Chaudron Pro S22 Center Console

**fpjeepy05** · 08-08-2022, 05:14 PM

Has it ever been done? I feel like it would be plenty fast with 90-140hp if kept light. Might need a seated helm, but I could live with that.

**Rak Rua** · 08-08-2022, 06:53 PM

Pretty narrow beam for a center console. Wouldn’t have much room to ‘walk around’ unless you have a single seat console. Great boats and everything I’ve read says they’re excellent in the chop, just might be better as a sports boat.
My 2 cents.

RR

**fpjeepy05** · 08-08-2022, 07:44 PM

Originally Posted by Rak Rua

Pretty narrow beam for a center console. Wouldn’t have much room to ‘walk around’ unless you have a single seat console. Great boats and everything I’ve read says they’re excellent in the chop, just might be better as a sports boat.
My 2 cents.

RR

Jockey seats like the saxdor 200?

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**WavetoWave** · 10-05-2022, 03:10 PM

Originally Posted by fpjeepy05

Has it ever been done? I feel like it would be plenty fast with 90-140hp if kept light. Might need a seated helm, but I could live with that.

A Chaudron 22 can run great with smaller engines, but they don't make center consoles.

**fpjeepy05** · 10-05-2022, 03:50 PM

I was assuming it would have to be something that someone did on their own.

**WavetoWave** · 10-05-2022, 04:21 PM

Originally Posted by fpjeepy05

I was assuming it would have to be something that someone did on their own.

Concept boats makes a nice 23' CC. Superboat makes a CC as well.

Cutting the deck out a sport boat to make a CC would be insane to me.

**fpjeepy05** · 10-05-2022, 04:31 PM

Originally Posted by WavetoWave

Cutting the deck out a sport boat to make a CC would be insane to me.

I've done it and I know I'm not the first.

**fpjeepy05** · 10-06-2022, 07:21 AM

Originally Posted by FUJIMO

...illogical hull choice for a fish boat. center console fish hulls(thats the only market) require depth, for proper fuel capacity, a generous cockpit sole height to provide self-bailing ability through the transom, and enough transom height for an extra long shaft outboard for backing down in the rough, proper beam for stability etc., just to name a few things. have designed/tooled/built many of them, both large & small...

That's cool what builders did you work for?

**WavetoWave** · 10-06-2022, 07:31 AM

Originally Posted by fpjeepy05

I've done it and I know I'm not the first.

Sure, for a backyard job it can be done. But why cut up a brand new sport boat, spend a ton of time and effort ruining it when there are plenty of existing boats you can buy new?

Cutting the deck out changes the structure, you'd have to reinforce the structure. It makes no sense. You'd spend double and ruin the boat.

**fpjeepy05** · 10-06-2022, 08:28 AM

Originally Posted by WavetoWave

Sure, for a backyard job it can be done. But why cut up a brand new sport boat, spend a ton of time and effort ruining when there are plenty of existing boats you can buy new?

Cutting the deck out changes the structure, you'd have to reinforce the structure. It makes no sense. You'd spend double and ruin the boat.

Typically its not a brand new boat. I've seen it done with old 38 scarabs, 36 midnight express, etc. Ours was a 42 Wellcraft Excalibur. Those hulls can be obtained pretty cheap. Ours was 6k. All the ones I have seen were with diesels. There aren't a lot of diesel center console options out there. And the ones available are pricey. Most of the guys that were having them built were charter fishing guys. If you aren't putting a 700+ hours a year on your boat it's not worth it. Speed boats are better in rough seas and more fuel efficient. Charter fishermen make more money the more days they can fish, the less fuel they burn, the less money they spend on the initial boat purchase, and the less money they spend on re-powers.

A 20ft version is a different story. It's more out of curiosity than practicality. I would like a boat that burns $50 in fuel for a day of fishing rather than $200 and is bigger than an aluminum boat or a flats skiff.

**WavetoWave** · 10-06-2022, 09:48 AM

Originally Posted by fpjeepy05

Typically its not a brand new boat. I've seen it done with old 38 scarabs, 36 midnight express, etc. Ours was a 42 Wellcraft Excalibur. Those hulls can be obtained pretty cheap. Ours was 6k. All the ones I have seen were with diesels. There aren't a lot of diesel center console options out there. And the ones available are pricey. Most of the guys that were having them built were charter fishing guys. If you aren't putting a 700+ hours a year on your boat it's not worth it. Speed boats are better in rough seas and more fuel efficient. Charter fishermen make more money the more days they can fish, the less fuel they burn, the less money they spend on the initial boat purchase, and the less money they spend on re-powers.

A 20ft version is a different story. It's more out of curiosity than practicality. I would like a boat that burns $50 in fuel for a day of fishing rather than $200 and is bigger than an aluminum boat or a flats skiff.

Interesting. Most charter guys I know buy fishing boats and don't spend a year rebuilding sport boats to turn into fishing boats. That seems nuts to me. Backyard project on a beater, go for it.

**John S** · 10-06-2022, 10:59 AM

Putting common sense in to performance boating? Who does that?

This site wouldn't exist if alcohol, grinders, and sawzalls didn't.

**fpjeepy05** · 10-06-2022, 12:29 PM

Originally Posted by WavetoWave

Interesting. Most charter guys I know buy fishing boats and don't spend a year rebuilding sport boats to turn into fishing boats. That seems nuts to me. Backyard project on a beater, go for it.

You can pay people to do the rebuilding for you. We did ours ourselves. Around here a season lasts about 90 days. Best case we fish 70. $700-$1000 charter you are lucky to clear $500. $500x70= $35k. Can't spend $350k on a boat, it'll take 10 years to pay it back. 7000 hours... it'll be ready for another $100k in outboards.

In my experience guys with really nice charter boats are part-timers. Just doing it to offset some of the expense of ownership.

**JBS** · 10-06-2022, 06:16 PM

Originally Posted by WavetoWave

Interesting. Most charter guys I know buy fishing boats and don't spend a year rebuilding sport boats to turn into fishing boats. That seems nuts to me. Backyard project on a beater, go for it.

This.Agree. Years ago when I charter fished,I almost bought a 21 Action to fish out of,didn't do it. Went with a Privateer instead. Good choice.

**Rak Rua** · 10-06-2022, 07:16 PM

With the vast array of boats for different applications, would you buy a center console and turn it into a sports boats? Probably not.

Given the same argument, why would you buy a sports boat and turn it into a center console?

A couple of valid exceptions (IMO) would be people who enjoy doing the work and it’s a project/hobby as well as a purpose, and people resurrecting older, sometimes classic boats.

RR