Posts: 32901
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Disagree all you wish, we have done exactly that. The boat handled better than I would have imagined. My son, Keith, actually was driving the prototype bay boat on the way out to an Island resort on LOTW, and it was really rough out there. I thought he'd tuck in behind me, as I was running a 20' boat following the Launch, and instead, he was out on the port side right out in the whitecaps. Even the launch, a 21' Lund Baron, I think, was running pretty slow. We were on Sabaskong Bay. It was rough out there. I yelled at Keith when we arrived, and he told me to relax, it wasn't a big deal. I got one the next month. Keith's boat was actually used to create the pattern for the X170.
I got caught on Wabigoon in absolute 3' waves, and ran about a half mile in the stuff across the open river channel area. I wasn't delighted, but the boat handlled it just fine.
I was on Pelican last year during the KWM, and was called over to the east shore on a strong west wind. It was WAY too rough to get up next to the contestant boat; had to toss the measuring board over to him and use the zoom on my camera to read and photograph the measure. At least 2.5' waves, with a 3 thrown in every few. It wasn't an issue running it, and I had Sue with me.
I've owned this hull in two different models since 2003, and have been in about every kind of waves one might encounter on any 'average' inland lake and some rather big ones too, no issues. I had an 1890 in the driveway with a 200 strapped to the back most of last year, and ran it twice; once to fish and once to shoot it for the website, didn't need to fish it much because I have an X170.
Sure, it's only 16'10" and 75" wide. I wouldn't recommend it for use in really big water if you intend to be fishing big stuff all the time. That's why they build a 21 footer. But if you get caught out there in some bad stuff, you should be fine. I have been. |
