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Seriously looking at picking up a Hydra-Sport 18' CC for my first boat and am looking for some devils... of the advocate persuasion Pros and alternate boats would be appreciated also but I'm really looking for reasons not to buy this one.
Hey Look:
The best advise you could get about this boat is not the boat itself (though I have heard Hydra-Sport makes a great ride) but where you intend to use the boat. For instance the boat you are looking at may be great in a calm, shallow bay. But I would not venture out into the deep blue atlantic very far with it. Nothing wrong with the boat it is just not designed for all types of water.
Again, the best thing to do is "match the cast with the hatch" as it were. Determine the primary waters you intend to use the craft in, then find the boat that is right for the waters.
From what I hear though, you can't go wrong with a Hydra-Sports. Hope this helps. Good Luck, Man!
Now there's a mixed metaphor if there ever was one! I think you want to "match the hatch with the fly!"
I think what Frank S is getting at is that you want to buy a boat that meets your intended use. Is the Hydra-Sports 180 a good boat? Yes! Is it the right boat for you? Maybe!
Where are you located? What kind of boating do you intend to do? How many passengers will you regularly carry? Answer a few questions and provide a bit more information and I am sure you will get some more responses.
P.S. Also consider the Parker 1801, Scout 185, Key West 1900 and Sea Pro 190 in the same general price range.
[This message was edited by gf on 01-21-03 at 11:05 PM.]
Sorry folks, I should have given you some insight into my choice. Range would be Cape Ann, MA through Fishers Island, CT... maybe further. Most of my time would be spent in Boston Harbor, Cape Cod Bay, Nantucket and Vineyard Sound but I'd also like to hit the south side of Martha's Vineyard and East of Chatham, MA on better days. My thinking is that this size boat would be easy enough to haul around to all the locations I want to get to and the deadrise could handle the afternoon chop and rollers we get in New England.
gf - I've heard good things about Parker, Scout, Key West and Sea Pro too. Each of these is slightly shallower V so I was leaning towards the HS. I'd be interested to hear the board compare the rides of each of these boats. From what I have learned on this board there is more to a quality ride than the deadrise. As this will be my first boat I clearly have lots to learn.
Being a new HS owner myself, having a large group of friends who own them and fishign the areas you want to fish I would suggest you look into something a little bigger.
A buddy of mine bought an older 17 for skinny water, several friends have the 20' Seahorse, 20 & 22' LTS, I wound up with a 22' Seahorse to due to the sharper V fitting my needs.
I would look for a used 20' HS Seahorse, the 115 is agood engine it would proabably scream witha 150! We've fished them everywhere from flats to 30 miles offshore - great boat. Wanted one myself but found a 22' that really fit my family's requirements for the few times they will be with me.
Hey, I have a 2002 Hydra-Sports 180CC that has 20 hours on the engine. I needed to move up a couple sizes to make 50+ mile trip to the Middle Grounds, FL. I have it at a consignment lot right now...If you are interested...let me know...It has the full cushion package, coast guard package, a GPSMap 168 Sounder, a Standard Horizons VHF, an oversized T-Top....it is pretty loaded for a small boat.
I have 24,000 dollars invested in a boat that I used for 6 months and now it just sits in either my yard or the consignment yard....I would be willing to negociate a good price for you...Let me know...
Just bought one from Eagle Marine with a 115 Yamaha 4 stroke. Will be going to,Quicks Hole,Gay Head out of New Bedford. If I can make it on my Waverunner there, the boat will make it. Pick the days and early AM is best. Also will be running Race Point in Ptown. I like the deeper V for the chop, and has plenty of width inside to get around. The inside freeboard is 22" which is good. Good Boat! Good luck!
Lookingforaboat,
The 18' HS which you are looking at is too small for this area. You could go out on near perfect days, but here in New England they can be few and far between. If you like the HS I would suggest the 212CC, or another brand in the 20-21' ranger. If you have to have a 18', look at the Parker...
202 Scout Sportfisher, mainly fish Point Judith, Block Island, and Charlestown, Rhode Island.
Owned one for about two years (about 150 hours on the engine)fished the areas that you will be using it in. I loved the boat the only reason that I do not own one now is that I sold it and purchased the HS 212CC from Heidie and Mike at Eagle Marine. The reason for the bigger boat was that the wife and daughters were getting bigger and being the opposite sex they wanted a potty on board and the 21 fit the budget and I also couldn't be happier with the new boat.
I fished the bay mostly and took the 18 out of Sandwich accross the bay to Ptown, went out to the Vineyard and fished the rips out there at Middle ground and the South side of the Vineyard and on good days would venture to No mans land, as well as around Chatham.
As mentioned in the posts above the 212 does give you a nicer ride is drier and dosen't bang as much in the chop that can come up especially in Vineyard Sound, but it does cost more. Get what you can afford if you get it from Eagle you will be happy with their service and can't do better than their prices. Good Luck and a boat of any size that you enjoy is better than no boat at all.
Why not a HS 18' CC ??? 
Pros and alternate boats would be appreciated also but I'm really looking for reasons not to buy this one.
