Boat decision....

[zurk]

lol really ? they havent finished the job and youre happy with the service ?
ok maybe i have high expectations compared to you guys but when someone looks me in the eye, shakes my hand and says we have a deal and then emails me back two days later saying we dont have a deal that pisses me off.
and when i spend $120 and 8 hours of my time with two ferry rides and a visit to the bank and cut a check for well north of $85,000 after 3 weeks worth of phone calls and emails and refuses to take my money or give me a product i want custom built that im willing to wait for - yeah that pisses me off too.
you know what the people who dealt with me did get ? money. and i got a boat from kingfisher in 24 hours with 4 emails and 2 phone calls. guess what you need to stay in business ? yep. dealing with people like me. people who give you money.
so yes i still like silverstreak but they and their dealer network need to get their act together and actually deliver a finished product. they already have a good unfinished product. it wouldnt take much to make silverstreak competitive. drop the silly welded floor, replace it with something nice. doesnt have to be wood -- some new composites are awesome. finish the boat -- put decent lockers in (with removable floors for inspection), add provisions for anchoring the boat, add a small stand up area in the front with good drainage, add space for a trolling motor up front. use the increase weight capacity for 6 people on the 18 footer and 8 on the 20 footer. make the ride better by adding lifting foils or side foams like they do in australia, add nice eva foam on the flooring to deaden and eliminate the water noise and banging, reduce the price. its not that difficult.

 

[Rain City]

lol really ? they havent finished the job and youre happy with the service ?
ok maybe i have high expectations compared to you guys but when someone looks me in the eye, shakes my hand and says we have a deal and then emails me back two days later saying we dont have a deal that pisses me off.
and when i spend $120 and 8 hours of my time with two ferry rides and a visit to the bank and cut a check for well north of $85,000 after 3 weeks worth of phone calls and emails and refuses to take my money or give me a product i want custom built that im willing to wait for - yeah that pisses me off too.
you know what the people who dealt with me did get ? money. and i got a boat from kingfisher in 24 hours with 4 emails and 2 phone calls. guess what you need to stay in business ? yep. dealing with people like me. people who give you money.
so yes i still like silverstreak but they and their dealer network need to get their act together and actually deliver a finished product. they already have a good unfinished product. it wouldnt take much to make silverstreak competitive. drop the silly welded floor, replace it with something nice. doesnt have to be wood -- some new composites are awesome. finish the boat -- put decent lockers in (with removable floors for inspection), add provisions for anchoring the boat, add a small stand up area in the front with good drainage, add space for a trolling motor up front. use the increase weight capacity for 6 people on the 18 footer and 8 on the 20 footer. make the ride better by adding lifting foils or side foams like they do in australia, add nice eva foam on the flooring to deaden and eliminate the water noise and banging, reduce the price. its not that difficult.

I agree it sounds like you got a raw deal there. I can't speak to SS boats as I've never been on one. But YES the service to date from Inlet had been phenomenal. Like you said it's the weeks of phone calls and details that are a big part of the deal to me and they've been more than accommodating.

 

[Bearded wonder]

Hi, We are a senior retired couple looking to buy a boat to fish/explore out of the Pender Harbor area....looking at Kingfisher 1825 and Hewes 180 Sportsman both with 90 hp....we want to have a hassle free experience and are aware that these boats can pound in heavier seas but we can mitigate this with heading out on calm days. Are we on the right track? Any other ideas? Thanks for any input .....

Did you decide one a boat yet?
I am also in the same ‘boat ‘. Looking at those models to. Interested in what you have learned.

