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Author Topic:   205 Eastport or Conquest

chrisvs posted 05-10-2012 02:10 PM ET (US)
[This new author begins his first article by telling readers that he is a] long-time Boston Whaler fan and lurker of the forum. I hope that some of you could help me with a few questions. I am beginning the process of looking for my next boat, in which I would like a cuddy for overnighting. Currently we have a FourWinns H180 bowrider. My dream of owning a Boston Whaler might be realized in this next boat, if a few key critera can be met.
Is the cuddy in the 205 Eastport or Conquest long enough for sleeping two adults? I have not been able to find any pictures relating a person's size in the cabin. In pictures, it looks fine, and also looks to have decent height and brightness (with the side windows) as far as cuddies go, compared to the sportier stern drive type cuddies that are so prominent on the market.
Also, [what is a] realistic weight on the trailer for this boat? I am limited in towing weight with my tow vehicle, 2006 Jeep Liberty, to 5,000-lbs. My towing would be no more than about 200-Km, as that would allow me access to the Trent-Severn or the North Channel from my current home in North Bay Ontario. Most towning would be much shorter than that to my local lakes.
jimh posted 05-10-2012 08:09 PM ET (US)
Hal Watkins (of the same user-name) has a 205 EASTPORT, and he and his wife have over-nighted on the boat. He should be able to supply details about the cabin and the towing weight.
jimh posted 05-10-2012 08:27 PM ET (US)
Hal and his wife Magaret joined our fleet on the 2010 cruise to Isle Royale in Lake Superior. You can see some pictures of his 205 EASTPORT in my trip narrative at
http://continuouswave.com/sail-logs/irnp2010/ .
Ferdinando posted 05-10-2012 10:38 PM ET (US)
Chris, I don't own a 205 but I was interested in one when they first came out. I went to the Miami boat show to see one and found the cuddy cabin quite small for myself let alone two people.
However cockpit space was fantastic, large area great for fishing or just entertaining. Would suggest you size up the cabin before you take the plunge.
Good luck,
Fred
martyn1075 posted 05-11-2012 01:23 AM ET (US)
Before we purchased our Revenge I was really interested in this boat. We decided to take a close look at the dealer. My wife and I aren't particularly tall but we looked at each other and both could read each others expressions that it was just too small to overnight in comfortably which in my opinion is a really important feature. The boat was cool otherwise but a bit on the simple side for a whaler.
Martyn
chrisvs posted 05-11-2012 07:05 AM ET (US)
Gentlemen, thanks for your replies. Sounds like there could be some concern on the cabin size, so that will be something my wife and I will need to check together and see if it meets our needs.
In doing some research, I have come up with the following approximate dry weight:
Hull - 2800 lbs (from internet specs)
150 Optimax- 431 lbs (from Mercury website)
Trailer- 1100 lbs (estimated)
Total towing weight (dry): 4331 lbs
Sounds like it might work, if I am correct with these numbers and pay attention to fuel weight and extras on board.
Jim, how would you compare the size of the cabin on your previous boat (revenge 20WT I believe) to that of the 205? I am assuming you have made the comparison.
Perhaps searching for a revenge 20 and freshening the power would be another option?
martyn1075 posted 05-11-2012 10:51 AM ET (US)
It's a good trailer boat for its size and you can get away with a single axel trailer. I believe the 20 foot revenge cabin is the same size as the 22 which is about 6.5 feet maybe a bit more. Headroom is a bit tight, in fact you may have more headroom in the 205.
As long as the two of you can stretch out you should be fine. Also must take in consideration how many times will you actually overnight in a season. If its one or two times the other benefits of the new boat with a newer enging IMO are a good deal right now compared to a old Revenge with old parts and probably engine. Gas tank issues maybe which isn't out of the ordinary for that era Boston Whaler.
HawaiianWhaler posted 05-11-2012 09:12 PM ET (US)
chrisvs - By actual measurement in the cabin of my Conquest 21, the V-berths are about 75 inches long for each of the side legs of the "V", meaning that two 6-foot tall people lying in a "V" configuration will each have about 1½ inches of space from their toes to the forward bulkhead and their heads to the aft bulkhead.
