Ex-Aquasport/Wellcraft employee (Bob C)...

[labboss2003]

the boat is a 1996, so as far as the notch the problem with it is,  it catches the trailer every time you launch or load it, kinda thought all the exployers had it .was thinking about putting a roller in place of that plate and bar setup , but i think it will still catch. any thoughts would be helpfull...........thanks

[RickK]

That's weird :!:  :!:  
My '93 230 doesn't have it.

[seabob4]

Labboss,
If your good with resin, glass, and putty, fill in the "notch", then fair it in to match the hull shape, gel, DA, buff, and viola, no more problem!

[RickK]

Bob, I saw a Aquasport Cat going down the freeway today with a CUDDY!!
Looked like a 23+ ft boat.  Was that in your era?

[seabob4]

Rick,
Here is a perfect example of the 23 Tournament Cat.  And a damn fine example, if I do say so.

23 Tournament Cat

I wish you could have gotten a pic of that cuddy.  Did the hull form look like this one?  It's possible someone did a conversion, as we never built any.  How did the overall boat look?  If it was in the Sarasota area, maybe you'll see it again.  I'd love to see that boat!

Two things about this particular boat.  One, who was the moron who installed the transom grab rail (probably my buddy Tim!)?  Two, see those locking rod boxes in the port and starboard inwales?  They were a BITCH to install!

[RickK]

It didn't look like a conversion - must be newer than your time there.  Looked sharp - maybe a 250 or bigger. Looked like an Explorer sitting on a CAT hull. I saw it going south on 75 so who knows where it is based.  The Aquasport site is gone now so no one to ask there.  They were very friendly and answered what they could - gave me all the info on the 230 I have.  I found out she is totally stock, to include the factory Yamaha 250.

Yeah, on that link you posted, what was the grab rail there for?  Maybe they have a dive ladder that hooks in below it??

[seabob4]

Rick,
That metallic thingie just below the grab rail was for an Armstrong dive ladder.  At least the deck riggers could have centered it!  Anyway, newer than my time?  I built 24 cats, the last (forest green hull) sat in the yard 'til I left there in '00.  Worked until 2 on a Saturday afternoon to get it green tagged.  Then she sat for 6 months.  

If you are really curious about that cuddy, call Proline and ask for Curt Jarson.  Used to be VP of AS sales when I was there. Actually, I think it is older, rather than newer.

[RickK]

This boat still looked brand new - is there a chance they designed a cuddy model after you left?  Had the newer Aquasport "hook" badge on the side.

[seabob4]

Rick,
If Curt is in the plant tomorrow, I'll ask him.  It is possible, although I keep my ear pretty close to the ground, and never heard anything about one.

The history behind the 23, and her little sister, the 16, was that Mike Scruggs, former president of Wellcraft, was over on the east coast, somewhere around the Titusville/Cocoa area and found the hull and deck molds for both in some boneyard.  Liked what he saw, bought them, and thus the AS 23 and 16 Tournaments Cats were born.  Don't know whose molds they were, but they were not a development of the AS/Marine Concepts designers.  That being said, if that boat appeared to be about a 25, they might have taken the 23 hull and made a new mold by cutting her in 2, probably midships, then adding 2 feet.  Easily done.  Then, I would imagine, they took the 250 Explorer deck and adapted it to fit the shear of the cat hull.  Commonly done in the business.

Later on I'll do some googling and see if I can find an example of the cuddy.  You have definitely peaked my curiosity!

[RickK]

The "hook" badge is probably a good lead as to when it was built?

[seabob4]

Rick,
See your graphics on your Explorer?  Those we're used up until 99-00.  The "Hook" was obviously and earlier graphic, but that doesn't mean anything.  The owner might just have liked that graphic.

Curt wasn't in the plant today, off doing "marketing" things.  But I got to thinking.  There was absolutely no room belowdeck going forward, so the cabin portion would have had to be fairly highly perched above the hull to make it truly useful.  Just a thought.  I'll let you know as soon as I find out something.

[RickK]

I actually never saw a "hook" badge until I went to the Aquasport website and there is was on one of their pages so I have no clue what year it was used.  I just know that this boat had one.

Here is a question that has been bugging me for a while and you can probably answer:  My 230 has 13ft of cockpit space from helm bulkhead to where the cockpit ends - this is where the splashwell would normally start on "welled" boats.  Just before the doors in the aft beside the engine in this pic. I never put a tape on mine, just assumed it to be 23ft bow to stern.


On the Aquasport boats, when they started closing in the transom, the 250's look like they have about the same room in the back as mine, but have a 250 length.  How is the boat "officially" measured?  Includes the swim platform? (which I don't have but is "really" interior usable space in mine)

[seabob4]

Rick,
Talked to Curt Jarson today.  Actually we go back about 14 years.  He left AS in July '04, and there was no cuddy version of the 23 made.  He suggested Aquacat (never heard of them), a conversion that someone REILLY took pride in, or someone with a different maker boat wanting it to look like an AS Cat Cuddy.  Hey, you'll probably never know.

Now your 230, the splashwell would be about the same as the mid/late '90s model 215 Explorer/215 DC (later, the 215 Osprey Sport).  About 45 degrees forward from each corner of the transom, then creating a short wall connecting the 2 in front of the motor.  Built into the deck mold.  The cockpit drains, which drained into the splashwell, were an absolute BITCH to hose!  I never had to do it, but I saw what the design was, and I said, "Better you than me!".  The spashwell, while keeping water out of the cockpit was a better design, did infringe on cockpit room somewhat.

Remember about LOA.  Anything that is molded into the hull or deck must count towards LOA.  Hence, a molded pulpit counts, a bolted on one doesn't.  Same with an engine bracket.  Myself, I'll take bolted on anytime.  That way, when your boat is advertised as a 25 footer, it IS a 25 footer.

Looking at the pic you posted, you have one thing that GENMAR got rid of that I wish they didn't.  A fuel tank hatch.  Proline got rid of them too.  Stupid!

Anything else?

[RickK]

Ok, so that explains why these newer boats that have the integrated dive platform/engine brackets seem shorter than their length advertises - the LOA includes the bracket and the inside of the cockpit is about 2 ft shorter than it should be/would be if it had a bolt-on bracket or open transom like mine.

[seabob4]

Absolutely, my friend.