Why choose a center console?
 

The issue is that most people that can afford any kind of boat are getting older. I know I don't want to get in the bilge anymore. The egg beaters dont have any sound to them but they dont need much maintenance. I think it's a nicer way to boat even though I do miss my cat sometimes.

First off. To me there is no right or wrong answer here. I am a fan of both and have had both...actually been back and forth with my last boat being a Sunsation Dominator with cantankerous carbed big blocks. Ruk, has a good point. While most people dont mind blasting up to 90 coming in the creek for a minute. For the most part they enjoy cruising at 50 much better. I can do that in either type boat.

Storage - My CC had a cabin so plenty of room with a pottie and some space if someone wants to get out of the weather etc. Also most CC's have archs, t-tops or Bimini tops. So the shade is available.
Fuel Consumption - My 30 foot CC with Mercury 2 strokes could get well over 2MPG(actually 3 sometimes) at cruise on regular gas. The twin carbed big blocks typically averaged me about 1MPG of high test. I know most will say if you have to worry about gas costs you should not be in the performance boat. But lets be realistic. Its not really about affording it as much as it is a reality of is it worth it to me. It gets even easier to have the CC when you have many friends with nice go fasts and can get on with them anytime.
Versatility - While I know a major portion of CC'c will never see a single fishing pole. I personally like being able to hit a local rock fish tournament. Finish a day fishing hit the local sandbar and next thing you know 8-10 people comfortable sitting hanging out on the CC. Get home spray it down with a hose and call it a day.

" I am still stuck with my old idea that a speedboat type of hull offers more comfort to the everyday drive! " - Arent most of the CC's hull basically identical with a different deck?

In the end I fault no one on either side of the fence. But judging by popularity alone it seems a lot of people get the CC thing.

John

I've never understood them, every other person on board besides the driver is constantly getting pounded by air. Really no place to get out of the sun or wind, Other than on the new insanely expensive center consoles with huge hard tops. Very fictional for the fishing folk is the only thing I see them as useful for. Personally I don't fish. If i do it comes fried with a beer. Everyone likes different things, those who have them seem to enjoy them. just not for everyone.

Maybe I am anti social but I don't want that many people on the boat to deal with their schedules, wants etc. If you are talking new then it is different as the new CC's are nuts for performance speed etc, but I would most likely get a OB cat if I was spending that type of money, we still like running fast, most of the time we cruise from 50-70 and hold it there for 30-60 mins. The cat would raise that.

When I look at replacing what I got in the same price range, that would mean a fishing CC and I don't fish.

As for reliability I have to say my 500's (Totally stock), have been really good. I did the top end maintenance at 300ish hours and pretty much run the motors. Close to 600 now. Fuel burn I get 1.8-2 mpg, unless I slow down to 40-45 then it SUCKS the gas. When repower comes along I most likely will go with a LS base injected motor, the ski boat/ air boat/ work boat guys are getting thousands of hours out of those units in my power range, for me to convert to OB would cost more.

Paying for glass work, setup time changing to OB etc.

That said when I look at OB sport boats (very few around) like the 33 AT I find those would better fit the way we boat. If we were still in the mid west where EVERY weekend we stayed on the boat that would be perfect, easy to tow, lots of cabin room and cockpit room, plenty to say about it.

But now really a Doug Wright cat would be the "Cats Ass" for me!

Agree 100%. But that's not the reason that I'll migrate to a CC for the next boat. The CC is more comfortable for hanging with guests, the cockpits for the go-fasts are small and cramped. I'm also done with squeezing into a bilge...done. Been there done that for 30 years. Longevity of outboards is another factor, cruising with a top on to keep out of the sun is another. I work outside pretty much 365 a year, limiting sun exposure is appreciated these days.

However, nothing will turn my head like the rumble or look of the go-fast, nothing, but for me the time has some for something different.

