Few 20-foot center consoles are equipped to handle true offshore fishing in anything less than ideal conditions. EdgeWater’s 205CC happens to be one of those rare exceptions. It was specifically engineered to feel, ride, and perform like a much bigger boat, while requiring less horsepower on the transom – and from the vehicle that tows it.
While packed with all of the standard fishing amenities you’ll find in other 20-foot center consoles and available with a long list of options, the 205CC’s key selling point, in our opinion, is the design of its unsinkable hull and its rock-solid construction, which we’ll get to in a moment.
Fuel Miser
The boat we tested had been broken in on fishing trips to Catalina and San Clemente Islands on what we were told were “less-than-ideal conditions.” Our sea trial out of Newport Beach on New Year’s Eve didn’t include any long runs – nor any fishing, unfortunately – but was intended more as a performance test to evaluate the 205CC’s acceleration, fuel efficiency, tracking, and overall ride, and to get a firsthand look at its fit and finish.
The 205CC is rated for a maximum of 225 horsepower; however, our test boat came equipped with a Yamaha F200 four-stroke. Its time to plane was just 3.3 seconds, which is pretty impressive, but its fuel economy at what we would call “realistic” cruising speeds is even more impressive. At 25 mph, turning 3,500 rpm, the 205CC got 3.7 mpg. Throttle up to 4,000 rpm and you gain 5 mph while losing just .1 mpg (that’s 1/10th of a mpg). In plain English, the 205CC has a range of 300 miles cruising at 30 mph and 292 miles running 30 mph based on 90 percent of its 90-gallon fuel capacity and leaving 10 percent for reserve. Our test boat reached a top speed of 45 mph at 6,000 rpm while still getting an impressive 2.8 mpg for a range of 227 miles.
One Solid Hull
Due to the combination of its deep-V profile that cuts through head seas, as well as its broad bow and reverse chines that deflect spray down and away from the hull, the 205CC provides a very dry ride. Yet, perhaps the most important thing worth noting about its ride in rough water is how quiet the hull is upon impact after coming off swells at high speeds. You don’t hear cricks and rattling of doors or lockers, but, more importantly, you don’t feel any flex in the hull. “Why is that?” you ask.
EdgeWater hulls are computer-designed by an award-winning engineering group called Marine Concepts, and incorporate a process called Single-Piece Infusion, which involves dry-fitting composite beams and coring materials into the mold and then using a vacuum process that ensures a precise mixture
of the catalyzed vinyl ester resin is forced into all voids. Not only does this process ensure optimum strength through an even distribution of resin, but it also makes for a lighter hull by eliminating excess material. Fiberglass-reinforced stringers – along with 100 percent composite foam – are then bonded to the hull for additional strength, and the stringers divide the bottom of the hull into grids to eliminate flexing. This
entire process creates a lighter, more rigid one-piece hull.
Fishing Machine
Beginning at the bow, the 205CC comes standard with an anchor locker and a navigation light combo unit forward but can also be ordered with an anchor roller and separate lights and a split bow-rail. There’s a 32-gallon fish box in the bow and a fold-down seat with a backrest in front of the console.
Some of the more notable standard features at the helm include hydraulic tilt steering, a stainless steering wheel, a Ritchie compass, a 3/8-inch acrylic windshield, a switch panel with circuit breakers and a 12-volt power point, and Yamaha electronic gauges that include fuel-flow monitoring. There’s also plenty of room for mounting plotters and other accessories on the dash. The battery switch and fire extinguisher are conveniently located beneath the steering wheel.
Other noteworthy standard features on the boat include stainless toe-rails, cockpit courtesy lights, an automatic bilge pump, Group 29 batteries, four gunwale top-mounted rod holders, port and starboard under-gunwale rod storage, a portable head, a raw-water wash-down system and a 20-gallon recirculating bait well. Port and starboard coaming pads bear the EdgeWater logo – a very nice touch.
Our test boat was fitted with a few must-have options, including swim-step, T-top with electronics box, and leaning post. Outrigger plates, powder coating, and the electronics box are all available options when you order the T-top. You gain four rocket launchers when you go with the T-top and two more when you order the leaning post. Our test boat was also equipped with a fold- down bench seat that can easily accommodate two passengers when you’re running, and then folds up out of the way when you’re fishing.
The Verdict Is In
EdgeWater’s 205CC is as fishy as they come for a 20-foot center console, and it offers the feel and ride of a much bigger boat. It’s chocked full of standard features and offers many more options that allow you to customize it to your style of fishing. An ideal choice for paddy hopping, the 250CC also offers a lot of range for covering the tuna and marlin grounds. And its solid, one-piece hull design will make those long runs not only tolerable, but also dry.
For more info visit Edgewater online at www.EWBoats.com or call Johnston Yacht Sales at (949) 675-1393.
