Question for Pat or anybody. We all pretty well know the history of Champ bassboats thanks to Pat and others. Now how about somthing on Champs other boats, bay boats and walleye boats and how they came to be. I know when Champ was a pro walleye tournament sponsor, the ranger boys used to say the Walleye Fishunters were nothing more than a bassboat in desguise. I have a Fishunter 190, and I've never seen a ranger or for that matter, another walleye boat that can keep up. How about it?
2016 Jackson Big Tuna
Addicted to Kayak Fishing!
Here's what Pat said about the Bay boats a while back... I'm sure he'll add further clarification shortly... http://www.bbcboards.net/zerothread?id=25433
Modified by Gunnar at 11:44 AM 4/16/2009
I ask that same question in Champ History thread, hopefully Mr. Goff see's this one .... As for the FH's, I was told they started with a 176, single console, then an 18, and finally settled in the 190/194 series, but thats all second hand noise. They did have some big walleye pro's driving those boats back in the day... I believe the In-Fisherman Crew had them as well as "Doc" Bruce Samson of the PWT and maker of all those Lowrance training videos. I'd like to hear more.....What pulled me to that hull was a 1999 B&W boats article on the boat. BTW, I have that on .pdf format for anyone who wants it. As a side note, there was a Walleye Tourney on Erie one year and the waves got nasty, the Champs led the way busting a path for eveyone else to follow them in... That say's enough for me....
Thanks for bringing up the post in the forum...
Modified by Bowhunter at 3:33 PM 4/16/2009
Bowhunter
2017 Alumacraft Competitor 205 Suzuki DF250, Suzuki 9.9 EFI Kicker, Garmin Network
Fishhunter and coastal (same hull) I know were popular in their region, but don't know much about them.
First bay boat was the 21, then 22, then 22 tunnel. That was it for arkansas CC's.
I believe Dave had most of the input of the first designs, they are still an awesome hull for what they were designed.
Pat Goff
Two degrees from center
of nowhere.
Smithwick TX.
I had a 22 tunnel. Great hull for the coast. Boat could plane in a s little as 15 inches of water. Took rough water very well. Drawback was the narrow beam of 91 inches did offer much of a fishing platform. Just bought a 24 bay champ which is the best boat I have ever owned to this point. Pat, I thought Mountain Home designed the 24 bay champ. I remember seeing them at the 2000 bass master show in New Orleans.
Then they did...
I really didn't spend a lot of time with the CC's, they were cool boats, but wasn't where I was focused.
Pat Goff
Two degrees from center
of nowhere.
Smithwick TX.
The 2000 brochure does not show any Bay Champs. There may have been a separate salt brochure that I don't have, but I really don't know... The 1999 brochure shows a 21 Bay and a 200 Coastal, along with a Tunnel 22. The 2001 brochure shows 21 Bay, 2000 Bay, 201 Coastal, and Tunnel 22. The 24 first shows up in the 2003 brochure. I do not have a 2002 brochure and I am unsure if there was one published. That was the transition year from Mtn Home to M'boro.
Incidentally, in 1985 Champion built a boat (non-fishing) called Swift. Similar to the 93 model called the Mirage.
Will try to get a chance to look thru the brochures to see when the Fishunter first appeared. I know there was one in 1990. It was tiller steer. No console at all.
Lea, if you can find the model on that Tiller version, that would be very cool to see. I'd like to find one of those... very, very cool!
Bowhunter
2017 Alumacraft Competitor 205 Suzuki DF250, Suzuki 9.9 EFI Kicker, Garmin Network
Not sure what you mean by "find the model". The brochure I am looking at is 1990. It was simply called the Fishunter. 17'6" with 84" beam. Rated for 75hp.
Ok, I just wanted to make sure it was still called the Fishunter and it wasn't a 15 footer or something... Thanks!!!!
Bowhunter
2017 Alumacraft Competitor 205 Suzuki DF250, Suzuki 9.9 EFI Kicker, Garmin Network
Back to the original topic. I was thinking that Champion bought out Backwater boats and brought them into the line-up toward the end of the Mtn Home days. Is that not right?
True....the 99 brochure shows the models (salt) which were BackCountry....
BackCountry Boats,
Cool flats boats, I used a 202 for six months, totally enjoyed fishing out of it.
Pat Goff
Two degrees from center
of nowhere.
Smithwick TX.
Reply With Quote
![[SIGPIC][<a href=http://www.bbcboards.net/image.php?type=sigpic&userid=583&dateline=1498828542/SIGPIC] target=_blank>http://www.bbcboards.net/image.php?t...828542/SIGPIC]</a>](image.php?s=ddfd32630a0f332dfa03686f6c01ffda&u=583&type=sigpic&dateline=1498828542)
