# Key West Feedback



## shrimp for brains (Oct 1, 2007)

I have a 2007 176 CC with a F115 and I love it. No complaints. Bought in June and already have over 60hrs on it without a single issue.


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## Death From Above (Sep 28, 2007)

I'm looking hard at the Key Wests and looking for feedback on the different models. Any input would be appreciated.


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## 60hertz (Oct 1, 2007)

got an 2006 1720 PRO with a 90 hp Yamaha 2-stroke. Absolutely love it - rock solid, shallow draft, etc... I could go on and on...


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## JR (Oct 4, 2007)

In September we bought a 2006 196 Bay Reef with a 140 Suzuki. We absolutely love it. I can't imagine a boat being laid out any better. The only way they could make these boats any better would be to give them away.


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## kelly1 (Oct 1, 2007)

Ihave a 22 1/2 C/C with 225 etec. They came highly rated from JD Powers when i bought mine.I started hitting the boat shows from Mobile to PC, looking at KW's.Checked with all the dealers & Auer Marine ( Ft Walton Beach)had the best deal. Saved me$4000 from one of the pcola dealers


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## whipper snapper (Sep 30, 2007)

i have owned a 152ex and it was great. little wet, but any little boat is. my friend has a 1720 w/90 yamaha and loves it.


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## Stressless (Oct 2, 2007)

22.5 CC 



Get the T-Top. Use the trium tabs to smooth the ride and you'll be as happy as I am. 



With the 225 Yamaha 4 Stroke I avg about 3-3.4 MPG. 



:mmmbeer

Stressless


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## BudYsr (Oct 1, 2007)

GREAT boats, very well built and lots of extras for the price. Ditto on Auer Marine in FWB......better deal than in P'cola. KW's are solid boats, high in customer satisfaction.:clap


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## Bill Me (Oct 5, 2007)

I had a 1720 pro with an 88hp Johnson for five years. Purchased new. It was a great boat. Needs trim tabs.


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## Death From Above (Sep 28, 2007)

> *Billable (11/4/2007)*I had a 1720 pro with an 88hp Johnson for five years. Purchased new. It was a great boat. Needs trim tabs.


The 1720 is the one I'm thinking about. What would cause a 17' boat to need trip tabs?


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## lbhuntley (Oct 6, 2007)

I have a 03Key West 23' center console witha pair of115 Yamahafour strokes. I have been pleased with both the boat and motors and would recommend. The boat is not asheavy as some 23'slike Edgewater etc, but with the price of fuel a lighter boat is OK. The boat is dry and takes rough seas well. If you are going to fish in the Gulf, I certainly would recommend twins. I am confortable fishing up to 50 miles off shore. I get 2.5 to 2.8 mpg at 4200 rpm and carry 140 gals of fuel. Good luck.


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## chuck (Oct 2, 2007)

Had mine since 2002. Have fished the from the edge to becks lake and every thing in between..Great Boat.....


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## a (Oct 2, 2007)

a 4 stroke engine will make that boat need trim tabs, it was designed for a 2 stroke!


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## 60hertz (Oct 1, 2007)

DFA - the 1720 PRO tends to sit a little "butt-heavy" due to its factory configuration. This heavyness in the rear made it slow to plane off - search the forum for "Tim Tabs" (yes, the topic is spelled wrong) and read all about my experiences and BudYSr's help dialing in my 1720 PRO.

I simply moved the battery from the rear of the boat and placed it in the center console and all of my problems went away. I took my boat out Friday night for the first time since the battery relocate, and the boat is absolutely perfect now.

I've never heard of anyone having any problems planing off the 1720 CC.


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## lbhuntley (Oct 6, 2007)

If you decide on a 23' get twin 4 stoke 115 Yamaha's.


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## Bill Me (Oct 5, 2007)

Trim tabs give it a better hole shot. Also, that boat has a tendancy to porpoise and the trim tabs counter that.


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## SHatten (Sep 30, 2007)

I have a 06' Key West 176 DC with a 115 E-Tec. Purchased new in Jan 07'. Very happy with boat and motor. Looked real hard at Pioneer Boatsbutwent with the Key West instead. Basic same boat but less money for the Key West.I orginaly was looking at a CC but after seeingthe DCand the way it was layed out Idecided to go with it. Gives me better options when just out cruising with the wife and kids.


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## Sequoiha (Sep 28, 2007)

Hey Kelly1 if you dont mind me asking how did you save 4000.00 on a keywest, I am a keywest dealer and there is not that much markup on them. there is not a 4000.00 difference between Auer's prices and ours... are we talking apples to apples. or did you buy a non current boat and motor... and did it include a trailer.... I am just curious as how you did this...:usaflag


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## sosmarine (Sep 28, 2007)

Sent Pm


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## Danno (Oct 17, 2007)

In 2006 I bought a Key West 1720 with a Yamaha 90 2-stroke, I fell in love with it. That was until the day my wife said "honey, we need a bigger boat" (something about bouncing her out of the seat as I went over the wake of a crew boat). The 1720 was a do anything boat, freshwater, salt water, towing the kids, small boat with a big boat feel.

