# Shoalwater 23 Cat



## Blue Water Roughneck (May 22, 2004)

I'm looking to order a new boat and I've decided on the 23' Shoalwater Cat. Does anyone have a recommendation on what dealer I should use to buy the boat?

Also, what do you suggest for rigging it out:
1) What type and size outboard?
2) Power Pole? Yes or No
3) What type of seats? Buckets or Leaning Post?
4) Electronics? Garmin or other? What size unit?
5) Anything else I should consider?

Help me spend some money by giving me some suggestions.

Thanks:dance:


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## Blue Water Roughneck (May 22, 2004)

Also, I'm leaning towards a raised console. Let me know if you have experience with this boat and what your thoughts are on its performance.


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## Navi (Jun 2, 2009)

I have a 250 pro xs on mine, power pole, buckets, garmin 740s, raised console, and will be adding a trolling motor


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## C4E (Jul 9, 2008)

x2 Navi.....

Its a phenomenal boat...two of my buddies have them and we use the heck out of them from Port Mansfield to Calcasieu

If not the xs then definitely a sho or vice versa.

If a dealer says 60k thats not your dealer


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## chasentail (Nov 4, 2006)

if it is rated for 300 ponies hang a 300 on her.
I have a raised platform and burn bar and love it for sight casting but it does slow you down 3-5 mph. It also allows you to put a 52 gallon fuel cell under the raised console for long runs. The racing seats are nice and comfortable but I still find myself standing up more than sitting. 
Power pole is a must if you wade. Have a 10" Garmin on mine and love it. It is a hell of a boat. 
I would get the flush mount hatches, jack plate gauge, and remote controlled trolling motor. 
El Campo Marine, Texas Marine or Port O'Connor Marine there in Port O'Connor


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## Crodg22 (Jun 20, 2009)

I love my raised console on mine.things I wish I had on mine are the flush hatches and a rod locker. I wish I had the 250 SHO on mine currently have a 300 hpdi on the back but have had prop shaft issues with it.


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## Exploder (Sep 29, 2006)

Mine has a raised console, burn bar. Bucket seats. power pole with remote is a must if you wade. 250 SHO turbo OS1 21 P prop. 3 guys all weighing over 200 lbs each, all of our gear, coolers loaded and still hit just a hair over 60 mph. Gets up and runs super skinny.
Garmin 740s fusion audio wet sound speakers wet sounds amp. Love the tunes! I do have the flush mount hatches too. I love the boat. Bought mine from Texas Marine in Seabrook.


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## Exploder (Sep 29, 2006)

*My Shoalcat 23*

My Shoalcat 23


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## Texxan1 (Dec 31, 2004)

Whatever you do, get trim tabs. Always money well spent


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## 2013Shoalcat (Aug 1, 2012)

Great boats. I really like mine although its only a 21'. If I could get a 23 it would have a raised console, bucket seats, HDS 10, power poles, stereo system, flush deck lids, a 300 pro xs, front casting platform, and anything else I could get on it. Don't know where your from but if your close to the RGV, Southern Marine in Pharr, good people to do business with.


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## HookSetterTX (Apr 3, 2012)

You will enjoy the Shoalwater. I own a 2012 SW 21 Cat and like it even more every time I drive it.

Its a solid boat, you will not regret the purchase!

I would talk to the dealer in Port O'Connor and in Portland. You will find El Campo is somewhat hard to deal with and Texas Marine has a lot higher prices.


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## chasentail (Nov 4, 2006)

Call Shelby at Port O'Connor Marine (361)983-2348
Whatever you do DO NOT under power the rig or you will not be happy with it


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## chasentail (Nov 4, 2006)

Mine will be up for sale soon if you know any one looking for a good used seasoned boat. About to put another on order soon


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## jrg-corpuschristi (Dec 20, 2010)

250 pro xs
7.5" raised console
2- 8' blades
Bucket seats
6 wet sounds 
60 gallons 
Trim tabs
Garmin 740s
Flush hatches
59 with Bravo 1 24
57 with Turbo Os1
Both fully loaded.

Call Shelby


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## DSL_PWR (Jul 22, 2009)

Blue Water Roughneck said:


> I'm looking to order a new boat and I've decided on the 23' Shoalwater Cat. Does anyone have a recommendation on what dealer I should use to buy the boat?
> 
> Also, what do you suggest for rigging it out:
> 1) What type and size outboard?
> ...


Raised console
Yamaha 250SHO
Yes on the power pole
Buckets for sure
I would run an HDS9/12 Gen 2 Touch Lowrance
Trim tabs
Get the flush hatches
Fusion radio with speakers and sub.

Not sure where you are located but call Texas Marine and talk to Josh. I bought my boat from him and they were great to deal with.

Good luck


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## Blue Water Roughneck (May 22, 2004)

Thanks for all the suggestions. Much appreciated.


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## bigfishtx (Jul 17, 2007)

El campo marine here, had a nice time dealing with them. Wish I had the raised console. Mine has a 175 HPDI and TRP lower unit. 50 mph and runs a lot shallower than you will with a 250.


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## cottonpicker (Jan 25, 2010)

bigfishtx-- Are you running 19" or 21" props? We also have a 23 CAT, started with a 175 HPDI & TRP with 19's could only see 42 mph with an occasional 45. Now have a 250 SHO with TRP and 21's now 51-53mph depending on conditions. We never tried 21" with 175 but I'm assuming that is what you are turning. We have never run the single screw l/u but know speeds are faster with them. I know our bow might be slightly heavier than some boats (trolling motor, lg. deck cut out for Yeti--so the weight of the Yeti is moved foreward as if it was a short deck),etc. I also love our boat more every time we take it out. It is a very versatile boat.


