MD vs the NE

[meathookfishing]

Why is it that most fisherman in these parts of MD snarl at DE boats? They talk mainly about a soft chime hull rolling to much while on anchor, not trolling well, not able to use auto pilot and the skeg causing issues with following and quartering seas.

I have fished a 27 x 8-6 Judge DE for the last 8 years. While not a true DE, the layout is somewhat similar. BTW, Judge no longer makes this boat. I fish the Chesapeake Bay, offshore OC to the canyons and the Outer Banks.

Wanting to upgrade to to a more true DE boat 31' to 38' and still maintain the same places to fish. I have always loved a DE boat.

I have never fished a DE hull of any kind. Can anyone help with some good answers on the above questions?

Thanks!

 

[yanmar]

Bill Judge is a jackoff !

 

[meathookfishing]

Well that helped tremendously.

 

[petrel]

I've had/run both downeasters and deadrises, and I much prefer a downeaster in the ocean. Whether or not a boat rolls cannot be determined by whether it has a hard or soft chine. Some downeasters are much better than others in following seas, and there are plenty of hard chined CB deadrises and modified V sport boats that are god awful in a following sea. There is a lot of variation among hulls in the various general types. Anyone who summarily disparages downeasters for the reasons you have listed is just showing their ignorance. In the Ocean they are a far better all-round boat than the CB deadrise and the planing sportboats that dominate the scene in Maryland. No contest.

 

[captainlarry84]

Judge

My fishing buddy is in contract as we speak for a brand new 27 Judge with a single 300 Suzuki bracket mounted O/B. Hull is out of the mold and the workmanship is a ten so far.
He builds a beautiful boat. His upgrades to the 31 JC hull are a work of art.

 

[meathookfishing]

Thanks for that. I appreciate the reply.

 

[meathookfishing]

Good job on the 300 hp. That will suite it better than the 225 when loaded down.

The 31 JC used to be what Bill used before the fire. His 32 is a different mold. I asked him a couple of weeks ago when I saw different post on the JC.

 

[scallywag]

Ther are more than a few DE boats owners in md waters if you look around myself included! All my friends want to fish in my 25'general marine when its nautical out. They say it rides like a cadilac! It gets on top of the water instead of plowing thru it like a deadrise.

 

[OLD BAY]

I've been on the Chesapeake for work and pleasure for 30+ years. I think our current DE hull (soft chine, built down) is the best all around hull and has significantly expanded our reach. Old Boston Whalers, Makos, Egg Harbors and more were good boats, but when the wind kicked up out of the south, and the water got tall, they stayed in the slip.

On a recent trip accross the bay, my family slept in big swells while a buddy's wife and kids were terrorized in his big center console, hard chined planning hull. They spent the night out rather than risk going back the same day. My kids watched movies on the way home. We also averaged 18 kts!! We also do well on the drift.

The keel and protected prop make the shallow waters of the bay a non-event. I never fear about the western entrance to Knapps, or unmarked channels like Meredith Creek. My parent's boat has exposed running gear, and they fear shallow water. Forget Meredith creek, and they take the long way 'round Knapps.

DE hulls are terrific for the Bay. I haven't been on a deadrise for more than a decade, so I can't really compare that to the downeast hull though.

 

[MDI45]

My fishing buddy is in contract as we speak for a brand new 27 Judge with a single 300 Suzuki bracket mounted O/B. Hull is out of the mold and the workmanship is a ten so far.
He builds a beautiful boat. His upgrades to the 31 JC hull are a work of art.

Larry,I hope our friend will be happy with his choice...i am one of the guys who wanted him to go up north for a boat...but he was worried about them not using outboard power up north

 

[31jcptown]

27 judge

Larry


Hope your friend likes the boat as my buddy has the same 27 judge and if you were only fishing in the bay I would say its a good boat but man they are light and and VERY WET I Hate fishing on it. as far as holding up this ones maybe 5 years old and it has some issues................

 

[meathookfishing]

Thanks for the great posts.

 

[captainlarry84]

27

So far I like what I see. I am not an O/B guy. My other buddy fishes a 27 Eastern with a single and he likes the boat. He has had it 5 seasons and he runs 40 off. The older judge 27s were I believe the same mold as Easterns. From what I have seen the 27 Judge he is building today is a wider version. The hull is solid glass, all stringers are composite with zero wood, fit & finish well above average, Wynne Windows and nice lines.

 

[MouseTrap]

I really like the concept of the 27' Judge with single outboard. Emphasis is on cockpit space. Huge deck compared to almost any other boat I've seen in comparison. The pilot house isn't as aesthetically pleasing as a Downeast, but that is subjective I guess.

 

[meathookfishing]

You are correct in that the old Judges were Eastern. Today's model though is still 8'-6".
The single outboard is great on fuel. I would run 67 out to the canyon fully loaded, troll all day and use less than 90 gallons doing whatever speed I could without loosing my teeth. (I like to ride comfortable. Thus one of the reasons wanting a DE.)
But the single OB has drawbacks being set that far in the rear, mainly in the wind.