 

[AndrewH]

lol really ? they havent finished the job and youre happy with the service ?
ok maybe i have high expectations compared to you guys but when someone looks me in the eye, shakes my hand and says we have a deal and then emails me back two days later saying we dont have a deal that pisses me off.
and when i spend $120 and 8 hours of my time with two ferry rides and a visit to the bank and cut a check for well north of $85,000 after 3 weeks worth of phone calls and emails and refuses to take my money or give me a product i want custom built that im willing to wait for - yeah that pisses me off too.
you know what the people who dealt with me did get ? money. and i got a boat from kingfisher in 24 hours with 4 emails and 2 phone calls. guess what you need to stay in business ? yep. dealing with people like me. people who give you money.
so yes i still like silverstreak but they and their dealer network need to get their act together and actually deliver a finished product. they already have a good unfinished product. it wouldnt take much to make silverstreak competitive. drop the silly welded floor, replace it with something nice. doesnt have to be wood -- some new composites are awesome. finish the boat -- put decent lockers in (with removable floors for inspection), add provisions for anchoring the boat, add a small stand up area in the front with good drainage, add space for a trolling motor up front. use the increase weight capacity for 6 people on the 18 footer and 8 on the 20 footer. make the ride better by adding lifting foils or side foams like they do in australia, add nice eva foam on the flooring to deaden and eliminate the water noise and banging, reduce the price. its not that difficult.

Well north of 85k ??? I paid about 7-10k more than your kingfisher lake boat for my basically 20’ podded HT challenger when you look at boat price without rigging etc. This was ONLY because I was dealing with Inlet and I was able to pick and choose what to wanted and didn’t want.

Now in terms of floor weight, just an FYI... a 4x8 sheet of marine ply is about 32lbs and a 4x8 sheet of .120 alum is about 55lbs... hardly a huge difference when you are taking about 2 or 3 sheets. Kingfisher uses wood because it is cheaper not because they are saving loads of weight. The weight difference is from what you can’t see... hull build/reinforcement is not even close to the same.

I have a hard time believing you have ever ridden in a SS when you are comparing ride quality to a 12* deadrise, 1100lbs boat.

The pic you posted was of a race rocks which is built for a pure fishing platform at the best price possible.

My challenger came pretty finished.



To the OP, give Chris at inlet a call. My email thread with him during the build was just short of 100 emails and I never once got a short winded response or anything. Service was outstanding

 

[macro]

Not mine. - https://www.usedcourtenaycomox.com/classified-ad/2013-Silverstreak-Hard-Top_34557328

 

[Whole in the Water]

Bought a new 18.6 Silver Streak in 2004. The boat has been great! Very good quality, design, low maintenance and good service from Silver Streak. One of the best purchases I've ever made.

I have seen some of the newer US aluminum boats. A lot of them are taken from designs for river use (i.e. flatter bottoms, pointy, raked bows, low deadrise - that all lead to more pounding in chop and waves). Many also have less freeboard (less deep) and not good for rougher water. Some also have open bows that just seam like a poor use of space and more prone to swamping in rough water. Lastly some use thinner gauge plate and have poor weld quality.

 

[macro]

Bought a new 18.6 Silver Streak in 2004. The boat has been great! Very good quality, design, low maintenance and good service from Silver Streak. One of the best purchases I've ever made.

I have seen some of the newer US aluminum boats. A lot of them are taken from designs for river use (i.e. flatter bottoms, pointy, raked bows, low deadrise - that all lead to more pounding in chop and waves). Many also have less freeboard (less deep) and not good for rougher water. Some also have open bows that just seam like a poor use of space and more prone to swamping in rough water. Lastly some use thinner gauge plate and have poor weld quality.

Whatever do you mean - name one riverhawk boat thats ever had failed welds or a caved in hull, or sank after the welds cracked

 

[bMcN]

Reminds me of that guy that bought the ****** cutwater that sank. He wrote up this whole website to complain about it and as I'm reading it I'm just like jesus christ buddy I wouldn't want to sell you a cheeseburger! Some people have high expectations and think they can micromanage their way out of issues. Trust goes a long way in getting a quality service/ product. Let them breathe and they might just treat you better. I second that Chris at Inlet is a standup dude and his mechanic Dustin had been a ******* treat to discuss options with. They haven't even finished the job and I'm already happy with the service!

x2 on the service from Inlet. Dustin in particular has been great.

