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Author Topic:   About to buy a 305 Conquest

gcscart posted 01-18-2008 10:51 AM ET (US)
My wife and I are about to [purchase] a new Conquest 305. I have been reading all the comments on this site, and it looks like there are quite a few owners represented. I have not seen much regarding ride since early 2007. Now that folks have had them for a while, can anyone provide an update on how they like the handling of the [Boston Whaler 305 CONQUEST] in heavy conditions? We do a lot of tuna fishing and cruising. Up here in [the Northeast United States three-foot] chop is commonplace. It sounds like the [Boston Whaler 305 CONQUEST] is OK in that. How does the [Boston Whaler 305 CONQUEST] do in 4-foot to 6-foot [seas] with winds greater than 25-knots? Comments, pro or con, on other aspects of the boat also would be appreciated. Thanks.
handn posted 01-18-2008 07:16 PM ET (US)
We have a 2004 305 Conquest and have run it in all sea conditions including 6-foot seas and 25-knot winds for almost 1,000 hours. For a 30-footer, [the Boston Whaler 305 CONQUEST] rides and handles beautifully. In hazardous small craft advisory sea conditions the objective in any boat is to hang on and get home. No boat, except perhaps a cruise ship will do so at 20 knots, with no spray on the windshield. We have been out in our [Boston Whaler 305 CONQUEST] in conditions I would call horrible. During those times, we feel safe, confident and perhaps even comfortable. The [Boston Whaler 305 CONQUEST] tracks well even down sea (most of the time it will go down sea on auto pilot). The cockpit drains quickly even when green water comes over the bow. When getting beamed, the roll motion is smooth and safe.
I like the feeling of confidence of an unsinkable hull. The deck hatches are tight and very little water gets into the bilge under any condition.
Is the boat perfect--no, it is wetter than I would like. It could use bigger spray rails and perhaps more bow flare. The passengers are dry, however, with the weather curtains installed and the windshield wipers do a good job of preserving visibility.
Other posts on this forum talk about how the boat will plane at a very low speed--a little over 10 knots. In all but the worst sea conditions, you can cruise at a low planing speed and get home more quickly and drier than you otherwise would.
P.S. Search for my posts on raising tuna with my [Boston Whaler 305 CONQUEST] . Is it me or the boat? I wish I knew.
jimh posted 01-18-2008 08:14 PM ET (US)
I imagine that in 6-foot heads seas and into head winds greater than 25-knots and proceeding at high speeds that most 30-foot boats have a rather miserable ride, and in judging among them it is probably a case of which of them has the least miserable ride. I have never felt that the design of the Boston Whaler--any of them--was particularly optimized for bashing into head seas, and, as a result, if this is the criteria for making a judgement about their ride and handling, they won't measure as well as some other boats whose hull forms are narrower and with deeper vee which will bash into head seas with less effect than the Whaler. But don't hold the Whaler to only this standard. It is a good all-around hull, and while it might not be the champion of the head sea bashing contest, it is likely a good boat for most other situations.
handn posted 01-19-2008 10:04 AM ET (US)
The 305 Conquest has a different hull design than other Whalers. It has 20 degree deadrise at the stern. The greater the deadrise at the stern, generally the smoother the boat will ride going into a headsea. Other Boston Whaler boats particularly the older models have much less deadrise and are known for a rougher ride
The 305 will not bash into big headseas at 20 knots with any degree of comfort. It will do so but the ride will be very rough and water will blast over the top. In such conditions, a low speed plane might work. In worsening conditions it might be necessary to tack back and forth taking the seas at a quartering direction and reduce speed to displacement speeds.
The 305 will however, get you home comfortably and with safety.
gcscart posted 01-21-2008 08:56 AM ET (US)
Thanks for the input. Saturday we bought a new 345 Conquest. It arrives in March. We spend so much time on the boat that we wanted the larger cabin. Now let's just hope it raises fish!
jimh posted 01-21-2008 09:06 AM ET (US)
Congratulations on your new vessel. Notice I did not say "boat." That 305 CONQUEST is one fine machine.
Brian7son posted 01-21-2008 10:19 AM ET (US)
gcscart,
Congrats on the 345!! I have ridden on that model a few times and I love it. It's a beautiful boat.
