Everglades 29 Pilothouse - a review!

HugeDuckFan · 02-05-2008, 11:49 AM

I was fortunate enough to ride Aman's 29Pilot yesterday up in Seattle. My boat is in the shop right now, and I'm shaking life a crack addict in jail...I needed a saltwater fix bad.

AJ and I launched the boat later Monday afternoon from Shilshole (very nice public ramp BTW). We have about 3 hours of engine break in to get accomplished. Weather was overcast and cool, water was quite flat...nary a wind ripple on top.

The boring stuff (under 2000 rpm), was still nice, as we had a chance to tinker with all the switches, look at everything. I took a few pics while underway, which I've posted here. As the day progressed, and RPMs were increased, the smiles grew in width with each additional 1000 rpm.

The twin Suziki 300's were very quiet, silent at idle. The noise at 6000 rpm was quite acceptable, even in the pilot house with doors closed up and holding in the sound in the helm. The fly by wire controls were the smoothest I've ever felt. They are comparable with those running twin diesels on a 55' Nordhavn trawler. The smoothest throttles I've ever felt in boat this size, bar none. Easy to match rpms, from 600 to 6000 rpm. Holeshots, on a plan in about 3 seconds, with very little pronounced bow rise. IMPRESSIVE for a 29' boat with 4 people aboard and 150 gallons of fuel. Fuel burn at 4500 rpm was about 3.5 mpg, dropping to 2.9 around 6000 rpm. Over open water, this thing is a rocket. It will be the first one to the fishing grounds. We didn't obtain top speeds numbers on this trip, I'll have to pester AJ for another ride when all the electronics are dialed in.

Steering was smooth throughout the full range of motion. The ride was exquisite! Granted we had dead flat water out there, but we did find some nice wakes from passing freighters. In high speed turns, the boat was rock solid, no slipping at all and speed hardly fell off. When crossing the wakes, we ran very hard and smooth. No hull slapping, or uncomfortable action whatsoever. It was extremely stable as we powered back and forth through the waves at ever increasing speeds. The cockpit stayed dry the entire time, so rear riders would not have been damp at all.

I like the layout of the boat, although it is still to short for me...but at 6-7", this is less of problem for most people. I did fit in the head and helm comfortably, but the rod holders are a concussion waiting to happen for me. Riding up front was a different experience, on nice days, what a place to ride. I would prefer to the see engine gauges mounted up a little higher, maybe a pod on the dash. The deck lights, spreader bar lights and helm lights are very nice, but I would change the wiring and add a few extra switches to give the captain a little more control over the lighting, but this is an easy fix.

Loading and unloading are super easy with the full walkaround, great docking lights (it was dark when we pulled her back in) light up your path. All LED lights, I love 'em. Convinced me to change all of my nav lights over to LED.

I thoroughly enjoyed the ride aboard a great boat. Now, I really need to get my ride back in the water.

tomictime · 02-05-2008, 04:23 PM

cool..should of run her today...40 + wind gusts, driven rain and 3-4' in the Sound ....chop not rollers...

Aman impresses me as angler and customer focused....

Big Billy · 02-05-2008, 07:00 PM

Nice looking boast! Wow

SlyHawk · 02-05-2008, 07:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big Billy

Nice looking boast! Wow

Wow again! You must have extremely deep pockets----------

Chase'n Tail · 02-05-2008, 08:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomictime

cool..should of run her today...40 + wind gusts, driven rain and 3-4' in the Sound ....chop not rollers...

Aman impresses me as angler and customer focused....

I was out there today out of "Shilshloe" with clients for a demo, and I was just as impressed as last evening! The 3-4' was close but the water was a little bigger out in the middle, and then add "sheep" and you have a great day to prove the ride! The clients were very happy with the way the boat handles in the Sound's change up water. In the head sea ride great solid and a no pound ride, the following was nice as well. Even changing direction in the trough was easy, and felt comfortable at all times. My thanks again to "Huge Duck Fan" for making the trek, and the help at Qwest field trying to even get to the proving grounds yesterday, THANKS DAN ! What a ride!

So between all the off shore rides we have at AMAN MARINE with the addition of "Parker" we now are a "One stop shopping" center for all your boating needs. Looking forward to seeing everyone at the Sportsman Show this week. AJ@AMAN MARINE

CATCH AND EAT · 02-06-2008, 06:12 AM

AJ how about a picture of the whole boat instead of these tease pictures you guys keep putting up.

Danno · 02-06-2008, 06:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CATCH AND EAT

AJ how about a picture of the whole boat instead of these tease pictures you guys keep putting up.

