trophy sea swirl proline aquasport which one

[waterman]

trophy sea swirl proline aquasport in the 20 21 ft range whats the opinion on these boats what is better for a fishing boat / family boat for bay and ocean use ?

[Ludicrous]

trophy sea swirl proline aquasport in the 20 21 ft range whats the opinion on these boats what is better for a fishing boat / family boat for bay and ocean use ?

Well, all very comparable boats. Have you crawled around all of them at the dealer or boat shows? Owner input can be very opinionated. I'd have a hard time choosing between the four, but I'd lean toward the Pro-Line. Sea trial the boats you like. If your new to boating a sea trial may not be of any benefit (meaning you may not know what to look for in handling characteristics). Maybe take an experienced captain with you. Should be pretty easy to find one on the boating forum in your area.

[TooReel]

I have a 2004 Trophy 2103 and I love the boat. Despite what you read on a lot of other forums it is actually very well built. I've had it out in some pretty nasty conditions and it gives a good dry ride and very little pounding for a 21 foot boat. Access to items like bilge pumps, wash down pumps is pretty good and a lot better than I've seen on more expensive boats. Wiring is fairly neat and color coded. I just wish it was tinned marine wire instead of automotive stuff. The head was the main selling point for me. My Mother and Mother in law like to fish and them hanging it over the side or using a bucket is out of the question. I have the 225 four stroke engine on mine and honestly I think it is too much weight in the transom. A 200 or 225 Opti would be a better choice.

If I had to purchase a new boat I would have to look hard at Pro-Line. The factory is just a few miles from my weekend place and there is strong dealer support in the area.

trophy sea swirl proline aquasport in the 20 21 ft range whats the opinion on these boats what is better for a fishing boat / family boat for bay and ocean use ?

[KillerB]

I think all are about the same tier of quality and price.

And since you're talking used (since Aquasport hasn't been made for 3 or 4 years), I think it comes down to what's on the market, at what price and with what options.

I personally wouldn't put a 4 stroke on any of these boats. I'd go DFI for sure. So your motor brand preference will probably weigh more in this decision than the hull. A late model 150 or 200 Optimax will make any of these 45 mile an hour rigs. And give you enough power to push through ocean swells.

I've owned the Proline (20') and used exactly how you describe. I wouldn't buy another for the same purpose. Ride was just too rough for me. I've been on the Trophy and Striper and would be OK with those. I've been on old Aquasports (70's) and they were built like tanks. Reminds me of the old Makos. They do have a lot of wood in the older ones so you have to be careful what you buy.

If you like them all, I think it comes down to the best buy dollar wise.

[triumphrick]

trophy sea swirl proline aquasport in the 20 21 ft range whats the opinion on these boats what is better for a fishing boat / family boat for bay and ocean use ?

I don't see these boats for sale for much less than SeaHunt, KeyWest, Scout and some of the other mid tier boats. The ProLine would fall in line with the boats I have listed. 2 strokes are old technology. 4 strokes are the way to go. I feel they are going to last you much longer and have fewer problems.

As Ludicrous mentioned, if you aren't an experienced boater, you will need to have one with you as you try these boats out. Probably not worth having surveyed, but at least have a mechanic or experienced boater make sure you are getting what you pay for. As far as the type of boat, a Center Console will be the best fishing boat, just from the way they are layed out. Next would be a Dual Console, some in that size will have room for a porta potti. The next in line that is a lot more family friendly will be a Walkaround. Good luck!

[Chisox]

Now most of you know who I work for, but the Aquasport 215 DC (the older one, vintage 2000, not the newer, curvier one) is an excellent boat for fishing and the family. The port console can accomodate a portapotti, she has a nice bow rider area for the kids, a below deck ski storage locker that's BIG in between the consoles, and she fishes well. A lot of times, it is the Admiral and the off-springs that make the decision...

