Cape Horn Boats: Rock Solid
Oct 05 '00 (Updated Nov 30 '00)
If you are looking for a bow rider, a ski-boat, a cruiser, stop reading right now. Cape Horn boats, built on the Florida Gulf coast, are designed for one thing: fishing. As a matter of fact, this Milton, Florida based company builds only one style of boat, that being center console fishing boats. Their boats are extraordinarily rugged, they have a distinguished past and a near religious following among anglers on the Gulf coast. These boats are built, and they are built to last and please for many years.
If you are looking for sports car style amenities, slick fixings, and creature comforts, maybe the Cape Horn boats aren't for you. If you are looking for rod holders, live wells, simplicity and honesty, the Cape may be your boat. If you want a substantial hull built with pride and finished the right way, the Cape Horn may attract you. Cape Horn boats (except the 27' CC) feature no wood construction. The boats are of unsinkable design, with giant aft scuppers that will empty a wave over the bow in seconds. They feature large fuel cells and storage/fish boxes of ample capacity; enough to please the serious angler. Cape Horn boats have good freeboard and plenty of beam and deadrise to offer a stable fishing platform while at anchor or drifting, and they also feature enough muscle to handle tough seas with confidence. Cape Horns outweigh the competition, and that has all to do with their ruggedness of build and all glass/foam construction. These boats are tougher than nails.
Who Would buy a Horn?: I would, I have a 17 foot Cape Horn with a 90 HP Yamaha, it is a great machine. It will run a smooth 40 MPH wide open. It is absolutely stable and an awesome fishing platform. Many people here will take their 17' Cape out into the Gulf of Mexico to troll for Kingfish without hesitation. I use my boat as an inshore fisher, going after Redfish and Gator Sea Trout in the Choctawhatchee/East bay and Santa Rosa sound, so it is a very versatile boat. With four passengers, my boat is also a decent afternoon cruiser, but it certainly doesn't offer the creature comforts of bow riders and the like. This boat is a fairly uncompromising fishing boat.
Warranty: Cape Horns have a very impressive 10 year hull/lifetime transom warranty, no strings attached.
Line Up: Cape Horn boats are available from a little 14 footer to an awesome twin 250 HP 27 footer that will run out 100 miles and back. The company, under its dynamic designer Chris Fabbro, offers up a great range of in-house designed boats in between. The 17 and 19 foot boats are very popular, mostly due to their versatility, utility and economy. A superior product attracts many customers by virtue of its good design!
Power: Capes, because of their rugged transom design, will hold tons of power. The 17 footer is rated for 140 HP, and that is a pile. Mine is driven by a 90 Horse, it is all about what you're willing to spend on power. Cape Horn is also factoring in the expected additional weight of four stroke engines on its latest transom design. No afterthoughts here!
Hulls: The Cape Horns feature no wood construction (except the 27), unsinkable design and stepped hulls for rough water going. The gel-coat is NPG high quality, the trimmings are all thru-bolted for maximum ruggedness and durability. Be advised, however, that if you buy a Cape Horn, they are minimally equipped as far as accessories are concerned. Although my boat was wired for a fuel gauge and the fuel cell featured a sending unit, I had to purchase the gauge and install it myself (you could hire the dealer, but why?). I also added a voltmeter, an hour meter, and a twelve volt outlet. I have a couple of other electrical accessories that I plan to add near term.
Resale: Being a fairly new company, only having 11 years of building under their belt, Cape Horn boats have an excellent resale value. This is one great thing about buying a Cape Horn, they are very reasonably priced from the get-go, and when it's time to trade up, you're in luck! Cape Horns have great resale value, as evidenced by the local classifieds!
If you are in the market for a fishing boat, and you are fortunate enough to live near a Cape Horn dealer, I highly recommend you consider these fine, no-nonsense boats as a candidate for your perusal. My local sheriff's department runs Cape Horn boats, and for me, that says a lot about their expected reliability. Simply stated, these are great boats built by a proud manufacturer, and they are surely a boat you should shop if you are looking for a serious center console fishing boat.
Check out their website at http://www.capehornboats.com
Tight lines!
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Member: Mark A
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