 

[Rednex3]

it wouldnt take much to make silverstreak competitive. drop the silly welded floor, replace it with something nice. doesnt have to be wood -- some new composites are awesome. finish the boat -- put decent lockers in (with removable floors for inspection), add provisions for anchoring the boat, add a small stand up area in the front with good drainage, add space for a trolling motor up front. use the increase weight capacity for 6 people on the 18 footer and 8 on the 20 footer. make the ride better by adding lifting foils or side foams like they do in australia, add nice eva foam on the flooring to deaden and eliminate the water noise and banging, reduce the price. its not that difficult.

Sounds to me like you should put your money where your mouth is and start a shop, put in excess of five hundred (500) CUSTOM boats in the water before even starting a production model and then offer all those things for cheaper. Hey, it’s not that hard right.

Don’t forget to make sure to pay a full crew of CERTIFIED welders a good wage to do it for you as well. One thing to think about over all other things when considering a welded boat.
->The guys welding it.<-
Just look into whose welding operations are certified and who just throws farmers right onto the production floor to “weld” boats up.

I’ve had and hated pompous customers like you in the past. I bet there was a reason Mr. Barry sent you packing bud, he’s been in the business a loooooong time. If you thought he was a dick, I would have loved to have heard what your opinion of Steve Daigle (Eaglecraft) was in the same circumstances. Silver streak isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, even with upsetting someone such as yourself.

You have demonstrated a staggering lack of boatbuilding knowledge by comparing a river boat to an ocean boat. Which is why you have said Kingfisher.

 

[Rednex3]

Hi, We are a senior retired couple looking to buy a boat to fish/explore out of the Pender Harbor area....looking at Kingfisher 1825 and Hewes 180 Sportsman both with 90 hp....we want to have a hassle free experience and are aware that these boats can pound in heavier seas but we can mitigate this with heading out on calm days. Are we on the right track? Any other ideas? Thanks for any input .....

Between the two, the Hewes is a much better boat.

 

[zurk]

Sounds to me like you should put your money where your mouth is and start a shop, put in excess of five hundred (500) CUSTOM boats in the water before even starting a production model and then offer all those things for cheaper. Hey, it’s not that hard right.

Don’t forget to make sure to pay a full crew of CERTIFIED welders a good wage to do it for you as well. One thing to think about over all other things when considering a welded boat.
->The guys welding it.<-
Just look into whose welding operations are certified and who just throws farmers right onto the production floor to “weld” boats up.

I’ve had and hated pompous customers like you in the past. I bet there was a reason Mr. Barry sent you packing bud, he’s been in the business a loooooong time. If you thought he was a dick, I would have loved to have heard what your opinion of Steve Daigle (Eaglecraft) was in the same circumstances. Silver streak isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, even with upsetting someone such as yourself.

You have demonstrated a staggering lack of boatbuilding knowledge by comparing a river boat to an ocean boat. Which is why you have said Kingfisher.

oh please. save me the B.S. on how tiny canadian businesses like silverstreak are putting 500 custom boats on the water and working some magic where their products are more expensive with less carrying capacity than the competition who is putting twice that number in the water EVERY YEAR. Silverstreak might not go anywhere but they are going to be stuck trying to sell the same boats from 2016 in 2019. Have you seen how long those silverstreaks sit at inlet marine ? enough to gather dust. no one is buying them.
wow. CERTIFIED welders. i would rather have robots doing the welding on my boat like they do on my car, thanks. dont need to overpay those human welders. just get rid of them and buy some robots.
well barry has been in the business such a loong time that all his competition have tripled in sales while he sits and wonders why his boats arent selling. hint - its likely not your customers, its mr barry shooting himself in the foot.
Yeah put that silverstreak on a REAL ocean in rough weather with closely spaced 8 footers and see how well it holds up. it may stay in one piece longer than my kingfisher but it will be upside down with you in the flooded cabin. lets not try and justify these tiny boats as some miracle of ocean engineering. want a real ocean boat ? buy one of those SAFE boats out of the US coast guard in seattle. Now those 25' things are rated for proper ocean going (and even those max out at 10 foot waves, RIB flotation and self righting cabins notwithstanding)

 

[UkeeDreamin]

FWIW I’ve owned Harbercraft (I.e. pre-name change to Kingfisher), Hewescraft and currently a Silver Streak. Loved them all, but none were perfect.

