First Boat Open vs. Closed Bow
MMalusa
Researching purchasing my first boat. There is my wife and 3 little ones
(3-6-8.) Looking for a 19 to 21 ft craft.
Here is my question. Which is better an open bow rider or a cuddy type
boat. A salesman I just talked to said it MUCH
easier to dock/tie-up an open bow as you do not have to walk on the
fiberglass cuddy, how true is this? Also my wife thinks a
cuddy is a good idea for the kids to get out of the sun and away from harms
way. I personally hope never to go into a cuddy
of this size as it is too small and would rather be enjoying the view. Any
families have any experience with open vs closed bow
that could be useful to me?
Thanks.
Marco
Al Onderick
The only reason that I would buy a cuddy is if it were big enough to sleep
in and I planned on overnighting, or if there was a possibility of waves
breaking over the bow ( which was the case in Lake Erie when I was a
Northerner )
Otherwise, I'll take a bowrider. ( Searay 210BR to be exact)
The bowrider allows more people more room to enjoy the outing.
docking is easier with my wife or daughter in the bow handling the lines and
the fenders.
The kids ( 5 and 8 ) love riding up front.
BTW , with a 3,6,9 year old, I'd lean towardfs the 21 foot boat, A 19 may be
a little cozy ( and a 19 with a cuddy would likely be too small )
Good Luck, and Goob Boating
Al -SR210BR
I
MMalusa wrote in message
<01bd8b28$9f809a00$3905...@malusam.cs.dupont.com>...
Bob
In article <01bd8b28$9f809a00$3905...@malusam.cs.dupont.com>, "MMalusa" says...
>
>
>Researching purchasing my first boat. There is my wife and 3 little ones
>(3-6-8.) Looking for a 19 to 21 ft craft.
>Here is my question. Which is better an open bow rider or a cuddy type
>boat. A salesman I just talked to said it MUCH
>easier to dock/tie-up an open bow as you do not have to walk on the
>fiberglass cuddy, how true is this? Also my wife thinks a
>cuddy is a good idea for the kids to get out of the sun and away from harms
>way. I personally hope never to go into a cuddy
>of this size as it is too small and would rather be enjoying the view. Any
>families have any experience with open vs closed bow
>that could be useful to me?
>
Yep, its easier to dock an open bow boat and you'll have more room in the boat
to play in, but you clinched the driving factor when you mentioned the wife and
3 kids. If you plan on taking the family out for more than a couple of hours
then cuddy's start to make sense just for the reasons you wife stated. I agree
that with most cuddy's, access to the bow to handle lines or an anchor is
terrible. That's why I got a used walkaround cuddy. I can get up on the bow to
fish or handle the lines and still have a cabin for the porta potty (necessity
with women) or for tired whiney kids. Its up to you, how much do you want to
take the wife and kids with you when you go out??? Have fun.
------------------
Posted via public news server at http://pubnews.zippo.com
JJames915
If you are going to day boat in relatively calm or protected waters then the
bow rider is the way to go. Get a good canvas top to take care of the sun.
The ones that you can walk under, not the ones that snap to the windsheld.
Makowicki
We now have a new member to our family we also own a bowrider and a closed
bow. We are selling the bowrider for a few reasons.No where to put the baby out
of the sun, MUCH less storage in the bowrider ( with kids comes alot of stuff )
We ski more than any thing and find our closed bow has more room behind the
windshield ( where I want my son for now) and more space to keep things dry.
This is based on my 2 boats each boat does have its own layout so my reasons my
not be valid for each boat. We bought the bowrider to replace our closed bow
but things have changed.
MMalusa
Thanks for people who responded to my attached note, I got a lot of good
information on the advantages and disadvantages of open and closed bow and
as usual there is no "winner."
-A bowrider would have more seating but no "secure" area for children.
-The additional seating of the bow rider may not be useful to my little
ones anyway
under speed, could get bounced off.
-May have more difficulty docking cuddy as one may have to scamper on the
deck.
(though some larger cuddies have back, mid and front cleats, allowing you
to not tie the
front untill "fully" docked and stopped)
- A good bimini cover could cover the bowriders lack of protected (from the
sun)
seating.
