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| Q: Hi John, Now that you have your fuel flow meter on your boat. What is your g.p.h. on these offshore Tuna trips you are doing. I am seriously looking into buying a 24' Northriver O/S. The more I see what you do with yours, the more I like them. How much fuel did you have left after running 70 miles to the fish, fishing and running back? How long did you troll for Tuna? Do you have any pro's and con's about your boat ? would you buy another? Would you jump up to the 250 horse or is the 225 allright in the ocean? I know sometimes when I'm climbing a swell, I wish I had just a little more motor. Thanks Howard |
| A: Howard, Sorry this answer took so long it's been a busy fishing month. I'm using between 11-13 gal. burn at 25-30 MPH on the 225 Yamaha depending on water conditions. At trolling speed for tuna about 2 gal. per hour. The 24 ft Seahawk O/S carries 120 gal. After running 70 miles and trolling about 6 hours and running back then fishing salmon up north the same day I had just under 1/2 a tank. Most of my tuna runs were just under 1/2 to above a 1/4 for a full day of tuna fishing and the longest run was about 82 miles. Funny you ask about buying another boat as a 26ft O/S is being built as you read this. It will have twin 150's and a 170 gal. tank, the tuna will not be safe now. If I was building a new 24ft I would go with he 250 HP as I like extra power when I need it, I have no problem pulling back on the throttle during cruise conditions to save fuel. I love this boat and I'm sure the same will be true for the new one, the ride in rough conditions is second to none. Hope this covers it. Capt. John |
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Q: Hi John & Tom, I met you both at the SU seminar in Renton in early 2005, shortly after you’d picked up your North River boats… and I know you were both impressed with them at the time. I’m in the market for an offshore capable boat, and am considering the 24’ or 26’ Seahawk O/S. Was hoping you could please give me your personal impressions of the boats, now that you’ve had ample time to use them in a variety of situations. A: Aaron, I’m still impressed with my 24 O/S. Since that time I have fished it in Canada to Oregon in all water and weather conditions and it has performed great. I have ran many tuna trips out to 65 miles without a problem and been in 6 ft seas with a 2 ft chop on a very bad day at Neah Bay and felt totally safe and secure in the boat; not that I would recommend going out in those conditions but sometimes the weather will change fast on you when your already offshore. Q: I’m interested in the build quality and any significant shortcomings you might know of. How are they holding up under regular use? Any areas of concern? A: None at this time. Q: How do they handle in rough open water? And, what’s the ride quality like in general? A: I was worried that the boat would beat you in a short chop condition and it does not. If you trim the bow down it rides excellent in these conditions. Quality is the best of any boat I have owned and well worth the investment. Q: How would you rate them on creature comfort after a long day on the water? My wife and children will be aboard, and basic comforts are a priority. Of course she would prefer a plusher interior, but I’ve sworn I’ll never own another fiberglass boat again. A: My boat is setup with a diesel l stove/heater and a sink. I use both and my wife enjoys it. The high sides on the boat make it very safe and suitable for children. Your right about fiberglass no waxing with a North River…! Q: Are there any factory options that you would suggest? A: They have a long list of options to fit all needs, I like the in deck fish boxes and the grab rails in the cabin overhead as a couple I would include. Q: Overall, would you consider them again if you ever needed to replace your current boats? I’d like the next boat I buy to be the last, or at least the next to last. I sincerely appreciate any feedback you can offer. Warmest regards, Aaron Williams Sisters, Oregon A: I would buy North River again, but you will find that this boat will last you a life time. Heading up to Tahsis in a few days. Any last minute advice??? I hear the kings are just starting to move in, have a great trip. Capt. John |
| Q: Dear John, Let
me start by apologizing for the long question. I am ready to buy a
new boat and am trying to decide between an Almar and a Pacific boat
(both 26'). I fish out of San Diego, CA and aluminum boats longer
than 21' in length are largely unknown here. Most of my research has
been limited to reading reviews on-line as well as browsing the web
sites for aluminum boat builders in the Seattle and Vancouver area.
I flew up to the Seattle boat show last year and fell in love with
the Almar 24' model. Having come across your web site I wanted to
talk with a user and ask if they could share their experiences regarding
the following: Power - what is your top-end speed with the 225hp? What is your typical cruising speed (assuming good sea conditions)? Fuel consumption - what is your typical fuel mileage? Ride - I have a 21' aluminum boat that does great in going out but once the wind comes up I get bounced around quite a bit. How "lumpy" is your ride in close swells? How has it performed in bigger water? Motor configuration - any thoughts on a twin 130 configuration vs. the 225? Thank is advance for your help, Mark |
| A: Mark, In typical cruising conditions with the 225 Four-Stroke I burn about 9 gallons an hour at 28 MPH. That gives me about a 300 mile range with a little left for reserve. The ride in my 24 O/S is excellent it handles the chop quite well and is very stable when fishing open water. I have not had a chance to fish the ocean yet with mine as we took delivery in winter, but I have had it out in some nasty water on Puget Sound and I have been quite impressed with its handling. I asked the factory rep about the twins and they recommend twin 115 Four-Strokes which would be better combo for lots of offshore fishing as you would have a true get home engine. This setup is also faster out of the hole then the 225. Cost is about $2,000 more then a single 225 with a T8 kicker. I have found the folks at North River/Almar 253-572-2877 in Tacoma to be extremely knowledgeable about setting up boats to your preferred style of fishing. I hope this answers your questions. Capt. John |
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