Godfrey Marine Boat Tests

Hurricane FunDeck 237
Reprinted from
"Boating World"
February 1999

Diamond Life
Godfrey's versatile Hurricane FunDeck 237
has as many facets as a well-cut gemstone.

Launching our new Godfrey Hurricane FunDeck 237, we're immediately faced with a dilemma: Which direction do we go? We're in Stuart, Florida, which is a premier destination for those in search of a boating smorgasbord. Located on the Atlantic Coast, this boating mecca virtually has it all.
There's adventure at every point on the compass. Head west across the St. Lucie Canal, and you'll run into Lake Okeechobee and its world renowned bass fishing. Heading farther west leads boaters to Fort Myers on the Gulf of Mexico. Pointing the bow north takes you to legendary snook and trout fishing around Vero Beach.
Head south and you're in the "glitter gulch" of West Palm Beach. Perhaps my favorite direction is east and into the Atlantic for offshore dolphin and sailfish. Closer in there's kingfish, grouper and snapper. While the water isn't as pretty as the Keys, divers here will find the biggest lobster in the state just off the beach.
We've found the perfect base of operation to explore this many-faceted diamond: Pirate's Cove, a boating resort cocooned within the benign waters of Manatee Pocket. This natural anchorage has been used as a hurricane hole for centuries by mariners of all types, including (you guessed it) pirates.
To fully exploit the waters in this area, an all-purpose boat like the FunDeck 237 gives boaters a real advantage. Godfrey offers the 23-foot Hurricane with a choice between sterndrive or outboard power. The test boat is equipped with a 200-hp Yamaha Saltwater Series 2 EFI engine, which is the preferred package for coastal Florida duty.
After launching the Hurricane, we fill up the 18-gallon livewell and transfer four-dozen hand-picked shrimp from our bucket. We stow some gear in the roomy dry storage area under the bow seats, which open like a backward piano keyboard cover. My duffel bag sits in the large head/changing compartment, which has a pump-out option. While we have no specific agenda, I know some shrimp will shortly be flying through the air. Our FunDeck is equipped with the optional fishing package, which includes two bassin'-style bow seats, livewell, and a built-in, three-drawer tacklebox that I use to transfer a selection of lures, hooks, swivels and leader material. Although we don't have an electric motor to test, there's a 24-volt plug and extra battery tray for those who like to sneak up silently on their prey. We stow rods in the rod holders and prepare to head for the nearest fishin' hole, the St. Lucie Inlet.
Settling in behind the wheel, I adjust the oversized bucket seat all the way back for maximum legroom, tilt the wheel in my preferred position and idle out to Four Corners, an intersection on the Intercoastal Waterway (ICW) where travel to all four points of the compass is possible. I like the way the gauges are laid out with the speedometer and tack sitting well above the wheel. No gauge is obstructed, and the rotary on/off switches, which have status lights, sit high enough to prevent accidental engagement with the driver's knee. One minor problem I have is that the windshield reflects our optional compass like a heads-up display. And where's the driver's cup holder?
Whipping over 200 Yamaha ponies to a gallop, I'm impressed by the FunDeck's almost total lack of bowrise. Acceleration is good, rocketing from 0 to 30 mph in 5.4 seconds. This out-of-the-hole performance is a real plus in this area, which has numerous shallow bays that often require quick hole shots to get up on plane and avoid lengthy idling to deeper locations. The lack of bowrise will keep boaters from shining up their skeg when exiting a shallow fishing hole.
After a brief run we approach the inlet, which is thankfully benign. Drifting with a late outgoing tide, we cast our shrimp against the rock jetties. Despite the fact that the weather is calm, caution is required to avoid occasional sets of oversized swells that break against the rocks.
Maneuvering the 3,500-pound Hurricane and keeping it in the fishing zone--but away from the rocks--proves to be an easy task.