Some one suggested I look for a walk around cuddy. I guess that is more
like a
fishing boat. Does anyone know if they make these with the larger seating
accomdations of sports boats? I would need at least 5 seats on the top
deck
(1 for each of my family.)
I also believe I am going to look into cuddy's with either a smaller cuddy
(some
Renkens?) or a flat top cuddy (no swoopy slippery decks). Any suggestions
here.
My proposed rider profile. Boat docked at Indian River bay, DE. Very
shallow bay area,
need shallow hull and possibly outboard (as not to grind on the bottom.)
Family fun of
pulling tubes and ski's, picnics, crusing and fishing. Oh, the bay seems
very calm.
I am also surely buying used so I have to go with what is available and
will not be able to
custom order a boat. Price will be less then $10 grand.
Thanks for any additional pointers and for the ones already sent to me.
Marco
MMalusa <mma...@aol.com> wrote in article
<01bd8b28$9f809a00$3905...@malusam.cs.dupont.com>...
>
> Researching purchasing my first boat. There is my wife and 3 little ones
> (3-6-8.) Looking for a 19 to 21 ft craft.
> Here is my question. Which is better an open bow rider or a cuddy type
> boat. A salesman I just talked to said it MUCH
> easier to dock/tie-up an open bow as you do not have to walk on the
> fiberglass cuddy, how true is this? Also my wife thinks a
> cuddy is a good idea for the kids to get out of the sun and away from
harms
> way. I personally hope never to go into a cuddy
> of this size as it is too small and would rather be enjoying the view.
Any
> families have any experience with open vs closed bow
> that could be useful to me?
>
> Thanks.
>
> Marco
>
Brian Grant
Keith Darwin wrote:
>
> I'm married with 2 kids (3 & 5)
>
> Our first and only boat (so far) is a Bayliner 19 foot cuddy. We
> chose it over the open-bow version for several reasons.
>
> - Stand-up headroom under the top
> - Keeps kids in the back of the boat where the sides are taller.
> - Closed bow makes rough weather much safer.
>
> We found the 3 year old was afraid of the motor so he'd climb in the
> cuddy and sleep while under way. Both kids love being in the cuddy
> while were moving.
>
> Having a place to change clothes and go potty has been a big plus for
> my wife as well.
>
> The docking hassles have been overcome by mounting cletes at the
> midpoint and using spring lines. Bow access for anchoring is a pain.
>
> - Keith Darwin -
>
> On 29 May 1998 17:38:43 GMT, "MMalusa" <mma...@aol.com> wrote:
>
> >
> >Researching purchasing my first boat. There is my wife and 3 little ones
> >(3-6-8.) Looking for a 19 to 21 ft craft.
> >Here is my question. Which is better an open bow rider or a cuddy type
> >boat. A salesman I just talked to said it MUCH
> >easier to dock/tie-up an open bow as you do not have to walk on the
> >fiberglass cuddy, how true is this? Also my wife thinks a
> >cuddy is a good idea for the kids to get out of the sun and away from harms
> >way. I personally hope never to go into a cuddy
> >of this size as it is too small and would rather be enjoying the view. Any
> >families have any experience with open vs closed bow
> >that could be useful to me?
> >
> >Thanks.
> >
> >Marco
With children of that age, I would go for the cuddy. I frequently see
children acting silly in open bow boats and parents, who get used to it,
allowing it to go on. One trip off the bow and through the prop is
lethal with small children. For the sake of the children (and in
respect for your wife's correct opinion) I would go for the cuddy. Both
your wife and the salesman are correct but, I would sacrifice
convenience for security.
Have you looked at a walkaround which would offer a bit of both? Either
way, I would go for good, solid, netted lifelines.
Keith Darwin
Lost in Space
>Some one suggested I look for a walk around cuddy. I guess that is more
>like a
>fishing boat. Does anyone know if they make these with the larger seating
>accomdations of sports boats?
I've been battling the same dilemma, as I have a 22 month old. One
part of me wants a fast, sleek sport boat to offset the Honda Odyssey
mini-van. When I really considered everything however, I found the
walk-around to be the best of everything.
