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View Full Version : Classic comfort questions....



2bar
08-02-2006, 04:55 PM
Will I have trouble fitting in an 18' Classic? I'm worried about my knees getting shredded between the steering wheel and controls in rough waters. I sat in a 16' and 18' and the 16' was too tight. The 18' seemed okay, but it was stationary.

I'm 6'3" and 225lbs. My g/f is 5'9" and 135lbs. The boat only needs to accomodate us and our gear.

Also, how easy it is to get in/out of the boat in shallow water? Most of our boating is done anchored offshore at an island with no beach...pretty much everyone hangs out in 3-5' of water tied together and swims and relaxes.

Is there any difference in the freeboard or 'cockpit' area between the 18' and 22'?

RedDog
08-02-2006, 06:42 PM
You and your girl friend will fit in an 18 easy. The seats slide back to give knee room. As far as gear goes, you'll have to learn to be more efficient with what you take in any Classic - it's worth it.

As far as getting into the boat from the water, the usual method is to carefully use the drive as a step up to the transom - 18s, 22s, and I assume the same for 16s. JW (Jamie at Lakeside Marine - advertiser on this board) posted about a boarding ladder that looks promising for use on a Classic - do a search.

Freeboard on a 22 is a lot higher on a 22 compared to an 18. As far as cockpit room goes I see little difference but my wife is convinced the 22 is a lot bigger - I've never measured....

Ranman
08-02-2006, 07:15 PM
I'm 6'4" @ 260lbs and drive an 18 Classic every weekend! You fit fine to drive, but these are little boats. Everytime I see pics of me in the boat, I think it looks like I'm driving a floating go-cart.

Getting in and out is a challenge but not too bad in shallow water. Like Red Dog said, many (me included) use the outdrive as a ladder, but it's tricky and you need good sea legs. I've never seen a very good (read convenient) boarding ladder so I make do. We party in a bay that's 3' - 4' deep every weekend with no issues.

I will say that with gas prices the way they are, the little Classics are good on the gas relativly speaking. I get 3-4mpg while cruising and the 40 gallons goea a long way compared to the big boys.

2bar
08-03-2006, 08:55 AM
Thanks for the replies! Yeah, efficiency will be key. I sold my 23' Supra which also had a small cuddy...so I was able to bring everything but the kitchen sink!

I'm on Lake Minnetonka every weekend right now with buddies since I'm boat-less, if anyone else boats out here, chime in!

Oh yeah, my girl and I have great sea legs...I've been at it for years, and she has too...in fact she once thought she'd have her own bass-fishing show! :boat:

Anyhoo, as I tell my friends, boating is a 'full contact' sport...be prepared for bumps and bruises.

Josh

gold-n-rod
08-03-2006, 09:46 AM
Here's right what any Classic owner needs:

http://www.boatus-store.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=20002&langId=-1&catalogId=20002&productId=7485

The mount for the step requires 4 small holes to be drilled in the sidewall of the cockput. I put mine behind the seat cushion so it's hidden. I could also remove the side speaker and reach behind to tighten the nuts on the bolts. The kit comes with self-tapping screws, but I felt better about through bolts.

The way it works is that you put your right foot in the step (no hokey-pokey involved!), grab the windshield or seat, put all your weight on the step and swing your left foot into the boat like getting on a horse. Once it's mastered, it's very easy to use. Just remember to bring it back on board after using. It bangs along the side of the boat if you don't (don't ask me how I know that).

I give it 4 stars.

PS: My experience is using this on a 16, which has very little freeboard. You 22 owners' mileage my vary.

2bar
08-03-2006, 10:02 AM
That does looks pretty slick. The boat I'm looking at was out at the Island last weekend. It doesn't have a windshield, and since it's an 18', it has a fairly low freeboard. Since my girl and I are rather tall, we can just reach in to grab things (beer/soda) and don't have to get in/out that often.

I'm considering having a red-powdercoated extreme marine swim platform made, as well as a custom tuck/roll matching sun pad that snaps/tethers on.