For me it has a lot to do with where you boat, at LOTO we typically go from dock to dock to dock most weekends with the occasional cove for a few hours. Easy to do on a performance I/O boat and all my friends also have a boat so I never need to put more than 4 people in my boat, or load it down with coolers/food/ect.
When we go down to the Keys to a buddies house there is usually 10-14 of us on a 39Nor-Tech CC, we can fit everyone, plus food, drinks(lots of them), ect for a full day of hitting the sandbars, and go over 100 miles a day comfortably. Wouldn't be possible with a performance type boat.
I wouldn't want a CC at LOTO, and I wouldn't want my performance boat in the keys.

I think it all comes down to versatility. I used to get ticked when someone would refer to my performance boats (had a cat and several v-hulls) as being "single purpose boats". Then I got my current boat - a Concept center console. Do I miss going fast? Do I miss having a true performance boat? Yes to both, but I have had more fun on my Concept in the past several years than I did on my prior performance boats. More user friendly for going to dinner at night by water. Less maintenance issues. Easier on gas. As with anything there are tradeoffs. I guess it all depends on where you live, what you like doing and how you like doing it. As many have said above - no right or wrong answer here. As I found out, sometimes you don't know what your missing if you have experienced it.

The same reasons there are more popular segments in the automotive industry like the boom of pick-up trucks, crossovers, and suvs. Are muscle cars and sport cars dead? No, but not being produced in the % of total manufactured numbers as in years past. The majority of todays boaters look for utility and right now C.C.s, toons, and wake boats fit that bill.

besides the fact you can gather like 10 or more people in them - Well for starters this is the main reason why for us.

Cabin are much bigger, if you dont sleep in there it offers more storage - Why would I want more storage that I don't use when the CC has more than enough storage for what I do use? Also we had the Sonic for a little over 3 years....never even spent more than 1hr in the cabin unless we where cleaning it. people don't sleep in boats a lot here in FL.

When it is too hot in the sun you can always hide yourself a bit. Same if it starts raining, everyone else besides the driver can hide and stay dry - going to go ahead and assume you have not got to ride in a lot of the newer CC's. With the new T-tops out there well more than just the driver can get under the top and out of the rain or sun. Unless you are clown caring your cabin you are not fitting more people down below than you are under a T-top.

Same on a windy day, or when water splashes from the wind - people are not riding in the cabin for the most part while a Closed Bow is out running in the water, not a comfy ride for anyone. The wind is no better or worse IMO then a typical close bow boat and the same goes with getting wet while running. An 8' or 9' beam is just that be it closed bow or open, you are going to get just as wet in either style given the same beam for the most part.

Lastly - as was already pointed out where you boat makes a HUGE difference. If I live up north on Say LOTO then there is a chance I would do a close bow I/O but down here, boating for 8 hrs or more a day and sand bar hopping, the CC style is well more fitting to our needs.

We recently moved to the LOTO area and I still can't decide what to get. I always wanted a V, then we moved here and I am starting to like these outboard cats....then I think about what I am using it for and CCs seem to tick the most boxes.

Maybe one of each??

Here's my comparison and .02.

Previous boat 30 Superboat w/525efi
Current boat 30 Concept CC w/300 Verado(s)

Passengers: 4 or 5 in the Super was fine while riding. Once you stop, it's a cluster f***. Concept 6-8 no problem, moving or stopped. Usually boat with wife and kids, so bringing anybody else on the Super was out.
Speed: Super = High 70's, Concept = low 70's, both boats accelerate pretty hard.
Ride: no comparison, but c'mon the Super was a race boat with nice seats. I don't like to "fly" the Concept, passengers are seated, but not as secure.
Cabin: Super was WAY bigger, at the expense of cockpit space. I don't really use my cabins anyway.
Fuel: negligable

Pushing the Super in rough water is really the only thing I miss about it.