Yeah, I know, I used to work for AS/Wellcraft. Wired many a 215 DC. But I loved that boat! Especially with a 225. 200 was a little light.

[autobaun70]

I would personally go either proline or seaswirl out of the 4 you mention, and would throw sea hunt into the mix. To me, though their build quality has improved greatly, the trophy does not have nearly enough bow flare. Proline has a solid reputation, though not a top of the line boat, they are solid. Then there is sea swirl. I spend quite a bit of time on a 94 23' walk around, very solid boat, dry, and rides great. If they new ones are even comparable to it, I wouldn't have a single reservation about owning one.

Edited September 1, 2009 by autobaun70

[TooReel]

A year ago I would have agreed. After putting a season on my four stroke I'm not sure. It's hard to beat the low-mid range of a two stroke when your making a long cruise to the fishing spots and trolling. I'm in the market for a new boat soon and more than likely it will have ETEC's or HPDI's on it.

2 strokes are old technology. 4 strokes are the way to go. I feel they are going to last you much longer and have fewer problems.

[Cracker Larry]

Despite what you read on a lot of other forums it is actually very well built.....snipped.....

I just wish it was tinned marine wire instead of automotive stuff. The head was the main selling point for me.

No offense to your boat, but that is a complete contradition. No well built boat will use automotive grade wire. It is in violation of USCG and ABYC standards. If they cut corners on something as important as wiring, they cut a lot more corners that you can't see This is a fact.

Aquasport, Sea Swirl and Proline are reasonably equal in quality. Decent middle of the road boats. Trophy is last. No offense meant to anyone, most think the boat they chose is a good one, and they are often picked because the wife likes the head rather than the quality of construction.

For reference, I'm a custom boat builder and a small craft marine surveyor. My recommendation would be to get a survey before buying anything, especially if it's used. Even if all 3 of those brands left the factory as theoretically equal in quality, there could be all kinds of issues that develop over time. I'd survey a boat like that for about $250, to give you a price idea, and it could save you thousands, or at least guide you towards making an informed decision. I'm not soliciting the business, just making a suggestion.

Good luck with your purchase!

[TooReel]

No offense to your boat, but that is a complete contradition. No well built boat will use automotive grade wire. It is in violation of USCG and ABYC standards. If they cut corners on something as important as wiring, they cut a lot more corners that you can't see This is a fact.

Perhaps I'm wrong about the wire. But when I was changing out my wash down and live well pumps the wire did not look tinned.

Trophy is last. No offense meant to anyone, most think the boat they chose is a good one, and they are often picked because the wife likes the head rather than the quality of construction.

I'm not writing this to disagree here but just to add my .02 on the subject. I have been away from boating and fishing for many years. When we sold our last one and house in Marathon they had just started to widen the road so it was a while ago. When I started looking I had some specific goals in mind.

1: Family, we spend a lot of time in the river and springs (Homosassa). With a wife, teenage daughter, 3 yr old son and parents that are not spring chickens hanging it over the side is not always a option.

2: Fishing, I needed a boat that I could take the kids and parents fishing around the flats and one I could go 20-25 miles offshore with confidence.

3: Something I can put in the lake and do tubing and cruising. I live on a lake in Central Florida and spend my weekends in Homosassa so I trailer the boat quite a bit.

I did my homework and made a list of potential boats. We spent several weekends going around and looking and doing sea trials. At the end this boat won. The layout is perfect for what we wanted. The built in swim platform with transom door makes it easy for the kids and parents to swim and get back in the boat. I felt the newer four stroke Mercaha would be a reliable engine and it had a roomy center console with a front door that made getting into the head easy for the family. And it had a great electronics package with factor mounted GPS, fishfinder and VHF. My only regret now is the performance of the four stroke on the boat. Now that we have had it for a year and loved every second of it we are going to start the search for a new one in the 24-26 foot range.

Internet forums are a good start when looking for a new boat but you have to get out there, look and ride to find the best one for your needs.