Caracal with lithiums - a testimonial

[Hurl19]

Did your caracal sit pretty flat in the water prior to the lithiums? I fish a normally rough lake and already spend a lot of days getting wet feet at the trolling motor. My fear in taking weight out of the back of the boat is that it will then be even more now heavy.

Subjectively, I always thought it was fairly stern-heavy before this change. I don't fish rough seas regularly, so it's hard for me to gauge what your comparison would be. Whenever anyone was on the back deck when I had heavy batts, water line came up to the rub rail. Now, the rub rail sits about 1-2 inches above the waterline. It's not a huge change, but it is noticeable. The biggest effect that I've witnessed is that I don't get backwash coming off plane. But I haven't fished heavy enough seas since the change to notice the effect of water over the bow. I would say that the change in weight in the back also affords me the opportunity with the more open space to relocate some weight back there, and that may be what you have to consider. Probably not a pound for pound shift, but could help.

[Hollada]

Subjectively, I always thought it was fairly stern-heavy before this change. I don't fish rough seas regularly, so it's hard for me to gauge what your comparison would be. Whenever anyone was on the back deck when I had heavy batts, water line came up to the rub rail. Now, the rub rail sits about 1-2 inches above the waterline. It's not a huge change, but it is noticeable. The biggest effect that I've witnessed is that I don't get backwash coming off plane. But I haven't fished heavy enough seas since the change to notice the effect of water over the bow. I would say that the change in weight in the back also affords me the opportunity with the more open space to relocate some weight back there, and that may be what you have to consider. Probably not a pound for pound shift, but could help.

My rear compartments are already full. Unless you meant move stuff to the bilge. And that’s not happening. Far too wet lol.

[Hurl19]

My rear compartments are already full. Unless you meant move stuff to the bilge. And that’s not happening. Far too wet lol.

Either way, really. I moved my prop back there, which opened up some space in that small, side rear compartment to move some tools farther back than they were. Really I just mean rearrange stuff so your heavier equipment is as far back as you can get it. Options are certainly limited with the size of the compartments, and what you're are carrying, for sure. Sounds like it's a tough call for you depending on your needs, and the expense of it doesn't really support tryouts. Also depends on your design decisions - my batts aren't as far back in the bilge compartment as they could be based on what I wanted to be able to do back there. My choices won't work for everyone.