When searching for my boat there wasnt much information regarding the Maycraft 2550. I thought since I have had the boat a month now, I would post my thoughts. I have over 22 hours on the engine, and many more hours on the boat being that I run the boat to a location and generally shut the engine down. The 22 hours of run time has given me a chance to learn to trim and run the boat in a variety of sea conditions that the Chesapeake Bay offers.
I will start with why I chose the boat and what I was comparing it to... We were looking for a boat that we could trailer on occassion for maintainence and using the boat outside of the bay. The boat must have a large cockpit for fishing and inviting guests out day tripping with my family of four, offer a good deal of protection from the elements, have a cabin for storage, kids naps and a potty for the girls. It must be economical to run and be adequately powered by a single. We narrowed our choices down to a new Parker 23SL, very slightly used Parker 25MV, and Judge 27. When rigged with electronics and some options, the Maycraft and the Parkers were almost identical in cost. Unfortunately the newly redesigned Judge 27 was going to be about 15k more and I would probaby have to order one so I was forced to rule it out fairly early. It probably would have been my first choice if it wasn’t for cost. However, the boat really wasnt much bigger than the Maycraft with a hull LOA of 26'4" compared to the Maycraft 25'6" and laid out and designed very similarly. The Judge and Parker are finished a lot nicer than the Maycraft but the Maycraft is a rock solid boat none-the-less. When comparing the layout of the parkers to the maycraft we decided that the open back and extended hard top was more to our liking personally. The Maycraft would provide more protection from the sun and weather with the enclosable extended hardtop and give the privicy of an enclosed v berth (Parkers offered only a curtain seperating the berths from the helm area). The 25 Parker also causes trailering problems for me because of its beam and weight (I only have a 1/2 ton Ford). The Maycraft has an 8'6" beam and the hull weighs in at a listed 3600#. So after looking around and debating, my wife and I came to the conclusion that the Maycraft was what we wanted.
The boat I purchased has the following factory options:
1. bow pulpit
2. opening front windows
3. raw water washdown
4. 2nd battery and switch
5. full transom w/ Armstrong bracket and platform
I added:
1. 225 Optimax with DTS and smartcraft
2. Garmin 2010 gps/sounder
3. Standard matrix VHf
4. quick windlass
5. additional set of cleets
On to my likes and compromises about the boat....
Likes (aside from the layout that ultimately made our decision):
1.Ride. The boat offers a very impressive ride considering its 10 degree transom deadrise. It does have a very sharp strakeless entry that really slices the waves. I do not have tabs on the boat currently due to reluctance by the dealer to install them for me. However, just the weigh of the pilot house and flatter bottom transom allows to boat to really run level. It is a different feel riding the boat as you can feel the nose slicing as I run directly into the Chesapeake Chop. The boat will bang when running into a quartering head sea if you allow the chine to catch the seas. This is overcome by changing the angle I run into the sea and trimming the boat with the engine and moving gear (tabs would be helpful). Overall I am very pleased with the ride directly compared to my 1997 231 Pro-line with a similar LOA and weight yet had a 19 degree deadrise. Of course it will not run at the same speeds that my last boat (Pro-line 2950) ran at in any seas but I can adjust speed and engine trim to ensure a comfortable ride. I have been able to keep the boat on plane at 14mph according to the gps. While my time on a MV Parker 25 has been limited to fair seas days, I have had two passengers with a fair amount of time spent on them comment that the ride is no comparison in favor of the Maycraft. Of course ride is subjective but this was their statements. I hope to see how the boat does in the ocean this fall.
2.Economy/Speed. The boat is powered by a 225hp Optimax. I chose this engine over a Yamaha f225 due to its marbles, the DTS option, and lack of maintenance and service. Plus I have had good luck with my Merc in the past. On Flat water with a full load of fuel and 4 adults and 3 small children and a full cooler, the boat will do 26-27mph at 4000 rpms burning just under 10gph. The boat will also will run about 40mph at wot. This is probably with an incorrect prop being I hit the 5700rpm rev limiter of the computer. I hope to go to a stainless 4 blade prop in the near future. The speed numbers do go down in less than calm waters like every boat.
3.Ease of cleanup and maintenance. It is true hose and go boat. No cushions, seats or other plush items to worry about.
4.Ventilation. With opening front and side windows along with the open back the top offers shade with a breeze through the pilothouse. This makes a joy to be out on the boat even on the brightest, hottest days. I hope it proves to be the same in the cold months as well (I think it will)
Compromises
1.Hardtop height it is just high enough for me so that I am not banging my head.(I am 6’) Anyone taller will have to watch their heads. The Judge and Parker both had more headroom but the parker had a steep down pilot house to accommodate for this.
2.Wetness and spray. It is great that the boat has such a sharp entry and rides well directly into a chop. It is also great that she has a windshield wiper and the front and side windows close because she can be wet! This doesn’t really affect the passengers when running because the pilothouse offers a lot of protection. I can even put up side curtains the run the length of the extended hard top. She still throws a lot of spray despite the nice bow flair none-the-less.
3.Close quarter handling. She is a little long for a single outboard with the hull being 25’6” plus 2’+ for the bracket and another 2’+ for the bow pulpit. She is almost 30’ long with a single outboard on a bracket. I have to get used to this again after having a twin engine boat.
4.Slippery when wet. The deck gets very slick in bare feet when wet. The deck is not gel coated and doesn’t have non skid. I have over come this by laying down roll up mats when swimming. The deck is fine with shoes on.
Because the boat was pretty bare bones when I purchased it. It only had the basics--not even an engine (get it with what you want). I do have several things I still want to add in addition to trim tabs. They are top mount rod holders, additional set of gunwale rod holders, and out riggers. They will be added in time.
As far as the dealer goes, I purchased the boat through Yachtjim who helped me buy the boat from Almars in DE. Yachtjim was great to deal with as he also assisted in the sale of my Pro-line 2950. I cannot say enough about him and his wife. Almars was also good to deal with. They had the boat ready when they said they would and did everything I asked. I was a little disappointed in the rigging and wiring of my add-ons (electronics and windlass) but they have been willing to work with me on correcting my concerns and did an OK job overall. Almars is one of the largest Merc dealers on the east cost and recommend them if you are looking for a merc and want to save on sales tax! (no sales tax in DE)
Here is the entry:
Transom deadrise:
Helm (before my grandfather's compass was added)
In water photo:
May-craft 2550 thoughts 
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