The brutal truth: Parker vs Steigercraft vs Maritime Skiff (and Dusky too)

[DG2467]

Alright. Let me have it. I want your opinion.

Looking to buy new or used for light tackle/fly fishing and family outings in New England waters (primarily Cape Cod, Massachusetts South Shore and Rhode Island). Would prefer a 21' CC but considering needs of wife and two small kids (two and five) for some additional protection from weather, now considering a small cuddy.

Needs are: stable and relatively dry, relatively (for a cuddy) good casting area and fishability, ability to handle the occasional snot without freaking out the wife (no major offshore ventures planned) and trailerable, willing to spend between $25K to $35K.

OK, here at the top contenders:

Parker 2130 Sport Cabin
· Length 21’
· Beam 8’6”
· Draft 15”
· Dry wt 3250 lbs
· Power Yamaha F200
· Deadrise 21 degrees
· Trim tabs
· Hydraulic steering

Steiger Craft 21 Chesapeake
· Length 20’6”
· Beam 8’
· Draft 9”
· Dry wt 2500 lbs
· Power Suzuki DF140
· Deadrise 14 degrees
· Trim tabs

Dusky 233FC
· Length 23’3”
· Beam 8’3”
· Draft 13”
· Dry wt 3500 lbs
· Power Mercury 225 EFI (2 or 4 stroke)
· Deadrise 20 degress
· Trim tabs
· Hydraulic steering

Maritime Skiff 20 Pioneer
· Length 20’7”
· Beam 7’7”
· Draft 11”
· Dry wt 1800 lbs
· Power Honda BF115 or Suzuki DF115 (both four stroke)
· Deadrise 14 degrees
· Trim tabs

Whaddya think? Let me have it.

Thanks!

[kamikaze1228]

Hey, that funny i read this on www.thehulltruth.com last night.

I am in the market too. Waiting for Boat Show to form a better opinion. I have to say I do like the Dusky's.

[rgreen]

I would go with the Parker, It has a larger beam and draft. This will give it a better ride. The paarkers are good reliable boats, especialy with small children on-board. Just my two cents worth.

[DuffyB]

My advice would be to rethink the cuddy. I was in a similar position a year and a half ago and decided not to go with a cuddy. You have to ask yourself, honestly, how much will you actually use the cabin? I came to the conclusion that I wouldn't really use it that much.

There isn't enough room in the cabin for your family to overnight on the boat. Also, if it is snotty enough that they will want to be in the cuddy, my guess is you won't be out on the boat anyway.

I went with a 20' Key West dual console with a 150 Yamaha hpdi. It is very comfortable in most conditions. I find that I am comfortable going out 90+ percent of the time. If it's blowing 20 or more, I'm either in protected (from the wind) areas or not out at all. Boat, motor and trailer for about 22k.

For my family, I am convinced it was the right decision although I must admit my wife is not at all hard core.

Just my .02 - Anyway hope you end up with the right boat for you. Life is too short not to have one.

[Lucky]

Have you looked at Edgewater's 225? Might be a boat to consider in your search.

[Codfisher]

I would definately go with the Parker but I doubt you can get one for under $30K.

[Too Fly]

Please don't slay me for this...

I heard that there's way too much wood in the Parkers. I've also been told that the glass job on the wood components is relatively thin, which makes the amount of wood in the boat a potential problem. They sure look nice though, my brother is still dreaming about the 25' Sport Cabin that he saw at the last show in Boston.

Paul

[Codfisher]

I wont slay you toofly (maybe swat:D ))

Parkers do have wood but they are fully encapsulated and built like a tank.

Check out the forums on parkerboats.net for more info (or even ask that question)..lots of good information.

When the lottery comes in I'll be running a 2830 SC/DV all the way to Cashes and back!

[aqua]

Buy the Parker best overall quality. Maritime expensive and have a wood floor and used to have delam issues.

