# 02 Cape Horn 17os



## Hound_dog (Dec 18, 2010)

I'm about to buy a 17ft Cape Horn and I was just wondering what the ups and downs are with this boat? Thanks for your input.


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## wshaw (Aug 19, 2008)

What kind of power does it have?


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## Hound_dog (Dec 18, 2010)

115 Suzuki 4stroke


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## wshaw (Aug 19, 2008)

I had an 04' with a yamaha 115 4stroke and it was a great boat. It rode really well in our bay chop and offshore and had a shallow draft for fishing the flats or anchoring in the shallows. 
Very happy with it. One of the easiest to clean, bulletproof boats you will find. They change hulls around that year. Make sure you are getting the newer one with the deeper V.


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## Sea-r-cy (Oct 3, 2007)

The older Suzuki's had a common problem. Not too hard to fix, but something you should be aware of. The problem; there is a steel plug screwed into the engine holder which is aluminum. After a few years of salt water, the steel corrodes out a nice hole in the aluminum. Here is a link to the fix.

My fix: http://www.thehulltruth.com/boating-...-code-fix.html 


http://www.pensacolafishingforum.com/f23/2003-suzuki-4stroke-140-corrosion-issues-301850/


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## X-Shark (Oct 3, 2007)

Sea-r-cy said:


> The older Suzuki's had a common problem. Not too hard to fix, but something you should be aware of. The problem; there is a steel plug screwed into the engine holder which is aluminum. After a few years of salt water, the steel corrodes out a nice hole in the aluminum. Here is a link to the fix.
> 
> My fix: http://www.thehulltruth.com/boating-...-code-fix.html
> 
> ...



I'm pretty sure that was exclusive to the DF-140.


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## Slqfisher (Nov 8, 2007)

Great boat, as stated by wshaw they changed the hulls in 02 and flared the front end a bit for a dryer ride. In my opnion you can't get a better more versatile boat.. in the bay or offshore she'll take care of you just have to pick ur days.


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## 153 Large fish (Nov 30, 2013)

I have a 21 foot palm beach (same mold for the hull as cape horn)...i really like my boat...it has a 130 evinrude, so 4 less feet and almost the same size motor...you should do 35 to 40, which is plenty fast...i guess it really comes down to price....but if I was buying a 17 footer I might look into a bay boat instead for more versatility


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## NoMoSurf (Oct 2, 2007)

153 Large fish said:


> I have a 21 foot palm beach (same mold for the hull as cape horn)...i really like my boat...it has a 130 evinrude, so 4 less feet and almost the same size motor...you should do 35 to 40, which is plenty fast...i guess it really comes down to price....but if I was buying a 17 footer I might look into a bay boat instead for more versatility



I always considered a bay boat less versatile... You can go into the bay. And offshore on a good day.

Offshore hull can go into the bay... And offshore on worse days.

Or am I missing something? Not being a smarta$$. Maybe I am under some sort of misconception...


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## 153 Large fish (Nov 30, 2013)

NoMoSurf said:


> I always considered a bay boat less versatile... You can go into the bay. And offshore on a good day.
> 
> Offshore hull can go into the bay... And offshore on worse days.
> 
> Or missing something? Not being a smarta$$. Maybe I am under some sort of misconception...


My reasoning is if your getting a 17 foot boat, your more than likely not going offshore on a bad day, just like a bay boat....but a bay boat is much easier to fish the flats and with the large front and rear decks that are better for artificial bait fishing, throwing cast nets as well as ease of trolling motor mounts without bow rails etc.....and a bay boat can go offshore in the same type of weather as a 17 foot cape horn....i would get a bigger boat for offshore...or a bay boat...


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## NoMoSurf (Oct 2, 2007)

makes sense, I guess. 

I never fished the shallows or flats with my 17ft boat. I dont think I ever even put the trolling motor in the water except for one time that the main motor had trouble. I used the troller to get back to the ramp. Different people have different uses. When I fish the shallows, I use my Gheenoe.


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## Hound_dog (Dec 18, 2010)

Yea, I have my shallow water boat and I didn't see much reason to put money on a big big boat when I won't use it that much. But I got the Cape Horn and love it.


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## NoMoSurf (Oct 2, 2007)

I was looking for a capehorn 17 or 19 but decided against it because of the wetfoam, rotting gas tank issues with the older ones. All I can afford is the older ones. So I repowered my older boat instead. It has no foam to soak. Also found out this weekend that my buddy's Edgewater is FULL of water... Yet another boat that is supposed to be impervious to water... NOT!


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## Hound_dog (Dec 18, 2010)

I hope the 2002 cape horns don't have that issue.


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## TightLines172 (May 13, 2011)

I don't have a cape horn, but I do have a 17' offshore boat and love mine. The majority of my boating/fishing is inshore so it's perfect for that. I venture offshore 5 to 10 times a year depending on the conditions and have been out there when I definitely shouldn't have been...With a bay boat you have to have a good day to go offshore. With an offshore boat you have more of a choice. I've been out plenty of times when it was perfect on the way out and then the wind picks up and things get nasty. I would go with the small offshore boat unless you plan on doing alot of offshore, then bigger is better. IMO. I can still fish the flats in my boat and it only drafts about 8 inches of water with the motor up. I actually just took my trolling motor off of mine bc i never used it so i gained some space up front too...


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