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View Full Version : Mid Cabin or Walk Through? Which do you prefer?



RiverOtter
12-13-2004, 06:38 AM
Seems like more and more builders are offering walk throughs as a 3rd choice. Is the Mid Cabin craze ending? :coffeycup :idea:

Eliminator 4 Life
12-13-2004, 08:37 AM
I personally dont like the looks of any walk-thru. I think it takes away the look of the boat. I have a mid cabin and I think its great..

RiverOtter
12-13-2004, 08:40 AM
I personally dont like the looks of any walk-thru. I think it takes away the look of the boat. I have a mid cabin and I think its great..
Same here but does anybody really use those cabins?

THOR
12-13-2004, 08:44 AM
I personally dont like the looks of any walk-thru. I think it takes away the look of the boat. I have a mid cabin and I think its great..
I like the looks of a mid cabin better, but the walk through is more functional for me.

throwerb
12-13-2004, 08:44 AM
I like the looks of the mid, but I think the WT is way more user friendly.

Eliminator 4 Life
12-13-2004, 08:50 AM
I agree with you guys the walk thrus are way more user friendly. You dont have to get down on your hands and knees to get thru.
I use my mid cabin when its freezing cold or to go eat my lunch or to pass out ha ha :D

slink
12-13-2004, 08:50 AM
Same here but does anybody really use those cabins?
It's great for the little ones to get out of the sun/heat. Shockwave puts a couple of fans in there and I placed a 12v plug for the portable DVD player for when the kids get tired

THOR
12-13-2004, 08:51 AM
What boat are you looking at Otter? The cabin seat may be a tad small depending on the size.

Midlife Advantage
12-13-2004, 08:51 AM
Same here but does anybody really use those cabins?
My mid cabin gets a lot of use (heh-he-he-heh) no really, its a great way to get outta the sun, I have slept the night in there numerous times, and I have my boards mounted in there out of site, it has a blender and a sink which I actually use...

Eliminator 4 Life
12-13-2004, 08:59 AM
Damn mid life what size is your advantage a 32' ??

Roxysnow
12-13-2004, 09:01 AM
We have a mid cabin on our Sleek and gets used plenty, especially with kids. Also works nicely for staying in the boat overnights, just put the bow cover on. wallhaa! closede bow! Works great for us! :p

Kilrtoy
12-13-2004, 09:03 AM
It all depends on what size boat you are talking about,
Once you get to the 25' range it LOOKS FUNNY and you are giving up alot of room with a walk thru

RiverOtter
12-13-2004, 09:22 AM
Damn mid life what size is your advantage a 32' ??
I was wondering the same thing :jawdrop:

ECeptor
12-13-2004, 09:22 AM
In KS at least, interest on a loan for a mid cabin with a sink and porta potty can be written off on your taxes as a second home.
Can't do that with a walk through...
Personally, I prefer the looks of a fully enclosed cuddy. But the mid-cabins are way more practical. I got to spend a day on a 288 Sunsation mid-cabin and was very, very impressed.

TBONE1904
12-13-2004, 09:23 AM
i know ill get sh@t for this, but could someone post pics of the 2 choices. I'm not sure I know the difference.
thanks

RiverOtter
12-13-2004, 09:24 AM
In KS at least, interest on a loan for a mid cabin with a sink and porta potty can be written off on your taxes as a second home.
Can't do that with a walk through...
Personally, I prefer the looks of a fully enclosed cuddy. But the mid-cabins are way more practical. I got to spend a day on a 288 Sunsation mid-cabin and was very, very impressed.
I love that boat. MrsRiverOtter likes it too. IT'S GOT A REAL WINDSHIELD!!! :D

RiverOtter
12-13-2004, 09:26 AM
i know ill get sh@t for this, but could someone post pics of the 2 choices. I'm not sure I know the difference.
thanks
Walk Through
http://shockwaveboats.com/boats/25-tremor/walk-through/a06.jpg
Mid Cabin
http://shockwaveboats.com/boats/25-tremor/open-bow/a05.jpg

ECeptor
12-13-2004, 09:31 AM
I love that boat. MrsRiverOtter likes it too. IT'S GOT A REAL WINDSHIELD!!! :D
This one was brand new - only about 1/2 a summer's hours on it. Had Merc 500HP power and was fast, stable, smooth and great handling. I was very impressed.
However, this one did not have a real windshield. There was only a fiberglass "fairing" to deflect the wind.
The mid-cabin set up was awesome....
So, who else here is writing off their boat as a second home?

