Basscat Eyra vs 203 Champion

[Scooty06]

I'm looking for an older boat in either model. I'm deciding on which boat to pull the trigger on & have narrowed it down to these 2. I fish about 8 tournaments a year & 5 of those tournaments are on the Columbia River. This river can get hairy really fast with 3ft & 4ft rollers. What's the difference & what's the similarities between the 2 boats? Which would benefit me more for rough water fishing?

• Not worried about storing a lot of tackle
• Will be outfitted w/ 250. Merc & 2 8ft power poles

Thanks for any help!

[Sports1]

If the lake can get really rough and if the rollers can get that bad go with the 203.

[BASSCAT7]

How old of an Eyra ? The original Eyra from 1994 till around 2000 were 18 footers with a 175 max HP rating I believe.

[brnzbaklvr]

If your going to be in rough water I would go with the length and get the 203...The only issue with the Champ is you won't have much of a support network..

[Bass Cat Boats]

Columbia River Gorge could be rough in the Queen Mary, well maybe we exaggerated some. Still the river is rough and it does need bit of a large boat. The newer 20' Eyra would be great in maneuvering through the wakes and waves that bounce off the walls there. They tend to stack and stick up and the boat handles that with ease and is very dry. It tends to ride on top of waves and cuts through when necessary throwing water out instead of up. The Champion hull will ride down in the waves slower and is a good ride, though it does not throw water out, thus it can blow up more in winds. The Eyra will navigate it faster, while the slower ride of the 203 will ride well also.

[Sports1]

And the 203 will not beat you up.

[truman lake andy]

Check the transom on the champion, they were known to have some bad ones, just sayin. I owned a champ in the 90's, loved it.

[Champ]

I owned 4 new champs never had a problem with them ,but i would go with the company that still in business.

[Scooty06]

My brother has a 99 champ 203. I've been fishing team tourneys with him for the last 3 years & it's an awesome machine. I know that the driver plays a huge part as well. I was just trying to see if there was something else out there as welll. Thanks for your input.

[castforcash]

I owned 4 champs before getting my '11 puma ftd. Last champ I owned was a '01 203. The 203 rode a lot softer than the puma, but it was a very wet boat especially in any kind of cross wind. The puma is by far the driest boat I have ever owned. The construction and overall build quality of the puma is far superior to any of the champs I owned. For the conditions you mention, I would highly recommend a high five prop so that you can climb the waves. No need to have a speed prop in those conditions. Up here on st. clair and Erie many guys run the high five prop. Best champ I ever ran for rough water capabilities was a '95 202, but they are hard to come by nowadays.

[MMosher]

Wait for the BCB 203 Hybrid hull to come out! ;)

[iron banks]

I owned 4 champs before getting my '11 puma ftd. Last champ I owned was a '01 203. The 203 rode a lot softer than the puma, but it was a very wet boat especially in any kind of cross wind. The puma is by far the driest boat I have ever owned. The construction and overall build quality of the puma is far superior to any of the champs I owned. For the conditions you mention, I would highly recommend a high five prop so that you can climb the waves. No need to have a speed prop in those conditions. Up here on st. clair and Erie many guys run the high five prop. Best champ I ever ran for rough water capabilities was a '95 202, but they are hard to come by nowadays.

this

[Merconly]

Oh No Mosher, that will really open up this page ha ha ha ha

[MMosher]

^In 29 Days I'll be sitting my butt in that 203 Hybrid for a demo at the IO on Bull! I can't wait!

[JDM]

Columbia River Gorge could be rough in the Queen Mary, well maybe we exaggerated some. Still the river is rough and it does need bit of a large boat. The newer 20' Eyra would be great in maneuvering through the wakes and waves that bounce off the walls there. They tend to stack and stick up and the boat handles that with ease and is very dry. It tends to ride on top of waves and cuts through when necessary throwing water out instead of up. The Champion hull will ride down in the waves slower and is a good ride, though it does not throw water out, thus it can blow up more in winds. The Eyra will navigate it faster, while the slower ride of the 203 will ride well also.

Been in many boats on the C-river and the two you are looking at ride differently. BC is going to be a little faster in the inch chop. But once waves get 3 ft and better thing change quickly. The champ is a better ride in the columbia when talking waves plain and simple. Powered and propped right the champ come out of the pocket and breech waves with its keel better. The BC seems to fish bit better. Just in minutes, 18 to 20 mph can cause 4-5 footers on the Col Rivr pending CFS flow and westwind. If you are going to be fishing it a lot on the river. The 203 or even 21ft champs are better ride from a regular production hull. At rest the champs bow rides a higher but there won't be horrilble difference in bow swing. Do get a long trolling shaft. The BC will most likely give you factory support and BC is going to do just fine if you take your time and learn how to ride C river waves (C-river is a different beast). Also the older you go in models , the champ is going to ride even better in rough water.

[Merconly]

JDM very good description, what if we have the 203 Hull with BCB tweaks and a Puma FTD top, Uh Oh, I just crapped my pants........

[n2ratfishin]

This thread reminds me why I hang on to my old 2008 Cougar AE. All the weight in the back, it may not be as agile as some of the new hulls but she sure makes me smile when KY Lake gets nasty. Only the biggest of the Champs are gonna ride better and I've been in all of them including the 223. The 223 was a hidden gem when the going got rough! I haven't been in a newer Jag and suspect it's also a wave crusher.

Older 203 is going to win out on this one if the drivers are equal because the 20 is much better than the older and smaller old Eyra in the rough stuff.

[Cajunhunter67]

This thread reminds me why I hang on to my old 2008 Cougar AE. All the weight in the back, it may not be as agile as some of the new hulls but she sure makes me smile when KY Lake gets nasty. Only the biggest of the Champs are gonna ride better and I've been in all of them including the 223. The 223 was a hidden gem when the going got rough! I haven't been in a newer Jag and suspect it's also a wave crusher.

Older 203 is going to win out on this one if the drivers are equal because the 20 is much better than the older and smaller old Eyra in the rough stuff.

The 2016 Cougar AE also has the fuel tanks in the back unlike the Puma AE, which has the fuel tanks under seat. The new Cougar and Puma AE models now come with the Acrylic lighted hand holds like the FTD. I Like DAT!