The open end of the "V" is about 75 inches wide so there is ample shoulder room. Because the "V" is truncated by the forward/anchor locker bulkhead, meaning that the "V" does not actually come to a point, the narrow end of the "V" is actually about 34 inches wide so there should be ample room for their feet.
I would caution against suddenly rising from a prone position to a sitting position since headroom is only about 30 inches on the port side and a mere 26 inches on the starboard side under the electronics box. If you forget, you will appreciate the padded headliner.
The portholes and overhead hatch provide decent lighting of the cabin during the day and the single overhead light fixture is plenty bright for normal use at night. Natural ventilation via the portholes and the slots in the door is adequate if there is a breeze; better if the overhead hatch and/or door is left open.
There are storage compartments under the V-berth cushions.
As you've said, the actual towing weight will depend to some extent on what you have in the boat but I can tell you that my Conquest 21 with its 485-lb 4-stroke motor, its galvanized steel tandem axle trailer, 4 batteries, 3 anchors with 1800-feet of rode/50 feet of chain, 200-lbs of ice, over 200-lbs of big game and bottomfishing tackle, and sometimes even 400-lbs of fish ;) are easily towed behind my Jeep Grand Cherokee.
Hope the foregoing helps in your consideration of your next boat; email me if you want more details. Good luck.
Hal Watkins posted 05-12-2012 10:11 AM ET (US)
Sorry I haven't commented earlier but we are enjoying the lakes of Arkansas and Missouri and haven't logged into CW on a regular basis.
We are towing our 205 Eastport with a class B motorhome. It is a Mercedes powered Sprinter van rated to tow 5000#. By my calculations, I think I am pulling about 4300#.
Sleeping aboard...we have slept aboard at least a couple dozen nights in the last 2 years. I am 5'11", 225#...the wife is 5'6", 120#. We occasionally have a 9# weiner dog with us as well. It is cozy! We added a 3" memory foam insert over the BW cushions. If you and yours need a King bed to be comfortable...this is not your boat. We usually sleep well after a day of cruising. The screened portholes and overhead hatch are adequate but a 12v fan is a necessity if there is no breeze. We can easily set up in bed. The sides have 5" wide storage areas the length of the cuddy. They are quite handy for cell phone, flashlight, glasses, eye drops, book, etc.
We have a storage box on the deck for all the other stuff you need to live aboard for a week.
I hope this helps with your decision.
Hal
Mambo Minnow posted 05-12-2012 08:31 PM ET (US)
I looked at the Eastport/Conquest 205 when it first came out. However, I chose to go with the 1998-2000 circa Conquest 21 as it had a bigger cabin with flexible seating configurations and a larger cabin. The tradeoff was less cockpit space back aft.
Also, the gunwales on the Conquest 205 are lower than that on the Conquest 21. The family felt more secure particularly in open water.
If you are a cruiser, you'd like my set up better. A fisherman would like the larger open deck space aft on the newer Conquest 205.
Both boats came available with Optimax DFI two stroke. The older boat is typically powered by 200-225 HP and the newer model with as little as a 150 HP.
chrisvs posted 05-13-2012 08:16 AM ET (US)
Thank you all for the information. I think the next step will be to find examples of each and have a look. With any luck, I will be back on the forum in the future, joining you with a Boston Whaler of my own!
Robert V posted 05-14-2012 08:45 AM ET (US)
I think Hal has given some great information regarding the interior space on a Conquest 205. I also have this boat and am very impressed with the handling and cockpit space. Th cockpit is large enough to accommodate additional storage and 2 deck chairs. The rod holders also make for convenient grill holders (Magma style holders) for cooking out.
I have a single axle trailer for mine, a Karavan 4100# (Boston Whaler package trailer). I have towed from Virginia to Delaware two times and have no complaints with the set-up. Please feel free to ask any questions about the boat, I am glad to help. Good luck with the search and enjoy the "boat shopping" experience.
Robert
Mambo Minnow posted 05-14-2012 07:10 PM ET (US)
The Conquest 21 had 58" of headroom inside the cabin thanks to the two transverse mounted hi-low seats. These convert to a flush position to lengthen the amount of available horizontal cushioning to sleep overnight.
jimh posted 05-14-2012 10:21 PM ET (US)
The berths in a REVENGE 20 or 22 or 25 are all the same size, and they're 7-feet long. On our boat we have a home-made filler that fills in the entire V area, so we really do have the equivalent of a Queen-size bed.

