Bridgeview vs Silver Streak vs Lifetimer
- Thread starter Laxputs
- Start date
RevyG
Crew Member
Bridgeview, built like a tank, local and the ride is good
M1SF1T
Well-Known Member
Bridgeview. Just seemed like a substantial boat and well layed out when I did my search.
I guess I would combine the build of Bridgeview with the availability of other builders. If you're looking at a new build you won't be able to get one these days from Bridgeview if you don't own a lodge. That's what they told me 2 years ago and what I heard from a West coast charter operator earlier this year that approached them on a single boat build for his operation.
There's a 2018 BV18EXT (20'6" with pod) for sale at Parker...
That said, there are a lot of very nice BC welded centre consoles, I know I would have been pretty happy in a Northwest, Walker, Jaxxoncraft, Lux, or Silver Streak build... I regularly drool over that Walker 26 CC...
I guess I would combine the build of Bridgeview with the availability of other builders. If you're looking at a new build you won't be able to get one these days from Bridgeview if you don't own a lodge. That's what they told me 2 years ago and what I heard from a West coast charter operator earlier this year that approached them on a single boat build for his operation.
There's a 2018 BV18EXT (20'6" with pod) for sale at Parker...
That said, there are a lot of very nice BC welded centre consoles, I know I would have been pretty happy in a Northwest, Walker, Jaxxoncraft, Lux, or Silver Streak build... I regularly drool over that Walker 26 CC...
zurk
Well-Known Member
i like lifetimer designs.
silverstreak i would stay away from just because of the owner. bridgeview is ok.
i would also look at - Riptide if they will do your boat. https://riptidemarine.ca/boats/saratoga/
last time they turned me down since they were busy with government boats but they do complete custom boats from the hull up. you can literally buy a bare hull from them - https://riptidemarine.ca/boats/islander/ and put whatever you like on top either from them or someone else. they are the only boat builder who sells bare hulls in BC.
silverstreak i would stay away from just because of the owner. bridgeview is ok.
i would also look at - Riptide if they will do your boat. https://riptidemarine.ca/boats/saratoga/
last time they turned me down since they were busy with government boats but they do complete custom boats from the hull up. you can literally buy a bare hull from them - https://riptidemarine.ca/boats/islander/ and put whatever you like on top either from them or someone else. they are the only boat builder who sells bare hulls in BC.
Max123
Well-Known Member
That's a hard one
Just cause you want a Bridgeview doesn't mean they will make one. They only make these every few years. When I was looking a few years ago they couldn't confirm next production date and weren't even really taking names. Their website kind of tells the story - everything is out of stock and has been that way for ages.
bridgeviewmarine.com
Silver Streak makes great boats, but I don't believe they will do any kind of customization anymore - just what they offer. If you are in Vancouver, talk to Inlet Marine - they were the local dealer last time I checked.
Lifetimer has a great inventory of hulls and their workmanship/designs are unquestionably good - on your other posts you linked to the 22' Offshore 'Cocinero' which looks like a great boat (i'd ask them to quote on that exact hull). They are most well known for their Discovery series crew boats. My experience with them was that their construction is a bit more basic/utilitarian than the other two. For example, look at the side plating/gunnel detailing. A Lifetimer hull just comes up the side and finishes at the top with a square extrusion with a welded inner truss rail. Now compare to Bridgeview or Silver Streak gunnels - hull comes up, and then wraps to create a square top/boxed gunnel that folds down and leaves room for a covered side pocket. The boxed gunnel adds rigidity, provides a step and a nice spot to mount a downrigger. Whether or not detailing like this adds value or needless expense is in the eye of the beholder. To be clear, simple is not necessarily worse and I had zero issues when they built my CC skiff.
Others you may want to consider (or pin for inspiration) are:
jaxoncraft.com
jaspermarine.ca
www.walkerboats.com
Just cause you want a Bridgeview doesn't mean they will make one. They only make these every few years. When I was looking a few years ago they couldn't confirm next production date and weren't even really taking names. Their website kind of tells the story - everything is out of stock and has been that way for ages.
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bridgeviewmarine.com
Silver Streak makes great boats, but I don't believe they will do any kind of customization anymore - just what they offer. If you are in Vancouver, talk to Inlet Marine - they were the local dealer last time I checked.
Lifetimer has a great inventory of hulls and their workmanship/designs are unquestionably good - on your other posts you linked to the 22' Offshore 'Cocinero' which looks like a great boat (i'd ask them to quote on that exact hull). They are most well known for their Discovery series crew boats. My experience with them was that their construction is a bit more basic/utilitarian than the other two. For example, look at the side plating/gunnel detailing. A Lifetimer hull just comes up the side and finishes at the top with a square extrusion with a welded inner truss rail. Now compare to Bridgeview or Silver Streak gunnels - hull comes up, and then wraps to create a square top/boxed gunnel that folds down and leaves room for a covered side pocket. The boxed gunnel adds rigidity, provides a step and a nice spot to mount a downrigger. Whether or not detailing like this adds value or needless expense is in the eye of the beholder. To be clear, simple is not necessarily worse and I had zero issues when they built my CC skiff.