Some may say heresy, but it needs to be practical for my use. I spend a LOT of time just lounging on the platform. I like the half in/out of the water aspect of it. I don't like sitting in the cockpit all day, and I don't like standing in the water all day. Where we boat, there are no other choices...there isn't a beach.

A nice sporty platform would cover a lot of bases. It would give us more space to relax, and it would also ease the ability to get in/out in 3-5' of water where we always are.

gold-n-rod
08-03-2006, 10:18 AM
That does looks pretty slick. The boat I'm looking at was out at the Island last weekend. It doesn't have a windshield, and since it's an 18', it has a fairly low freeboard. Since my girl and I are rather tall, we can just reach in to grab things (beer/soda) and don't have to get in/out that often.
I'm considering having a red-powdercoated extreme marine swim platform made, as well as a custom tuck/roll matching sun pad that snaps/tethers on.
Some may say heresy, but it needs to be practical for my use. I spend a LOT of time just lounging on the platform. I like the half in/out of the water aspect of it. I don't like sitting in the cockpit all day, and I don't like standing in the water all day. Where we boat, there are no other choices...there isn't a beach.
A nice sporty platform would cover a lot of bases. It would give us more space to relax, and it would also ease the ability to get in/out in 3-5' of water where we always are.

Well, as a seasoned sand bar boater, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but your plan is pretty weak. You say you "don't like sitting in the cockpit all day," but that's all there is. The 18's have a bit of a rise on the hatch lid and there's cleats on the rear deck, too. Sorry, but it will NEVER be a sunpad. The custom platform might work on a 22, but there's really no room around the drive/tabs on an 18.

Believe me, I researched this very carefully when I was considering a 22. I ended up keeping my big boat (see below). When we want to boat on the sand bar or take more than 2 or 3, we take the big boat.

Good luck.

2bar
08-03-2006, 11:45 AM
Well, it wouldn't be the end of the world...all my buddies have bigger boats and I hang out on theirs....I'm more looking for a really cool taxi to get there and back.

Kim and I decided we'll never stay overnight, so don't need a cuddy, and we don't want to bring others with us, so don't need much room. Also, we have no kids, etc.

Basically, a hot-rod for the lake.

I was hoping to get some sort of platform on there, and maybe I'll still look into Dana Marines aluminum steps if I end up with an 18'. This particular boat doesn't have tabs.

The sunpad idea was basically just to ease stepping/kneeling from the drive to the cockpit. My intent is not to lay down on it...can do that on the front with a towel. I understand about the hump on the back, it's not as tall as it seems, only stuck up about 1" on this '97. Some look taller in pics tho.

I may end up with a 22', but I don't like the windshields on these. Still shopping per se.

boxy
08-03-2006, 02:40 PM
2bar, please be careful of the cleats getting in and out of the boat, you never know when tragedy might strike. Let the poor unfortunate MI Donzi owner's plight below be a lesson to us all...... :D
_______________________________________________


....."Okay, okay, I have one.

I will preface this story by saying that I think this whole thing was premeditated by my Fiancée in an attempt to have some sort of story telling leverage for the future. I believe this because she IS the one who bought me the dreaded kevlar (or whatever the hell that material was) swimming trunks AND suggested we go out that day. I still blame her.

A few summers ago, I took Donzi Jenn out on our family's Chapparral 1930SS. At the time, I lived with my folks who have a beautiful home situated on a private lake in Commerce, MI. It was a weekday, after work, and it was always nice to come home from a long day and head out to the sandbar to relax for a bit.

Out in the middle of the lake was a nice little sandbar spot that was perfect for sitting and swimming. After pitching the anchor overboard from the open bow. I decided to hop into the knee-deep water to pull the anchor out a bit and set it by hand. As I swung one leg over the front of the bow and began to swing over the other to hop out, I lost my balance and began to tumble overboard. (This is where the story gets good.) While tumbling overboard my new, super-strong, *kevlar* bathing suit got hooked on the forward bow cleat. Although it ripped considerably, the *kevlar* now had a very firm hold of the cleat and was not even close to letting me go. It was effortlessly holding up my entire body weight with no problem. To illustrate further, the suit ripped in such a way that it was basically a ring of material with one end hooked around the cleat and the other between my legs, flossing my ass. (Damn those thru-bolted cleats.)