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Author	Topic: 205 Eastport or Conquest
chrisvs	posted 05-10-2012 02:10 PM ET (US) [This new author begins his first article by telling readers that he is a] long-time Boston Whaler fan and lurker of the forum. I hope that some of you could help me with a few questions. I am beginning the process of looking for my next boat, in which I would like a cuddy for overnighting. Currently we have a FourWinns H180 bowrider. My dream of owning a Boston Whaler might be realized in this next boat, if a few key critera can be met. Is the cuddy in the 205 Eastport or Conquest long enough for sleeping two adults? I have not been able to find any pictures relating a person's size in the cabin. In pictures, it looks fine, and also looks to have decent height and brightness (with the side windows) as far as cuddies go, compared to the sportier stern drive type cuddies that are so prominent on the market. Also, [what is a] realistic weight on the trailer for this boat? I am limited in towing weight with my tow vehicle, 2006 Jeep Liberty, to 5,000-lbs. My towing would be no more than about 200-Km, as that would allow me access to the Trent-Severn or the North Channel from my current home in North Bay Ontario. Most towning would be much shorter than that to my local lakes.
jimh	posted 05-10-2012 08:09 PM ET (US) Hal Watkins (of the same user-name) has a 205 EASTPORT, and he and his wife have over-nighted on the boat. He should be able to supply details about the cabin and the towing weight.
jimh	posted 05-10-2012 08:27 PM ET (US) Hal and his wife Magaret joined our fleet on the 2010 cruise to Isle Royale in Lake Superior. You can see some pictures of his 205 EASTPORT in my trip narrative at http://continuouswave.com/sail-logs/irnp2010/ .
Ferdinando	posted 05-10-2012 10:38 PM ET (US) Chris, I don't own a 205 but I was interested in one when they first came out. I went to the Miami boat show to see one and found the cuddy cabin quite small for myself let alone two people. However cockpit space was fantastic, large area great for fishing or just entertaining. Would suggest you size up the cabin before you take the plunge. Good luck, Fred
martyn1075	posted 05-11-2012 01:23 AM ET (US) Before we purchased our Revenge I was really interested in this boat. We decided to take a close look at the dealer. My wife and I aren't particularly tall but we looked at each other and both could read each others expressions that it was just too small to overnight in comfortably which in my opinion is a really important feature. The boat was cool otherwise but a bit on the simple side for a whaler. Martyn
chrisvs	posted 05-11-2012 07:05 AM ET (US) Gentlemen, thanks for your replies. Sounds like there could be some concern on the cabin size, so that will be something my wife and I will need to check together and see if it meets our needs. In doing some research, I have come up with the following approximate dry weight: Hull - 2800 lbs (from internet specs) 150 Optimax- 431 lbs (from Mercury website) Trailer- 1100 lbs (estimated) Total towing weight (dry): 4331 lbs Sounds like it might work, if I am correct with these numbers and pay attention to fuel weight and extras on board. Jim, how would you compare the size of the cabin on your previous boat (revenge 20WT I believe) to that of the 205? I am assuming you have made the comparison. Perhaps searching for a revenge 20 and freshening the power would be another option?
martyn1075	posted 05-11-2012 10:51 AM ET (US) It's a good trailer boat for its size and you can get away with a single axel trailer. I believe the 20 foot revenge cabin is the same size as the 22 which is about 6.5 feet maybe a bit more. Headroom is a bit tight, in fact you may have more headroom in the 205. As long as the two of you can stretch out you should be fine. Also must take in consideration how many times will you actually overnight in a season. If its one or two times the other benefits of the new boat with a newer enging IMO are a good deal right now compared to a old Revenge with old parts and probably engine. Gas tank issues maybe which isn't out of the ordinary for that era Boston Whaler.
