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Hi all, I am beginning the thought process and mental/financial preparation to put myself on the 3-year or so boat plan. I am thinking about going back to a walkaround or cuddy just to make it a little more family friendly. I have a few boats in mind (top 3: Dusky, Regulator and Bluefin). I know I am probably comparing apples to oranges, but thats why I want to research. If I went the Reg route it would be one of the mid 90s express models that I would repower, Bluefin would be few years old and Dusky is on the top of my list for a NEW boat.
What kind of experience has anyone had with Dusky? The factory direct quality is appealing to me and they seem like pretty hardcore, no frills fishing boats. I have talked to a multiple Dusky owner already (thanks Bob!), but I want to open up the questions to the rest of the world. How do they hold up over time (glass, wiring, plumbing)? How do the handle in slop, do they drift well, fuel economy, etc?? I have been looking at the 25' walkarounds with probably twin 175-200 Etecs or Zukes. Most of my boating is in central to north jersey, stripers, fluke and inshore of 50 miles or so, but want the ability to venture a little farther on those really nice days. Anybody have any comments or experience? Thanks in advance!
__________________ "REEL ADDICTION"
24' Grady White Fisherman
better buy a mask to wear with that dusky purchase. I personally rode from the berry Islands to boca inlet. I thought maybe it was the captains fault we were getting pounded with water every single wave , but i took the helm and did everything to get the boat to ride bow up and it just came off every wave and pushed water staight into the boat. It was the worst ride of my life , we were soaking wet and had to actually stay in bimini to break up the trip.
I would not buy a Dusky new unless I lived in south Florida. Factory direct means just that NO cust service unless you take it back to the factory. Buying a new boat usually means a couple trips back to the dealer to make things right. I also looked at Dusky before I bought my last boat but got tired of adding up all the cost of "extras". The boats come as a shell and you have to add everything..........I would suggest buying a used Dusky letting someone else deal with rigging and new boat dealer issues and lask them throw in a good rain suit..
im not sure which model your looking at i assume a 25' or so.. but my experience w/ dusky is theyre heavier boats and are solid. However no frills is exactly what they are. the hull design is meant to keep the bow down to slice the waves or you'll get pounded a little. when riding bow down your more likely to get wet. a lot of negative things have been said about these boats but if you dont mind going slower in seas and getting a little wet, the boat will last you for many years.
MILO - 10/21/2006 9:26 AM
... them throw in a good rain suit..
I have no idea what model/motor Dusky the posts asserting a wet ride refer to, but I assure you that a properly rigged Dusky 233 is NOT a wet ride. In fact, it is a nice, dry ride. I have never gotten any spray in any head or following sea. In a churned up quartering sea, I have gotten minor spray on occasion. But any CC console is going to get at least some spray under those sea conditions. The FAC will ride even dryer because the helm position is further forward than on the CC.
The Dusky's ride is pretty good overall. There are some better, and many worse riding boats. A Dusky advantage over the smooth riding extreme deep-vees is it has significantly less draft, and you can use the boat in some fairly shallow creeks where you never those other brands. I think the hull is a bit tail heavy, not uncommon for bracket engined designs. I can see where the ride could be compromised if a pair of heavy 4-strokes was hung out there. But the same can be said for the Regulator 26. Stay with lightweight engines combos. In my opinion, tabs are a must have. With tabs, the nose position can be adjusted to get a reasonable ride in most conditions. My tabs are 12x12, adequate for the 233, but the 256 should have larger. It's incorrect to assert the Dusky is a boat where you have to slow way down when in gets choppy. Actually, it does better if you keep the speed up. Too slow, and the hull gets bogged down in the waves and does not do as well.
Unfortunately, MILO is correct about dealing with the factory remotely. It doesn't work very well. I do not think I would put myself through the experience of a new Dusky build again unless I lived in south FL. When I was looking at boats, well meaning posters suggested that the no-frills Dusky is built by a family group of craftsmen to a very high standard, and that there would be little likelihood of problems with the hull. That turned out to be misleading. They are built like most boats, with cheap labor, along with a few skilled people and overloaded supervisors. I had to take the boat back to FL at my expense to get some things taken care of because Dusky declined to pay for repairs locally. The boat is now one year old and there are a couple of other things I would like addressed, but I will probably just pay to have them done. Another costly trip back to FL is not worth it. I concur with MILO that the best Dusky is a used Dusky where somebody has already had the bugs worked out. That should not detract from the boat itself, which I will say is better than many other choices one could make for the money.