H20Advantage
12-13-2004, 09:34 AM
If you are older or a supersized type person the walk through is more difficult to get through. Personally for the west coast I think its the way to go. The kids go there to get out of the sun. Close both doors during the rain and stay dry, store stuff, but then you also don't loose the forward space to play.
The mid cuddy cabin in my new 28 Advantage will have two couches long enough to sleep on. My old 22 Advantage had a forward door you could close when running in cooler weather and it kept the ride a little warmer.

RiverOtter
12-13-2004, 09:36 AM
This one was brand new - only about 1/2 a summer's hours on it. Had Merc 500HP power and was fast, stable, smooth and great handling. I was very impressed.
However, this one did not have a real windshield. There was only a fiberglass "fairing" to deflect the wind.
The mid-cabin set up was awesome....
So, who else here is writing off their boat as a second home?
Windshield model:
http://www.sunsationboats.com/images/pic_288_open_bow.jpg

ECeptor
12-13-2004, 09:44 AM
This is like the one we were on.
http://adcache.boattraderonline.com/6/0/6/76018406.htm
Must be the windshield is an option, huh?

RiverOtter
12-13-2004, 09:48 AM
This is like the one we were on.
http://adcache.boattraderonline.com/6/0/6/76018406.htm
Must be the windshield is an option, huh?
Yup. How fast did your buddy's run?

Sweet Addiction
12-13-2004, 09:49 AM
Seems like more and more builders are offering walk throughs as a 3rd choice. Is the Mid Cabin craze ending? :coffeycup :idea:
I am young but I refer to it as "oldschool". I still like fully enclosed bows preferably. I think it has something to do with the girls and laying out or something. :D just my 02' carry on.

ECeptor
12-13-2004, 09:52 AM
Yup. How fast did your buddy's run?
73mph on GPS with 5 of us in the boat. And it got there very, very quickly. I was most impressed by the acceleration. I think he was running a 24" pitch 4 blade lab'd prop. Sure seemed like he could have pulled a bigger prop since the acceleration was so strong.

RiverOtter
12-13-2004, 09:53 AM
I am young but I refer to it as "oldschool". I still like fully enclosed bows preferably. I think it has something to do with the girls and laying out or something. :D just my 02' carry on.
Once you boat with kids that are old enough to do watersports you'll soon hate the closed bow. I was the same way. Kinda hard to tell but is that Villain SLV in your sig. I used to have '89 Villain IV.

Kilrtoy
12-13-2004, 09:55 AM
You can always go back and have an open bow put in later.

Sweet Addiction
12-13-2004, 09:55 AM
Once you boat with kids that are old enough to do watersports you'll soon hate the closed bow. I was the same way. Kinda hard to tell but is that Villain SLV in your sig. I used to have '89 Villain IV.
It sure is. 92' model. Its been a great first boat.

Sweet Addiction
12-13-2004, 09:56 AM
You can always go back and have an open bow put in later.
I guess you could just take a saw Zaw after it huh? :rollside:

RiverOtter
12-13-2004, 10:02 AM
I guess you could just take a saw Zaw after it huh? :rollside:
Originally Posted by Kilrtoy
You can always go back and have an open bow put in later.
Just about did a couple of times. Cabin was just a boxing ring for my kids. :D

ECeptor
12-13-2004, 10:04 AM
Seems like it would be a very easy mod to make. My only concern would be the loss of strength. But unless you were offshore, I doubt that would be a huge concern.

