Thinking about in the next year or so getting rid of the pontoon & Jon boat to consolidate into one family/fishing boat & getting a JVX20 or DLV198 or 218. From what I can tell the JVX is lighter, less Draft, & can get by with a smaller motor then the DLV (so that makes for a better price tag). The DLV looks to be a little nicer & I really like the Jump Seats in the back, does not look like the JVX comes with the Jump seats so it would not have as much seating. Was looking to get your guys opinion on each of them & how they hold up, perform, dry ride, ect… Expecially if anyone has owned or rode in both so you can compare one to the other.
We mainly cruise around local lake/river cat / bream fishing & joy riding & come down to the coast to fish Murrells Inlet & Pawleys Island a few times each year. I have been looking at either Carolina Skiff or a Sea Hunt Bay boat but based off of price I am leaning more toward the carolina Skiff.
Any help would be great, thanks …
Buddy has the 20 jvx w/Yam 70 4S. They want to rig them w/90’s but IMHO 70 is good. They ride HARDDDD in a chop. Other than that a good boat.He’s getting ~ 7 mpg w/70
You know by chance how fast the 70 will push him? I’m not a speed demon but want to make sure I get on plane with a load and get from A to B in reasonable time.
I would bet that JVX20 with the 70 would run about 37-38 with a good 16-17 SS prop. That 90 adds a lot of weight, without a significant HP gain. If I was buying an 18-20 skiff, the yamaha 70 would be my choice or a 2 stroke 90.
“Banana Pants”
Indigo Bay 170
90 Johnson
Wilderness Ride 115
I would think you would get a little better ride in the DLV. A friend has one with a 90 hp on it and it moves along nicely. It is huge for an 18’er and is setup nicely for fishing.
“Apathy is the Glove into Which Evil Slips It’s Hand”.
Just looking at them on Carolina Skiff web site the out side of the hulls look to be about the same shape. You would think they would ride about the same. Maybe the extra weight on the DLV gives it a little better ride??
They both ride like a flat bottom boat. The DLV will be wider, and more stable and need more HP, resulting in more money. However, it has more seats, a bigger deck for kids, bigger livewell, and overall safer boat.
The new layout of the 198 DLV is awesome in my opinion. Light years above their old design. The console and rear deck additions look great, give flexible seating and a huge casting deck with a real livewell. Personally for me I would go with the 198 DLV and max out the HP.
Check out the boat test of the new 198 DLV with the ETEC 90 HO, it is the same engine as the 115 ETEC, so that gives you an idea of what the max performance is on that hull. The 115 Yamaha will be slightly slower, with less hole shot.
http://www.boattest.com/boats/boat_video.aspx?ID=3161
“Banana Pants”
Indigo Bay 170
90 Johnson
Wilderness Ride 115
Geronimo,
Great info on that site, thanks. Told me a lot of things I was wanting to know. I was hoping for a better ride then they described but I am thinking it is probably no worse then my 18’ Jon boat with a slight V in it (1987 Polar Craft tiller steer). Fartherest I would probably ever go is be the Jetties, that is when the front cleat would really have been a help. No idea why they would not have put one on the very front, I guess one could be added. Also like that a side rail can be added, come in handy for adding rod holders & for my sons safety. I would go with a 4-stroke even though the E-TEC sounds like a good fit for that boat. I just don’t care for them. Thanks for the help, I guess I need to try to get to dealer or something for a test ride to see if Carolina Skiff is the way I want to go. I just really want something that can get in shallow water & still have plenty of room/size & still be family friendly with a decent ride. Tired of dealing with two boat. Pontoon is great for the family but sucks to fish out of & the jobn boat is just the opposite.
It’s way better than a jon boat ride, just don’t expect the v in the bow to suddenly turn it into a v bottom boat. In a chop it will still rattle your teeth a bit, but the trade off is a very big cockpit, safety, and price.
“Banana Pants”
Indigo Bay 170
90 Johnson
Wilderness Ride 115
I didn’t expect it to ride as good as a true V hull but glad to hear it will be a better ride than a Jon.
I keep dreaming about selling my Mako for a DLV. I just love how light, wide, and fuel efficient they are. Plus easier to trailer I would imagine. I have a little 16’ flat bottom Carolina skiff side console with a 90 2stroke Yamaha that I keep in the lake. I never thought I would like it, but I love it. It has tons of room for moving around. Not so much for storage. It rides great on the lakes, and creeks. I took it to the Charleston jetties last month from breach inlet with 1.5’ chop. By the time I got there, I felt like Mike Tyson had got the best of me in a rain storm. Of course I only had a short time to fish, so I was letting her eat. Either one you choose you will be happy. Just like anything there’s pros and cons to all boats, just know how to use them to your advantage.