I've fished with a co-worker on his older Dusky CC, late 80's 25, several times. Solid, dry, safe. A couple of soft spots on the deck, but that is typical of a 20+ year old boat. I would bet Dusky has worked out those issues and you would be very happy.
Thanks for the info guys. I was looking at the 23 and 25 fish around cabins. I havent really looked into much yet in that I am not ready for anything new(er) yet. Yes, Parker is on my short list as well.
__________________ "REEL ADDICTION"
24' Grady White Fisherman
I had a good experience with my Dusky 233 FAC, but then again I really didn't have any problems with the boat. I'm in NJ. I had a pump fail and I they sent me a new one which I replaced myself. I get good local service on the engine from an Evinrude dealer. The boat has been great.
It is a super dry boat. I have never heard (until this thread) anyone say a Dusky is a wet boat. The ride is good. It is a really heavy boat that likes to stay in the water. A little tab helps when it gets rough.
The beam is 8'3" on the 233.
When I was looking at boats, the Parker was 20-25K more than the Dusky with the options I wanted. Duskys prices have gone up some since I bought mine.
If I can answer any questions on the 233 FAC, let mw know.
I believe that the Dusky 23 only has an 8 ft beam!
...implying the Dusky is not as roomy as other 23's? Not so. Anything the Dusky gives up in beam, is more than gained by the fact that all of the dusky's 23' is usable hull interior space. Nothing is lost to a eurotransom or motor well. The 23' is true centerline length of the hull only. With the bracket, the overall length is over 25 ft.
the Dusky is a very good & dry hardcore fishing boat. it is not fancy & does not have the fancy gel coat job that many mid to high end boats have but, it is a very duriable ,practicle , roomy ,dry fishing boat. it will serve you well for many years.
good luck
the Dusky is a very good & dry hardcore fishing boat. it is not fancy & does not have the fancy gel coat job that many mid to high end boats have but, it is a very duriable ,practicle , roomy ,dry fishing boat. it will serve you well for many years.
good luck
X2! I had a Dusky 203 FAC. It was a GREAT boat with more room than many other 'claimed' 20 ftrs. It did benefit from a set of Bennett Trim tabs. One fine boat for the money!
Parker 2310 and 2320. They were around 60K with a single.
What has been mentioned about the size of a Dusky is true and one of the reasons I was attracted to them. For example, we looked at the Key West 23 Walkaround and it was just tiny compared to the Dusky...and it was more money. Eurotransoms have some advantages, but they impede into the interior room and almost all builders count them in the overall length.
Boats are priced and sold by their length, but there are huge differences between the actual amount of room in this class of boat - all with the same basic model designation.
The 2 strongest points of a Dusky are construction and overall size. I looked at a lot of other boats and no other boat near the price was constructed as well. Its a 3 piece boat with the liner and hull bonded and glassed together under the gunnel cap. The sides of the hull are around 3/8" thick and the hull is solid glass with no coring. The bottom is over 1" thick.
Last, the FAC is a very unique layout in that it fishes like a CC but has more space behind the leaning post and better protection than a CC. I had a bunch of CC's and I will never own another one after fishing this layout.
I owned a smaller Dusky before buying my present Parker, and it was a great boat!
I too am suprised by the people who said the Dusky was a wet boat. That certainly wasn't my experience, and mine saw quite a bit of service in the Chesapeake Bay from Annapolis to the CBBT.
Look at the bow flare on the photos in this post, and compare to others in its class. Wet? That might have been the experience of some, but it certainly was not my experience!
My Dusky was a solid, no frills fishing machine that was high quality and never left me stranded.
Very much like the larger boat that followed her.
__________________ .
Capt. Kevin ~~~~~~~~~~><((((*>
bow flare is not the solution to keep you dry...its a poor attempt at best.
once the water is that hi (to the bow) the wind will just blow it right up in ur face
Megabyte - 10/24/2006 5:30 PM Tell that to Davis, Mann, and Spencer... then get back to us with their reply.
...Jarrett Bay, Ricky Scarbrough, B & D, ShearLine, and the rest of those Harkers Island/DownEast dumb azz boat builders. And while you're explaining how wrong they are, be sure and mention how foolish they are to use wood.
bow flare is not the solution to keep you dry...its a poor attempt at best.
once the water is that hi (to the bow) the wind will just blow it right up in ur face
Thoughts on Dusky 
