BradM Posted December 9, 2020 Report Share Posted December 9, 2020 After nearly 3 years, my wife emerged victorious...The most heated discussions we’ve ever had centered around a t-top on the 23. I fish artificial lures as well as fly fish a good bit and the thought of such a monstrosity irritated me. Not to mention the loss of performance, wind blowing me off fish (I fish as shallow as the boat will float) and I just flat out didn’t want a parachute on my Ferrari! After a miserable summer day, I caved. I couldn’t take the fussing from her anymore, AND she managed to get my 5 y/o son to pile on....The boat looks black, but is is actually anthracite gray. A few folks were absolutely critical in making this happen, and I can’t thank them enough! While I don’t love it yet, it’s growing on me. Maybe this summer I’ll have a new appreciation for the top; I know I’ll appreciate not hearing about not having one. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoneyB Posted December 9, 2020 Report Share Posted December 9, 2020 Nice sail !!🤣 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief5130 Posted December 9, 2020 Report Share Posted December 9, 2020 I am with you, I too am anti tee top for all of the same reasons. But there are times when I go out and it is cold and the wind blocking of a tee top with an insinglass would be nice. If you are going to have one that looks good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BradM Posted December 9, 2020 Author Report Share Posted December 9, 2020 Thanks for fixing that pic, HB! I may get out to make some pulls this Sat. I’ll keep you posted. Thanks for the sentiment, Chief! Glad to see you back around here! Congrats on the new ‘Zuke! I hope all is well with you and yours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lurem Posted December 9, 2020 Report Share Posted December 9, 2020 Looks very nice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishmanjj Posted December 9, 2020 Report Share Posted December 9, 2020 Brad: that’s a beautiful rig. JJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fin-addict Posted December 9, 2020 Report Share Posted December 9, 2020 1 minute ago, fin-addict said: Good looking T and great looking sled. I will only have boats with T’s if styled for one. 😀👍⚓️🙏fin FYI, you won but really don’t know it yet but you will given time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plainsman5 Posted December 9, 2020 Report Share Posted December 9, 2020 To quote Cousin Eddie from Christmas Vacation.... "she's a beaut Clark!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lookinforsnook Posted December 9, 2020 Report Share Posted December 9, 2020 Brad, now that's a tough loss to suffer.............poor guy, lol. Nice looking rig. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pbspecial Posted December 10, 2020 Report Share Posted December 10, 2020 You will eventually love the T Top. I had a 2300 for four years with no top and moved up to a 2500 with a top for similar reasons and also was a bit skeptical but now I cannot imaging not having the top anymore. Those hot summer days are so much more enjoyable to be able to get out of the sun and sandbar runs are definitely more enjoyable . You will get used to having it on the boat and adjust your casting accordingly. I'm not a fly fisherman but I think you will figure out a way around it. And...happy wife, happy life....always wins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunstone Posted December 10, 2020 Report Share Posted December 10, 2020 No more 65 mph but looks good. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BradM Posted December 10, 2020 Author Report Share Posted December 10, 2020 37 minutes ago, Sunstone said: No more 65 mph but looks good. Challenge accepted! I hope so PB, I spoke to you a few times while we were in the hunt for a 25'. My wife ultimately got cold feet the day a fella was coming to stroke a check for the 23, and we were to put a deposit on a 25'. I'm not saying a 25' is behind us, and will be fine if it never happens, as the 23' is, and has been my dream boat since it came out of the mold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redzone1 Posted December 13, 2020 Report Share Posted December 13, 2020 Mighty fine looking rig you have. One question though. You and I are on the same page with not wanting a T top on an inshore boat. They really only provide shade at the helm from about 11 am to 1 pm.......why not just get a Bimini top that you can take off for when you are serious fishing, and then put it on when it is family time? They provide 1,000% more shade too 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BradM Posted December 13, 2020 Author Report Share Posted December 13, 2020 10 hours ago, redzone1 said: Mighty fine looking rig you have. One question though. You and I are on the same page with not wanting a T top on an inshore boat. They really only provide shade at the helm from about 11 am to 1 pm.......why not just get a Bimini top that you can take off for when you are serious fishing, and then put it on when it is family time? They provide 1,000% more shade too Thank you! Because they’re absolutely hideous (our opinion) and the wife, in all my questioning, was more concerned with the “look”, although she doesn’t know I know that. It was beyond rationalizing and making sense....I got the boat, she got the top. In all fairness, we did agree on those things when we bought the boat, I just thought I could win. She is only on the boat a few minutes from the ramp to the sandbar, then we put up an ez-up...I couldn’t win. I also explained the movement of the sun and lack of coverage she would get from the top; we leave the ramp around 9 and the sandbar around 4. No shade. Oh well....If it gets my family on the water just one more trip a year, it will be worth it. The reality is my tournament days are behind me and have been since my son was born (he’s 5 now). I can’t justify the time away from him or my wife to be on the score board. A little more on this: I despise having a top on the 23. In my opinion a little shade for the performance trade off isn’t worth it. Born and raised in Florida, heat and sun are a part of life. I wear long pants and sleeves in the summer, along with various brands and SPF’s of sunblock. I had her talked into a 25 hybrid, as I’m not anti t-top, I’m anti t-top on a 23 HPS. Her mom got laid off a couple days before we were going to head to Lake Worth, to buy a 25 from Tuppen’s. Her moms situation put the brakes on it, which I can understand, but don’t like or agree with. I guess a bird in the hand IS better than two in the bush. I’ll have it dialed back in soon (you watch HoneyB) and while I know I won’t be as fast as I was, I bet I’ll still run 65+ on select days. I just have to get a little more creative in my approach. Besides, if I complain enough about the top being in my way and blowing me off fish, maybe that will help get me into a little Maverick or Hewe’s....or 17T (I’ve always wanted one of those!). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoneyB Posted December 13, 2020 Report Share Posted December 13, 2020 The boat I own now is the first one I ever owned with a t top. My opinion on the shade is that a little shade all the time is better than a lot shade some of the time. Putting the Bimini up and down will cause one to just not mess with it. Plus there is the fact that a t top is just really cool looking. As for the speed with a t top am pretty sure that 2300HPS will see 65mph. My little boat with canvas top will run 63mph. Surly the High Performance Step can add 2 mph in the correct conditions. My reaction to an above post was directed at the post itself. I’m sure no effort will be spared to get that HPS up to speed. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smoak352 Posted December 24, 2020 Report Share Posted December 24, 2020 When I got the boat the deal was it had to have a top. Now that I have one I would never not have one. It has definitely grown on me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fin-addict Posted December 24, 2020 Report Share Posted December 24, 2020 Would never have a bay boat unless it had a t. You will never know the speed difference. Who runs wot that they will notice. Have never lost or missed a fish due to the t. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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