Brian

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Author	Topic: About to buy a 305 Conquest
gcscart	posted 01-18-2008 10:51 AM ET (US) My wife and I are about to [purchase] a new Conquest 305. I have been reading all the comments on this site, and it looks like there are quite a few owners represented. I have not seen much regarding ride since early 2007. Now that folks have had them for a while, can anyone provide an update on how they like the handling of the [Boston Whaler 305 CONQUEST] in heavy conditions? We do a lot of tuna fishing and cruising. Up here in [the Northeast United States three-foot] chop is commonplace. It sounds like the [Boston Whaler 305 CONQUEST] is OK in that. How does the [Boston Whaler 305 CONQUEST] do in 4-foot to 6-foot [seas] with winds greater than 25-knots? Comments, pro or con, on other aspects of the boat also would be appreciated. Thanks.
handn	posted 01-18-2008 07:16 PM ET (US) We have a 2004 305 Conquest and have run it in all sea conditions including 6-foot seas and 25-knot winds for almost 1,000 hours. For a 30-footer, [the Boston Whaler 305 CONQUEST] rides and handles beautifully. In hazardous small craft advisory sea conditions the objective in any boat is to hang on and get home. No boat, except perhaps a cruise ship will do so at 20 knots, with no spray on the windshield. We have been out in our [Boston Whaler 305 CONQUEST] in conditions I would call horrible. During those times, we feel safe, confident and perhaps even comfortable. The [Boston Whaler 305 CONQUEST] tracks well even down sea (most of the time it will go down sea on auto pilot). The cockpit drains quickly even when green water comes over the bow. When getting beamed, the roll motion is smooth and safe. I like the feeling of confidence of an unsinkable hull. The deck hatches are tight and very little water gets into the bilge under any condition. Is the boat perfect--no, it is wetter than I would like. It could use bigger spray rails and perhaps more bow flare. The passengers are dry, however, with the weather curtains installed and the windshield wipers do a good job of preserving visibility. Other posts on this forum talk about how the boat will plane at a very low speed--a little over 10 knots. In all but the worst sea conditions, you can cruise at a low planing speed and get home more quickly and drier than you otherwise would. P.S. Search for my posts on raising tuna with my [Boston Whaler 305 CONQUEST] . Is it me or the boat? I wish I knew.
jimh	posted 01-18-2008 08:14 PM ET (US) I imagine that in 6-foot heads seas and into head winds greater than 25-knots and proceeding at high speeds that most 30-foot boats have a rather miserable ride, and in judging among them it is probably a case of which of them has the least miserable ride. I have never felt that the design of the Boston Whaler--any of them--was particularly optimized for bashing into head seas, and, as a result, if this is the criteria for making a judgement about their ride and handling, they won't measure as well as some other boats whose hull forms are narrower and with deeper vee which will bash into head seas with less effect than the Whaler. But don't hold the Whaler to only this standard. It is a good all-around hull, and while it might not be the champion of the head sea bashing contest, it is likely a good boat for most other situations.
handn	posted 01-19-2008 10:04 AM ET (US) The 305 Conquest has a different hull design than other Whalers. It has 20 degree deadrise at the stern. The greater the deadrise at the stern, generally the smoother the boat will ride going into a headsea. Other Boston Whaler boats particularly the older models have much less deadrise and are known for a rougher ride The 305 will not bash into big headseas at 20 knots with any degree of comfort. It will do so but the ride will be very rough and water will blast over the top. In such conditions, a low speed plane might work. In worsening conditions it might be necessary to tack back and forth taking the seas at a quartering direction and reduce speed to displacement speeds. The 305 will however, get you home comfortably and with safety.
gcscart	posted 01-21-2008 08:56 AM ET (US) Thanks for the input. Saturday we bought a new 345 Conquest. It arrives in March. We spend so much time on the boat that we wanted the larger cabin. Now let's just hope it raises fish!
jimh	posted 01-21-2008 09:06 AM ET (US) Congratulations on your new vessel. Notice I did not say "boat." That 305 CONQUEST is one fine machine.
Brian7son	posted 01-21-2008 10:19 AM ET (US) gcscart, Congrats on the 345!! I have ridden on that model a few times and I love it. It's a beautiful boat. Brian