. . . I finally got to go out solo on my new boat yesterday. An absolutely fine day, partly sunny, which is good as I'm not a fan of perfectly clear days and almost no wind, just a bit of a north east breeze. I listened to a few calls from sailboaters whose engines died who needed tows as there was no wind. I got to fish many new areas as I didn't have to focus on putting my family or friends on fish so I got to try a whole lot of new places and got to fiddle with my new GPS/FF and what a treat to be able to see what the bottom looks like in many of the spots/areas that I have fished for years with no FF and to be able to see the clouds or groups of sandeels and squid that were underneath as well as well as fish.

I anchored up in one area in a dropping tide situation where the sun was still high as it was from noon-2:30 and could see tailing fish not 20-30 yards from my bow. I anchored over a hump 2-4ft and the surrounding water was 10-16 feet. Using a swimmer, I hooked a good bluefish on the 2nd or 3rd cast. Big rod bend and at least 5 good tarpon-like jumps. When I got the fish in to get the hook out it taped at 35" so it was one big bluefish but as I got it close to the boat I noticed a shape that was following the blue and it was the biggest bass I have ever seen in my life. It was huge! As the bluefish was 35", this bass went well over 50", as as soon as I had seen it checking out the bluefish I thought that if I fed the line out on the blue that I could easily have livelined it for the bass, it was that big and the scariest thing for me is that there were 2 or 3 more following the biggest bass. Am I going to be going back to this spot?, of course, I tried for the next hour or so to stick one of those fish but all I had were lures and must have been too smart to fall for my cheap-o selection for sure.

I spent some time on that point casting and catching, not really trying all that hard as waves of different sized bluefish and bass would show up making it quite interesting for the 2 hours I spent anchored up. I then moved a bit to drift along the endless stretch of boulder fields and got my slug-go on as I had never really played with the things before but while I got some good pulls and got bitten off quite a few times, I never hooked a fish. I would always get hits whenever I was able to place the slug-go or the lure right next to a big boulder though and it was a great time at dead low tide/New Moon is it? to chart out where all the rocks were and where the "route" was that I could lay out for future night missions as the water is as fishy as fishy could be.

This has been an incredible season so far, best I can remember and it has only just begun, the next month for me is the best of the season, the big bass get caught at night and the bonito will show soon enough and with a new boat, things only get better.

good writeup.

what waters do you fish, statewise?

How does the new boat ride? Top speed?

I'm here in Southeastern MA.

The new boat is just incredible. The Verado 250 is amazing! From the DTS/Digital Throttle and Shift, the shift/throttle handle just moves so smoothly from gear engagement to putting the hammer down and getting things moving it is a wonder that cables still exist but I'm sure most if not all will move towards it in the not too distant future. The throttle and shift tension is even adjustable, it is awesome. Even the true power steering is a delight, I didn't even really notice it until I drove a boat with just hydraulic steering, it was like going from power steering in a car to one without power steering, besides, how many of us even remember what it is like to drive a car with no power steering? It was like parallell parking with no power steering, just grab the suicide knob and turn away, the effortlessness is addicting and makes docking or steering so pleasant and after a while I take it for granted as it just works so well.

Before I bought the boat I had no idea what the engine would be like, I was concerned that the boat/motor would be a dog out of the hole and even the owner's son of the boat mfgr. alluded to the fact that the Verado was "doggy" out of the hole and tried to sell me a Suzuki, and while I know Suzuki's are good, they just didn't have what the Verado has right now, but I now know that the engine launches the boat out of the hole and has incredible power all the way to WOT. I have no concerns with power as it has all of the 250 horses all through the rev-range, from idle to my 6,400 redline, never mind the quiet of the engine and the smoothness and total lack of vibration, it is exactly what I wanted in a motor.

I got to take the boat out for a long weekend Memorial Day and while the boat only had from 3-15 hours on it at the time, I did have to take the engine to WOT to aid in break-in and with a light load/no load and my girl with me I was able to get 50 mph on the GPS. This totally surprised me as others with E-Tec 250's and Suzuki 250's were only able to get 44-46 mph at WOT so I figured the Verado would be good for about the same and not 50, even though 50 is no big deal, when I've got the silver hammer to the stop and am moving at that speed, I feel like I'm humming along and it is quite a thrill for sure. 50 mph is what many 26' twin engined 250's get so I'm happy with it for sure.