[Slamdance]

Parkers have wood floors too. There's nothing inherently wrong with wood; it's by far the best material to build a boat with as long as it is treated correctly. I own a Parker and a Maritime Skiff and haven't any issues with wood in either one. The Parkers are indeed built like tanks.

Those Duskys are great boats too but having to buy direct from the factory, with no dealer network, would make me think twice about buying a new one so far from the factory.

[mctrout]

Hard to argue with this rig-even cheaper than a parker after you add everything you want- not to mention they do it for you. lifetime warrantee- any color you want and any power (unlike Parker) can't wait to get her out there if it stops snowin'

[JimC]

The light green is the Montauk 21' (Mine now!) the blue hull is the 21' Chesapake, with tradtional "bass boat" style cuddy. Very sweet. Had me second guessing myself for a minute.

Not sure they'll be that much less than the Parker when you're done. Standard recessed trim tabs and hydraulic steering are nice though.

[Slamdance]

Beautiful boats guys!

[mctrout]

Nice Rig Jim- Congrats
What kinda power are you going with?
I am rigging a 140 Johnson 4 stroke right now- Better be done soon or I will be losing some dough. Didn't get a trailer yet, if you have any ideas I would love to hear them as I will need it by mid-summer when I move her out to Montauk
take care
Brendan

[dollarshort]

I went with the Maritime even up against the Parker. Alot of variables and you need to be 100% honest with yourself and your needs.

[Too Fly]

McTrout,

Is your new boat a Super Fly? If you don't mind me asking, how much?

Sweet ride Dollar. Is she brand new this season? Is that a 115 or 130?

Paul

[dollarshort]

Not sure what Super Fly means.

The engine is a 90hp. Tops out at 39knts ( around 40mph ). Planes around 12mph. Terrific on gas too.


I got the boat last August and have been doing work on it. So I did not get to fish it that much last season. I put a bow rail on and all the electronics. This is the fisrt full season for her.

The boat was a leftover so I STOLE the boat. I paid low 20's for B/M/T.

[Too Fly]

Sorry bout that Dollar. The Super Fly question was directed at McTrout.

Check it out:

www.steigercraft.com/main/superfly/sf21new.html (http://www.steigercraft.com/main/superfly/sf21new.html)

Paul

[dollarshort]

Those are sweet! What do they run
?

[Too Fly]

I've heard with a 150 Optimax, they go for roughly 36K without trailer.

I'd like to see one in person one of these days.

[dollarshort]

Thats too steep for my blood!!! I feel great about my deal now.

[Too Fly]

Same here, but I do like the looks of that Steiger Craft.

I got my 18' Maritime with a 75 Honda(62 hours), Calkins trailer, transom trolling motor, sounder and a few extras for under 14K. Not bad for a 99...

Paul

[dollarshort]

I looked at the 18 and I got the 20 for less $$. Fully rigged they wanted $30. The 20 was only $24K

[Too Fly]

Wait... the 18 for 30K! :eek:

If so, that's way out of hand.

[dollarshort]

That was the 18 with rear deck and casting platform and some other bells and whistles

[Too Fly]

That price is still outrageous. I love my Maritime, but 30K for a new one?

I was wrong by the way about the 21' Super Fly. Standard with ALL the bells and whistles(check it out), the boat lists for 41K with a Yamaha 150 hpdi.

[dollarshort]

Do they kiss you first at least?

[sammy]

Have you considered the Privateer? The 21' has a great hull and is a really nice ride.

[mctrout]

Hey Too Fly-
Sorry for the late response. Love those Maritimes BTW have 5 friends with them one 18, the rest 20s. some paid 7k some 32K. really great platform to work with.

