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18MA VS 18 EGRET


heweymagoos

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I'm in the used market for a boat and I know this place has tons of information about the legendary MA. My main question is ride and build quality of an 18 MA to an 18 Egret. Has anyone here fished off the two that could chime in? The Egret is priced substantially higher than a 18 MA, but finding a used MA in good condition seems to be harder, and when they come they usually come in waves. I just fished off a 210 moccasin (a boat built by egret) and that thing rode amazing. Please feel free to chime in and shed some insight

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Both boats run a reverse chine but the egret has a much sharper entry, it breaks thru swells better so the ride is more comfortable.  It gives up some draft it just depends on what you want to spend and how much of a difference it’ll make in your life.  I’ve never ridden in an egret but if you watch their demo videos on YouTube you can see why they ride so well.

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I know where a clean 18 MA with a F150 is if you're interested.

i can only speak about the 18MAs. I've had 2 and they ride great. Here's the thing, it's still a flats boat so don't expect to blast through every wave or wake because it's a Egret or MA. They ride great but like anything else, have limitations. I'd line a MA next to any other flats boat out there for the Pepsi Challenge in ride quality. 

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Member on the forum...poleposition has one.....sweet boat.....garage kept, it's perfect....

I've ridden in the skiff and fished all day....and it was sweet on how it rode and took the chop... and will say the fit and finish is equals to a HB.  They have been innovative on their use of space for batteries, etc.

There is nothing wrong you can say about the boat....other than they are made in NC and all warranty work must be conducted there if you buy new....that being said, I have not heard of much warranty work...

The Birds are a cult group...so, look for when the having a flock get together and go test ride and have some fun.....

It's all about what's right for you and your pocketbook.

DC

 

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I've fished both many times and when it comes down to it IMO the Maverick 18 is a better value. The Egret is amazing, but I feel that their used price value is over valued compared to Maverick MA. The Moccasin is a very cool boat, but it's not an 18 flats boat. You would need to be a little more specific of what you really want and how you fish 80% of the time. I've learned that the boat that you think you want may not be what you need. Buy the boat that will work for you 80% of the way you fish. 

Nag has a crazy cool boat that's priced right and with a 4 stroke. If you took an 18 MA and a 18 Egret out the same day next to each other there would very little you would be able tell apart except for the price. In short, 18's with 4 strokes are rare so if you find one, buy it,  because you will probably be able to fish for a year and sell it for the same price you paid for it and then you'll know if it was right for you. 

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14 hours ago, Wanaflatsfish said:

It's all about what's right for you and your pocketbook.

 

I don't spend hardly any time in big boats like these but as with anything the personal value is the key. If the Egret is worth the extra coin to you, you won't be disappointed I can assure you of that. I helped my neighbor do some rigging work on a Egret 2011/250 ProXS and I got a really good look at it, under the shiny parts, for a couple hours. The fit and finish of the boat was at such a high level it was almost ridiculous, like a waste of time but in a good way, if that makes any sense.

 

 

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3 hours ago, Wanaflatsfish said:

then sounds like an Egret is in your future.....they are great boats..

 

dc

 

Spent several hours at their plant a couple of weeks ago. Thinking of doing something next year and finding decent options (flats boats) in this part of the county is tough

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On 12/22/2017 at 1:57 PM, heweymagoos said:

I'm in the used market for a boat and I know this place has tons of information about the legendary MA. My main question is ride and build quality of an 18 MA to an 18 Egret. Has anyone here fished off the two that could chime in? The Egret is priced substantially higher than a 18 MA, but finding a used MA in good condition seems to be harder, and when they come they usually come in waves. I just fished off a 210 moccasin (a boat built by egret) and that thing rode amazing. Please feel free to chime in and shed some insight

If you open the hatches and look at the edges of hatch lids, the hardware and the quality of the finish of the gel coat work throughout the entire boat, also..how the electrical wires are run and attached from the factory, you can make your decision quickly if you are willing to pay for it. The Egret is in the same quality level as the Hells Bay boats....their attention to details is first class and you pay for it. 

Now, with that being said..the MA and PF boats are really good quality and are far better than 80% of the other flats / bay boats being produced, however, they are not at the top of the game. .I have owned two MA's and two Pathfinders....mainly because I fish about 35 weekends a year and I really use a boat hard and they will get knicks and dings if used regularly......bottomline, get what your budget will allow.  I never could gather the coins to make the next step , but have enjoyed thousands of hours of excellent use out of my MA's and PF's.  You will no doubt enjoy which ever you choose.  Just my opinion.....everybody has one.....just like ......well, you know.  

