Lucky Bum

Hi all,
Wondering if you can help me find a boat.
A buddy bought a 2002 Caravelle 230 Center Console with a 200 yamaha on a platform bracket.
While I do not like the way the stern sits low in the water at rest, with scuppers under water, this boat cuts through a 2-3 footers and wakes like nothing
I've ever felt. You see a wave and brace yourself, and then nothing, no thump, bang, or splash.

What other boats have this same ride in the 23-27 size?

My 24' Grady suffers from "second wave syndrome" where it takes the 1st wake or wave nicely and then drops down into the second, sending water over the bow.

boxedupbucktails

just about any of the deep v (24ish degree deadrise) hulls. Contender, Seavee, Bluewater, LTB, Competition, regulator, Formula, Albermarle, etc

Lucky Bum

Is it really that simple?

bgreene

Was friend using the trim tabs and motor tilt to keep the bow down .......along with running at a speed that was just right for the conditions ?

Surprising not all use their tabs properly .

A good hull design is a big part of it - but isn’t everything.

Generally....deeper the deadrise / deeper V of 22,23,24 degrees leads to softer riding boat as you describe, but tendency to rock more on the drift also tends to increase - depending on design.

Lucky Bum

Nope, he actually does not. Very little tab and trimmed out about 4-5 bars.
This boat rides bow high at 24mph which I thought would make it slam into waves, but it does not.

El Comandante

“Best riding hull” is subjective. Everyone has an opinion. How many different boats has anyone on this forum tested? All? In the exact same seas, wind, tide, current, speed etc?

Get my drift?

Lone Ranger

Looked at the Caravelles years ago. Couldn't find one with an Outboard as I waned a W/A. I believe they are 24 degree Deadrise,hence the good ride. Mike Carrigan was part of the redesign of that Hull.

TurnMeLooseFLKeys

I know this is gonna sound crazy,but I witnessed it myself, as I was the one driving the boat. Neighbor had a 23 Robalo. The 94-96 version with twin 150 Mercs. Open transom. We used it tow a jet dock from Key Largo down to Tavernier. On the way back, the wind picked up. Granted, we were on the bayside, but still. I was running at a fast cruise of who knows how many mph or rpm. I'd say it was an honest 2-3 foot chop that day. That boat didn't slam one single time. I kept bracing for it and it never happened. It still perplexes me how well that boat rode that day.

Lucky Bum

I thought I read that that particular hull was made for or by another manufacturer, but can't find that info. anymore.

jfaisten

I've been pounding around in Lake Erie 2'/3' for a long time in several different boats. The B/W 270 Dauntless ate them up. My guess is an Outrage would be even better due to it's dead rise.
Good luck

bigfoot2

Disagree completely. I had the io version of the 23 caravelle walk around before my current boat. Before that I had a 23’ wellcraft and a wellcraft v20. Those were all similar rides. The smaller one was surprisingly good but all of them pound even in a 1’ chop You had to slow down for wakes of any size
Current boat is a 27’ cat. Night and day. Rarely pounds. Never slow down for a wake.

ktroyer2265

I have a 28 caravelle and like you said, it rides very well and very dry. It is a little stern heavy and requires some tab when its not calm, but I fixed that by adding 200lbs of weight in the anchor locker

Rollo Tomassi

There's about 10 zillion YouTube channels that feature boats coming in and out of Haulover when the conditions are very rough and nasty. Time and again, without fail, the best riding boat in both directions is the SeaVee. Step or traditional hull doesn't seem to make a difference. Can't tell you how impressed I am with them. And this is coming from a Contender guy.

FWIW, the bow stuffers seem to be the Midnight Express's. That high midship design and lower bow area seems to get'em wet under the right wave spacing conditions.

Softhammer

I can attest to the above too, the YouTube part. My favorite pass time when I’m bored to tears. It just makes me cringe any time a Midnight Express goes through. Unbelievable how poorly they handle the slop, meanwhile any middle of the road 21 footer that isn’t loaded with 42 fat asses handles it just fine.

Rollo Tomassi

LOL, that kid in the 17' Whaler is insane!