Hi all, my wife and I are looking at buying a new boat. Something that we can use year-round mostly for fishing but also exploring. I definitely want a cabin boat, but I’m uncertain to whether I want a rear curtain or an Alaskan bulkhead. I can understand the benefits of each, but would like input from those that have used both. Thanks!
Curtain or Bulkhead?
- Thread starter Stonegoat
- Start date
Rayvon
Well-Known Member
Depends on the size of boat I think. I've always had back curtain boats until my present Seasport .I always thought the bulkhead would slow me down from getting out while solo docking etc. but it hasn't really been an issue at all. Security,quieter and warmer.
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Yeah. I’m probably looking at 21-22’. I want something easy to trailer and use on Kootenay lakes as well as the coast
We use to have a hewes 220 searunner and opted for a curtain-no regrets.
What I didn’t like about the bulkhead on a small boat was the fact that it basically split the boat in two giving you less room to manoeuvre.Lifting the curtain gave you the full length of the boat to use plus it let someone sit on the seat without having to peer around the corner to see what was going on.
Bulkheads do have advantages -rain,bad weather etc,
So if you are like us (fair weather wimps) and use it mainly in the summer then I would choose a curtain.
End of the day,it will be each to his own.
What I didn’t like about the bulkhead on a small boat was the fact that it basically split the boat in two giving you less room to manoeuvre.Lifting the curtain gave you the full length of the boat to use plus it let someone sit on the seat without having to peer around the corner to see what was going on.
Bulkheads do have advantages -rain,bad weather etc,
So if you are like us (fair weather wimps) and use it mainly in the summer then I would choose a curtain.
End of the day,it will be each to his own.
Aquaholic
Crew Member
Mostly fishing? I say curtain. A friend on here has had numerous 30' plus Whalers, and the curtain is his preferred style for maximizing the dance floor area. Conversations with the driver or guests while fishing are better. Your boat length you mentioned won't give you a below deck area though, so the compromise factor kicks in again.
seachicken
Well-Known Member
From what I have heard those Chinese diesel heaters keep up very good with the curtain. You might have to also consider if the boat has heat or not or what kind of heat. I have a curtain but never have used it and I don't have any heat, just saying that's another factor in the equation.
ClintR
Well-Known Member
Chinese diesel heaters. One of the best things you can do to your boat. This is my third winter with one and it’s tshirt weather in there down to at least -10. I fished in -13 this winter and was more worried about ice at the launch than if I would be warm enough. My boat is 20’6” and has an Alaskan bulkhead and my buddy has a 24’ trophy with a curtain and his diesel heater keeps him warm in all but the coldest weather. No cuddy in mine and his cuddy stays cool but the cockpit is pretty toasty. That said -13 might be too cold for his to keep up in that big of space. On a side note, that day I got two small rainbows and my rod tips iced up quite a few times. And that was the first time I’ve ever seen downrigger pulleys ice up and it was so cold when I tapped the tank fitting on my fuel hose for the kicker to clear it of ice, it snapped off and I had to use my main to troll. At least I was warm though lol
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kaelc
Crew Member
New New Boat or a New to me used boat?
The cabin door adds complication and cost for fishing, as a second steering station of some kind is necessary and costs minimum $1500 but likely 10k plus for a new boat.
If I was going brand new and wanted to maximize fishing space, keep costs under control I'd go drop curtain.
I have a cabin boat with locking door and everything is a trade off. I like locking all my electronics and rods up.
The cabin door adds complication and cost for fishing, as a second steering station of some kind is necessary and costs minimum $1500 but likely 10k plus for a new boat.
If I was going brand new and wanted to maximize fishing space, keep costs under control I'd go drop curtain.
I have a cabin boat with locking door and everything is a trade off. I like locking all my electronics and rods up.
Never bothered with a secondary steering station-just sat on back of boat and operated kicker manually.
Alternatively, you can get a remote control for kicker if you don’t want secondary steering station or don’t want to sit or can’t on back of boat.