RiverOtter
12-13-2004, 10:08 AM
It sure is. 92' model. Its been a great first boat.
1st poker run I was in the dealer I bought my boat from had a specially ordered SLV with a big block in it. The water was smoothe that day and I could not keep up :cool: . He also had a Villain III there that nobody could touch. He had built the crap out of it. But that was a long time ago. Probably 91 or 92.

ECeptor
12-13-2004, 10:10 AM
He also had a Villain III there that nobody could touch. He had built the crap out of it. But that was a long time ago. Probably 91 or 92.
Mine is a '89 Villain III. What mods did he do to his and how fast would it run?

RiverOtter
12-13-2004, 10:17 AM
Mine is a '89 Villain III. What mods did he do to his and how fast would it run?
Maaaaannnn that was soooooo long ago. I can't remember what specifically he did. I can tell you that my IV would run 65mph with 1 or 20 people in it and the SLV was around 70 and the III blew by us a 75+. Now this is before GPS so the speeds I gave you are off the boat's speedo's which is usually BSS. :D The neat thing though, he ran that III for 2 or 3 seasons and ran it hard, ya know Beaumont Style, never put a wrench to it. It was not supercharged.

Sweet Addiction
12-13-2004, 11:08 AM
Maaaaannnn that was soooooo long ago. I can't remember what specifically he did. I can tell you that my IV would run 65mph with 1 or 20 people in it and the SLV was around 70 and the III blew by us a 75+. Now this is before GPS so the speeds I gave you are off the boat's speedo's which is usually BSS. :D The neat thing though, he ran that III for 2 or 3 seasons and ran it hard, ya know Beaumont Style, never put a wrench to it. It was not supercharged.
According to sources and people I have talked to eg: the shop that I take my boat to for major stuff, and mods tells me that the Villans were the hot boats back in the day. Like I have told some before. I never new a boat existed. The only reason I bought mine is because the boat has around 200 hours on it, and was in hell of shape for its age.
Now I am glad I did. Everyone loves it, and so do I. My speedo reads 65 with 2 people and half a tank of fuel. Not GPS but soon I will know. Oh, and I have left a couple of Bajas like they were sitting still. Not really pertant info, but it was a big confidence booster.

FRENCHIE
12-13-2004, 11:11 AM
we love our mid-cabbin!!! glad we went with it!!! enough room and stil good bow room!!! :D

In2Deep
12-13-2004, 11:15 AM
I like the mid-cabin on my 28 Nordic -- for all the reasons mentioned.

Ducatista
12-13-2004, 12:20 PM
I'm a big fan of the mid-cabin too, in boats 24ft to 30ft, for lake use. A place to escape the sun or rain, nap, watch a dvd, make lunch in the kitchen/sink area, and pile you're stuff in. Mid-cabins are structurally stronger that a walk-thru, not that I have ever seen a walk-thru break. I like the walk-thru's in the 19-23ft range, they create alot of space and usability. For lake use, I love open bows for the ease of exit/entering the boat while on shore, and the additional seating. Besides, the dogs love it up there! :smile:

phebus
12-13-2004, 01:23 PM
For a day use lake boat, in my opinion a mid cabin is a waste of space. Most are too small to get comfortable in, accessing the bow is difficult, and docking is more difficult also trying to access the bow after banging your head.
On the other side, if I was to overnight, or had a desire to get myself or little ones out of the sun, it might make sense.
My thoughts on lake boats is the more usable space, the better, and a mid cabin doesn't offer much space that benefits me.
If I want privacy, there are lots of coves, and the bimini offers enough shade if I need to escape the sun.

Ducatista
12-13-2004, 01:45 PM
and docking is more difficult also trying to access the bow after banging your head.
Thats funny, I think I have a raised area of bone on my head after 5 years of doing just that! :wink:

RiverOtter
12-13-2004, 02:48 PM
I crawled through an Eliminator Daytona 28 Mid Cabin. Real pain in the arse I thought.

