Skinny or wide body champ?

[Tx Champ]

Ya know, I fished with a buddy not too long ago out of his Z-22 and when both of us were on the same side of the boat, it listed about as much as my 201 does with the both of fishing out of it.

[Lea]

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Tx Champ &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Ya know, I fished with a buddy not too long ago out of his Z-22 and when both of us were on the same side of the boat, it listed about as much as my 201 does with the both of fishing out of it. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Yep...I know....I have owned and fished out of the narrower Champs. Never had a "tippy" issue. I suspect some competitors had something to do with that "judgement"....

[mixermarkb]

2008 with the high gas prices is not a good year to judge sales on a "new" model...

And it wasn't exactly what we asked for. I still think that a rear tank 203 that is tweeked to run a real 80mph gps with a 250xs would be a nice offering in the line. A corvette to go with the caddy 210.

I know more than a couple champ owners who have gone to bcb because they perform 4-5 miles an hour better on the top end... Just sayin

[Lea]

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by mixermarkb &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">2008 with the high gas prices is not a good year to judge sales on a "new" model... </TD></TR></TABLE>

I hope you don't mind a friendly disagreement with that statement. It was hardly a new model, since 07 was the only skipped year... and the 210 and 198 (and others) both sold just fine that year....Gas prices be darned.

As for not wanting that particular 203 with under-seat tanks...the cry for the 203 to be brought back, was for the 203 to be brought back. I realize the rear tank was the most popular, but that was not available and still folks asked for the 203 to be brought back....

All might be moot points. The available molds are for the under-seat tank config. We'll have to wait and see if any of the older models will be resurrected...

[toledo bend jim]

Lea I was going to order the 203 LTD but was so disapointed in the performance I cancelled the order. When I went to order the new 203 I was told "it will be exactly like the MH boat". I finally got the straight info from another Champ owner. Beautiful boat just like the one they had at the Classic just not quite what I was looking for. TBJ

[mixermarkb]

I am glad they were listening to the customer feedback when trying to bring back the 203. My opinion is they just didn't quite make what we were asking for. The 203ltd is a mid 70's boat with a 250, not the high 70's low 80's boat that some of us are looking for. We are more than willing to give up the extra storage of a 210, we just want that 5mph on the top end in trade...

As it was the 203ltd didn't seem to be much faster than a 210.

Just my armchair opinion...

Again, bcb seems to do real well with 250 rated 20' boats. I think there is a hole there between the 225 rated 19+ footers and the big 210. And I don't mind disagreements, I'm just stating my opinions. ;)

[Lea]

If speed is your primary issue...a whole 'nother story is involved......

Hey...I understand....let's see what shakes out...

[FEARTHETURTLE210]

Mixer mark, i understand your need for speed but your in the wrong brand. Speed and rough water ride arent in the same sentence. I have no problems with my 210 running 70mph and getting passed by other brands on a calm day but it seems that i never get passed on a rough day, and i never seem to complain at the ramp how bad the waves were..I am more concerned about catching fish then how fast my boat goes. Doesnt seem to keep Skeet Reese from winning in his 210 Elite...

[Hillsreels]

I prefer the new 203 LE but love 203's period!!
I have boat # 6 and find the softer efficency is great for us " old Folks"
OMG I am 66 Where did the time go ????
Just glad to be a Champion fan

[mixermarkb]

All I'm saying is that speed and rough water ride USED to be in the same brand... It was called champion. Lol. I'm not asking for stroker, ally, or bullet fast. I just miss the days that champs could run away from rangers on any water, not wait until it got rough. I think the 210 is a fine boat, as are the 200 and 198, and 203LTD's. I'm simply saying that other companies like bcb and stratos have a 20' boat with a 250 in their lineup that will run upper 70's and push against 80 with a light load and tweeky setup. We don't. We jump from 19'8" to 21'. The old rear tank 203's do run those kind of speeds with a 250, ask champ203. It wouldn't be a boat for everyone, but it is a hole in the champ lineup.

Disclaimer: I do own a pair of old 203's, so I'm not buying any boats from any manufacturer anytime soon. I haven't been in a 203LTD, and only taken a short ride in a 198 and a 210, both on fairly calm days. The bass boat trend is wider, but I gotta say that maybe our little survey here is showing that that trend may be as marketing driven as market driven. All I'm saying is without a camera guy standing next to mebon the front deck filming my every move, I've never once felt crowded. Plus, I can lean against my pro pole seat and work a spook or a jerkbait without my rod hitting the side of the boat.

We all buy the boat that works for us. I just want as many choices under the champ umbrella as possible to keep our guys building n selling boats for a long time!


Modified by mixermarkb at 6:33 AM 12/12/2009


Modified by mixermarkb at 6:34 AM 12/12/2009

[jaycount]

I like my 186 but I would kill for a wider deck and more storage. 18'6" is long enough but I can't hardly walk around my deck while rods are laying out.