The cuddy in a 20' sport boat is useless for everything but storage,
and there's very little room to roam in the cockpit, especially if it
has I/O. Further, getting to the bow for docking and anchoring is a
picture of frustration. A bow rider is nice, but there is nowhere to
go if you experience inclement weather. Also, sport boats (cuddy and
open bow) are filled with vinyl, carpeting and wood that rots, fades,
tears, gets dirty and is a pain-in-the-neck to care for.
Walk-arounds, on the other hand, don't have all the carpeting, vinyl,
and what I've heard referred to as "monkey fur" (that white furry
stuff typically found in v-berths). The entire open area is
fiberglass, which can be easily and quickly blasted off with a hose,
has no vinyl to rot, tear or fall apart, and has no carpeting to get
dirty, hot or smell. Further, the cuddy in a 20' walk-around is very
usable, and at 6'2", I can almost stand up in it, and sit comfortably
without having to hunch over. Finally, access to the bow is easy and
safe.
In my opinion, a walk-around is like the sport-utility of boats.
While I was concerned about performance, I looked at a Wellcraft 210
Coastal with a 200HP outboard that will run close to 50mph, which is
plenty fast for me. So, you get a boat that's relatively fast,
extremely easy to maintain, with a bunch of room and utility.
Remember, it all depends what you'll be using the boat for. I made up
a list of my intended uses, and also figured in how much time I wanted
to spend cleaning up the boat after I used it. My feeling is that if
it takes 2 hours of cleaning after a 4 hour trip, I'd lose interest in
using it pretty quickly. Now, a portable pressure washer and 20
minutes, and I'm on to other things. Your usage may differ, so make
that list and see which boat fills your needs the greatest.
Ed
On 29 May 1998 17:38:43 GMT, "MMalusa" <mma...@aol.com> wrote:
>
>Researching purchasing my first boat. There is my wife and 3 little ones
>(3-6-8.) Looking for a 19 to 21 ft craft.
>Here is my question. Which is better an open bow rider or a cuddy type
>boat. A salesman I just talked to said it MUCH
>easier to dock/tie-up an open bow as you do not have to walk on the
>fiberglass cuddy, how true is this? Also my wife thinks a
>cuddy is a good idea for the kids to get out of the sun and away from harms
>way. I personally hope never to go into a cuddy
>of this size as it is too small and would rather be enjoying the view. Any
>families have any experience with open vs closed bow
>that could be useful to me?
>
>Thanks.
>
>Marco
We pained over the same thing and decided on a bowrider. Our daughter
just turned 4 and loves to crawl up under the canvas tonnau
(spelling?) to nap while underway (we have a bow filler cushion). She
thinks it's a little fort.
When beaching or docking, it is much easier to get around and you
don't have to move everyone to the back of the boat to cruise.
I would be careful placing kids in cuddy's. Heat when standing still
and Carbon Minoxide when moving are concerns. I think most cuddy's
are shipping with detectors now, but if you buy used, make sure there
is one on board. A large bimini keeps the sun off when we need to.
Full canvas keeps the rain off.
As for the porta potty issue brought up, I can't really argue there.
Our boat is a 23' with a little enclosed head on it. I haven't seen a
21' with this option, I gotta say we tend to go out for hours and have
yet to use the porta-potty on-board. Standing rule is everybody goes
before we leave....including the dog if we can help it.
So far we have not regretted the decision. We're even looking at
having a canvas "pup-tent" made to snap over the bow area for our
daughter when camping.
Good luck,
-Ed G.
Chris K.
I had a 16' cuddy and I thought it was great. Yeah, it is easier to dock
an open bow, but its not a big deal with a cuddy either. I just attached a
line to the cleat and lead it into the cockpit so that after docking I
didn't have to go forward to tie up. No problem. I loved the cuddy for
the storage, room for my daughter, a place to put a porta potty (where are
you gonna put it in an open bow?). Also, the closed bow was much better in
rough seas.
--
Take Care,
Chris
Bob Lamothe
Ed wrote:
>
> On 29 May 1998 17:38:43 GMT, "MMalusa" <mma...@aol.com> wrote:
>
> >
> >Researching purchasing my first boat. There is my wife and 3 little ones
> >(3-6-8.) Looking for a 19 to 21 ft craft.
