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I realize that some people prefer a Ford others Prefer a Chevy so I am sure I will get different opinions.
I would like to hear from someone that owns or has owned a Key West boat and what their thoughts are on them.
Would you consider them to be comparable in quality to a McKee Craft, Mako. Grady White , Wellcraft, Scout etc etc. say in an 18' or 19' center console.
ive got a friend that just bought a 'gently used' key west 17cc. its a fine little boat. it looks like its built well and seems solid. it is very small for a 17, but that has nothing to do with quality of build. i have no experience with the boats that size with other makers. the only question that i can anwer is 'would i consider them (key west) comparible in quality to the mckee'. my answer is not quite. his is well built but not of the caliber that our mckee is. apples to oranges, maybe, but comparing maker to maker, thats all i can offer. use the info as you will.
I realize the question is similar but the Key West is one boat that wasn't mentioned .
I understand flotation in a Scout & Mckee Craft seems to be superior but I felt that the KW acording to ther specs should have as equlal flotation as Wellcraft Grady or Mako and should be of comprable quality for ride and structure.
dont 'over think' your boat decision. the boats you listed are all fine, fine boats. find the one that 'fits' and have some fun. if you find that particular hull ever stops suiting your needs, find another one that does. you'll get two-foot'itis soon enough, anyway.
I realize the question is similar but the Key West is one boat that wasn't mentioned .
I understand flotation in a Scout & Mckee Craft seems to be superior but I felt that the KW acording to ther specs should have as equlal flotation as Wellcraft Grady or Mako and should be of comprable quality for ride and structure.
Have you taken any of these on sea trials? THT can offer all the advice in the world, but ultimately only YOU can shorten your list, and there is no better way than a sea trial.
__________________ Move along, nothing to see here.
I'll second gotsalt, a friend just purchased a very gently used 1720 keywest, 02 with 31 hours on it. It is a nice little boat, and is very nicely finished, but it doesn't quite come up to the level of my McKee, which is what he was looking for, just got a deal he couldn't turn down on the keywest. The KW does squat a little in the rear with the 4 stroke (johnzuki 90) on it, which can allow water on the deck. It is a lake boat, so plugging the scuppers fixed that problem completely.
I would scratch grady completely in that size category, as I can't see the price being justified, and you will have to go back quite a few years to get in the same price range as a McKee. I would scratch Mako all together based on recent quality issues, not worth the risk IMO. The scout 185 is a very nice boat, but I am partial to my McKee. You can probably get a nicely equiped marathon 196 for around the same price as a 185 scout, more boat for your money, and no sacrific in build quality. If you have any specifics about the McKee I'll be glad to help.
someone told me that the Mako's prior to 2000 were good hulls but the newer one's don't live up to the quality of the older ones don't know if this is true or not.
This person wasn't trying to sell me a Mako he actualy had a Grady White but just gave me his opnion on the old verses new Mako.
mako was bought out by johnny morris (is that right?) and since that time there have been rumbings of quality issues and service problems that the original company didnt have.
Wow lots of Mckee fans. Your best bet is to sea trial like said earlier. Find a layout you like and a hull design you like. I work for one of the above mentioned company's but have nothing bad to say about any of them. It doesn't matter what I think of the boat I own because it may be set up different than u like. 80% of the people you ask are going to love there boat because it fits them.
I realize that some people prefer a Ford others Prefer a Chevy so I am sure I will get different opinions.
I would like to hear from someone that owns or has owned a Key West boat and what their thoughts are on them.
Would you consider them to be comparable in quality to a McKee Craft, Mako. Grady White , Wellcraft, Scout etc etc. say in an 18' or 19' center console.
As said before.. Key West is in the Sea Pro, Sea Hunt arena.. Mckee and the others are a different ballgame..
I realize that some people prefer a Ford others Prefer a Chevy so I am sure I will get different opinions.
I would like to hear from someone that owns or has owned a Key West boat and what their thoughts are on them.
Would you consider them to be comparable in quality to a McKee Craft, Mako. Grady White , Wellcraft, Scout etc etc. say in an 18' or 19' center console.
As said before.. Key West is in the Sea Pro, Sea Hunt arena.. Mckee and the others are a different ballgame..
I think this is right. These 3 are entry level boats -- good value for money, no frills boats. As to the others being a different ball game, I think there is more than one ball game there. Mako's are has beens in my view which doesn't belong in the same ball park as McKee, Grady etc. (and I was a Mako fan until recently).
As usual we get the "scratch the Grady altogether" comments simply due to the "not worth the price" logic. Take a good look at the GW 180 against these others. As stated by others, the KW, Sea Hunt, Sea Pro etc. are not even in the same league. The GW 18 is a rock solid, great riding 18 footer. Compare it to ANY 18 footer and you will see what I mean. Doesn't mean the others aren't good boats... I just chuckle at the consistent dismissal of GW... Must be a reason why GW is such a target.
my scratch the grady comment was based purely on price compared to nearly every other boat in the category. The grady 18 is a nice boat, but to get in the same price range you are going to have to go back several more years, which could easily put you into engine reliability issues. If money's not an issue, go for it.
As usual we get the "scratch the Grady altogether" comments simply due to the "not worth the price" logic. Take a good look at the GW 180 against these others. As stated by others, the KW, Sea Hunt, Sea Pro etc. are not even in the same league. The GW 18 is a rock solid, great riding 18 footer. Compare it to ANY 18 footer and you will see what I mean. Doesn't mean the others aren't good boats... I just chuckle at the consistent dismissal of GW... Must be a reason why GW is such a target.
Yes, the GW is rock solid, which makes it heavy. We can "scratch" the GW based on weight. What is left out of this thread, but included in his other thread is he is towing with a Honda Odyssey - which is rated for 3500. A Grady+trailer+gear will exceed that. Also, from his other thread his budget is under 12K which puts him in an older non svII Grady hull, which we know does not ride as well as the newer Grady's.
Fi_Eastcoster - you really need one thread to outline your
needs
budget
intended use
and max trailerable weight
You are getting great suggestions, but unless everyone read your other thread, they are not getting all the info.
__________________ Move along, nothing to see here.
Guess I'm a bit over sensitive to the GW points with some other recent threads... My bad. My skin is thickening as I type! I had forgotten his criteria from the previous thread RI, and you're right. Actually he will have a hard time with his price/towing/usage constraints with many of these boats in question. I forgot that the Odyssey is built on the F150 frame.
A friend of mine owned a McKee 1800 Pulse with a 135 Mariner Opti-Max prior to buying his 236 Sailfish. He fished that boat 50 miles offshore of Charleston for several years. I think the Mckee 1800 is a great boat. I had a friend with a 1720 Key West. I went across the harbor with him once and it seemed to be wetter than most in that size range. Sea Hunt makes a nice 17 also. The Grady is a good boat but costs much more.
__________________ Eren's Addiction Too fishing team
Contender/Yamaha/Tailwalker Marine www.erensaddictiontoo.com
do you know if your friends pulse came with he T-top on it, or did he add it. I am pretty sure I saw it on boat trader just after I got mine this spring.
Key West Verses Mako McKee Craft etc etc. 
My skin is thickening as I type! I had forgotten his criteria from the previous thread RI, and you're right. Actually he will have a hard time with his price/towing/usage constraints with many of these boats in question. I forgot that the Odyssey is built on the F150 frame. 