I want to see the cabin. Not that I can afford one of these beauts anytime soon but for the drool factor.

HugeDuckFan · 02-06-2008, 07:05 AM

I'd have posted a few pics of the boat at the slip, but silly me...I let my wife use my digital camera and she pulled the memory card out. I didn't have the light to reshoot the pics at the slip when we pulled back in.

CATCH AND EAT · 02-06-2008, 07:06 AM

I looked up Everglades Boats and found their website but their pictures are poor.

kraken33 · 02-06-2008, 07:56 AM

Thanks for the boat ****. Thats one sweet ride!

bait boy · 02-06-2008, 08:21 AM

SecondSeason · 02-06-2008, 08:53 AM

ok so i saw this boat at the seattle boat show and have seen them running in florida. quite a bit of bucks to own one of these so here is my thought.

fractional ownership. this could make this boat a workable solution for some of us.

I will throw my hat in anyone else?

HugeDuckFan · 02-06-2008, 09:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SecondSeason

I will throw my hat in anyone else?

Once I get my real boat in the water, that is exactly what I'm thinking. But, AJ will have to wait about another 4 years on that one.

This thing is one bad fishing killing machine! When I don't have other competing uses for a boat, it's the way to fish. Of course, we might as well get the 35' at that point!

w-fly · 02-06-2008, 09:10 AM

That is one Sweet fishing machine, my kids and I crawled all over it at the PDX show, I think the factory rep was rolling his eyes at my kids playing in the Center Console, opening and closing the doors about 50 times, AJ was laughing at them the whole time...& encouraging them.

Check your fuel burn #, I think that may be only monitoring 1 motor?
http://www.suzukimarine.com/sr_08/df300/boat_tests/

Off topic: Was anyone having luck fishing around Seattle? I'm getting tired of waiting for a flat ocean and was considering dragging my boat up to the sound.

Chase'n Tail · 02-06-2008, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CATCH AND EAT

AJ how about a picture of the whole boat instead of these tease pictures you guys keep putting up.

Hi "CAtch and Eat" I posted full boat pic's from all the up dates from the Seattle show. You can go back a page and pick them up. I was a lttle busy with the demo guys to shoot more while "working"

. A tough job ya know. They will be on the ""Seattle Boat Show" its HUGE thread hope this helps.

Chase'n Tail · 02-06-2008, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SecondSeason

ok so i saw this boat at the seattle boat show and have seen them running in florida. quite a bit of bucks to own one of these so here is my thought.

fractional ownership. this could make this boat a workable solution for some of us.

I will throw my hat in anyone else?

Hey "Second Season" did I miss ya, would have liked to grab some coffee or something? Come by the Sportsman Show and we'll get caught up.

AJ@AMAN MARINE

HugeDuckFan · 02-06-2008, 02:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by w-fly

Off topic: Was anyone having luck fishing around Seattle? I'm getting tired of waiting for a flat ocean and was considering dragging my boat up to the sound.

I'll ask my buddoes dad about the fishing up there. He's religous about his fishing in the Sound. I know one of my other friends is fishing for blackmouth in the San Juans this weekend.

Stowaway · 02-06-2008, 03:23 PM

I have to admit this was the boat I fell in love with at the Boat show in Portland. I didn't want to get off it, it is a true fish killing machine! Every aspect about it was great except one sticker. If I could of I would of!!! You should of seen the wifes face...she'd brought up that I couldn't get anything that made our 1/4 acre and 1300sq ft home look cheep...... PLEASE someone give me a job making 6+ figures so I can take every dog out on this bad boy. I'm a hard worker and can learn quick!

tomictime · 02-06-2008, 06:04 PM

Good for U, way too many 'we crossed wakes" reviews out there in the boating rags...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chase'n Tail

I was out there today out of "Shilshloe" with clients for a demo, and I was just as impressed as last evening! The 3-4' was close but the water was a little bigger out in the middle, and then add "sheep" and you have a great day to prove the ride! The clients were very happy with the way the boat handles in the Sound's change up water. In the head sea ride great solid and a no pound ride, the following was nice as well. Even changing direction in the trough was easy, and felt comfortable at all times. My thanks again to "Huge Duck Fan" for making the trek, and the help at Qwest field trying to even get to the proving grounds yesterday, THANKS DAN ! What a ride!

So between all the off shore rides we have at AMAN MARINE with the addition of "Parker" we now are a "One stop shopping" center for all your boating needs. Looking forward to seeing everyone at the Sportsman Show this week. AJ@AMAN MARINE