CJ
12-13-2004, 05:43 PM
Just picked up my 28' Eagle with a mid cabin. My last boat, 23' Commander was walk through and there was no place to escape. As you get older (I've been saying that too much lately) it's nice to be able to get under there while the rest of the crew is out partying.
We got ours because my wife usually sleeps there half the day while floating in Havasu. I wouldn't have it anyway else, unless I had a big Cig with a closed bow!

RiverOtter
12-13-2004, 06:00 PM
On a 28V I can see that a mid cabin would make since because there is room for more than just 2 small lounges.

ahhell
12-13-2004, 07:03 PM
mid -cuddies are nice...just at 6' 3" and 270# its a little tough sometimes :hammer2:
biminies make nice get-aways?!?!?

CJ
12-13-2004, 08:54 PM
I did get a chance to crawl through the 28' Cat Talldeck. The hatches are a bit smaller, especially the front one. The seats are pretty comfortable with the canopy pods tho.

TheLurker
12-13-2004, 08:59 PM
I like the mid cabin best but I call them scrunch throughs

CJ
12-13-2004, 09:02 PM
mid -cuddies are nice...just at 6' 3" and 270# its a little tough sometimes :hammer2:
I'm 6'4", 240lb so I know how you feel. I did not opt for the built in cooler so I would have lot's of space down there. I look forward to taking a few naps while the wife is off getting the beer or sandwiches.

voodoomedman
12-13-2004, 09:17 PM
I've got the best of both worlds with my Ultra. I've got a mid cabin walk through. They will build it with the seats and everything down there but still have it walk through. you get shade and stuff but when your 6'7" like me you don't have to crawl to get up front. And they will do whatever you want. I have a seat on one side and my built in ice chest on the other. I guess I've got the best of all three worlds. :D

Debbolas
12-14-2004, 10:00 AM
Mid Cabin or Cuddy cabin (are they the same thing?)
Oh, wait, cuddy cabin has an open bow, so I vote for that one! :p

Bella
12-22-2004, 08:07 AM
Is that you new boat CJ?

CJ
12-22-2004, 08:48 AM
Is that you new boat CJ?
Yes! And I love it. Off to Havasu for New Year to put some break-in hours on her. Eliminator was amazing to deal with (and still is), right up to Bob Leach who took care of most of the sale himself. Just got a great stereo installed yesterday. All very exciting. Hard to contain myself.

RiverOtter
12-22-2004, 08:53 AM
Yes! And I love it. Off to Havasu for New Year to put some break-in hours on her. Eliminator was amazing to deal with (and still is), right up to Bob Leach who took care of most of the sale himself. Just got a great stereo installed yesterday. All very exciting. Hard to contain myself.
Ok, length, hp, and speed please :cool:

CJ
12-22-2004, 08:56 AM
Ok, length, hp, and speed please :cool:
28' (28'6"), 525EFI (500hp), I'll tell ya how fast it goes after around 10 hours. They say I can hit WOT a bit here and there after 10 hours. So far at 4,000rpm, I have seen 55, so I have a bit to go. I'm guessing late 70's

RiverOtter
12-22-2004, 08:57 AM
28' (28'6"), 525EFI (500hp), I'll tell ya how fast it goes after around 10 hours. They say I can hit WOT a bit here and there. So far at 4,000rpm, I have seen 55, so I have a bit to go. I'm guessing late 70's
Wow! How much does it weigh?

CJ
12-22-2004, 11:13 AM
Wow! How much does it weigh?
Not sure. I meant to ask that yesterday when I was in there. Anyone?

LHC30Victory
12-22-2004, 11:20 AM
Love our Mid-Cabin, lots of storage and like mid-life said - good place to sleep! With the 30' we can go through or over it. On the inside, I can nearly stand up in it and I'm 6'4.