Cougar vs Eyra

[fuelleak]

Thinking of trading in my 2014 Cougar for a new Eyra. My only concern is rough water ride. Is it as smooth as the Cougar?

[Kittycat2012]

IMO yes. I run a puma but have driven them all. Between these two and puma it’s all in the driver

[blakesfav]

There are some, including me, that think the Eyra is slightly better in rough water than the Cougar. As said above, driver input is the main factor.

[fuelleak]

Thanks for the input.

[jp71291]

You will not be disappointed. I actually think the rough water ride goes to the Eyra.

[DennisMH&F]

Traded my 2013 Cougar for a new Eyra late last year. First tournament in the new ride was the roughest of the year and I was very impressed with the Eyra. I would definitely say it ride better than the Cougar, though both were very good.

[Bass Cat Boats]

It all depends on the water as on varying waves, lengths and heights, they each have their positives.

[fuelleak]

I heard through the rumor mill that the Eyra is a surprise when it comes to the rough stuff. About 100lbs lighter and 2" shorter than the Cougar but has a big boat ride and a smooth feel when running the waves. At least thats what I have been hearing. Love the layout and thats the only reason I would switch out of a Cougar.

[blakesfav]

I heard through the rumor mill that the Eyra is a surprise when it comes to the rough stuff. About 100lbs lighter and 2" shorter than the Cougar but has a big boat ride and a smooth feel when running the waves. At least thats what I have been hearing. Love the layout and thats the only reason I would switch out of a Cougar.

That has been my personal experience.

[shapfromla]

Both are spectacular hulls and excellent fishing machines. Each have their own pro's and cons. I'll do my best to describe my experiences. I just picked up my Second Eyra Monday and have been in several Cougar's, Puma's, and literally have thousands of hours in a Pantera Classic/P-II hull.

Eyra Pro's
-- Best looking hull on the water in my opinoin. The lines on the Eyra never get old and sitting on the trailer or in the water it looks like it is going 80 mph.
-- I love the Coffin lid storage design! It is so convenient and easy to access tackle without having to walk down off the deck to open the compartments.
-- I prefer the lower seating which gives a more secure feeling in the cockpit.
-- Handling on the trolling motor is second to none. It is the best handling 20 foot boat on the market with the troller down. It goes where you point it and is especially good at backing in and out of tight spots. It is the most nimble of the 20 footers
-- Handling while running is unsurpassed except for a few Allison hulls that I have been in. It will carve a river or bayou up!! It is really impressive. This is a drivers hull and once you learn it's potential it is extremely fun
-- Rough water handling is excellent. It's a toss up between an Eyra and Cougar/Puma. I think the Eyra is a little more responsive to driver input which can be good or bad depending on the input. LOL. Very soft and almost refuses to stuff a wave. One of the most overlooked positives of the Eyra.

-- Top speed is a wash in my opinion. The Eyra/Cougar/Puma will all run upper 70's to Low 80's depending on equipment, tackle, setup, driver skill. The Eyra requires a little more input but is not bad at all.

Eyra Cons
-- Tighter cockpit area. I am 6'1" tall with long inseam. I find the cockpit area very comfortable. It is tighter than the Puma/Cougar though. It's more of a sports car type seating which I prefer. You sit down in the cockpit rather than on top of it. Some will view it as a con but it's actually better for me.
-- Slightly narrower front deck at the trolling motor pedal. Not by much but it is noticable. I normally fish with 8-10 rods on the deck and don't have an issue. At the consoles I think the Eyra may be a touch wider but at the troller it's slightly narrower. The Cougar has a longer deck as well.
-- The Cougar/Puma is a little more stable at rest. Noticable while fishing in rough water. If you are an open water fisherman who spends most of your time offshore I think the Cougar/Puma is a better option.
-- Hole shot is a little more Nose up on the Eyra than the Cougar/Puma hulls. Not a big difference in hole shot times but the Eyra comes out with more of a nose up angle.

Now these are just my opinions from my personal experiences and you may feel different after spending time in each. My preference is the Eyra. I love the sporty feel and the superb handling. I also think the physical looks of the hull separate it from the others. The great thing is that there are 3 20' hulls that are all excellent and allow us to pick which one suits our fishing styles the best. Then the Lynx comes in to play but I think it is in a different category with the wide body boats.

[Elwood]

Nice description and break down Chris. Totally concur. I did find that if you have a hydraulic jack plate that higher setting decrease the nose lift on hole shot. My best hole shot is on a 8-12 setting..... that is with a SHO. Great boat and when I am done with this one I will own another one.

[BassCatDan]

Chris, I need to see pics of your new Eyra. Your last one was amazingly gorgeous as was your classic.


In the mean time I will keep my Cougar for another 5 years. My 99 is still a BAD Cougar. I would love an Eyra here in South Louisiana though the new classic has my attention.

Though my 11 year old 225 ETEC HO has been very reliable besides gearcase I will go Merc or Yammy next time.

[rtrose]

I looked at both today and for me it was a wash. Both are bad a$$ boats and it would probably just come down to what color boat was on the showroom floor. I don't care what anyone says, Bass Cat boats are head and shoulders above the competition. I thought my Skeeter was nice. No comparison!

[CKEyra]

I love my Eyra, the design and lines are so clean looking in or out of the water. It gets compliments everywhere I go. The rough water ride is great, feels extremely solid and has a very aggressive ride, it loves to cut-up the water. It is very agile when using the trolling motor and is extremely stable on the water, great fishability. The speed is exceptional and holeshot is great. A hydraulic jackplate is almost a must to get total performance out of the boat. I personally love the coffin lids and the giant step/cooler. Plus the rear boxes are perfect size for my stuff or co-angler's. I would say the Eyra is a no-brainer but then again I might be a little bias. Both are awesome boats, just depends which layout like the best

[fuelleak]

Great reviews and thanks

[krindgen]

That Eyra sure does look nimble on the water for a "bigger" boat.

[angle iron]

That Eyra sure does look nimble on the water for a "bigger" boat.

This is Hull is very responsive. Love the acceleration!