I had to spend 2 weeks dewaxing the entire bottom, the bracket and the trim tabs, then priming everything, then putting 3 coats of paint on everything as I leave the boat in the water for the season and another concern was losing speed and fuel economy with all the paint. It turns out that I did not lose anything at all. I still got 50 after I painted it and tested it at WOT and around 50.3-50.4 mph on the GPS this past Sunday so no more worries about that either. Overall I get an mpg average of 3.3-3.5 depending on the load/how many people I have on board and the sea conditions of course. So long as I keep the revs under 5,000, the fuel mileage is not that bad for a 5,000 lb boat with a single 250.

Then the ride, of course, going from a boat that weighs around 2,500 lbs to one that is around 5,000 lbs is going to be a big difference and while the overall length is at least 3 1/2 feet longer than the boat I had been running for the past 20 years, including the bracket, every other dimension is larger as well and with a set of 12 X 12 trim tabs, the ride is just incredible, smooth and dry. A 20 degree deadrise and a 50-something degree entry with a huge flare in the bow will do that. Thanks for asking.

Sounds like you found a perfect combination in the boat, and a real sweet spot to fish. Maybe an eel at night will entice that big girl. Good luck and congrats.

wow....

last i checked it was still being built down in FL... what no finish pics?

how rude ;)

Sorry MrHunters, you are right, I owe all at least that. How could I show all the foreplay and not the money shot?

Here is one on the way home from the balcony of a South Carolina Motel.

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a184/thundra04struck/2ndfloormotel.jpg

Here I am down in FL manuevering in a canal by the plant. I'll admit that a bracketed, deep(er) V boat is not all that great in reverse.

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a184/thundra04struck/Duskydockinglookback.jpg

Here are the boats dockside. It sure is nice having a choice of going out on a 22 foot boat with an almost new 2006 150hp OptiMax or on the 25 footer with a new 250, life sure is darned good.

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a184/thundra04struck/RearviewDocked.jpg

Here is my dash/console. I spent another 2 weeks after bottom painting putting in my VHF/Antenna, the GPS/FF along with drilling a 2 3/8" hole in my hull for my Airmar thru hull transducer then putting in the MP3 Kit/Amp/Speakers and volume knob. I had about 2-3 hours every night after work to do it all but I'm so glad I did it myself than have to pay $300 to have had each thing put in, eek! Feels good to have done it myself and have it all work so flawlessly.

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a184/thundra04struck/DashunderwayI.jpg

Here is another shot dockside, a nice sunset image of the two pure fishing boats ready to go in the early evening glow.

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a184/thundra04struck/sunsetDusky222.jpg

Enjoy again!

Great looking ride, yes, life is good.

:shocked: :shocked: :shocked:

beautiful!

that thing must purrrrr

Thats quite the flare for a 25. looking good!

Here is another shot of bow. "Got Flare?"

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a184/thundra04struck/Bowdocked.jpg

is that a scuff mark i see already? :)

Might that be the one from the black bow roller that came with the trailer?, I have switched that black roller to an amber colored, non-marking one. I still have not taken off the scuff though, I have all sorts of marks on the boat from only a month but I know it is only a big, expensive hunk of fiberglass and that all the scratches and chips and marks will never stop as the boat gets used for sure, but once it comes out of the water I'll make it all nice again. You should see my motorcycle, I haven't washed it in 2 years, it is a commuter bike and I have no time to wash it only to have it get dirty again. I really wanted to wax the entire boat before I put it in the water for the season but wanted to use it instead, so as it is new I can wait until the season is over.

Look at all the black marks on the Aquasport on the right. That is years worth of scuffs and I've never even bothered to change out the bow roller on that trailer, no love, right?

It reminds me of the scene in Slap Shot where the Hanson Brothers are outside pounding on the side of their bus with sledgehammers when Newman comes out and asks, "Guys, whatcha doin?" and the brothers stop for a second, adjust their glasses and say "We're making it look MEAN!"

i don't know why they just dont install the amber roller from the beginning.

My boat is clean for usually about 4 hours per year... Not only do i have scuffs, docks, salt and seaweed to contend with, but the tree she sits under has an infestation of leaf eaters....and MAN, they have plenty of fiber in their diet.!

I know about the amber roller, it was only $20, I guess it keeps price down and some really don't mind the scuff marks.

I rinse the boat down after every use but I can't be keeping it squeaky clean after every trip, so long as the deck gets scrubbed and there is no visible blood anywhere, I'm good with it.

I can't wait to get out there again tommorow and again this weekend.