Merry Christmas, JJ

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On 12/24/2017 at 8:37 AM, bernieNC said:

Spent several hours at their plant a couple of weeks ago. Thinking of doing something next year and finding decent options (flats boats) in this part of the county is tough

Can't go wrong with an Egrett...they are well known and established....the benefit you have with MHP is the warranty work via a dealer (if you have one near), the general fit and finish is good and the reputation of the ownership who stand-behind their product.....each manufacturer has it's following...we all choose what we believe is best for us....I nearly went new with a Marquessa two years ago and came to the realization that a $74K skiff at my age and point in my retirement planning was not a good idea....thanks to this forum and my YODA HOBO who has taught me a lot of what I know, along with my buds (Capt DonH and friends here locally)....I decided to buy used older skiffs with decent hulls and have fun fixing them up....for me, it's as much about the fixing of the electronics, the wiring, power poles, etc. as it is the fishing....it's part of the hobby.......so, for all of us, it's great to live in this part of the USA where there are choices choices and more choices :)

As I have said 1000 times....it's all fiberglass and gelcoat...no matter what happens, unlike your health sometimes, it's all fixable for a few $$$....when I see people upset about a bad stringer, blown powerhead, bad trailer, etc. etc.....shoot man...it's only a short term loan and your back on the water.....it's part of the game we play...be happy we are fortunate enough to be in the game.......there is nothing that can compare to the swirl under a topwater....the click click of a pop'n cork or whatever type of line ripp'n fish that turns you on....it's for this we pay to be part of the game.

dc

 

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Thanks for all the responses. From the research I've done it really seems like Egrets don't get any 'warranty work'. I can't even find a thread of one getting a new gas tank, stringer work etc. Though I have read horror stories of brand new pathfinders having stringer issues, gelcoat cracks etc. It seems like Egret is a boat you buy for a lifetime. Still not sure which route to take.

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Merry Christmas everyone!
The Maverick Master Angler hull is one of those rare designs that turned out to be a step above anything else in its class.  A great shallow water fishing platform with that legendary soft ride.  There are many members on this forum who can testify to that.  However, production of the MA line of boats ended about 8 years ago.  That's a good thing for the owners of this classic boat.  Supply and demand has kept the value high.  Used MAs in good condition, at a fair price, are scooped up quickly when the word gets out.
There have been some rumors floating around about a possible MA comeback when the new MBG production facilities are completed, but they have not been confirmed.
For someone in the market for a new boat with similar features and ride, it looks like Egret Boats has filled the slot that the Maverick MA once had.  From what I gather, the quality of the Egret design, materials, fit and finish are top notch - and the price tag reflects it.  All that shiny new eye candy will cost you some serious coin.
I like the saying:  "No one has ever been disappointed when they bought the best!"  However, the budget matters.  Life is too short to be a slave to payments and interest. Working more hours every day to pay for the boat that's sitting in the garage is not as much fun as fishing more days on the boat that fits within your budget.  :)

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2 hours ago, heweymagoos said:

...I can't even find a thread of one getting a new gas tank, stringer work etc. Though I have read horror stories of brand new pathfinders having stringer issues, gelcoat cracks etc...

As the resident bay boat hater of this fine group of gentlemen and sometimes critic of the MBC I really don't have a dog in this fight but I don't think that's really a fair comparison. Just the sheer number of Pathfinders produced compared to Egrets (gotta be like 100:1) invalidates the comparison. I'm not giving Pathfinder a pass for the rare mess-up in a $70K-$110K Bay Boat (that's hard for me to even type) but it's not apples to apples either.

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I think they both ride very similar, so you can remove that as comparison. So that leaves finish, price and ability to purchase.

Purchase, you can't buy a new MA so if you want new Egret is it. If you want used, I think they are pretty equally available on the used market. Price MA wins this. Finish Egret wins this one.

Im sure Egrets have their share of issues, there is just not as many out there to here issues about. They don't turn over owners as often, so they don't get messed with by the new owners trying to customize it. Also their warranty is done by the manufacture, not at a dealer. The dealer could be part of the problem with the warranty. There is nothing they can do to stop an aluminum tank from corroding over time, you just haven't read about on the internet.  

When I started then search for an 18MA, I was also open to buying an Egret, just found the 18MA first. I don't think you can go wrong with either one, good luck in your search. 

 

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16 hours ago, heweymagoos said:

From the research I've done it really seems like Egrets don't get any 'warranty work'.

I know of two Egrets who have had "warranty" work....they don't have a "forum" for owners to discuss.....I've heard that the owner "Frank" personally  or will send an employee and will drive down and pick up the boat on a flat bed truck.....trailer, boat, everything and drags is backup to NC for any work.....great customer service..

Anyone in the market for a 18 footer can look at a variety of boats from a Marquessa, Egrett, MA, others....each has a following, each has a price point, each has it's benefits.......

I will say one thing....there was an a Capt over in Chokoloskee named Capt Cecil....he ran a 18' or so open fisherman....an ol, beat up Center Console....NO TROLLING MOTOR, NO POWER POLES, JUST A MOTOR, A ROPE ANCHOR AND A CONSOLE.....he packed his shrimp in a cooler with newspaper and wet rags.....

He would arrive back to docked with a cooler full of reds, sheeppies, trout and whatever else was biting that day.....i'd see him anchored up on the mangroves....cigar in his mouth, clients hootttt'n and holler'n with fish coming over.....now, do you think he needed a fancy skiff to catch fish :)

 

dc

 

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  • 4 weeks later...

In my opinion it comes down to would you buy a Chevrolet or Mercedes. They both will do the same thing and will be reliable if taken care of.  It really comes down to build quality and options. 

In my space, if I had the choice between a 2014 yellowfin bayboat or a brand new pathfinder for the same $, I would get the yellowfin.

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