YARCRAFT BOATS

[fish tales]

Is anyone out there running the new Yarcraft Boats? I am interested in the Storm Series. Routinely fish Lake Erie and Saginaw Bay where it is not uncommon for 3-4 chop. I get a lot of blow back with my current boat. Had a 16 ft. Yarcraft four years ago, and boy did I get wet! I think it was due to not enough motor to get on top of the waves. Also, can someone explain to me how the hull shape effects ride over heavy chop. (ex. Yarcraft, Champion, and Ranger all claim to be the best, but all have different hull designs. Any info would be appreciated.

[SoDakMac]

I purchased a Yar-Craft Storm in 1998. The boat performs extremely well in big water, has a great ride, is dry (as any boat can be) and has many great features that fisherpersons will appreciate. In addition, you will find Yar-Craft customer service second to none. High quality product with great service - hard package to beat. E-mail me if you wish and details.

[Gunga Din]

Don't forget Warrior Boats. I think you'll find the Warrior to be more comperable to the Yar-Craft Storm than Ranger or Champion models.

[Gary Gray]

In reply to your question about how the type hull helps keep the water off you, and in the lake.

Well, the New Storm series has what it takes. I won the Lake Erie PWT tournament, in 1998. And if you were able to see the show on ESPN, there were 8-10 ft waves on the last day. I had no problem staying out in those waves, when other boats went in. 2 other boats, that had a chance to stay in contention, went in early, because they were taking on water. I also seen one other boat go down, and the coast guard had to come out to retrieve the boat.

With Yar Craft's new and aggressive hull design, you will stay a lot drier. Lets face reality, we are going to get some spray in any boat. But this new design, will keep you drier than any other. My hats off to Yar Craft, for listening to fishermen's input on the design. Not many companies do that. Instead they rely on some engineer, who never rides in these boats to do the changes. Who would you trust?

Good luck in your choice.

I know that, at Yar Craft, you can go on a tour to see them built, where else can you do that!!

If you want to talk about them, call me: 920-426-2577

Gary

[Lance Lemmen]

Fish Tales,

This year will mark the 3rd year of running a YarCraft Storm DC. I absolutely love this boat.

Saginaw Bay and Lake Erie are a couple of my home waters and this is just the kind of water where the YarCraft really shines. Not only do these boats ride drier than any other boat I have been in, but I really feel safe when the wind blows on these waters. I have been in some very rough seas with this boat and it handles it extremely well.

The ride is not the only thing that I like about this boat. You will thoroughly enjoy the room in this boat which is a real plus while trolling. Huge rod lockers, multiple bait wells, and the consoles that are completely molded into the one piece cap are just a few more of the great features. Be sure to check out the many other nice fishable features that the YarCraft people have designed in this boat.

If you have specific questions, please feel free to email me for my response.

Lance

[Lance Lemmen]

Fish Tales,

Check out YarCraft's website at www.yarcraftboats.com there you will find product information, dealer locations and you can even Email YarCraft directly.

Thanks,
Lance

[Bob Schuette]

Anyone who's ridden in all three boats you mentioned as claiming to be the driest-smoothest ride knows which one really is. Like you said how can the bass style hull design be smooth and dry. There's a lot to what makes a hull smooth and dry.Some of them are hardly noticeable,but I'll give you a brief description. The dead rise of a hull; --Too little and the hull slams down on the water instead of slicing it.The placement of the inside strake. The angle of the inside strake.Does the hull have an outer strake,and the placement and angle of the outer strake.The last step in the effort to keep you dry but riding smooth is the outside chine.Is it a hard or soft chine. Too hard will compromise the ride.Too soft will compromise the dryness. I could show you with drawings much easier,but if you have any questions e-mail or call 906-863-4497 Hope this helps!

[fish tales]

What model is comparable in the Warrior line is comparable to the Yarcraft Storm?

[Kevin A.]