Other things I like about the Concept
Bimini top
Walk thru transom, getting in and out of the boat without stepping on the seats.
I can remove almost all the cushions except for the helm and back seats and leave them home.
I can hear the stereo when I am riding.
Everybody on the boat can move around.
I can trim the motors way up when the water is low.
Working on the motors is easier.

I feel there is a huge hole in the market right now for a true high performance cruiser crossover, whatever you want to call it. I love center consoles for the raft up, hang out scene. I love my ZRC for poker runs. You can use either boat for both but you get hammered on aCC in poker run ( or any hard/difficult running as a passenger and there is no good hangout platform on my ZRC. Donzi & Nor-Tech have started to try something with the the 41GT and Monte Carlos (and they may evolve into something) while F.B. created (in my opinion) the perfect large OB cruiser with their 48 Fountain conversions. If you could build a fun to drive, room for a big group with wind protection, comfortable seating and a useable cabin, you will have a winner. I believe it could be easily done and should be done. Take a 40-42' fast CC hull and blend it with Formula SS.... wish I had the money and means to build it myself!


https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...0e15a1d873.jpg
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...581ec0fa77.jpg

+1. They are more confortable for hanging out with family and/or guest. Easier to work on cause I'm not trying to work inside the bilge. More storage space cause your not having to store motors. I prefer a center console with more of a go-fast cabin like a 33 oceanhawk so I agree with original poster on cabin, but you can have it both ways. Parts will likely be cheaper on stock outboards. Fuel is much cheaper.

You spend most of the day hanging out on the boat with maybe 3-4 cruises mixed in. It's nice to be able to invite friends. I'm usually boating with family, kids want to bring a friend, I'd like to bring a friend......which usually means his family too, pretty soon I'm up to 10 people. Don't get me wrong I like having a boat to myself as well, but sometimes yeah it's nice to be able to invite friends.

Comments on LOTO/closed bow IO are interesting. 5 years ago, as CCs were selling strong in FL, you might pass a couple of them a day at LOTO. How things change, now you see CCs all the time. You still see quite a few gorgeous muscle boats at LOTO, but as years pass, you see less and they are more prevalent on the big event weekends, especially the shootout. As for dock/bar/restaurant hopping which is very popular at LOTO, or tying up coving out, I've found getting in and out of the docks, tying up, etc is much easier in the CC than it was in my previous gofast boats. Then again, I'm just one of those older peeps that finally got to the point that I want to spend most of my time enjoying the boat and simplify maintenance. It's still always fun going down the main channel and getting your doors blown off by the sweet sound of the muscle boats though.:drool1:

I agree, seems a lot on here are talking about working in the bilge with Modified high horse power BBC, compared to stock outboards. Take the power out and talk about the style.

I get it if you want to take a bunch of people with you then a open bow, CC (NON fish ones), or pontoon will fit much better, for us and the people we boat with that just isn't how we boat. Most everyone has a boat so at the most it will be one other couple. But that is us and as others said, it all depends on how you boat.

Seems to me DONZI is trying more of a crossover styles, like Tom said with the 41GT V hull and now a less focused Cat. It will be interesting to see what works.

I will keep my big block offshore style boat because that's what I like not my passengers. I'm the one fueling, maintaining and paying for it not them. Call me greedy. If I or my family want to go on a party boat or CC I could just be a guest on someone else's. Im lucky I have plenty of friend who are always looking to take people out. My idea of a great day on the water is meeting people at a raft off with my go fast and jumping on others with lots of room. Some of the other CC owners also like going for a blast in my boat. IMO the goal is to roll with a community of friends with different style boats and then you get the best of all worlds. A smart person just has a lot of friends and doesn't own a boat LOL.

I owned a C.C. long before they became fashionable and you could run it and wash it and walk away. Now they are so blinged out and weather exposed I wouldn't want to clean one after the 10 guests depart.

looks like the formula 43 sc checks all the marks except hitting 80 mph

This 100%......... shade, silent longevity are a really nice combination!

