Quote:
Originally Posted by JigStix
I actually rode on a Judge 2 days ago and was surprised. I always wanted to hate them due to the ridiculous, unwarranted love they get, but they are a nice boat. I'm a convert. I'd never buy one because I think they are overpriced, but that being said, it's quite a nice boat, but like that guy said, they are not a 27 foot boat at all. They are completely mis-labeled.
Either way I'll take my parker any day of the week.
|
Great thread.. Now it is getting fun. You guys are talking about my favorite subject
Jigstix,
I am glad you are a convert but I dont see why the love is "unwarranted"... There are lots of good reasons to appreciate them.
First all the owner and employees are those that fish along side you on the bay and offshore.. Judge isnt farming in boats from out of state and marketing them with sales reps who dont fish the area regularly and understand what seasoned fishermen are looking for. The people associated with the company truly are your fellow fishermen. You see them on the water, in tournaments, and involved with issues concerning the bay and fishing. The guys at Judge love the same things as you do.
Secondly, the company has been working to construct a quality boat to last a life time. Bill is using high quality fiberglass cloth from the end-rolls from Viking Yachts, top of the line gel coat that resists chalking far better than the vast majority on the market, and all composite materials that will never rot or be prone to failure over time. This also doesnt include the little things like poly tanks that are less prone to failure over time, high end anodized aluminum that doesnt pit like most brands use, quality marine wiring. Judge isnt a mass production shop that relies on little cloth and lots of chopped glass. The boats really are built one at a time with the little things and preferences that each individual customer wants or fits their budget.
Finally, the price for a quality-contructed boat using the high-end materials is far more appealing than the competition. You take any one of Judge's boats and put them up against their competing models and when you go down the list with the same options, I assure you that the Judge will impact the wallet less. This even goes for the Maycraft 25, which I previously owned and doesnt really compete on the quality of construction in many areas. It is important to note that in the standard boats by Judge, items such as trim tabs, opening windows, washdown pumps, dual batteries, etc are all included. Yes you can add a million other options but the standard boats are well dressed. Since you are happy with your Parker, which are nice boats too, I assume you havent compared prices between the lines recently. A 25 Parker starts in the 70k range with a full transom, bracket, and single v6 4 stroke, while the Judge 27 is in the lower 60k range. The Judge 22cc with tabs, washdown and 150hp 4 stroke is about the same as a 21 Parker and far less than a 23se Parker. Personally, I prefer the layout, nicer riding length to beam ratio and all composite build of the Judge for less money. To each their own... Chocolate and vanilla thing.
As far as the sizing goes, the 27 Judges are a true 26'4" hull length so they are shorter than 27'. As someone who has been helping Bill I actually wish they were called a 26 as I believe the 27 designation hurts his marketing some as a lot of people fear trailering a "27'er". However, the 27 designation is very much in line with many boats on the market today (if not more generous). The 26'4" hull length does not include the bracket or bow pulpits like so many other manufacturers today who count those items or things such as eurotransoms. Judges other models, such as the 22' and the 24' boats, are actually larger than their designations.
Anyhow, I plan on helping Bill at the Annapolis boat show some. Any CB Anglers please stop over and and say hi. Like I said before, the guys working for the company are your fellow local fishermen. Bill will have his 36 Chesapeake, a 27 Chesapeake, and his 37 Oxford cruiser. I promise if any of you stop over, I will have a beverage in the fridge for you.
Just dont be scared of the big Eastern Shore redneck.. He is harmless and goes by the name of Bill.
PS. Marty, stop trying to bum HO trips
. Put a 250 yamaha on the back and I was inches from signing a contract. The only problem is the bottom hadn't dropped out of the market yet, and TriState didn't want to give me anything for my boat, and they wouldn't budge on their price either.
Linear Mode
