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Random Quote: Wemon, wine, wealth and deciet, make the heart submit and wallet weak. What it takes to maintain one vice is enough to fuel my boat for life. Capt Clayton
I own a 218CC which has less than 100hrs on it and I have been VERY impressed with the performance and overall functionality of the boat. I've been out in some rough conditions and it always felt sure footed. One of the best riding 21' hulls on the market. Fit finish is good, all Gemlux stainless steel hardware. Wiring is a little sloppy, but that's an easy fix. I've had a couple of issues covered under warranty and Sailfish customer service was very responsive and accomodating.
Could anyone tell m about the overall ride ofthe 218 WA (WALK AROUND) Looks like a nice little boat. Is a F150 HP big enough for the boat with a hard top?
It's the same hull as the 218CC and the ride is exceptional. I've heard reports that it can be a little top heavy with the hardtop, that coupled with the deep-v and 8'6" beam I am guessing it might rock more than the CC while at drift, but that's a question/answer you should confirm w/an owner on the sailfish forum.
As for the power, the F150 is plenty IMO for the CC, quick to plane and top speed in the low 40's. It's personal preferance, but I would want a 200hpdi or F225 on the back of the heavier walk around, but if your not a speed demon it might not matter to you that it take an extra half second to get on plane or that it tops out at 40 mph. Again, it's about your needs/expectation, so best to get it straight from the guys that own them www.sailfishforums.com
my 218 wa with the f150 is a little under powered but the fuel consumption is awesome so for me it is worth the trade .most of the time it is fine but top speed with 3 guys full fuel and gear and 36 mph is top speed.lightly loaded it will touch 40. but you can cruise at 30mph in rough water when any other 21' would be slamming and have to slow down. if your boating is done in a rough area like north east it is well worth the trade. it is def a rocky on the drift but again not enough to discourage buying. also the layout is tight in the back but, the walkway is super wide and the bow is wide so you can easily fish the front of boat.the cabin si really big alot of head room for a small boat.ive spent a lot of time in 3-6' seas and it will cut through them very safely with a lot of tab and trim. any other questions you can pm me
scott
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04 21' sailfish wa 'sold'
02 26' seaswirl wa
Ive owned 2 of them over the last 5 years . an 02 -236 and then the present 02-266. they do have some minor flaws in the wiring dept but other than that,they are nice boats for the money . ride is great ,all boats are wet,they are economical to run and the company does stand behind there product in my experience although my issues were minor . Iam considering moving up to the 2860 at this point and have my 266 for sale on this websight as well as the sailfish forum . for more specific info you can pm me or e-mail me at richard.f.schad@ampf.com.
Ive owned 2 of them over the last 5 years . an 02 -236 and then the present 02-266. they do have some minor flaws in the wiring dept but other than that,they are nice boats for the money . ride is great ,all boats are wet,they are economical to run and the company does stand behind there product in my experience although my issues were minor . Iam considering moving up to the 2860 at this point and have my 266 for sale on this websight as well as the sailfish forum . for more specific info you can pm me or e-mail me at richard.f.schad@ampf.com.
what were some of the flaws and how did Sailfish take care of them?
Ventilation and porpoising help.
I`ve been told that the SF 23 was popped from Bill Potter`s SeaCraft 23. Potter`s design was his interpretation of Carl Moesly`s 21 from the sixties. I heard the 21SF is cut down from the 23. Most VDH hulls don`t have a stern pad for lift and can really benefit from a stern lifting prop. My 20SC porpoised and I really had to trim down to the point of the stern trying to squirm back and forth on me. My hole shot caused the bow to rise to the point of losing the horizon. My prop was an OMC match bow lifting prop. Switched to a Mirage + and the transformation was breathtaking. On the holeshot the bow stayed down the stern lifted and away she flew. The difference cannot be overstated. Great bite in turns , no more ventilating or porpoising! I was also able to lift the vent plate up an inch above the keel while both are in line, where it needs to be on a VDH hull.Trad. deep vee too. Also very important.
I hope the guy with the porpoising Grady reads this as I just know it will help him right out. IMHO wedges and tabs do not solve the underlying problems. A band aid. A stern lifting prop will blow your mind and solve the issue.