Buying a cruiser for the wife and friends...Will NOT get rid of the Monkey just so "RGPIII", "Wrench Monkey", the rest of us knuckleheads and I can continue to blast poker runs and bars at will....NOTHING LIKE THE SOUND OF BIG BLOCKS AGAINST A RESTAURANT DOCKS ....:lolhit:

I maintain a 1990 v4 Evinrude, a 1986 Merc 46 black max, a 1994 Johnson v6 ocean-runner, a pair of 2010 Suzuki DF250s, a 2017 Yamaha f115, a pair of 2019 Yamaha 300s, a 2006 350hp small block volvo, and a pair of 1984 330s - 100% my self. oh yeah and a 2007 deleted 6.7L cummins.

They all have about the same amount of issues - excluding the <10 hours yamahas, Honestly the older ones other than wiring issues are the least trouble. The 4-stroke outboard faithful are starting to sound like the Cummins truck guys... "25MPG and 250k miles just getting broken in!" Nothing stops time - or internet "experts" IMO

Give me a fuel injected big block any day they are the easiest! And they sound good! And the look good!

+1 on cleaning an big outboard blingy CC - that is a lot of SeaDeck, and cleaning the console/hardtop isn't fun either!

Now that is what I call compromise. Glad you came to your senses Chris.

One guy missing......he must be snappin the cheese...

https://scontent.fslc2-1.fna.fbcdn.n...18&oe=5CFADA4F

I've had 20-25+ people on a Top Gun during the Miami Boat Show running around Miami and South Beach. Now THAT was crowded.
Oh yeah, it was a night so no sun concerns, and good thing too, as the Aqua Cops never hassled me after dark! (I averaged getting pulled over 2-3x a day.)
I venture to say only a few folks on this forum know how to get a go-fast on plane with an additional ~3500 lbs. of "cargo" aboard. :eek: :drink:

I'm going CC because after 27 years in performance boats I'm just done with the compromises and fuss.

I'm a big guy, now in my mid-fifties.
I'm done with climbing, crawling, jumping, stooping, no floor space, lack of storage and versatile seating, I/O's, maintenance, fuel economy, the list goes on...
It was a good time, and times I'll never forget, but also time to move on...

Don't want a cruiser as I really have no interest in staying aboard 20 mins from my house at the marina, as nice as it is.
Don't want a cruiser as they are zero fun to operate in relation to almost anything else
If I ever did get the bug to overnight or do a little destination cruising, nice used FW 90's sea Ray 27/29/30 even the original 310's are all easily had under 20K and are plentiful.

Don't want to sit on the floor in a big bowrider or any of the admittedly nice variations of that dayboat theme.
Don't want a traditional framed glass windshield
Don't want to be limited to a narrow center walk to the bow

I want a high quality "soap and water" boat with immense floorspace, outboards that are quiet and economical with a long lifespan
I want to sit up high off the deck in high quality seating, not have to take my boat shoes or sandals off if I don't feel like it, is easy to get to 360* around the boat, on and on and on..."ease of use" "low maintenance" "versatile" top priorities

Something that runs 50+MPH, gets 3 MPG at a lazy 30 MPH cruise, has a big tank equaling 400+ miles of range, ridiculous storage space, huge enclosed head, LeBroc captains chairs, big long bow loungers with backrests, the largest most well though-out T-top in the production boat segment, excellent construction and high quality rigging, big beamy rough water hull with a deep far-forward entry and some flare...
that the manufacturer has a great reputation for after-sale care and is willing to accommodate a few reasonable custom requests in the build...

I have a 10 year old who boats with me, who as miffed as she was about selling the 353 (and she still hassles me about that 18 mo. later) is going to love how fun and easy this is going to be for both of us.

She has done all the research and road-trips with me looking for the right CC for us.
We found the product and the dealer who has been exceptional thus far in every respect including pricing.

We may even fly down for a couple days to see our boat in build and take the plant tour.

Our new boat was ordered yesterday.

Cobia