FT,
Take a look at ocean/big water running or sport-fishing boats like a Scarab, Formula, or Donzi. When viewed from head -on they look sort of narrow (narrow beam) for their size. Each of these boats will have a deadrise in the 24 degree range. True deep V's like these can run in a big chop at high speed with little to no pounding. The down side of a real deep vee is that the smoothness in rough water is due to the hull slicing into the water....when it slices there is more resistance and the result is a slower hull (the right prop setup will lift the hull out of the water & give you some speed back). While very comfortable, true deep vees need more horses to push them fast. Many 'deep vee' walleye boats run around a 19 degree deadrise. While not true 'deep vees' they are a good compromise between a good riding hull and a fast hull. Bass boats can have a very shallow deadrise, jon boats are flat, period. Ever notice that jonboats can get alot of speed out of a small motor? No real surprise, just don't get caught in rough water. Remember the tri-hulls of the 70's...very broad front ends...bone, kidney, & filling shakers.

Bob S. will know more on the specifics chine & strake design & how they fine tune what I mentioned above, but compare the hulls of the boats you mentioned...we're approaching boat show season. You'll get an idea of which one will ride smoother & rougher & why. As always there nothing like a real ride on the water.

If you're considering a Yarcraft, don't gloss over the 192 Michigan. I run this boat on Lake Michigan & it just starts to shine in 3-4 footers. All boats ride great on smooth water. The 192 in 3-4 footers delivers a very soft & dry ride. I've all but buried the nose in on-coming waves and the water rises right up to the rub rail and rolls right over & goes back into the lake. Not a drop of spray comes over the top of the boat. Pretty neat to watch actually. On the rare occasion when I go airborne the landing is about as smooth as the takeoff...great hull, downright fun! Send me an email if you have any other questions.

[Tony]

I don't own a Yar-Craft, but I did have the opportunity to ride in one last summer and I was really impressed. I live in Denver and we didn't have a Yar-Craft dealer until just recently, so it was my first time in the boat. The guy I was riding with had the boat up to 65 mph in chop and you could still get up and walk around the boat without any trouble. The guy was telling me its one of the best riding boat he has driven and it was all the guy claimed it would be. I can tell you this, when it's time to replace my current boat I'm going to look real hard at Yar-Craft.

aalix@uswest.net

[Jimmy Mac]

I have a 1999 Yarcraft 1895 Storm and really like the way it rides. Unless it rains, I do not get wet. However, I have not gotten the best service from this company. I really question the workmanship on this boat. Shortly after I purchased it, I had problems with what I would call "stress cracks" on one of my rod lockers. Also, the "truley dry storage" they advertise is no where to be found on my boat. I have gotten little satisfaction from the factory. It seems to me that now that they have my money, they don't give a rip. I would not argue about the ride because it really is good, but for the cash I put out, I bet there are other boats that are worth looking at. E-mail me and I will give you details. If you want, send me your phone number, I will even give you a call. Choose Wisely..

[Terry Hagstrom]

Hi,
I Guide on Leech and Big Winnie and used to run a tin boat. Then I purchased a 2000 1895 bt with 90 Honda, WOW !!!
I dont plan on going back anytime soon. This boat can run into, with, at an angle, Bla, bla and the ride is awesome. yes at times you can get some
spray into the boat but nothing like what I used to get with the tin boat that even had a windshield.
My clients are amased and make remarks like " I don't think I can use my boat anymore" or " I didn't think there was a boat made that wouldn't beat you to death.
The big difference is the hull design, plain and simple. When your pushing 19'-10 1/2" x 95 x 40 "
deep and hull looks like a knife it's no wonder why the ride is so good through rough water.
Also the way the hull flairs out at a few points just below the water line lends to the dryer ride over most other boats.
There are many features that will catch your eye.
I would suggest getting a tandem axle trailer. I have had a single up until now and the tandem defintley make a difference in towing and riding down the road. Plus it looks pretty darn good.
The only big problem that you want to watch out for is along the rear deck where the tiller arm would touch. When tilting the motor up, if you have hex head screws on the underside of the tiller arm like I do on my Honda you will want to replace them with truss head machine screws. the hex heads bite into the edge of the carpeted plywood deck and will start to tear it up. also get some alum. extrusion (angle or tubular) and screw it to this edge. doing this in combination with the flatter head screw will take of any problems. I dont know if any other tiller brands would create this problem but my Honda does. Pretty simple fix.
Have any more questions please drop me a line I'd be glad to help.
If you havn't decided by the time open water occurs this spring, give me a call and we can go for a ride in mine.
Terry
Terry's Guide Service