Squire
Well-Known Member
I’m in the drop curtain camp for a 21’-22’ boat because you’re going to run it from the main helm when trolling and it’s easy enough to jump on a rod from there. I’m a 3-season boater so I never have the curtain attached on my 24’ boat and I just cover it with the sloping back canvas at moorage. I run my Wallas heater on those chilly March days and the cab is still warm enough to provide some comfort with the back wide open.
I also agree with others that on a bigger boat (> 26’), a full bulkhead with a second steering station is the way to go.
I also agree with others that on a bigger boat (> 26’), a full bulkhead with a second steering station is the way to go.
When we were building our JaxonCraft, Robert explained the difference to my wife,
Serious Fishermen tend to want the open back,. gear access and faster access to the rods is a top priority
Folks who will used their boats year round, tend to want heat, moor at a Marina and want to lock up their electronics and "stuff" often decide to go for a solid back wall for security first and then comfort.
The Chinese diesel heater warms up the cabin of our boat quite quickly.
One thing I noticed is that on long runs how much quieter the boat is with the cabin door shut at any speed in any weather .
It is nice when tied up at public marinas or tied up at places like Granville Island to be able to lock up the boat securely.
If we fished more, trailered our boat, and put it away for the colder months, or lived in a warmer climate
I could see the advantages of an open back. To each their own.
Serious Fishermen tend to want the open back,. gear access and faster access to the rods is a top priority
Folks who will used their boats year round, tend to want heat, moor at a Marina and want to lock up their electronics and "stuff" often decide to go for a solid back wall for security first and then comfort.
The Chinese diesel heater warms up the cabin of our boat quite quickly.
One thing I noticed is that on long runs how much quieter the boat is with the cabin door shut at any speed in any weather .
It is nice when tied up at public marinas or tied up at places like Granville Island to be able to lock up the boat securely.
If we fished more, trailered our boat, and put it away for the colder months, or lived in a warmer climate
I could see the advantages of an open back. To each their own.
Thanks for all the responses. I definitely see the appeal of an open back for fishing. And I’m definitely a fairly hard-core fisherman and my wife loves it as well but, my wife runs cold and I think she would prefer a solid bulkhead and would come out with me more if she was guaranteed to be warm.
Aquaholic
Crew Member
Does a modern drop curtain seal up well enough to keep the heat in if one was installed? even with a split to get to the rods.
Squire
Well-Known Member
I would expect it does on all but the coldest days as my cabin traps a lot of the heat up front even with the back wide open. I used the heater to defog the windows and warm up the boat for a mid September daylight crossing to Sandheads and I was sweating bad about an hour into trolling. My BiL asked if I still had the heat on. Of course it is so quiet I forgot to turn it off
The co-pilot’s seat is definitely coveted by my guests on the cold, wet days.And as far as security goes, I would recommend a lockable cuddy if one went with the drop curtain.
Sharphooks
Well-Known Member
100 years ago I had an Arima with a curtain that I used to go do my 30+ day boat camping trips with up to North Coast. I have (really crappy) memories of sleeping in the wheelhouse when it was raining—-wet sleeping bag, wet everything…
I also found it frustrating to block off the entrance to keep the otters out of the boat when tied to a dock
Bulkhead (with a sliding door, not a swinging door) for me all day long!
I also found it frustrating to block off the entrance to keep the otters out of the boat when tied to a dock
Bulkhead (with a sliding door, not a swinging door) for me all day long!
I think it would work . A lot would depend where the heater pumps out the heat into the cabin and if you can more the air around. It is nice to have warm/hot air blowing on the inside of the windshield in damp cooler weather for defogging porpoises .
Our boat has aluminum walls with no insulation and the air gets toasty inside within half an hour or so. . It taskes more time to heat up the surfaces. When we are tied up at a Marina we have one of those keep your boat warm in the winter electric heaters we run on low on ocassion (fall and spring)
There are no drafts with the rear door shut and we open the side windows to keep some fresh air coming inside.
I think the heater venting plan would be key and depending on the age of the women on the boat it is either "Freezing" or "Oh my gawd, I' m burnig up, I can't breathe in here. So there is that to manage as well. (no humour intended -it must be f'ing awful)
If the air gets sucked out though the curtains I think the heater might need to be located more forward
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