> >Here is my question. Which is better an open bow rider or a cuddy type
> >boat. A salesman I just talked to said it MUCH
> >easier to dock/tie-up an open bow as you do not have to walk on the
> >fiberglass cuddy, how true is this? Also my wife thinks a
> >cuddy is a good idea for the kids to get out of the sun and away from harms
> >way. I personally hope never to go into a cuddy
> >of this size as it is too small and would rather be enjoying the view. Any
> >families have any experience with open vs closed bow
> >that could be useful to me?
> >
> >Thanks.
> >
> >Marco
Sounds like you are already favoring the open bow. But as for
the MUCH easier docking? When you are just getting started, it may be
true that docking a bow rider is easier than a closed bow, if you are
doing alot of running around to make up for lack of docking skill.
However, once you learn how your boat handles and are comfortable
bringing it in you should be able to get into a slip and to a full
stop without leaving the helm. If you do a good job docking, open
or closed bow makes no difference. I never have to go forward when
docking my boat, I stay at the helm, ask my guests to remain seated
and keep hands and feet in the boat and specifically instruct them
NOT to try and help me dock. You should never have to man handle your
boat in any but the most extreme conditions and then you shouldn't be
going out. So a bow rider may be helpful when getting around the
learning curve but this shouldn't last more than 1 season and should
be much less if you use your bot alot.
Buy the boat that best fits your lifestyle and if you go
closed bow and you're worried about docking as a beginner, buy a boat
hook.
--
* Robert L. Lamothe | Unix/Internet Contract Professional *
* (603)679-6731 | *
* r...@lamothe.net | Grampa, What was Microsoft? *
* URL: http://www.lamothe.net/ | *
* Spam me and you'll lose your accounts. I guarantee it!! *
Mike Eick
On 29 May 1998 17:38:43 GMT, "MMalusa" <mma...@aol.com> wrote:
>
>Researching purchasing my first boat. There is my wife and 3 little ones
>(3-6-8.) Looking for a 19 to 21 ft craft.
>Here is my question. Which is better an open bow rider or a cuddy type
>boat. A salesman I just talked to said it MUCH
>easier to dock/tie-up an open bow as you do not have to walk on the
>fiberglass cuddy, how true is this? Also my wife thinks a
>cuddy is a good idea for the kids to get out of the sun and away from harms
>way. I personally hope never to go into a cuddy
>of this size as it is too small and would rather be enjoying the view. Any
>families have any experience with open vs closed bow
>that could be useful to me?
>
>Thanks.
>
>Marco
A cuddy will frequently allow you to stay out longer (clothes changes,
potty break, nap for kids, etc, etc.), gives shelter from rain, cold,
wind, sun. It makes the kid's feel more protected, and they all like a
place they can get away from the adults. Usually you will get some
more storage, a sink, icebox, stove, etc., which can be a plus
depending on what you want to do with the boat. Of course, the
positive benefits of a cuddy assume that it is big enough to use; we
have a 23.5 Chaparral cuddy which is a great size.
You do lose some open air seating, but if the water gets rough the
open bow seats will make for a rough wet ride. I bet a bow rider would
be much better for fishing though ...
Docking? Don't worry, you can handle it!
Mike
David R. Metzger
Out on Lake Michigan here in Chicago one often hears of boats taking on
water while they are out recreating, usually overloaded with crew. 9 out of
10 times the boats are open bow boats which take on water over the bow.
Once the water starts coming in, e.g. due to waves, the bilge never seems to
keep up. For safety, I would go with the cuddy, unless you plan on staying
close to shore in good weather.
Dave Metzger
Mike Eick wrote in message <357c3fd9...@cnews.newsguy.com>...
Bob
In article <3573faf5...@nntp.ix.netcom.com>, mar...@ix.netcom.com says...
I picked up a used walk around about two months ago and will tell you it is the
best of both worlds. Cuddy storage is decent, and the access to the bow to
handle lines and the anchor as well as extra fishing space when not moving make
it the best choice. Unfortunately, they are very popular and come at a higher
premium than other sportboats. But then again, if you take care of it, it will
retain a higher resale than a bowrider or conventional cuddy. Since just about
all of the walk arounds I've seen are built as fishing boats, they have a
minimum of carpeting and frills inside and have a deeper V bow and more deadrise
to handle rougher water. You can find one for 10 grand or less, but it will take
some looking and will be on the order of 8 to 10 years old or older. Good luck
with what ever you get.