[Bassin Bob71]

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by mixermarkb &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">All I'm saying is that speed and rough water ride USED to be in the same brand... It was called champion. Lol. I'm not asking for stroker, ally, or bullet fast. I just miss the days that champs could run away from rangers on any water, not wait until it got rough. I think the 210 is a fine boat, as are the 200 and 198, and 203LTD's. I'm simply saying that other companies like bcb and stratos have a 20' boat with a 250 in their lineup that will run upper 70's and push against 80 with a light load and tweeky setup. We don't. We jump from 19'8" to 21'. The old rear tank 203's do run those kind of speeds with a 250, ask champ203. It wouldn't be a boat for everyone, but it is a hole in the champ lineup.

Disclaimer: I do own a pair of old 203's, so I'm not buying any boats from any manufacturer anytime soon. I haven't been in a 203LTD, and only taken a short ride in a 198 and a 210, both on fairly calm days. The bass boat trend is wider, but I gotta say that maybe our little survey here is showing that that trend may be as marketing driven as market driven. All I'm saying is without a camera guy standing next to mebon the front deck filming my every move, I've never once felt crowded. Plus, I can lean against my pro pole seat and work a spook or a jerkbait without my rod hitting the side of the boat.

We all buy the boat that works for us. I just want as many choices under the champ umbrella as possible to keep our guys building n selling boats for a long time!


Modified by mixermarkb at 6:33 AM 12/12/2009


Modified by mixermarkb at 6:34 AM 12/12/2009</TD></TR></TABLE>

Mark, I understand what you're saying. I would tend to agree it would be nice to have something between the current 202 and a 210.........I'd like to see a 202 rated for 250hp or better yet a 198 with a 250 rating

[FEARTHETURTLE210]

Mixer, I hear you about the speed..any your entitled to your wants out of the Champion boat line, but I am not a speed freak to the point of worrying whose passing me on the water. I had a Ranger 521 before i sold it and bought my 210. My 521 was a fast boat 73-75mph. But beat me to death on a rough day. I chose the comfort and handling and soft ride with a huge wide deck and stable platform and massive storage over the speed, but i am just 1 guy. My Ranger did track better because it sits so low in water and wind doesnt get to the boat but i dont always worry when the wind blows either.
There is no perfect boat there are trade offs no matter what boat line or model you choose.

[courserd]

I have owned many bass boats
1975 16' Bassmaster
1979 17' Hydro Stream
1986 Skeeter Starfire 185
1987 Ranger 390
1994 Ranger 492vs
1999 Stratos 21 extreme
1988 Gambler 209
1988 Skeeter sk2000
now I just bought a 94 Champion 201 with a 205 Optimax. I have always had the big wide stable platform. Now I've learnt last year from MY buddy's 19 ft Champ
how nice these SKINNY boats ride and really aren't that tippy.

PS if your hauling so much stuff you can't store in the skinny Champ you haven't decided how to catch the fish in the first place

Dick

[MMosher]

Well said mixer. "Back in the day" Champions focus was on speed and ride, not decking and storage. Maximum performance in all conditions with a nice Dry ride. It amazes me how much focus people are making on storage in the past several years. Storage, storage, storage. Today's bass boats have more storage than the 8 foot bed of my truck! A perfect example of this is to look at a 86 inch beam Champion. Ever notice how far back the console is in the boat? This was done for a reason. Or why the fuel tanks were in the back? The less weight up front means faster speeds and more of the weight on the back of the pad. Today the Champ consoles and fuel tanks are moved farther forward to ad more deck space and storage in turn slowing the boat some. Then we fill the storage storage storage with everything we have ever bought for fishing over the last 30 years and weigh/slow it down even more. I don't know, you would think there would be a happy medium somewhere. Hell maybe I'm just old fashioned and believe a tackle box or two and 4-5 rods is plenty fer me. I do think the poll is a perfect example for Champion to bring back a classic model. Hopefully this is getting back to the right ears. Then again they prolly have bigger fish to fry at the present time.

[Lea]

I guess you all might know the expression about pleasing some of the people all of the time, all of the people some of the time, but none of the people all of the time ...... That's the situation as of now (and forever).

Part of the reasoning behind moving fuel tanks to under-seat was due to anticipated heavier motors...thanks to EPA, etc.. Additionally, some folks griped about Champs being too bow-high with the rear tanks. Heavier motors would exacerbate that "problem".

Hopefully, there will be a middle ground....

[MMosher]

Yin and Yang I guess.

[bassin butch]

OK a Lil ditty to all like me that love the new wide body's:



Butch

[U.S. eh Champ!]

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Lea &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> Heavier motors would exacerbate that "problem".

Hopefully, there will be a middle ground....</TD></TR></TABLE>

Great Lea.... now I need to carry a dictionary when I read your posts? How about just saying it would make the problem worse?!!

[MMosher]

For the record I dont dislike the wide bodies just prefer the Mnt. Homers.