*THE HULL TRUTH is the world's largest FREE network for the discussion of Boating & Fishing. Whether you're researching a new boat, or are a seasoned Captain, you'll find The Hull Truth Boating & Fishing Message Forum contains a wealth of information from Boaters and Sportfishermen around the world.
Welcome to the updated THT!
If you are having trouble signing in, please email feedback@thehulltruth.com with your username and we will help you. We thank you for your patience as we help you access the new site!
Random Quote: so what you are saying is, its exactly the same but completly different......
Moving back to Virginia, building a home on the water. Dock will go in around August. Will be fishing the Chesapeake Bay between Reedville and Tangier Island. Boat will be stored on a lift at the dock.
The two boats that I am attracted to are the Carolina Classic 25' and the Scout Abaco 28'. I will be buying used. I like a cuddy mostly for the dry ride when it is blowing. My prior experience was several years ago in a Grady White 21' cuddy that I trailered.
I would be buying a 2000 or later model with unpainted bottom. All fishing will be within a 20 mile area in the Chesapeake Bay.
These boats are similar but different:
Design- both have carolina flared bow that I like
Weight- CC is heavier
Power- outboard vs. I/O. My experience has been all I/O
Fuel efficiency- assuming Scout might be more efficient.
I've had no experience with outboards. My research says stay away from the 7.4L in earlier Classics due to water ingestion.
Recommendation from Scout and CC owners and others based on my usage? Which would you go with?
Don't own either, but hope to have a CC 25 for my next boat. If you want to fish hard in the Bay, especially the fall, I would think the CC would be more ideal than the Scout.
Not so sure about your guess on the economy. The 8.1s are FWC, which will make it easier to fish late in the season as well.
CC 25 with a hardtop, riggers and radar is what I wish for.
Sounds like you will have it on a lift, so that helps with the I/o concerns.
Looks like your close to where I am building. I'll be on the Great Wicomico (Wicomico Bluffs). I'm moving to a rental home on Divding Creek while the house is being built.
The I/O's can be expensive but I had pretty good luck on the Grady White I/O because it stayed on the trailer. The hardtop is a must this time around.
I'll try not be biased.....
If I were in the market again, my list would be short and sweet. Either a slightly used CC 35 or a new CC 32.
Scout's a good boat, but not in the same class.
Yes I weekend on the Corrotoman River. I would say that you will be on the 2nd nicest river in the area.
I actually stretched the weekend out until yesterday and took advantage of the good weather yesterday on the Rapp.
I frequent Dividing creek as well. Very nice beach there, and close to cut channel. Brother is on Jarvis.
Congrats on getting the house built there. The property values have gone nuts there in the last year. Also, add 2 months to the projected completion time of your dock, unless you know the contractor very well. Never seen so many new docks in my life going up, not just the Isabel re-builds either.
I'm not trying to push Scout. As others have said, the two boats are apples and oranges. I felt like you did about I/O's, especially kept in the water. If you keep it on a lift, that's another story. Anytime you're in the neighborhood and want to try a Scout, send me an e-mail. Good luck with whatever you choose and congrats on living the dream. My previous home was on the water with a deep water dock and it was great. By the way, I fished all winter from Va Beach to Oregon Inlet in the Scout. Now she's all cleaned for another season.
We've swapped e-mails before. I was raised in Va. Beach.
I love the lines of the Scout too. My one concern is the outboards. Probably won't find a Scout Abaco within my budget that has 4 strokes and I have a concern on the reliability of HPDI's based on some of this forums threads. The I/O is a little cleaner on the back end for fishing but I believe the Scout is probably more fuel efficient due to the lighter weight over the CC.
I'm keeping an open mind though and will be trying to view both boats before making a decision.
I know I'll raise hell by mentioning his name but Birdman has 200 hpdi on his and loves them. The four strokers are efficient. I use less on a average day than I would with my old 21 Striper with a 150 JOhnson. Go figure.
but I believe the Scout is probably more fuel efficient due to the lighter weight over the CC.
The Scout should run much cheaper than a Carolina Classic. You'll pay the price, tho, if you run off shore w/Scout. Remember the "Classic" is a heavyweight offshore battlewagon, and is a true Deep Vee, at 24 degrees.
That's why the Scout may suit me better due to use in the bay only. I will not be going offshore but to be fair, the Chesapeake can get mighty rough.
I do believe the Scout Abaco would be more fuel efficient due to it's lighter weight and it would still handle the bay quite well. That and the fact that I'm pretty careful on the weather when I've gone out in the past, including watching wind direction and speed even on those days that look nice. I don't enjoy a rough day on the bay and now that I can pick my days during the week instead of depending only on week ends when I worked, the Scout might be the more reasonable pick.
Going back to the original post....you mention that both have "carolina flared bow that I like".
I'm not saying the Scout is a wet boat, but it really has no flare to speak of. A head on picture will show this better than a side view. That said, owners claim they are dry boats. The bow flare of the CC will make the bow more buoyant though, which will help to keep from burying the bow in the rough stuff.
At 8500 lbs, the CC is probably the heaviest 25 on the market and it would be my choice if the $$$ were there. The slide away head is pretty cool also. My wife liked it.
No doubt, I respect the Chesapeake Bay. It's huge. Staight across from my property to the Eastern shore probably spans 40 miles (a guesstimate) and it can get very rough. But I pick my weather conditions carefully. My friends accuse me of being a "fair weather" fisherman. Guess what, I don't disagree with them! And I've not been miserable too often as a result.
Scott,
I agree, in the roughest weather I would probably pick the Carolina Classic. It mimics my old Grady White of years ago in it's design. At 8500 pounds, I'm somewhat concerned about fuel consumption and speed.
This may come down to which one is available and where it's located when I get ready to buy around August. Either one I believe would serve me well.
Carolina Classic 25' or Scout Abaco 28'? 
