When the winds come from the northeast at 25 mph, St. Simon's Sound on
the Georgia coast turns into an inhospitable three-foot mayhem of whitecaps. Not exactly where you
want to be running a Carolina Skiff at 30 mph, right? Well, if you happen to be aboard the new Sea
Chaser 2400 CC Offshore Series, you might be pleasantly surprised. Heading directly into the choppy
waist-high waves, the 24-footer merrily slices its way through with just a little less trim than
usual to keep the bow down and the sharp entry meeting the waves. Occasionally a larger wave is
cleaved and the 2400 sends up twin walls of water shooting off to the side, but the ride is free of
any significant pounding action. Heck, this boat actually seems to like this stuff.
When a boat rides this well in rough water, it usually has a deep-V design with at least 21
degrees of deadrise at the stern. This can be tricky because it can make the boat tippy at fishing
speeds. However, the 2400 is extremely stable at rest because the modified V-hull measures only 18
degrees of deadrise. When combined with a beefy hull weight of 3,375 pounds, you have a boat that
can fish with multiple anglers on one side without a problem.
The new flagship of the Carolina Skiff Offshore Series line of Sea Chasers is designed to
accommodate either single or twin engines up to a total of 300 hp. When rigged with a pair of
Yamaha F115 4-strokes, you get a good blend of economy, performance and reliability. In the
smoother stretch of adjoining Intracoastal Waterway, a top speed of nearly 42 mph is recorded.
Acceleration is good, with a 0 to 30 mph time of six seconds with minimal bowrise. The Yamahas are
quiet, and the engines' sound is further muted by the tall height of the 28-inch faux transom. From
the helm, the pair of engines register only 59 decibels at idle and 85 decibels at 30 mph. Even
wide-open throttle measures just 94 decibels, and much of that is wind noise.
One of the benefits of the dual engine setup is that when fishing, one engine can be shut
off for some real econo-trolling. Yamaha performance bulletins, which are usually very accurate,
indicate that one F115 engine running at 1000 rpm burns less than one gallon of gas an hour. In
addition, the F115 gives express limp-home capability with one engine pushing the 2400 to a top
speed of almost 32 mph. While a single 225-hp engine gives it a few more miles per hour at top
speed and reduces the overall cost, the twin engines offer a better ride, control and additional
security. Anglers who like to troll fast will be happy to learn that the 2400 doesn't plow
excessively when going just slower that planing speed when using a little trim tab. This reduces
the strain on the engines when trolling for fast-attacking species such as wahoo.
When designing the 2400, Carolina Skiff took a slightly different approach to the fishing
cockpit than most builders. Instead of a flip-down transom bench seat ' or no seat at all ' there
are a pair of molded-in seat alcoves in each corner of the stern, along with a pair of cup holders.
A 30-gallon livewell, located in the center of the transom, uses a 700 gallon-per-hour Maxi Flow
pump to keep bait lively. Unfortunately, the lid has nothing to hold it open, and has two plastic
fasteners that would be more appropriate on infrequently used access hatches.
The 2400 has plenty of rod storage with three under-gunwale racks on both sides and four
standard rod holders on top of the gunwales. The standard leaning post has four more rocket
launcher holders. There's an optional leaning post that features a built-in tackle box, storage
tray, cutting board and a backrest.
The helm station is utilitarian, but well designed. The five-spoke wheel with rubber coating
feels good and is positioned well, despite the fact it is not adjustable. The large center console
allows the gauge panel to be set high enough to be above the wheel for easy reading, with enough
space left over for dash-mounted electronics. The console comes standard with a portable head.
There is no seat in front of the console because it would intrude on the large in-floor fish
box, but there's room for a large cooler. There is plenty of seating in the bow, with optional
snap-in cushions and wide bolsters for backrests. Roomy dry-storage compartments are positioned
underneath the seats and have the same dual plastic latches as the livewell. A deep anchor locker
with a rode notch is located upfront. The cockpit feels secure with a tall, stainless-steel bowrail
and a high gunwale height that ranges from 28 to 32 inches.
Carolina Skiff's tradition is to deliver a no-nonsense boat at a great price, and the 2400
does nothing to harm that image. For a hull price of only $19,964 it's unlikely you'll find another
boat that delivers the same roominess and competent sea-keeping abilities as the Sea Chaser 2400.
You'll probably want to add options such as a T-top, electronics, compass and a CD player to go
with the standard radio. But Carolina Skiff's price gives you the budget room to pay for these
options and extras such as outriggers and other fishing toys to create a boat that is loaded for
action.