Blackman Boats @ Fred Hall Show

[Mac Attack]

Went by the FH show at the LB convention center. Saw Steve Blackman there with a new Billfisher. Forget the name of the boat but the hailing port was Ventura. Nice boat, steep price tag however. Got away with only renewing my Vessel Assist and a bag full of Jerky. Attendance seemed way down to me, but it was early.


Mike

[Wa Mei]

Went by the FH show at the LB convention center. Saw Steve Blackman there with a new Billfisher. Forget the name of the boat but the hailing port was Ventura. Nice boat, steep price tag however. Got away with only renewing my Vessel Assist and a bag full of Jerky. Attendance seemed way down to me, but it was early.


Mike


That's great. I will be there Saturday. Hopefully I can walk out with just a couple blanks to wrap.

[Honeygirl]

How much?

[Mac Attack]

181 K !!!!!!

[Al Gagnon]

I had a quote a few years ago for about $125K for the Outerbanks. This was before they came out with the new Volvo with all the electronics controling the diesel.

[Wa Mei]

I had a quote a few years ago for about $125K for the Outerbanks. This was before they came out with the new Volvo with all the electronics controling the diesel.

I was at the factory a couple summers ago...they gave me a flyer with costs depending on engine package. An Outerbank with a Yanmar 275hp inboard was around the $125K also.

$181k is steep even it's with the D6 engine package...

[DOGHOUSE26]

That's with a D4 225. Mike I think your original Patron was the most expensive 26' built; probably 150-160K with all the bells and whistles including water heater, genset, and watermaker. That was 3-4 years ago and the new Volvo D series is about 10K more. Yes it's high but in comparison to the others it's not that high. It keeps the value of our used Blackmans up and people will just have to settle for less boat if they want new in today's market. I don't think it will be supply vs. demand; it's more like survival mode.

[Mac Attack]

That's with a D4 225. Mike I think your original Patron was the most expensive 26' built; probably 150-160K with all the bells and whistles including water heater, genset, and watermaker. That was 3-4 years ago and the new Volvo D series is about 10K more. Yes it's high but in comparison to the others it's not that high. It keeps the value of our used Blackmans up and people will just have to settle for less boat if they want new in today's market. I don't think it will be supply vs. demand; it's more like survival mode.

Steve was sure interested in the price I paid. I told him a got a fantastic price from Yale, but left it at that. Still the nicest boat at the show, but I am a little biased.


Mike

[Professor]

Patron was the most expensive until Steve had that pilot house built and he went by me by 20k. Inboard, bow thruster and normal electronics only. Ouch!

[brian_g]

Looking forward to seeing the Blackmans at the FHS!

[DOGHOUSE26]

Good Luck, you missed it by about 3 weeks!

But there's a newer Billfisher in W.O.N. with 28 hours asking 155K

[brian_g]

They won't be at the FHS in San Diego???

Bummer, I just checked the exhibitors list and didn't see them on it...

At least Davis will be there. Strange that they would do the Long Beach but not the San Diego show.

[DOGHOUSE26]

It costs a ton of money to get a booth at the FHS for 5 days and if you were going to shoot your advertising wad it's best to spend it where you get at least 2-3 times the attendance than in SD.

The Davis boats are excellant and very well built the only drawback is no flush decks, you have to walk around an engine cover which eliminates one angler.



They won't be at the FHS in San Diego???

Bummer, I just checked the exhibitors list and didn't see them on it...

At least Davis will be there. Strange that they would do the Long Beach but not the San Diego show.

[Honeygirl]

And there a RADON hull!! Me personally I hate the way they ride. They were made to be a commercial sea urchin a boat, weighted way down to go down swell.

[brian_g]

It costs a ton of money to get a booth at the FHS for 5 days and if you were going to shoot your advertising wad it's best to spend it where you get at least 2-3 times the attendance than in SD.


That makes sense. Bummer for me though :D

[DOGHOUSE26]

And there a RADON hull!! Me personally I hate the way they ride. They were made to be a commercial sea urchin a boat, weighted way down to go down swell.

I've never rode in one, I did spend alot of time looking at them for a friend of mine at the FHS-LB . They don't have as much room in their PH as you do Joe, but they're only 25' long; I didn't look at the 28'. The inside seems narrower. They did have a very nice fit and finish.

[brian_g]

I've never rode in one, I did spend alot of time looking at them for a friend of mine at the FHS-LB . They don't have as much room in their PH as you do Joe, but they're only 25' long; I didn't look at the 28'. The inside seems narrower. They did have a very nice fit and finish.