The replacement is a Key West 2300 Bluewater WA powered by an E-Tec 225. I looked and and shopped for several months, I kept going back to Key West. The hardware, the hull design, how solid the boat feels in rough water kept bringing me back. (It has stainless steel where several others have plastic)

Dollar for dollar it was the best buy, it was a 2006 left over that I found on the internet at Auer Marine in Ft. Walton.


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## opus68 (Sep 28, 2007)

I went to Auer marine yesterday to look at key west boats because I'm starting to want a better fishing boat. I was a little disappointed with lay out and attention to detail. I was interested in the 23 WA, but they only had a 22 in stock. It didn't have a fish box, the anchor compartment was, in my opinion, too small. The holes for the rod storage were filled with foam. I could see where someone had tried to rip the foam out, but hadn't succeeded. The cup holders next to the left side cockpit chair were blocked by the chair itself. There didn't seem to be a lot of storage, besides the cabin itself, and there was really only seating for four people.



I didn't examine the through hull fittings, bilge pump, electrical system etc and I didn't test ride it, so I may be missing it's strengths. Am I being over-critical?


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## sailor (Oct 29, 2007)

> *Billable (11/4/2007)*I had a 1720 pro with an 88hp Johnson for five years. Purchased new. It was a great boat. Needs trim tabs.




My parents have the same boat with a 90hp Johnson and ditto on the trim tabs. The boat just doesn't have enough running surface up front and weight when you put two people at the console and fill the livewell. Plus it's rigged with the battery and the oil tank in the rear so it's real stern heavy. In fact it's the only 17 I've ever seen that *should* come from the factory with tabs. Great little boat if you add tabs, otherwise run around 3.5 - 4k or play the throttle a lot.


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## fisheye48 (Sep 28, 2007)

I have the 196 bayreef...boat is stable, dry and pretty quick...had the boat in about a foot of water to 18.5 miles out...if your in p-cola i completly reccomend Emerald Coast:clap everyone up there is a class act...just wish they were a key west dealer when i got my boat


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## old dog (Nov 13, 2007)

I've had a KW 19-6 Bay/Reef for 4 years now and am well satisfied with the boat. I have a 140 Suzuki 4 stroke on it, and fish mainly inshore but have had it 20 miles off shore. I had a Whaler 17-6 Striper before this boat and like this KW much better. 

OD


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## BIGRIGZ (Oct 2, 2007)

> *kelly1 (11/1/2007)*Ihave a 22 1/2 C/C with 225 etec. They came highly rated from JD Powers when i bought mine.I started hitting the boat shows from Mobile to PC, looking at KW's.Checked with all the dealers & Auer Marine ( Ft Walton Beach)had the best deal. Saved me$4000 from one of the pcola dealers


When I was looking at the 1720 it was $2000 less in FWB than at Emerald Coast, and the one in FWB came on an aluminum trailer as opposed to Emeralds galvanized trailer....


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## Sequoiha (Sep 28, 2007)

Sorry BigRigz but we dont sell galvanized trailers and havnt since 1999, not only that but there is not 2000.00 difference inretailon a 1720 keywest.... I might be able to see 7 or 8 hundered dollars but that is it.... :usaflag


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## BIGRIGZ (Oct 2, 2007)

> *Sequoiha (2/4/2008)*Sorry BigRigz but we dont sell galvanized trailers and havnt since 1999, not only that but there is not 2000.00 difference inretailon a 1720 keywest.... I might be able to see 7 or 8 hundered dollars but that is it.... :usaflag


Hey I'm sure I may have mixed up the trailer specs but, I'm 100% sure that I was quoted $2000 less in FWB I wanna say Emerald was telling me $15k + some change and FWB was $13 + some change. and they both had Yamaha 90's on em and said they were the same year model hulls?It was about 2 1/2 years ago....I had gotten alot of positive input about Emerald but, was having a really hard time paying $2k more?Maybe it was the fact that it was Memorial Day week timeframe?

Anywho, ultimately I decided not to get a new boat at that time so, I never did a deal with either...


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## Death From Above (Sep 28, 2007)

Now I'm looking at the 1986 Bay Reef. Trying to decide between it and the 196 Blazer Bay.


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## Boardfeet (Sep 27, 2007)

Key West are fine boats. I'd check out Ranger. I'm sure they cost a little more but you get what you pay for. Also they have the best trailer in the boating industry. My 2 cents.............

I'm sure i'll get slammed:banghead


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## FizzyLifter (Oct 3, 2007)

I have a 1900 Sportsman with 150 Yammy 4-stroke and love it. I think the only other boat I would buy is a Grady. I also would go to Auer. They were very straight forward and Phil is a man of his word. The price was much better than anywhere else.


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