Finally got my new to us boat in the water. Feedback please.

[Can_38]

Mother nature was finally nice to us up here in southern Ontario and took my family out fishing for the first time on our new to us 13' BW. The boat handled as expected but here are a few things I'd like to mention and hear some feedback on:
1) I learned not to use reverse whenever possible due to the short transom...swamped the boat pretty bad! The entire splash well was over flowing into the boat and gas / battery where floating
2) My gas mileage was not as good as I expected. I estimated 30km at either 3/4 throttle or WOT and burnt threw 5.5 gallon tank, made it back to launch on fumes, outboard is a 1994 two stroke 40hp Force. Roughly 425lbs of cargo.
3) My hole shot varied throughout the day, some where extremely snappy and got onto plane very fast vs. others where painfully slow but eventually it got up onto plane (outboard does have electric trim/tilt)

Here is a picture of my son catching his first perch of the day http://www.allcarson.ca/pics/CanadaDa...daDay1.jpg

[SirWhite]

Really interested in these boats. How did you find the layout? And is the front deck big enough to fish from? I looked at a 16 footer last year with a 70 two stroke (same years as yours) and really liked the incorporation of the wood and console.

 

And if your gonna swamp any boat that's the one to do it in!

[Can_38]

Really interested in these boats. How did you find the layout? And is the front deck big enough to fish from? I looked at a 16 footer last year with a 70 two stroke (same years as yours) and really liked the incorporation of the wood and console.

 

And if your gonna swamp any boat that's the one to do it in!

 

I love the layout and for a 13' 6" boat it is EXTREMLY stable. The front deck is definetly big enough to fish from, I weigh roughly 185lbs and can barely get it to rock in any direction when up front Only negative is very little storage.

 

As for swamping....yes BW are not going to sink but man I only had it in reverse for one quick shot before it was too late. Lesson learned.

[mike rousseau]

That mileage sounds about right... 30km is a lot of water to cover.....

 

When I do a big day... Fishing 18 miles each way... I'll burn 5-7 gallons in 10 hours.... And that's a 1 year old 50 4 stroke....

[Tim Mills]

Great picture worth ever penny when u see that I'm sure .