Let`s talk 4 blades now. One of the revered elders on CSC borrowed my Mirage+ and took 4 other of his props to do a real world comparo. He has an E-Tec 150 on his Seafari. He charted all the performance numbers on a speadsheet. He is a retired perfromance engineer from Pratt.
I expected his Apollo 4 blade to beat my Mirage+ 3 blade in hole shot, time to plane, min plane speed, mpg, and midrange handling. He also beat me in top end by 1.7 mph. Scooby sound. Hrrrr? More friction = more mph? I scratched my head for months. I finally talked to an old timer at Bobby Soles prop service. He said the 4 blade lifted more hull out of the water which resulted in less wetted surface and the 1.7 mph. I now have an Apollo 4 blade on Santa`s list. A Rev 4 , Powertech ofs 4, Apollo4, or sterndrive prop should be on your radar now!
Cheers,
GFS
GFS as always, very informative. Certainly given your background you know each hull design better than I, but the SF 218 hull looks more closely aligned with the Moesly 21 as opposed to the potter built hull? I know it's difficult to make an accurate comparison from a couple of pictures but I couldn't help but notice the similarities.
Out of curiousity what happened to the Moesly molds or didn't they use molds?
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Chris
Last edited by Fish'nFool; 11-20-2009 at 12:12 PM.
Thx Chris.
I always smile when I see the transom of a SF at the ramp. I like the colors too. Even the orange! Where are you located? I`m in WPB,Fl.
We had one of our pirate gatherings at Carl`s daughter`s place in the Keys. She and her husband are restoring one of the `21s. I believe it`s the Kirby/Brown team`s offshore racer, so it has some great heritage as well. I put my air mattress right in front of the trailer so I could study it late at night and after sunrise. It`s really steep and insanely deep. You are so right about the pictures. Would you measure the depth of your steps at the transom? Curious don`t cha know.
Those are pics of CSC member 3rdday`s restored 21. He rescued another 21 and made a mold. He plans to sell his restored 21 and start production. If anyone wants purchase info you know where to find him. I`m also happy to help.
As to the original molds, I`ll ask. I think I know the answer, but it may not be pretty.
Thx Chris.
I always smile when I see the transom of a SF at the ramp. I like the colors too. Even the orange! Where are you located? I`m in WPB,Fl.
We had one of our pirate gatherings at Carl`s daughter`s place in the Keys. She and her husband are restoring one of the `21s. I believe it`s the Kirby/Brown team`s offshore racer, so it has some great heritage as well. I put my air mattress right in front of the trailer so I could study it late at night and after sunrise. It`s really steep and insanely deep. You are so right about the pictures. Would you measure the depth of your steps at the transom? Curious don`t cha know.
Those are pics of CSC member 3rdday`s restored 21. He rescued another 21 and made a mold. He plans to sell his restored 21 and start production. If anyone wants purchase info you know where to find him. I`m also happy to help.
As to the original molds, I`ll ask. I think I know the answer, but it may not be pretty.
GFS
That's great, what else could you ask for! I can't imagine there are to many of the CM 21's around. Have you had the opportunity to ride in a 21? I'll definitely measure the depth of the steps next time I am down at the boat. I am sure the measurements will seperate the two hulls. In any event, yea if you could let me know whatever happened to those original molds I am curious.
Good chatting it up with ya GFS, I'll get you those measurements.
That's great, what else could you ask for! I can't imagine there are to many of the CM 21's around. Have you had the opportunity to ride in a 21? I'll definitely measure the depth of the steps next time I am down at the boat. I am sure the measurements will seperate the two hulls. In any event, yea if you could let me know whatever happened to those original molds I am curious.
Good chatting it up with ya GFS, I'll get you those measurements.
Likewise.
There are 6 of the old 21`s known to exist. One more is around , but w/ an unknown owner. Many of the production boats were sold to the military. If you ever find yourself in Vietnam, keep an eye out.
I have not been on 3rdday`s boat yet, but were having talks about getting my 20 , his 21 and a 23 together for pics so people can see just how massive the 21 really is. That boat should look like PacMan chasing mine.
Carl`s daughter and her husband described 3rddays ride as a magic carpet. On the old Bahamas crossings the 21 always ran blocker for the 20`s and the 23`s, so that says a lot right there. I`ll ask about the molds.
Cheers
GFS
Goin out w Janet now. Hope the mutton are chewing.