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## [email protected] (Jun 25, 2005)

The hull has a speed limitation like most cats do and won't really do much more than 60 mph whether you put a 250 or a 350 on the back of it if that makes sense. I would steer clear of an Etec and either put a 250 Yamaha SHO or 250 Mercury Pro XS on the back. Definitely go with a raised console and a Power Pole Blade on it. Trolling motor depends on whether or not you think you will use it or not. We have a Minn Kota 80lb I pilot and love it. 23 Shoalwater cat is a great boat and you will love it.


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## Blue Water Roughneck (May 22, 2004)

Thanks for the comments James. Great look boat you have there.


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## [email protected] (Jun 25, 2005)

Blue Water Roughneck said:


> Thanks for the comments James. Great look boat you have there.


Thanks, I also forgot to add that wrap around bucket seats are the cat's meow. Incredibly comfortable and take a lot of the shock out of big waves too. After riding in the seats you will never want to stand up and drive again on a leaning post. Also I would recommend a large screen GPS like a Garmin 740 or one of the larger Lowrance HDS touch units. So glad we went with a 740 garmin on our new boat.


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## bigfishtx (Jul 17, 2007)

cottonpicker said:


> bigfishtx-- Are you running 19" or 21" props? We also have a 23 CAT, started with a 175 HPDI & TRP with 19's could only see 42 mph with an occasional 45. Now have a 250 SHO with TRP and 21's now 51-53mph depending on conditions. We never tried 21" with 175 but I'm assuming that is what you are turning. We have never run the single screw l/u but know speeds are faster with them. I know our bow might be slightly heavier than some boats (trolling motor, lg. deck cut out for Yeti--so the weight of the Yeti is moved foreward as if it was a short deck),etc. I also love our boat more every time we take it out. It is a very versatile boat.


Running 21's. Tried 23's but they didnt work. You should have done much better on speed. I even have a t- top and trolling motor. With two people on board trimmed out it will do 50 even. That is with the jackplate all the way down and trimmed out. Reg cruise for me is 4500 rpm's at 37-38 mph. Top rpms are 5800.


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## cottonpicker (Jan 25, 2010)

bigfishtx - Thanks for the info. Our props were new. With the 175 our best speed was to raise the engine & trim it to get the RPM's to 5800. With the 250 our best speeds are found while leaving the engine low on jack-plate & trimming out until hopping starts and then set trim tabs just enough to stop it. I have our motor mounted in hole #3 (1 being the lowest, 4 being the highest setting). With the 17 1/2" TRP shaft -vs.- 20" that translates that when my jack-plate is on "0" it is in relation to non TRP's that are on "3" because most I have seen are mounted in hole #2.


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## bigfishtx (Jul 17, 2007)

cottonpicker said:


> bigfishtx - Thanks for the info. Our props were new. With the 175 our best speed was to raise the engine & trim it to get the RPM's to 5800. With the 250 our best speeds are found while leaving the engine low on jack-plate & trimming out until hopping starts and then set trim tabs just enough to stop it. I have our motor mounted in hole #3 (1 being the lowest, 4 being the highest setting). With the 17 1/2" TRP shaft -vs.- 20" that translates that when my jack-plate is on "0" it is in relation to non TRP's that are on "3" because most I have seen are mounted in hole #2.


Took me a while to figure out how the cat hull works. On most boats in the past you want the engine raised on the jack plate and then trimmed out, but, the Shoalcat hull rises as you go faster so I have to lower the engine down to gain speed. Not sure which hole my engine is mounted in, will have to look. But WOT it runs fastest with the engine all the way down. I can run it with the engine all the way up, but you have to watch the water pressure closely.


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## Exploder (Sep 29, 2006)

bigfishtx said:


> Took me a while to figure out how the cat hull works. On most boats in the past you want the engine raised on the jack plate and then trimmed out, but, the Shoalcat hull rises as you go faster so I have to lower the engine down to gain speed. Not sure which hole my engine is mounted in, will have to look. But WOT it runs fastest with the engine all the way down. I can run it with the engine all the way up, but you have to watch the water pressure closely.


X2 but my motor is mounted on the top hole or highest position for the motor.


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## Cmac4075 (Dec 3, 2012)

Texxan1 said:


> Whatever you do, get trim tabs. Always money well spent


X2


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## Exploder (Sep 29, 2006)

Don't have trim tabs. Haven't needed them so far. Do they really help that much?


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## cottonpicker (Jan 25, 2010)

I think so.


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## Exploder (Sep 29, 2006)

I would like to go for a ride on a boat with my same, or close to my same set up who is running trim tabs to see how it acts with and without them. If it was a noticeable difference then I would decide to get them or not. I have been thinking about getting them on my boat but im just not sold on them yet.


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## g2outfitter (Jul 21, 2009)

Trim tabs on a cat boat are a must. They also improve overall performace and shallow water capabilities . You can do without but with such a sweet rig your buying, you are doing your self an injustice. They open up some many more options while navigating your boat and help it better perform in calm to nasty seas. 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk 2


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## BillGulledge (Nov 4, 2012)

I have a 25' Shoalwater Legacy with raised console. Pros on the raised console - great visibility, room for more storage, and room for a 50 gal tank. Cons - if you move alot, getting up and down on the raised console will tire you out, and because the seats are raised, you "sway" more when the boat leans - maybe less of a problem with a cat. Also, the raised platform and larger tank weigh more, which costs you some in shallow water performance. As in all decisions boat related, everything is a trade off.


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