The Superfly is to be a guide boat, so money is no object right? the hull only is 28K, they gave me a discount as a guide, but not much. hardly double digit percentage points. they pre-rig for Mercury, although I am in the process of hanging a 140 Johnson 4-stroke. Price $7300 plus riggin ($1000) so total would be $36,300 and yes...No Trailer!!!
Looked at others but since the Superfly comes with all the options, it would have been about the same for a Parker, with no choice of power but Yamaha. I would have had to rig all the options myself (No Time) and still would have been short on the the things that the Superfly has. This in no way is ripping on Parker, this just means the Superfly is fully finished inside and out. Troll-n-Tabs, Birdsall Leaning post, 8 hatches for storage and a huge fish box, Gaffrig gauges and controls, Edson wheel, lifetime Hull Warrantee.

So there it is- too bad boat companies have the worst customer service in any industry on earth. The key thing I have learned, Give them the least amount of money up front, so they work to get the rest. there is no such thing as "In good faith" motivational paying. the outboard place (All Island Marine- LI NY) has had the boat 6 weeks and has barely touched it. guess that tip $ should have waited until they were done!!!

[Codfisher]

Superfly looks nice but I wouldn't care to be in any seas over 3ft with a 14 degree deadrise. Strictly an inshore hull design IMHO.

[dollarshort]

I will agree that boat dealers have some of the worst customer service in the world. Sometimes however the squeeky wheel gets the grease. I found if you call and pester them and even hound them to the point of exhaution they usually get the job done pretty quick. The more of a pest you are the quicker they try to get you out of thier shop.--123-3

[JimC]

My recent new boat purchase (Steiger) was remarkably straighforward, effecient and painless, other than writing those checks. Upon delivery, my boat had punch list of about 6 things that needed squared away; some minor, some cosmetic and one annoying finish issue. The dealer, Ocean House Marina (RI) and Steiger bent over backwards to get everything squared away including re-engineering and refabricating a feature that just wasn't right for a boat of that expense. The boat arrived on the lot 3/31 and was ready to go within two weeks.

In some regards I looked at the whole deal as buying a dealer as much as a boat. In my boat search I was given bad phone; I wasn't taken seriously by some dealers; and elsewhere I was told my choices were crap...needless to say my money's elsewhere. I work hard to earn my client's trust, Ocean House and Steiger certainly worked for mine. Too bad other retailers take their bank balances for granted. :(

[striperlouie]

Parker makes a great product! Not a structural hull failure in 30 years! That really makes a statment...

[dollarshort]

Striperlouie,

Great boat! For me it was a toss up between the Parker and the Maritime.I chose the Maritime. It was a great choice but I have to admit, everytime I see a Parker I double or triple take and think....... DAMN thast a sweet looking ride.

[AlderBrookFarm]

OK, I'm looking for pro's/cons on a 1985 Steigercraft. It's a CC looks to be about 18' no motor. Sitting in a guys yard with a for sale sign, no other info. Maybe the guy is just looking for company but he wasn't home. At any rate is it worth going back to see what he wants for it? Ride? Heavy? Typical problems? Thanks

[JimC]

There have been several changes in hull design since then.I think the hull was built like a rock but the bottom was fairly flat and the bow entry shallow.The mechanic that seatrialed with me had an '84 and commented that the ride was completely different with his old boat being a "kidney breaker". Maybe tabs would help I don't know. I'd call Steiger in Bellport LI directly and ask them. They'll tell you whats what.

[ghinson]

Any opinions on this ad:

http://adcache.boattraderonline.com/6/4/8/49665048.htm

Seems kinda cheap, but I know nothing more then is in the ad.

Currently have an offer on a 20' Maritime Skiff ('95 hull, '99 90HP Johnson motor), but saw this last night.

Thanks,

Greg

[gf2020]

Greg:

I've been watching that ad for a couple of months. The price has been dropping. I have not called the guy in GA but the boat looks like a great deal. I have a buddy down in Atlanta but he travels a lot and I have not been able to have him check out the boat locally.

Road trip!

[ghinson]

Problem is, I think Darien is on the coast and is at least 3 hrs from Atlanta. Could be wrong. It's definitely too far for me. You'd have to look at it first, wouldn't you? Arghh.