HawaiianWhaler	posted 05-11-2012 09:12 PM ET (US) chrisvs - By actual measurement in the cabin of my Conquest 21, the V-berths are about 75 inches long for each of the side legs of the "V", meaning that two 6-foot tall people lying in a "V" configuration will each have about 1½ inches of space from their toes to the forward bulkhead and their heads to the aft bulkhead. The open end of the "V" is about 75 inches wide so there is ample shoulder room. Because the "V" is truncated by the forward/anchor locker bulkhead, meaning that the "V" does not actually come to a point, the narrow end of the "V" is actually about 34 inches wide so there should be ample room for their feet. I would caution against suddenly rising from a prone position to a sitting position since headroom is only about 30 inches on the port side and a mere 26 inches on the starboard side under the electronics box. If you forget, you will appreciate the padded headliner. The portholes and overhead hatch provide decent lighting of the cabin during the day and the single overhead light fixture is plenty bright for normal use at night. Natural ventilation via the portholes and the slots in the door is adequate if there is a breeze; better if the overhead hatch and/or door is left open. There are storage compartments under the V-berth cushions. As you've said, the actual towing weight will depend to some extent on what you have in the boat but I can tell you that my Conquest 21 with its 485-lb 4-stroke motor, its galvanized steel tandem axle trailer, 4 batteries, 3 anchors with 1800-feet of rode/50 feet of chain, 200-lbs of ice, over 200-lbs of big game and bottomfishing tackle, and sometimes even 400-lbs of fish ;) are easily towed behind my Jeep Grand Cherokee. Hope the foregoing helps in your consideration of your next boat; email me if you want more details. Good luck.
Hal Watkins	posted 05-12-2012 10:11 AM ET (US) Sorry I haven't commented earlier but we are enjoying the lakes of Arkansas and Missouri and haven't logged into CW on a regular basis. We are towing our 205 Eastport with a class B motorhome. It is a Mercedes powered Sprinter van rated to tow 5000#. By my calculations, I think I am pulling about 4300#. Sleeping aboard...we have slept aboard at least a couple dozen nights in the last 2 years. I am 5'11", 225#...the wife is 5'6", 120#. We occasionally have a 9# weiner dog with us as well. It is cozy! We added a 3" memory foam insert over the BW cushions. If you and yours need a King bed to be comfortable...this is not your boat. We usually sleep well after a day of cruising. The screened portholes and overhead hatch are adequate but a 12v fan is a necessity if there is no breeze. We can easily set up in bed. The sides have 5" wide storage areas the length of the cuddy. They are quite handy for cell phone, flashlight, glasses, eye drops, book, etc. We have a storage box on the deck for all the other stuff you need to live aboard for a week. I hope this helps with your decision. Hal
Mambo Minnow	posted 05-12-2012 08:31 PM ET (US) I looked at the Eastport/Conquest 205 when it first came out. However, I chose to go with the 1998-2000 circa Conquest 21 as it had a bigger cabin with flexible seating configurations and a larger cabin. The tradeoff was less cockpit space back aft. Also, the gunwales on the Conquest 205 are lower than that on the Conquest 21. The family felt more secure particularly in open water. If you are a cruiser, you'd like my set up better. A fisherman would like the larger open deck space aft on the newer Conquest 205. Both boats came available with Optimax DFI two stroke. The older boat is typically powered by 200-225 HP and the newer model with as little as a 150 HP.
chrisvs	posted 05-13-2012 08:16 AM ET (US) Thank you all for the information. I think the next step will be to find examples of each and have a look. With any luck, I will be back on the forum in the future, joining you with a Boston Whaler of my own!
Robert V	posted 05-14-2012 08:45 AM ET (US) I think Hal has given some great information regarding the interior space on a Conquest 205. I also have this boat and am very impressed with the handling and cockpit space. Th cockpit is large enough to accommodate additional storage and 2 deck chairs. The rod holders also make for convenient grill holders (Magma style holders) for cooking out. I have a single axle trailer for mine, a Karavan 4100# (Boston Whaler package trailer). I have towed from Virginia to Delaware two times and have no complaints with the set-up. Please feel free to ask any questions about the boat, I am glad to help. Good luck with the search and enjoy the "boat shopping" experience. Robert
Mambo Minnow	posted 05-14-2012 07:10 PM ET (US) The Conquest 21 had 58" of headroom inside the cabin thanks to the two transverse mounted hi-low seats. These convert to a flush position to lengthen the amount of available horizontal cushioning to sleep overnight.
jimh	posted 05-14-2012 10:21 PM ET (US) The berths in a REVENGE 20 or 22 or 25 are all the same size, and they're 7-feet long. On our boat we have a home-made filler that fills in the entire V area, so we really do have the equivalent of a Queen-size bed.