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A friend is looking at these boats. Has anyone seatrialed both of them? The hull designs seem quite different. Lots more deadrise on the 23. Would be interested in any informed opinions on the how the ride compares between them.
There is no comparison between the two hulls as far as ride..... the 23' rides much softer than the 25' due to the deadrise difference as you mentioned....
I've been on both boats. I did not find them to be all that different (ride wise). They are both tanks, neither will be the first out, but they will both surely make it. The 25 drifts better, but both have pretty good drift characteristics.
If I had to make up my mind between them, it would be made up by determining what I'd use it for. Bay, 23'. Ocean, the 25'.
Why not the 26 Chesapeake. It has the extra length and a deep deadrise to boot. Go with the deeper deadrise--coming from a guy who fishes in nothing but chop(no swell here on Lake Erie).Deeper deadrise means softer entry. Paul
I have been on both - I bought the 23 due to better ride. 25 has great fishing space, but less deadrise compared to the 23. 23 is a great hull.
26 is basically a 23, split, lengthened, and a deeper v added in the middle - winds up being a Seacraft-like variable deadrise. 26 is significantly more boat than either the 23 or 25, and handles rough water very, very well.
Birdman - not sure why you like the 25 better for drifting - My 23 is the perfect boat for drifting sharks, bow downwind, lines straight out the stern, stable as can be, etc. Another seven months and I get to try it again...
pdrr, do you run your boat in Long Island Sound (eastern or western?) or on the south shore of Long Island?
My friend would be on the western Sound mostly, where I gather it is usually pretty flat compared to what I am used to in New England (at least that's the way it has been every time I've been down there). I've had people tell me it was "a rough day"down there when it feels like light chop to me.
Sounds as though getting the extra space of the 25 might make sense, especially since he fishes at anchor a lot.
A 26 costs almost twice as much as a 25, so that's not really in the cards for him.
Southshore - inside and outside Jones Inlet. Western sound is much gentler - I have a friend who fishes a 21 Steiger CC (i/o diesel) up there and he fishes on many days when you can't leave the dock on the southshore.
25 would be perfect for the Sound - tell him to get the heater and he will have a perfect April - December boat. My heater goes in this winter...
About your comment re 25' for the ocean and 23' for the bay. having a greater deadrise on the 23' i would think that would give the 23 an advantage in the ocean, while the 25' with a lower deadrise would be great for the bays and getting into skinny water.....just a thought.......
if you fish rough waters,go with the 23.you will get beat up in a 25.the 25 is great for calmer waters.both of these boats will get you into skinny waters but the 25 will draw less water than the 23.
Had an older 25 steiger chesapeake. hull was an 85, with a 89 200 hp yamaha. ton of fishing room, and the pilot house was dry, and warm with a small propane heater. had to replace the side windows, the cut out in the pilot house was too big, and they leaked like a sieve. replaced the deck, due to it getting soft. we were able to break the stringers by hand. no fibergass at all below decks, and no foam flotation either. guess he built em cheap back then. great bay boat for the south shore of long island, but anything more than a 6 inch chop beat you up. bow had a tendency to dig in with a following sea comming thru the inlet. boat did drift like a duck in the water, no roll due to the modified v hull. 23 footer is a deep v..better for offshore in my humble opinion.
Thanks everybody. I showed the replys to my friend and he is going to take my advice and take the two hour drive to the factory and get seatrials on both hulls. Sounds like a close call in terms of the tradeoff. He has only ridden on a 23, but has crawled over a 25 and really liked the huge cockpit. He plans to get an I/O so he can have heat off the engine. With a 23, he would go outboard and have to use a propane or kerosene heater, which makes him uncomfortable due to the risks of fumes and fire. Seeing as it is winter, he should have no problem finding some chop to run in.
Steigercraft 23 vs 25 
