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| Which fishing boat design is best for you? |
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Flybridge or Express
Which is the better design for you?
When you’re checking out new boats, naturally, you want to pick out the best one possible. Construction, fishability, cost, performance, and quality all come into play, but the single most important factor that determines whether or not you’ll be satisfied when you cast off the lines and head for the hotspot may be design. You have to realize there are plusses and minuses to each specific design, and no boat is 100-percent perfect. But when it comes to canyon-running, there are two major designs to choose from—convertibles and expresses—and there’s a huge difference between the two. If you’re torn between a boat with a flybridge and one without, consider these factors before you make your choice.
Overnighting – If you plan to sleep and cook “real” meals on your boat, there’s a good chance a convertible is going to be your first pick. Since they have a salon and galley on an upper deck, the belowdecks area can be focused purely on sleeping quarters. On average, expect a convertible to have twice the number of private berths of a similarly-sized express, and a significantly larger galley.
Maintenance – Convertibles simply have more surface area, and as a result, it can take a lot more work to clean and wax them. This may seem like a minor consideration, but when you spend a weekend every month keeping Mom’s Mink shining, maintenance can turn into a major hassle.
Maneuverability – We’re talking about your own, not the boats’. It’s simply easier to get around on an express than it is on a convertible. There are no bridgedeck ladders to contend with, enginerooms are often easily accessed via lift-away helm decks, and the helm itself is just a few feet from the cockpit. The easy transition from the wheel to the rods and reels also makes it easier for the captain to get in on the action, when the fishing gets hot.
Crew Concerns – It generally takes at least three competent people to fish a convertible: a captain, an angler, and a “mate” to land the fish. But on an express, thanks to the easy access we just talked about, the captain can easily do double-duty. Being this close to the cockpit also allows the captain to stay in the social swing of things. On a convertible, however, it can get lonely at the top.
Good Vibrations – One area in which convertibles hold a trump card is comfort. Not only do they have larger cabins, they’re also more comfortable to run. The helm on an express is usually planted right on top of the engineroom, and as a result it’s loud and full of vibrations. One exception: new pod drive boats tend to be quiet and have far fewer vibrations (regardless of boat design).
Seeing Clearly – The captain of a convertible enjoys the ability to see quite a bit farther than one on an express, thanks to his elevated position. Sure, this can be mitigated with a tower and an upper station, but if this is important to you (if you like spotting flotsam and bailing for mahi-mahi, for example) then it’s a factor to take into consideration.
So, when all is said and done which design is best for you? That’s a question that only you can answer. But before you make any decisions, consider all of these factors. And remember: there’s no such thing as the “perfect” boat.
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