bbow01 Posted June 27, 2017 Report Share Posted June 27, 2017 Well, the time is finally at hand. I'm staring retirement in the face and re-evaluating current boat ownership. I'm sitting here with three boats in the stable (Whaler 18, Cobia, 19 and Hewes RF16) and it's time to go from three to one. My wife is harping on me to accommodate her "got-to-haves" on the next one. So I asked her yesterday, what her top priorities were. Answer (in order)...1) Potty, 2) Comfortable seating, 3) Easy to get in and out of. My three are : 1) Low free-board, 2) Live-wells, 3) T-Top. So, what's out there that is fish-able, comfortable, stable, convenient? Now, if I suddenly found myself single, I would jump on a PF 2300 HPS. It's plenty of boat for me and, since I've no problem peeing in a bucket, I'm good without a head. Now I must admit that I really liked the 2500 Hybrid that I saw at the Detroit boat show. The wife was OK with it....except, no head. Our local dealer even said he would check with MPG to see if it could be installed in the 2500. Have not heard back from him. By the way, the boat that she like the most at the show was an Everglades 243 CC. (I was so, so on it.) Just wondering where the industry is headed in providing a potty on small fishing machines. Seems like there is room enough under most center consoles 23' and up these days. Are there plans to incorporate more potty options on PF boats smaller than 26'? Thanks for any reply, Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JEM Posted June 27, 2017 Report Share Posted June 27, 2017 Boats are all about compromising! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishmanjj Posted June 27, 2017 Report Share Posted June 27, 2017 5 gallon bucket works every time........... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HewesYourDaddy Posted June 27, 2017 Report Share Posted June 27, 2017 26 minutes ago, fishmanjj said: 5 gallon bucket works every time........... Until you have to drop a deuce in it, then it ain't! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linesider 159 Posted June 27, 2017 Report Share Posted June 27, 2017 Id be looking at the key west bay reef line. The 210, 230, and 246 can all have porta potties. I work at a dealer and we offer the full line of key west boats, here is one we have in stock. Feel free to pm me if you have any other questions http://www.boatandmotorsuperstores.com/new-boat-for-sale/Center-Console/2017-KEY-WEST-210-Bay-Reef/1761390 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
conocean Posted June 27, 2017 Report Share Posted June 27, 2017 1 hour ago, JEM said: Boats are all about compromising! I'm with JEM. Figures that it's out of stock in the summer! I like the Everglades & Pursuit lines for smaller center consoles. If those don't work then go single and get that 2300HPS cuz YOLO!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JEM Posted June 27, 2017 Report Share Posted June 27, 2017 47 minutes ago, HewesYourDaddy said: Until you have to drop a deuce in it, then it ain't! HAHA. You would be surprised at how well these units flush! Works better than an American Standard. Ain't it amazing how quick a thread can go to pot! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bernieNC Posted June 27, 2017 Report Share Posted June 27, 2017 Out of stock. You are sol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbow01 Posted June 27, 2017 Author Report Share Posted June 27, 2017 Yuk, yuk. And who says MBC owners are stick-in-the-muds? Yup. I'm married to a prim, proper lovely lady who wouldn't drop em in front of others even in a time of desperation. It's always been over-the-side for her. She even had to hang off the back of the swim ladder of a rented Century in a really ugly chop many miles outside of Marathon. (I made her put on the PFD to at least to make me feel better.) Guy's...I'm just trying to be a considerate husband! Thirty eight years of marriage under the belt has made me an expert in only one field....compromise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishmanjj Posted June 27, 2017 Report Share Posted June 27, 2017 Well, I have 36 years with the same wife...I know all about compromise. We have had many many years of boating, fishing etc. Also two kids, one of those a daughter, now 3 granddaughters...never had a formal pottie on the boat. My last two Pathfinder's had 4 options for women using the toilet, a livewell with the drain open / the old 5 gallon bucket / hang off swim ladder or get in the water. The rule is simple, if a woman has to use the bucket ( for # 2)...she goes to the back and the entire crew goes to front of boat and no peeping. It's worked all these years.........I sure hope I never have to change this set up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lap it Up Posted June 27, 2017 Report Share Posted June 27, 2017 I only think of two things: Poor guy that has to clean that potty after the trip. Poor lady sweating like crazy in a console in the dead beat of