So I'm hanging there, over the front of this boat, bathing suit strung up through my ass, with my pecker and clockweights hanging out flying in the breeze, swinging around cause my feet are still off the ground.

I hung there for no less than ten to fifteen minutes trying to free myself, all the while, fisherman and wakeboarders are cruising by checking out the situation (or my package, or the lack thereof). Here I am, with nothing really to hold on to and neither Jenn nor I were strong enough to pull me back into the boat. I couldn't get any leverage with my feet since the slippery hull at the bow of a V bottom heads under the boat. I tried feverishly to tear the material hooked around the cleat all the while looking like a fish trying to escape from the hook in its mouth. All this effort seemed to be for nothing, so I got mad. I yelled at Jenn for not being strong enough to pull all 250lbs of me in. I wriggled and fought for what seemed to be an eternity. I think I was about to cry.

Finally, just as Jenn was getting ready to fire up the boat and take us home so we could get something to cut me free, I had a vision of having to idle all the way down the canal, in front of all the homes, hanging basically naked off the front of this boat. I rejected that thought and in a last ditch attempt, I managed to get enough strength to miraculously un-hook myself and fall to my knees in the water. Let me just point out that I have NEVER been overcome with such a feeling of relief in my entire 28 years on this planet. I quickly recovered while in the water, boarded the boat (from the swim platform of course) and got the hell out of there. Fortunately, I only suffered for a day or so from a bruised ego and some purple coconuts. "

joel3078
08-03-2006, 04:16 PM
Thanks for the replies! Yeah, efficiency will be key. I sold my 23' Supra which also had a small cuddy...so I was able to bring everything but the kitchen sink!
I'm on Lake Minnetonka every weekend right now with buddies since I'm boat-less, if anyone else boats out here, chime in!
Oh yeah, my girl and I have great sea legs...I've been at it for years, and she has too...in fact she once thought she'd have her own bass-fishing show! :boat:
Anyhoo, as I tell my friends, boating is a 'full contact' sport...be prepared for bumps and bruises.
Josh

Hey 2bar, Tonka is the lake I go on also. Be on the lookout for a 24' Donzi Black Widow (red & white). Well have it out there in a couple of weeks after we get back from Sturgis.
Pics and a video of the boat here.
http://www.joelek.com/pages/11/index.htm

2bar
08-04-2006, 08:50 AM
Hey 2bar, Tonka is the lake I go on also. Be on the lookout for a 24' Donzi Black Widow (red & white). Well have it out there in a couple of weeks after we get back from Sturgis.
Pics and a video of the boat here.
http://www.joelek.com/pages/11/index.htm

Have fun in Sturgis, I was going to go, but we're going to the sand dunes in Laramie instead over Labor day. I think my Dad is on his way there now.

I think I've seen your boat. I had a red Supra Pirata, 23', has the newer Launch graphics (big red S) on the sides. It's still out there, docked in Deephaven.

Now I spend a lot of time in a Mastercraft 240SC, white with black stripe, and also a white/blue stripe Chris Craft Concept 24'. Also, the 30' Bayliner with the flybridge, and the 'Reel Nauti' 32'.

2bar
08-04-2006, 08:54 AM
2bar, please be careful of the cleats getting in and out of the boat, you never know when tragedy might strike. Let the poor unfortunate MI Donzi owner's plight below be a lesson to us all...... :D


This is part of the reason I want some solid step/platform of some sort. This particular 18', a 260lb guy was on it a few weeks ago, and 'de-flowered' the lift ring. Apparently he was standing on the lower unit taking a leak, slipped, and it reamed his sphinchter (sp?), apparently it wasn't pretty, and he bled pretty bad.

The fact that it is even a possibility scares me!!