Others you may want to consider (or pin for inspiration) are:
Jaxon Craft jxc 22' Center Console - Jaxon Craft Marine
22’ Center Console Aluminum Boat
jaxoncraft.com
Discovery 18 - Jasper Marine
jaspermarine.ca
Coastal Explorer — Walker Aluminum Boats
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www.walkerboats.com
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tbeatm
Member
I contacted riptide last month - "Thank you for your inquiry, however this is not something we offer. We are only focusing on our Islander Landing Crafts at this time."
Just FYI in case anyone reaches out to them.
Tomfoolery
Active Member
My two cents having run TomMac (Bridgeview precursor), Lifetimer and Silverstreak all a bit smaller than what you are looking for. TomMac (Bridgeview with essentially the same hull design) was awesome. Very nice riding, bombproof and with huge reverse chines it took a lot of weather to actually get wet from spray which is important in a CC. Lifetimer was the smaller 14' skiffs. Again bombproof and awesome but I can't really comment on ride because it was not a huge V in those boats due to their smaller size, but the build was high quality and they ripped like a cat on hot concrete. The 18.5' Silverstreak was ok... big freeboard but no decent chines really so it was very wet when running in beam seas with any kind of wind. Build was ok, but I am not a huge fan of their designs. It looks like they just plunk a box down on top of their stock hull and call it a cabin. I like the Bridgeview and Lifetimer look.
When I was searching for a builder for my latest boat I had a policy of one strike and you are out, so if I left a message and my call wasn't returned, they were disqualified as it indicates to me what it may be like trying to do a full build with them. Bridgeview was great, but it would have been about a year to get a build done. There were a few that didn't return calls so they were out despite building great boats.
Back in the day you had a handful of builders here with Lifetimer, Silver Streak and Eagle Craft probably being the best known. That being said, there are probably a few dozen builders in BC that do great work and the designs of some of the lesser known builders such as Walker are really nice. I think that companies like Silver Streak are going to have to do some redesign to stay competitive as the selection of really nice looking well built center consoles is expanding all the time.
Don't discount kit boats either. There are some nice designs. For example you compare the Conrad Yachts 20' CC to Silver Streak and there is no doubt which one I would go with based on looks alone. https://conradyachts.com/tuna-20-centre-console Or even the 26' is sweet: https://conradyachts.com/tuna-26-center-console
And if you spend that much on a boat it should have nice lines!
When I was searching for a builder for my latest boat I had a policy of one strike and you are out, so if I left a message and my call wasn't returned, they were disqualified as it indicates to me what it may be like trying to do a full build with them. Bridgeview was great, but it would have been about a year to get a build done. There were a few that didn't return calls so they were out despite building great boats.
Back in the day you had a handful of builders here with Lifetimer, Silver Streak and Eagle Craft probably being the best known. That being said, there are probably a few dozen builders in BC that do great work and the designs of some of the lesser known builders such as Walker are really nice. I think that companies like Silver Streak are going to have to do some redesign to stay competitive as the selection of really nice looking well built center consoles is expanding all the time.
Don't discount kit boats either. There are some nice designs. For example you compare the Conrad Yachts 20' CC to Silver Streak and there is no doubt which one I would go with based on looks alone. https://conradyachts.com/tuna-20-centre-console Or even the 26' is sweet: https://conradyachts.com/tuna-26-center-console
And if you spend that much on a boat it should have nice lines!
Max123
Well-Known Member
@Tomfoolery - I absolutely loved my 14ft Lifetimer Skiff. They did a totally custom centre console version for me with aluminum floors and a 40hp Suzuki. Thing totally ripped, and we handled some serious chop (not always completely dry, but never did anything scary). The only downside was that it only comfortably seated two adults and one small child. Once the small child became a medium sized child we needed to upgrade... Absolutely amazing first boat.
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Tomfoolery
Active Member
40hp? I bet that thing ripped! Yes, they are a great option for mostly flat water fishing like the inside and you don't need a huge vehicle to tow them.
Max123
Well-Known Member
@Tomfoolery - That was the other reason we picked it. I could tow it with my car at the time which could only be fitted with with a class 2 hitch...
RWD 370hp; not exactly designed with the boating enthusiast in mind... but as they say, you make do with what you have.
Apologies for the digression, but I figured this audience might appreciate
RWD 370hp; not exactly designed with the boating enthusiast in mind... but as they say, you make do with what you have.
Apologies for the digression, but I figured this audience might appreciate
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Tomfoolery
Active Member
Ah yes, fond memories. I guided out of one of those for three years, but our boats had 25hp Everscrewed outboards with tiller steering and then the two rear facing seats were where the CC is in your boat. We had them out in all kinds of weather but for calmer waters they are almost an unbeatable equation in a smaller, lightweight, fuel efficient boat.
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