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(very dissapointed.....only two boats on display this year?????????????????????????? Why?????????????????)
Hey Ludricrous,
You were very busy getting lots of shots, and you did get the 28CC and the 28 Express, but you missed the 26CC in the middle!
That's 3/4 of Southport's range and one of the Managing Partners was in attendance for the whole show.
Liberty
Must have missed it somehow. It was the last day and just about the time I left the show when I ran into their booth. Kinda hidden. Thanks for the interior shots of the 28, it had about 10 people on it when I visited the booth.
I drive by a dealership that has a 28 Express on thier lot every time I go to my boat. I took a look at it one day.....I was disappointed in how small the cockpit is. With the euro transom design and where the helm is located, it eats up the space. I don't view this boat as a serious fishing machine....3 guys in that cockpit would be about 2 too many. My Scout Abaco 28 had much more room in the cockpit, and it had a much shorter LOA.
It's a shame....the lines are sweet, but it's pretty useless as a fishing boat.
I drive by a dealership that has a 28 Express on thier lot every time I go to my boat. I took a look at it one day.....I was disappointed in how small the cockpit is. With the euro transom design and where the helm is located, it eats up the space. I don't view this boat as a serious fishing machine....3 guys in that cockpit would be about 2 too many. My Scout Abaco 28 had much more room in the cockpit, and it had a much shorter LOA.
It's a shame....the lines are sweet, but it's pretty useless as a fishing boat.
You know I initially thought that it was a little small too. But then Alton Herndon pointed out that in fact it was bigger than my Southport 26 - which is great to fish from. There was a 26 literally back to back for comparison and he was right!
We had 3 guys in the cockpit of my SP26 a few weeks ago in the Moreton Bay Gamefish Comp (Australia). It was a little busy at one point with 5 lines in the water plus two teasers and a triple hookup on yellowfin. We got all three fish tagged and released no problems.
Has anyone got any on-water experience comparing the Florida vs the New England windshields on the SP28 Express?
(very dissapointed.....only two boats on display this year?????????????????????????? Why?????????????????)
Hey Ludricrous,
You were very busy getting lots of shots, and you did get the 28CC and the 28 Express, but you missed the 26CC in the middle!
That's 3/4 of Southport's range and one of the Managing Partners was in attendance for the whole show.
Liberty
Must have missed it somehow. It was the last day and just about the time I left the show when I ran into their booth. Kinda hidden. Thanks for the interior shots of the 28, it had about 10 people on it when I visited the booth.
You did not miss the 26 from your pics. The 2nd and 3rd pic, from the bottom up, of your opening post are the pics of the 26.
Red Tag, are you the only Southport owner in Australia or have some others caught on to what a sweet boat they build?
__________________ The taxidermy mans gonna have a heart attack when he sees what i brung him! -JAWS
____________________________
John
Scout 282 Sportfish Big Kahunas
Red Tag, are you the only Southport owner in Australia or have some others caught on to what a sweet boat they build?
Hi John
Yes, I am still the only Southport owner in Australia although I believe there are 3 boats coming over for the Sanctuary Cove Boatshow on the Gold Coast. There is a 26CC, 28CC and a 28EX coming.
I'm working on a move up to the 28 Express - which would double the number of boats!
:-)
The Australian Dollar has moved quite a bit in our favour, so it was really only going to be a matter of time.
Im excited to see some pics of the 28X on Ausi waters. I did a competitive analysis and some other small projects for SP when the boat was in pre production. An awesome riding boat that stacks up extremly well in all areas to its competition. Enjoy. -John
__________________ The taxidermy mans gonna have a heart attack when he sees what i brung him! -JAWS
____________________________
John
Scout 282 Sportfish Big Kahunas
(very dissapointed.....only two boats on display this year?????????????????????????? Why?????????????????)
Don't forget, they only have 4 models, and one of them is identical except for the leaning post. Then again, they had a 28EX, 28TE, and a 26 with a single 350 Yami at the Atlantic City show. You would think they would have a 28TE at Miami. Might have to do with the dealer in the area.
Even if the cockpit on the 28EX is bigger than the 26, it still feels cramped. Might have something to do with being confined to cockpit, and not having access to 360 degrees of fishing room.
Red Tag: The NE windshield is a great improvement over the one shown. Much larger, more functional, and improves the lines and appearance of the boat. Wouldn't even consider the 28EX with the windshield shown.
I knew you would end up in a bigger Southport
__________________
LISA MARIE
28 SOUTHPORT W/TWIN F250 YAMAHAS
LIL' LISA MARIE
17 FT WHALER W/90HP F90 YAMAHA
I'm partial to Fighting Lady Yellow Although I haven't seen an 28EX in FYL yet. But I did see the 28EX in Stars and Stripes at the Atlantic City Show. Very nice. Best of luck with your plans to purchase a new Southport.
__________________
LISA MARIE
28 SOUTHPORT W/TWIN F250 YAMAHAS
LIL' LISA MARIE
17 FT WHALER W/90HP F90 YAMAHA
Curious about some feedback on the Southport Boat. What can you guys tell about ride and proformance. I am looking for a center console and I just put my 28 Henriques up for sale. I was looking at regulators in the 32 and 29. I am looking for a one or two year boat with warranties. What engines do most of you have and what type of ride would you compare it to.
Both the 26 and 28 ride flat. They are very well balanced which together with the sharp entry and variable deadrise results in an excellent ride as well as the feeling of riding on a larger boat. They are also stable at drift or on the hook. Both boats are fast as they are being propelled with F250s which are the best and most common choice for either boat. Real life fuel economy is between 19-26 gph at 4000 rpm cruise depending on sea state, load, trim and of course the boat size.
IMO the 28 offers a better ride than the 29 Regulator and without any bow rise. The 32 Regulator is a larger and heavier boat so it would not be a fair comparison; however its also slower and much thirstier with the F350s.
Southport 