The silver streak is definitely the sturdiest build but, the other two handled conditions off the west coast that scared the **** out of me and my crew (on a few occasions) confirming that they all are built and designed well enough to handle the conditions and use that 98% of us will require of them. Zero issues with structural integrity or seaworthiness in any of them after many years of hard use including frequent beach landings, the aforementioned surprise/fast-changing weather and sea conditions or the odd rough docking mistakes. All held there value and fetched top dollar used (Harbercraft and hewes, still have the SS)

On the finish side of things, the Harbercraft was head and tail better than the other two, just extremely good fit and finish from welds to the creature comforts. The Silver Streak is rough, has quality welds (well, for the most part, but some annoying evidence of lack of care on interior, non-structural welds) but the SS is not exactly finished for comfort - anyone who says otherwise is kidding themselves or never spent time in comparable boats. As most folks know, Hewes fits the middle road and provides exceptional value - you get a lot of boat in all of their models for the price point.

Bought my SS from Inlet, like most seem to, and Chris provided outstanding service, support and communication throughout. Based on my experience with Inlet Marine, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them - absolutely top notch operation. GA Checkpoint, where I bought my Hewes, was terrible to deal with but won’t get into the long list of misinformation and failure to deliver on agreed to service and outfitting (in a written contract, no less!).

Cheers!

Ukee

 

[marcofisher]

Retired senior myself and what was most important to me was a reliable, risk free boating experience. As you know handling mishaps is a little bit different to when you were younger. So personally I would look at the 2 for mentioned quality boats as both are good choices for inshore fishing and beachcombing. Newer preferred and I if was spending your money I would have a peak at this one.

https://vancouver.craigslist.org/pml/boa/d/mission-2016-kingfisher-1825-falcon/6967819013.html

I was buying a boat trailer earlier this year from this fellow and in his workshop he had this 2016 Kingfisher 1825 which was basically brand new and in showroom condition. He mentioned he never had time to use it and now I see he has been posting it on CL for a month or so. Good luck on your search.

Thanks for the heads up ...will look into it. Cheers

 

[marcofisher]

If you are looking at the Hewescraft I would go with the Searunner rather than the Sportsman if you can swing it. Quite a difference in hull design which will affect ride big time. We have a 20’ Searunner ET and have been in some nasty water( probably shouldn’t have been there) but handled it fine.

Thanks am pricing out the difference but at first blush it will go over our budget (which is already over)....

 

[Rain City]

Thanks am pricing out the difference but at first blush it will go over our budget (which is already over)....

My budget doubled after asking these assholes opinions.

 

[Sir Reel]

My budget doubled after asking these assholes opinions.

That’s a good one RC! Almost spit out my spaghetti!
But we made a good decision for you didn’t we?

 

[Rain City]

That’s a good one RC! Almost spit out my spaghetti!
But we made a good decision for you didn’t we?

Couldn't be happier. Good boats are expensive, who knew?

 

[Sir Reel]

Good boats keep their value too. Especially if you look after them

 

[Bearded wonder]

In regards to the kingfisher, Hewes, and similar they all have plywood and vinyl floors. Do those floors hold up over time? I am in the same market as macrofisher. At first thought it raises concern to have a wood floor on a $40,000 boat.

 

[Whole in the Water]

Wood and water do not mix. Water rots wood unless it is faithfully maintained and even then will eventually need to be replaced. Why people put wood floors in aluminum boats is beyond me. Go with aluminum floors or vinyl at the very least. It is just plain cheap, bad design to use wood floors in any boat open cockpit boat in my experience and others.