[fish tales]

Thanks for the great responses. I have learned a lot. If you have any additional info. keep posting it, I check this site regularly

[donyar/MI]

I got my 1895 storm last march. After owning aluminum boats for 17 yrs. I was amazed at the difference in the way the storm was able to handle the rough water on Erie,Saginaw Bay,not to mention the way it handled the Detroit River. As with any boat no matter who makes it you will have somebody who has had some problems with them you can't please everyone.The only way is to look at all the boats at boat shows and marinas, compare options,quality,and talk to people who own them. And make your own decisions. what might be good for someone else might not work for you. I was very impressed with the YarCraft Boats that is why I own one. Good luck and choose wisely

[gabe]

i see that i am not the only one that has had problems with the factory on their boat. put it this way i have one yarcraft boat and that will be the last one.

[Jim Gouge]

I own a 1895 Storm. I Love it!!! Their motto is "Yar-Craft The Dry One". Boy is that ever true. We took a trip to lake Erie with 3 other boats this past summer. It started out flat, but a wind shift started them rolling. Before long we were in 4 footers, and building. One of the other boats with us radioed he was heading in. We all decided to meet at the ramp. When we arrived there the other boats were already tied off. Here they stood with full raingear on, dripping wet. We pull up in short sleeve shirts and shorts, BONE DRY. They could not believe we stayed that dry without raingear.
One of the other posts mentioned he didnt like the service he got on his boat. I have found that Yar-Craft bends over backward to make their owners happy. Maybe his problem is with his dealer, and not the boat. I am in the retail business, and service is a very big part of my job. All my dealings with Yar-Craft have been top shelf.
I live in mid Michigan. If you would like a ride in a 1895, and live close by, e-mail me and I'll be glade to take you out. If you have any other questions, feel free to contact me anytime.

[fish tales]

Jim,
Where do you live in Michigan? I am currently living in the Grand Rapids Area and would love a test drive once we get soft water again. Please leave the name of your business so that I can contact you. Thanks for the offer. You can read all of the brochures you want, but the true test would be to actually ride the boat in rough conditions.

[Lance Lemmen]

FT,

I live 15 minutes from Grand Rapids and would be happy to give you a demonstration ride.

You are correct in that a test ride would be the way to see just how this boat performs.

Email me and we can set something up.

Lance

[Westnewton]

You wouldn't happen to be in any way affiliated with Yar Craft Boats now would you?

[Lu]

Warrior makes 4 models in the 18 ft range as well as boats from 16' to 21'. All of these models can be seen on their webpage. If you would like I would be happy to send you a catalog. If you live in or near Wisconsin and would like to see one, we have several in our showroom. Hope this info helps.

Warrior's web page is http://www.sunpatio-warriorboats.com/

Kris Lulloff
Fort Fremont Marine.
FtFremont@aol.com

[ronbo]

i agree with you the after purchase response sucks.i have spoken to schutte several times and he could care less.also i had a major problem with one of his dealerships.i refuse to take my boat back there for warranty work because the safety and reliability of my rig will be put in jeopardy.i live 200 miles from the nearest yarcraft dealership and schuette tells me he will not warrant anything on the boat unless i take to a yarcraft dealer because he refuses to pay a reputable marine repair shop their hourly rate because he can grt it done cheaper.by the way you are right i have all the same problems.BEWARE!

[RONBO]

AMEN!

[RONBO]

AMEN!

[Lance Lemmen]

West,

I certainly am affiliated with YarCraft. I am a member of their pro staff and have been for several years. This does not in any way change the facts or my support of YarCraft boats. I applied to YarCraft because I believed in their people and their products. Please remember one thing, I chose YarCraft, YarCraft didn't choose me.

Lance.

[Jim Gouge]

I live in Owosso Mi. Its Between Lansing & Flint. My Business is Showcase Homes in Owosso. Phone 517-725-2148. Give me a call and I'll be glad to arrange a ride, or just swap fishing stories.

[Mike(IA)]

Zach, why are you posting as WestNewton and questioning this guy's credibility? Wasn't the switch to this new board supposed to eliminate this, yet you're doing it?
Not cool.
Mike(IA)
PS-feel free to reply to my address above. It's the real thing and I'm dying to hear your answer.