Early October is a little late to capitalize on the excellent summer snook fishing that occurs in Florida's East Coast inlets, but there is usually a resident population year-round. We don't find any fish in the inlet, which might be attributed to the "sore jaw" theory. Currently, the area is experiencing an incredible mullet run, the likes of which I haven't seen for years. In the Manatee Pocket, the water is alive with vast shoals of young mullet being harassed by underwater predators and pelicans swimming the surface. Locals surmise that when there's this much bait around, fish have gorged themselves to the point where it takes something special to get a strike. I'm hoping large live shrimp will provide a break from mullet monotony. While working the jetties, the tide does an about-face and goes into the rising mode. After inspecting the rocky shoreline, we head inshore to check out the trout flats.
Drifting down a canal on the quickening incoming tide, I cast against the mangroves from the roomy front deck. We're encouraged by a couple of local flat boats fishing the area, but we don't get a strike. Pretty soon the canal empties into a shallow bay with a channel bisecting it, so we get on plane and scout the area. I see a deeper cut off the channel that has a nice rip forming. To get to it we have to raise the engine and drift over some shallow water, but the Godfrey hull only draws 12 inches, so getting there is no problem.
Setting up a drift, we don't wait long before bobber goes under, and my reel is singing that beautiful song. The fish begins circling the boat and gives me a chance to discover how easy it is to move around the cockpit. After four laps around the boat, I finally bring up a 5-pound jack crevalle on my 6-pound test line. The rip is still ripping, and I catch four more. The verdict is in: You can definitely fish on this deck boat.
It's lunchtime, so I fish gunk off my hands at the freshwater sink, which drains overboard. With a 17-gallon capacity, I don't worry about running out of water. The wedge-shaped wet bar has two roomy storage compartments as well as a small food prep area and twin cup holders. The sun's directly overhead, so we open up the huge, standard Sunbrella Bimini top and slide the dining table into place. Grabbing our sandwiches and cold drinks out of the 25-quart cooler, which resides in an alcove cut into the gunwale, we settle back in the shade and relax in the L-shaped aft settee.
Although we could have easily blown off the rest of the day and been content to lounge around listening to the standard Sony stereo system, we have more tests to perform. In the interest of providing a comprehensive test, I turn the driving duties over to my co-pilot and stretch out on the U-shaped bow seat--strictly for testing purposes, mind you. With an angled back and enough legroom for this 6-footer to stretch out in comfort, I promptly fall asleep.
Reaching the relatively wide beginning of the North River, I am unceremoniously awakened by my companion, courtesy of a stream of cold water in my face. Wide-awake now, I get behind the wheel and put the Hurricane through its paces. The first thing I notice is that this deck boat really corners. With the trim down, even violent turns fail to provoke a blowout. More surprising is that even with the trim in a typical running setting, the Hurricane is still capable of holding a tight corner. Only the hardest turn incites any hint of ventilation.
With its quick acceleration and flat wake, the FunDeck 237 also makes a nice ski boat. The centerline ski storage compartment is large enough to hold wakeboards and skis.
Opening the throttle all the way on the Yamaha 200 EFI produces a respectable top end of 45.5 mph. At this speed, the Hurricane feels stable and responds well to directional changes.
Since the new Godfrey has a relatively flat hull bottom--a deadrise of 12.5 degrees--it's not what I would call an offshore boat, but it handles large wakes easily and softly.
Launching off some big waves, I'm impressed with the solid feel of the FunDeck. Part of this is due to the hull-to-deck joint that is bonded with 3M's 5200 polyurethane adhesive and then screwed into place into a strip of wood backing for a better grip.
For sheer utility it's hard for an active family to beat the versatility of a deck boat, and the 237's a good one. My only beef with most deck boats is the lack of serious fishability, and that's been remedied by the FunDeck.
Godfrey's been building deck-style boats for more than 30 years, and it's learned how to put together a reliable, multi-function platform at a reasonable price. The Hurricane 237 with Yamaha 200 Saltwater Series 2 starts at $31,995 and includes a host of standard features. Sometimes the name of a boat is misleading, but not this time. This deck is fun for fishing, cruising, watersports and just about anything else.

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