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Are the storage compartments and rod lockers on the Bay Cat waterproof like the other models? Do they have drains? Sorry for all the questions but I have a Bay Boat currrently that I am trading and all the compartments will allow your equipment to get soaked every time out. It beats me to death in 2 waves and I am tired of it. My ribs are sore the next day after riding in that Sea Chaser. I want this Bay Cat but I am a little concerned over the 20″ transom and how this boat will preform in the Gulf near shore. Dry ride? Can it be taken say 5-10 miles out? I dont want to spend 40K+ and be disappointed. I have a PUMA and of course it has exceeded my expectations but have not heard as much regarding the Bay Cat. Anyone up there at the plant that I can talk to tomorrow? I want to make a decision on an order this week.Chet
The Bay Cat compartments all have upper compartment seals and locks with seals like the bass line does. They are gel interior or gelcoat finish compartments. The ride is stupendous from compared models of others. Though it is not a price friendly bay boat, as you pointed out. The competition in bay boats has been boats like VIP and Blue Wave. In some areas they have other brands and other bass offshoot brands. Though it has been a price sensitive market. There are images of the construction in the FAQ section and from memory they are stored there. It will definitely not beat you in 3 seas and 2 seas are a breeze. Of course true 3 seas are what bass folks call 4 and 5 footers. It is a fairly dry ride, without the upturned bows. There are some spray strakes slightly turned downwards to throw some splash outwards. The 20″ transom is not an issue. You can run either a 20″ with a hydraulic Bobs Plate. Or you can run a 25″ on that same set up. The only short coming of it is a slightly small livewell. Though when we designed (2000 & 2001) the Bay Cat they thought we were crazy for putting any livewells in it, because they only used coolers. Of course as soon as we put a livewell in the Bay Cat, others soon followed and the market is evolving greatly still.The folding console is really handy to put it in a 6 8″ garage header. The bench seat is EXTREMELY COMFORTABLE. It will probably sit better new than your living room sofa for comfort. You just have to make sure it is always in those slide tracks for use. The baitwells on the side are fair sized, though can be closed off for use as storages, which they are a bit small for. The front baitwell has a petition so you can separate your croakers, or crab and shrimp. It works fairly well for keeping the bait alive. And you know how hard that is in saltwater. The system is like what we use on our bass boats. The dual bilge pumps are larger than we use on bass models. The Anchor Storage box has chocks and blocks for a #13 (or 14 – bad memory) DanForth already positioned. Just put your Danforth in there with the chain in the bottom and throw the rope on top. There is a front cleat for use of it also with the door closed on the storage. There are side drifting cleats for using your sea anchors and side drifting. Plus you have twin 35 gallon rated fuel tanks for the ride out and in, just switch and come home. It is an all fiberglass construction unit. And you should look at the images on Phils site to see the construction. Some of these he was provided from company photos. The interior construction has a full fiberglass stringer system, and and interior secondary sub floor in fiberglass. The deck assembly is vacuum compressed to the sub floor in the hull mold. It is a very solid boat. The roll top design is used to increase construction of the top and beam interior width on that close to 8 beam. The transom is full width and all vacuum sealed fiberglass construction. OH~! And even more importantly, pull the drain plug, it has full foam floatation better than any other and all is sealed within those fiberglass compartments. This boat has LOTS of foam floatation! And since you know bay boats some you know that is not always true on salt water rigs over 20. And your safety is important when you are 10 miles offshore or more. If you have more questions just call the shop tomorrow. Ivan should be in and he can help you more. The FAQ pages and links to Addisons Impact Fishing images are good also.Hope this helps! BCB
Thanks for your quick response. I truly beleive in you products and know that if you put it on the water it will be a quality rig. Just know how the wind can blow in Destin Florida out of the West. Can turn Chatowatchee Bay into a nightmare. I want a boat that I can trust in that type of situation. Thanks Again,Chet
Ill tell you, thats why I switched to BCB, I loved my bay boat, but everytime I hit some rough stuff the interior would rattle apart. I was looking at Kenner and almost bought one, but still the compartments and hardware scared me off.As for 3 footers looking like 5 footers, Ive never measured them but the last few times out on Amistad, they seemed like 7 footers — probably 4 footers I guess — lolI was all the way down the lake, about 30 miles I guess, and ran back and I was amazed at how dry the ride was in my P-2–incredible compared to what Ive been use too!And this boat makes that lake seem half the size compared to my last one (112 Johnson on a 19 foot bay boat).
BCB What is “Freeboard” and “deadrise” mean? How does this effect the ride of the boat?Chet
Dont worry about Freeboard and Deadrise. The terms are misused as consumer information and skewed to sales comparisons. These are used as marine terms for comparisons often and the comparisons are never done properly. Just ask any sale person and especially those other boat company representative and sales staff. Every one elses bay boat models but ours uses 10″ of water or less to float the boat or “Draft”. We use about 16 to 18″ and so do they. We are often just brutally honest.BCB
You are right these terms are used as comparisions. What I have seen during gathering information on these boats is that if the deadrise is not a high degree the boat will not run well in rough water. I guess the deadrise means a deeper V-hull design. Correct? Does that truly effect rough water ride? Or the ability to navigate rough seas?Chet
It can indicate more or less Vee in the hull, to some degree. Though hull design is a dictating factor that is not considered in any numbers. Pending all hulls were the same design and width, then it would matter, though they are not.BCB
I bought a custom cover for my Puma when I ordered it. Do you offer a cover for the Bay Cat as well?Thanks,Chet
Yes we do!BCB
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