Posted by MBinPOC on 07/21/23 - 9:45 PM
#1
I’ve lived on and around the TX Coast most of my life and have owned many boats over the years. Moved to the Hill Country and we recently moved back down on the Coast in Port O’Connor. Have fished both offshore and bays for years and have now reached the age where fishing shallow water no longer interests me.
Time to get a boat again and I’m looking for something versatile enough to comfortably fish the jetties, prowl the surf and near shore for tarpon go offshore up to 40 miles on really good days and drifting the bay (3’ and higher).
I want to buy a boat that’s sturdy and able to last me a long time. Have settled on Boston Whalers and looking at the 25’ Dauntless and Outrages. I’ve fished on Outrages before but never a Dauntless. Based on what I’m looking to use it for, in your experience, which model would be more likely to give me what I’m looking for? I appreciate any feedback or info y’all can share.
Mark
Posted by Kmorganrumery on 08/01/23 - 6:24 PM
#2
Outrage 22,25 can't go wrong
Posted by Phil T on 08/02/23 - 3:29 PM
#3
The challenge is a 25' Outrage are very hard to find and get a premium price in Texas.
A Dauntless has a bit less deadrise so it will not have the ride of the Outrage. It does have many more comfort features for family.
Cast a wide net from MI, east to ME and south to Florida.
Posted by patxbill on 08/03/23 - 10:24 AM
#4
I'll give a bit of a contrarian view regarding classic 22 or 25 outrage on Texas coast, and I own a 22 outrage and fished it heavily while living on the upper TX coast. While those classic hulls are ideal for Texas, if I didn't already own one, and I wanted a serious inshore/nearshore/sometimes offshore boat, I'd look closely at the Dauntless line.
Reasons:
Newer hulls, less opportunity for abuse
Fewer fuel tank worries
Better creature comforts
Last, but not least, most Dauntless hulls have the capability for a bow-mounted electric trolling motor. Modern bow mounted motors can be integrated with modern electronics for spot-lock, remote control, etc. and are ideal for fishing jetties, rigs/wrecks offshore, birds inshore, and chasing tarpon on the beach.
I have a transom-mounted 36V trolling motor on my 1984 Outrage 22. It works great, but in the 20 years since that was state-of-the-art, the previously-mentioned advancements are game-changers, imo.
I love my 22. It's a classic for a reason. And a 25 would be even better offshore and running the beach. But the newer (circa 2000 - 2023) Dauntless line is comparable in my opinion, and for your uses, maybe even, dare I say it, superior.
Either way you can't go wrong.