test ride in the bay on a calm day.After going out on a snotty day he is putting it up for sale after owning it for only 2 weeks and he already bought back his former boat for 1ogs more than he sold it for(25 general marine).He said the steiger was like a rubber duck.