summer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justfish Posted June 28, 2017 Report Share Posted June 28, 2017 Quite a few builders are doing the porta potty thing in console for this class boat. Robalo, sportsman, crevelle and I believe tidewater off the top of my head. I think it's an epic waste of space, but the wives seem to like the idea. I'm wondering how they like it once they actually use it a few times... i personally think nice forward seating with a removable table like the 26 TRS has is a very nice family feature that can be removed when your ready to fish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whichwaysup Posted June 28, 2017 Report Share Posted June 28, 2017 Bbow - You have three boats now, you are considering going down to one. . . If I could recommend ANYTHING it would be to go down to TWO, not one, if you have the space and the scratch. It will be very hard to find a family/friend friendly boat that is also a good all around fishing boat. Unless your wife will be fishing with you 90% of the time, I wouldn't try to solve a 50% or less issue with 100% of your boat. I am not sure where/how you fish, but a vessel big enough for comfortable facilities for her can address bay and offshore fishing, but a 16,17,18' skinny water skiff will be something you are likely to use more often. The bigger the boat, the bigger the clean up and maintenance. After awhile, that becomes a deterrent to taking it out, especially by yourself. If you go two two extremes, you will find that you'll use both boats more often than you would one boat. Just my .02 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mulligan Posted June 28, 2017 Report Share Posted June 28, 2017 If one of you requirements is a T-top there is always the front of the console livewell and a shower curtain from the T-top potty option. Most of the people I know with a head never use it. It seems like a great idea at first then down the road becomes a storage compartment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
conocean Posted June 28, 2017 Report Share Posted June 28, 2017 I've heard more wives complain about being stuck in a hot console potty than I've heard say they like it. Those console pottys get used even less when seas are rough. I say....have her tinkle off the gunnel or back of the boat for #1 and throw her overboard for #2! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JEM Posted June 28, 2017 Report Share Posted June 28, 2017 My prim and proper boss lady is an "over the gunwale" type. I don't believe she would crawl in a small console space on a hot summer day. But sometimes, when no boats are within "seeing" distance, I take a peep! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smilemaker Posted June 28, 2017 Report Share Posted June 28, 2017 It is a heavy boat but at the last boat show in Charleston the 25 ranger had all the criteria met. Do not know of their dealership locations in reference to salt water. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BradM Posted June 29, 2017 Report Share Posted June 29, 2017 Scout had a nice rig with a potty in the console a few years back. Seems the price tag on it was just a tick north of 100k. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flatwater Posted June 29, 2017 Report Share Posted June 29, 2017 Action Craft 2310 Coastal Bay is/was offered with an oversized center console with a head. Nice dry riding bay boat but hard to find used. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbow01 Posted June 29, 2017 Author Report Share Posted June 29, 2017 Thanks for the good advice, guys. I need to do some soul searching on giving up the RF. I bought that boat exclusively for inshore flats fishing in the Keys. Even though I live in MI, I head down to the Lower Keys every fall to solo fish for two weeks. I'ts my solitary time away from being a husband, father, employee and others. The Cobia is short lived for sure. It's in pretty rough shape after being used as a work boat for well over 25 years. Both the Whaler and RF are in super shape since they only see the sun when in the water and I try to keep them ship shape. I really like the idea of 3 to 2. Keep the RF and go after a bay boat for knocking around. Maybe I need to work on the wife a bit more regarding the potty. After all, we have gone quite long without one (though I think she still pines for the 268 Sundancer that we had many, many years ago). In reality the fishing/boating mix will probably be around 80/20, so it would hurt to make the wrong pick just to accommodate the 20%. Again, thanks for the suggestions. I'll keep looking and work on the little lady! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Deal Posted June 29, 2017 Report Share Posted June 29, 2017 Brian, we will be offering a head in the 25 Pathfinder very soon. The console will be the same one from the 2600 TRS. I assumed you looked at that boat but if not, you really should. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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