The pilothouse does feel more confined in the Davis (compared to the Outerbanks). I noticed that as well. With the ability to make a flush cockpit (e.g. Blackman, Skipjack) why does Davis have the raised engine compartment? Sea Sport does the same thing!?!?

Seems like a no-brainer to go for the flush cockpit design, but I don't make boats so there is obviously something I'm missing.

[brian_g]

Davis did not have their pilot house models at the S.D. FHS. They had 2 of the Bahias. No Blackman, No Skipjack....

Parker did have a 32ft pilothouse that was massive!

So the boat action was a slight let down, but still managed to pick up a few deals on blanks, share corn dogs and beer with my Dad, and buy my yearly SCDAC t-shirts. Great show!

BTW, there was an awesome saltwater tank with Calicos, Sandies, a Lingcod, and two MASSIVE Lobster. If I was a rock star or a Colombian drug lord I would have something like that in my house.

[brian_g]

Good Luck, you missed it by about 3 weeks!

But there's a newer Billfisher in W.O.N. with 28 hours asking 155K

I think it's on craigslist now as well (if it's the same boat)

[Salsipuedes]

The pilothouse does feel more confined in the Davis (compared to the Outerbanks). I noticed that as well. With the ability to make a flush cockpit (e.g. Blackman, Skipjack) why does Davis have the raised engine compartment? Sea Sport does the same thing!?!?

Seems like a no-brainer to go for the flush cockpit design, but I don't make boats so there is obviously something I'm missing.

There is a disadvantage to having a flush deck on the 26. The flush deck results in a higher center of gravity, the result being the terrible down swell ride of the Blackman 26. I personally would opt for the engine box for this reason.

I've ridden on a Radon 26 and on a Blackman 26. The Radon 26 I rode is a flush deck boat. The Radon hull is not as good in a head sea as it tends to crush the waves as opposed to slice through them. Down swell, there's no comparison as the Radon has got it all over the Blackman. Frankly, the Blackman ride down swell is downright scary and represents a huge design flaw. Why people are willing to pay so much for such a flawed boat escapes me. They should have redesigned this boat long ago to address this deficiency.

I won't question the construction quality of the Blackman as they do hold up well. My Blackman 20 is a 1983 model with diesel I/O and is holding up well.

[Al Gagnon]

All boats have their problems. Each person decides what he wants and what he will give up. As for my Outerbanks When it gets squirley, back off the fuel. I operated boats going in all directions and they all have various weakness's. Thats is why the operator needs to counter steer or change course or do what ever it takes to compensate. If I was in a storm, I would rather be on my Outerbanks. Some boats do not drift well, then use a sea anchor to change your position. If the boat rolls, put more weight down low in the bilge area or on deck. Many solutions to problems. Just my opinion.

[DOGHOUSE26]

There is a disadvantage to having a flush deck on the 26. The flush deck results in a higher center of gravity, the result being the terrible down swell ride of the Blackman 26. I personally would opt for the engine box for this reason.

I've ridden on a Radon 26 and on a Blackman 26. The Radon 26 I rode is a flush deck boat. The Radon hull is not as good in a head sea as it tends to crush the waves as opposed to slice through them. Down swell, there's no comparison as the Radon has got it all over the Blackman. Frankly, the Blackman ride down swell is downright scary and represents a huge design flaw. Why people are willing to pay so much for such a flawed boat escapes me. They should have redesigned this boat long ago to address this deficiency.

I won't question the construction quality of the Blackman as they do hold up well. My Blackman 20 is a 1983 model with diesel I/O and is holding up well.

Blackman 26s don't have the problem any more! And actually it was only a problem if you were too stupid to remember to back off the trim tabs a little bit when going downswell. The Radons and Davis Boats will always be beaters up into the swell; however if your fishing in the lee of the Channel Islands you're rarely beating straight into it for very long. I'd take a blackman over the other 2 on a trip to SCI from San Diego any day because a beater will always be a beater!

Power has solved the downswell problem; now that my 1987 Billfisher has been repowered with the 260 D4, I can pretty much pick where I want to ride on the following swell and a fully loaded cruising speed 500 RPMs below recommended max of 3500 gives me 25.6 knots and W.O.T. is a little over 32. I generally loaf around @ 2650 which is about 20.6 knots.

[Mac Attack]

I am on my 3rd 26' Blackman, two Billfishers and a 26' Express. I primarily fish Catalina and SBI and frequent San Nicolas Island. If you know what your doing, going downsell is not that big of deal and definetly not a design flaw. I would sure love to have that D4 like the Doghouse, maybe one day. All my boats have or had the 41. Just my 2 cents:D