Concept boats
 

I'm considering purchasing a Concept 23cc. Can anyone offer pros/cons to this boat and/or company. Anyone have a Concept in the metro Detroit area? Any info would be great, thanks.

Sweet looking boats, I've heard from several owners that they are not the most comfortable in bigger water, but they do have great lines.

Do a search for username low_psi, he has a Concept 30 and is Downriver.

Maryland Mark on boatfreaks has a 30 but he very seldom uses it.:party-smiley-004:

FYI, the 23' is 22 degrees deadrise, you have to step up to a 27' to get a 24 degree bottom. The extra deadrise will be better if you're on LSC or Erie in the chop.

I been on a 36 Concept many times, MAtts 30 Scarab Sport rides 10 times better.... Concept was all over the place, didn't even need to be very rough to do it....

My Concept 30 rides awesome in heavy chop. Like any boat, you have to know where it likes to be. They aren't the heaviest CC out there, but that's also why my 30 can run close to 70 with twin 225s....

I've got a 27 with a single 300 and its one of the best running v-hull boats that I have owned. I believe that all post-2000 boats are wood free. Good construction - never had any issues with mine. If you can swing it, get the 27 over the 23. They have a fairly narrow beam, and as low_psi said, they aren't the heaviest, but if you know what you are doing, they run really well. I would definitely recommend trim tabs.

I've got a 2001, 23' w/ a 200 Merc, runs high 40's and is a good little boat. It IS narrow, but I have been out in some fairly rough Bay chop and it has done fine.. Boat is in MD, for sale, but could easily drag it along with us on our way to Port Huron for the race this weekend.. E-mail me and I'll send pics, specs and pricing if interested.

Kevin

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The Concept site says they're 94", just 2 short of an 8' beam which is maybe narrow for standard boats but typical for the offshore stuff.

I visited their complex last month and got a first hand tour from Luis. No wood in the construction and the attention to details in the rigging is on par with any custom shop. Good luck!

On my short list for sure

I have had my 36 for 2 seasons now. They are on the lighter side at 6500lbs dry with twin V-rods. I have had it in lake Erie & St. Clair in some rough conditions & am very happy with how it handled. I think if anything the CG could be a bit further ahead.

Thanks. Lots of good info here. I'd like to hook up with low_psi being that we are so close but it's dangerous taking the first mate to see a boat 7' bigger than we are in the market for...

guess I'll chime in here. I too own a 27 that I use on Erie. I've had it out in some nasty chop (2-3' whitecaps) and provided you keep your tabs down I think it does fine. it's definitely not a wave crusher as it's just so light. that said thanks to the light weight, once on plane it's acceleration is killer and tops out at 60 mph consistently so not a bad tradeoff. the lightweight is also a bonus when it comes time to tow as well. quality wise I think the boat is "okay". I would not consider it a top tier by any means but it's by far not some cheap chopper gun boat. nice thing is Concept has been in the go-fast (non-fishy) CC market way before it ever became the big trend it is now, so finding a used one at what I consider a"reasonable" price is a legit possibility. don't let the size scare you either as nearly all models are really 2' shorter then advertised.

Can you qualify this post?

I would disagree with this statement. The gel work, fit and finish on my 27 is excellent as is the rigging. No creaks, rattles, etc. While the prior years models do not have a lot of the bells and whistles that some of the newer entries in the CC market do, they perform well and hold up great.

That all depends on your budget... You might be able to get into my 30 for what your looking to spend on a newer 27.. Mine is only a 2000 because the HIN says so....

okay to help clarify by quality statement I'll start by saying I think the gel and paint are great, upholstery and vinyl are nice, hardware is solid. that said I think they take short cuts. For instance, they have a horrible habit (at least on the 27) of just chopping up a deck to fit things, hatches under the v, space for the porti potti under the console, the cheap plastic rod holders in the gunwale sides....I would have expected these type of things to be molded into the deck in this day and age...seriously I don't even know a CC manufacturer that still uses the plastic inserts (rod holders) anymore. it's the easy way out, and it saves money, and we all benefit at the bottom line.again nothing necessarily wrong with this kind of stuff...just not the best IMO.