I looked at Weldcrafts before I bought my Kingfisher.
Kingfisher has a way more livable cabin.
Lower center of gravity and wider beam means way less pitch and roll.
The kingfisher hull design allows you to stay on step at a much lower speed.
Lighter and more fuel efficient.
Shop around. You can absolutely but a new 30 25 in your driveway for well under 200k.
About trolling on your main motors.
I put about 150 hours a year on my mains and about 500 on my kicker.
Its crazy to put all those trolling hours on a $20k main when you can buy a new kicker for $5k.
Sorry Samjoe, but that just is not even close to being accurate.
--"Kingfisher has a way more livable cabin." Have you measure them? The only thing with more space is a tiny bit wider walk way isle. Same chairs, same tables, same sleep space, etc..And the Weldcraft has a sliding door to the stern fish deck. The Kingfisher has a nuisance swing open door that you have to move your stuff around on the deck to clear the way every time you open and close the door.
--"Lower center of gravity" No, the Weldcraft hull is much lower and deeper V and handles so, so, so much better than a Kingfisher. I've owned both.
--"The kingfisher hull design allows you to stay on step at a much lower speed." Also, not accurate and I proved that with my boat in Tofino while boating next to a Kingisher 2825 next to me. Not to mention I was 40 miles off shore a good 20 minutes faster than the Kingfisher and I had no pain in my back from the ride either. I can ride next to a Kingfisher and watch the bath tub belly come down and smash hard on the waves instead of cutting through them. We saw it a lot out there. And Stephen from Rod's Power and Marine has also shown those local Kingfisher owners up too from driving right past them comfortably in his Weldcraft while the KF guys are smashing their hulls and backs up bad when going in rough water. Just being truthful here as I've owned both boats. If I liked my Kingfisher and thought it was a good rig I would have kept it for a long time.
--"Lighter and more fuel efficient." That statement is both true and untrue. Read the spec sheets from both manufacturers. Weldcraft 260 is a true 28' boat and it's weight is 4700 lbs (link to specs:
http://www.rpmgroup.ca/view-details.php?id=516) The Kingfisher 2825 (28' boat) dry weight is 5044 lbs (
http://www.galleonmarine.com/invent...ore/Base--Richmond-British-Columbia---3341651), 344 lbs heavier than the 28' Weldcraft. The Yamaha 225 definitely does get better fuel economy than the Merc Verado's But I would trade that any day myself for the low speed troll options on the Verado's. I fish a lot and I don't care what the weather or waves or tides doing too much in my boat both because of the performance and design of the boat and because of the ability to be able to fish in all weather/wind conditions using my main for trolling as I noted earlier. Until you experiance the scenarios/situations I have doing so with the main motors than you don't know what the difference is. Little kicker motors no more. I swap trolling motors every hour or so to even out the hours on the motors. Brand new motors with full warranty. Not too worried about putting trolling hours on them.
--"Shop around. You can absolutely but a new 30 25 in your driveway for well under 200k." Like I mentioned earlier to compare apples to apples I'll call Galleon tomorrow to see what they would price a full loaded 3025 and post it here on this thread.
Samjoe what size KF do you have and what power is on it? Are you out of Vancouver? I would like to make a Weldcraft believer out of you lol. If you want to meet up some time on the chuck we can get our rigs side by side and see which boat gets on step quicker, cuts the waves better and can travel at a faster speed through rough water comfortably. I have never seen a KF even come close to traveling through rough water as well as a WC does. Not too mention the Weldcraft sheds water better and doesn't let water in the back like KF's do.
Hope I'm not coming off arrogant. Trying to word things without sounding like that but it's tough trying to prove things to KF owners cause we are all very proud of our rigs I know.
KF's get so much publicity being on the fishing shows etc here in BC so I think guys just assume they must be really good. I know I did when I saw them on T.V. and the guys on the shows were hyping them up. Wasn't until I road in multiple off shore boats until I saw their flaws.
