My new boat

cd1 · July 11, 2010, 07:35:56 PM

Friday I picked up my first boat. It's an 18 foot 2010 Excel 860 CR with a Suzuki 90 HP 4-stroke. It has a 4-blade stainless steel prop, a Minn Kota Edge 45 lb trolling motor, and a Humminbird 385ci gps/fishfinder.

The hull is a dealer demo model so it has a few dings and scratches but it's merely cosmetic. The motor is out of the crate new so I'll be able to run proper break-in on it.

One funny thing about this boat is that the factory told the dealer that the live-wells wouldn't drain...that the lines collapsed when they foamed the hull. Well the dealer calls me after he gets the boat and says the live-wells work just fine. No big deal right? Well when I went to put the boat in yesterday (my first time with it) I noticed that there were three holes in the back. One fed the live well pump, one was the drain hole, and the third over on the right CLEARLY had marks in it from a drain hole plug but I didn't know what it was...so I plugged it too and went on.

As it turns out that was the drain hole for the rear live-well. Whoever the factory guys had told to drive this boat around as a demo had plugged it...then in what they thought was a separate incident they couldn't get the live-well to drain so they figured a line was collapsed. Classic.

Overall we had a great first couple of hours on the boat. I'm limited to less than 3k RPMs for the first few hours but even running that the boat was smooth and road well. It was very fishable and has a nice open floor plan which makes it very easy to move about.

Camden · July 11, 2010, 07:52:35 PM

Looking Good. congrats man

hope ya have lots of great trips in it.

nmanley · July 11, 2010, 07:55:26 PM

Nice rig. Congratulation. I bet that Suzuki will last a lifetime.

cd1 · July 11, 2010, 08:08:21 PM

Quote from: nmanley on July 11, 2010, 07:55:26 PM
I bet that Suzuki will last a lifetime.

I've heard lots of good things about them. The first thing I noticed is how quiet the engine is...at idle you might not notice that it's on.

Donald Garner · July 12, 2010, 03:12:21 AM

Congrats on the new ride.

That's nice looking boat.

Good luck with the fishing out of it.

Lipripper · July 12, 2010, 07:42:00 AM

Nice looking boat and may you get many years of fun fishing out of her and catch many Bass

Broskee · July 12, 2010, 07:51:12 AM

I bet that 90 once you get some high Rpm's will make that sucker jump out of the water.

cd1 · July 12, 2010, 08:16:28 AM

Quote from: Broskee on July 12, 2010, 07:51:12 AM
I bet that 90 once you get some high Rpm's will make that sucker jump out of the water.

It should...it has a 21 pitch 4-blade prop on it too which I understand should help with the hole shot.

guardrail · July 12, 2010, 05:06:31 PM

cd1 glad it all workrd out for you its a great looking rig nice deck layout you will get a lot of use out of her

BAYFEVER22 · July 14, 2010, 04:49:48 PM

nice ride

cd1 · July 14, 2010, 11:10:15 PM

I took her out again tonight. I'm further into the break-in period and can now open the throttle up a bit. Prior to tonights trip I was limited to less than 3k RPM. Tonight I had to do an hour at 4k RPM or less then I could run it however I wanted as long as I don't run it at full throttle more than 5 minutes at a time.

The first time I ran it from 3k to 4k RPM I was pleasantly surprised. The Suzuki quickly lays down some power. It is fast and quiet. At 4k RPM it will run right at 30 MPH. I haven't had a chance to run it at full throttle much yet...I ran it up there briefly on the way back to the dock and I think I was running 5,300 RPM and maybe 41 MPH. Plenty of speed for what I'm doing.

I'm also finding that the open layout makes the boat VERY fishable. It is so easy to move from the front casting deck to the rear that I find myself doing it a lot just to move around and get the best casting angle.

I didn't catch any fish tonight but fishing was a secondary priority...engine break-in was first. I got one top-water hit on a buzz bait before heading in but I couldnt' get the hook set.

I spoke to an older guy and his son at the ramp...they caught 35 white bass and a few large mouth in the span of about an hour.

guardrail · July 15, 2010, 06:03:11 PM

NICE LIKE A KID IN A CANDY STORE HUH CHRISTMAS IN SUMMER

cd1 · July 15, 2010, 11:32:26 PM

Quote from: guardrail on July 15, 2010, 06:03:11 PM
NICE LIKE A KID IN A CANDY STORE HUH CHRISTMAS IN SUMMER

Yep. Took it out again tonight...took the wife and kids (10 and 7). With all 4 of us plus food and gear the boat was over 40 MPH. I caught a nice bass on a spinner bait then my 10 year old son had one hooked but it jumped up and spit the spinner out at him!

Fun night. I haven't fished regularly in years but the fever is back. I've had it out three times this week. Might be taking a trip to Guntersville Lake with it next weekend. By then I should have the lakes chip for my GPS/fishfinder and my on-board battery charger installed. This...is...FUN!!!

Ron Fogelson · July 16, 2010, 12:53:47 AM

Quote from: cd1 on July 15, 2010, 11:32:26 PM
This...is...FUN!!!

Yes it is and addicting as well

Congratulations on the new boat by the way

guardrail · July 16, 2010, 03:43:10 PM

CD1 it is fun till the bait monkey hits u and u start slackin on ur honey dew list and as a guy as hard as we try not 2 let that happen it does and the newnest of your boat will wear off 4 your wife quicker than it will 4 u and ur kids so hold on boat owner and get a nice pair of ear plugs and some good hiding spots for all the new baits u will be getin

Lipripper · July 16, 2010, 04:00:14 PM

B = Break
O = Out
A = Another
T = Thousand

cd1 · July 16, 2010, 05:15:01 PM

Quote from: guardrail on July 16, 2010, 03:43:10 PM
CD1 it is fun till the bait monkey hits u and u start slackin on ur honey dew list

The Force is strong within you...you can see my future better than I can. I was contemplating "quick trip" to Bass Pro Shops on the way home....just to look of course. I started thinking of the various items I "need"...like a couple more rod/reel combo's...maybe some small spinner baits, and what could it hurt to have a few more soft plastics? Yeah...the bait monkey is starting to climb up my back.

Camden · July 16, 2010, 06:13:25 PM

man the bait monkey built himself a tree house on my back long ago.

Glad to hear your loving the boat. a couple nights i ahve thought i was gonna have to sleep in mine.

FishNorthAL · October 19, 2010, 04:54:55 PM

Excel makes a good boat.

Kenneth

bassmedic46 · October 19, 2010, 05:52:15 PM

Great looking ride, You'll have many hrs of fishing in it.

bassindude · October 19, 2010, 08:47:04 PM

Nice looking boat Cd1. If you need any help breaking her in just send me a message, I be working in Huntsville Alabama startin next week

COUSIN-IT · October 20, 2010, 06:16:17 PM

Looks good hope you enjoy it as I have mine nothing like a new toy here is mine

J.Davis · October 20, 2010, 10:50:13 PM

Nice lookin boat there!! I've heard good things about these new Suzukis. Supposedly the gas mileage is far beyond any of the competitors.

I too got my first boat last week, well my first "real" boat. I have had a 14 ft jon boat and a 15 ft jon boat. I was thinking about getting a bigger aluminum like this one, but I ended up getting a used 20 foot bass boat with a 225 on it...Couldn't be happier!! It's a '97 Javelin 400 TE that is in nearly new condition with less than 100 hours.