2008 Tidewater 1900 BayMax Yamaha 115TXR 4-stroke

   Feel the need to feed the Mangrove Snapper or the Redfish some shrimp? Not a problem at all.. This Tidewater 1900 Bay Max has a 12 gallon live well up in front of the console and there is a 30 gallon livewell aft. Both are easy to get to and have excellent aerators that kept 40 dozen shrimp alive no problem when we ran one of these boats out. These are some excellent live wells on the Tidewater 1900 Bay Max. The layout of these livewells makes sense too. There is a 12 gallon well up front that is perfectly accessible to the person fishing the bow platform while the 30 gallon at the rear is nicely located to where the person fishing the back can get to it without having to risk falling overboard if it happens to be a little rough out in the gulf that day.

   Now there is the really nice thing about this Tidewater 1900 BayMax... It can handle the gulf without banging you around or spilling your frosty beverages on those days when it is a little rough. Handling these boats in moderate swells is a dream, the one we ran out had only a prop as a difference from the stock Tidewater 1900 Bay Max with the Yamaha 115hp 4 Stroke Outboard. Our gas mileage was a little better than what Tidewater got too. But back to running her out, this is a really high flotation hull that handles 18" to 2ft swells like a dream come true, not a bounce nor a bang when we ran one out. Granted we were only running about 22 or so but we never even spilled our frosty beverages. This is one smooth running boat.

   Back in the bays there are few rivals to the Tidewater Bay Max family of boats and most of those are skiffs or dedicated, purpose built shallows work boats. This 1900 is no exception to that rule. Able to get into less than a foot of water without problems. The transom is pitched perfect so that when you trim up that Yamaha out back the prop angle is prime for shallows wandering without having the exhaust out of the water. Another neat thing about the transom design that I don't think most folks notice but is handier than all get out is this: Standing at the console it is perfectly easy for even a 5'2" woman to see down and directly in front of the bow of the boat. The windscreen is excellent for cutting the glare from the water and the location of the console was chosen because it balances the boat best. with 2 guys at the console seat, you can worm this boat into 8 inches of water no problem. Got the cooler loaded? not a problem, make it 8 and a half inches. The one we ran out had those little Trim tab mounted trolling motors. That made for some slick shallows wandering with the main engine trimmed all the way up One of the things I would definitely add to this boat if I was getting it.

   Now on those days when you have to switch tackle lot because you are using hooks in the morning and losing lures all afternoon, this is a slick little boat for that too - there are rod holders all over the place and even a dedicated rod storage compartment in the side But the best point is that there are 2 compartments up front with tackle trays that slide in and out easily. These make rigging for the day sweet and re-rigging you line a whole lot sweeter when you are out there. Heck, just plop down on the back edge of the forward fish platform and reach- that's right reach both compartments easily. Makes for a lot nicer fishing experience than fighting some tackle box and unlike a lot of other boat manufacturers, someone took the time with these little boats to figure out just the perfect location to where even a kid could get to both compartments.

   That fighting deck out front is a slick setup in itself, there is rough paint on it that will not let you slip when it is wet and for fighting the big ones, it has that trademark tidewater recessed V Fighting Platform that is becoming the thing to have. Pretty sure there is a reason for it too. When you get a big fish on, there is no more worry about tying yourself off (unless it is gigantoid), just dig a foot up against the V's edge anywhere and the boat is light enough that we just let the fish drag us on the one we tried and did not even bother with the chase it with the motor thing. For reference we only had 100lb test on and the biggest we caught that day was a 127lb Tarpon. We had the engine idling in neutral - no need to use it; the drag on our reels was cranked in tight and the line was not about to break with a boat this light and clean moving to work from.

    For trolling these boats are set up good for the single person or 2 people to work it. there are rod holders all over the boat but the 2 in the rear gun whales are angled just perfect for setting a rod in and not having to worry about the fish ripping it out of the holder. Set the rod in with the reel facing forward and you are dug in perfect and it will catch your crank just right to where the drag is all that will be happening when you get one on. Another neat thing that Tidewater thought of is the location of these rod holders....easy to get to from either side of the console seat, nice, wide clear path to the front fighting platform or just grab it and work it from the rear fighting deck.  No hassles to get to, reel is perfectly located to where it is just a hair below waist level when you go to grab it - means you can work a big fish quick and not have to hassle struggling to get it out. The holders on the side of the console (there are 6 of them) make for handy storage for all the rods you need when you go out for a day of mixed fishing and you have to switch from light to heavy rods or vice-versa. I probably would not use them for trolling though as they are not meant for it like the rear ones are. Real nice though with plumbed drains out the bottom so you wont mess up your batteries and gear under the console. Even the cupholders have plumbed drains.

   Even running these Tidewater bay Max 1900's out in the intercoastal is a pretty durn good boating experience. As long as you keep her down around the speed limits in the inter coastal, she will just cut through the wakes of all but the biggest boats without the slam and bang like you get from most boats in this class.  This boat cuts the wakes like a hot knife through butter. The Yamaha 115 4 stroker behind her doesn't make a whole bunch of noise so it is easy to get her up and running around 40 or so if you don't watch your instruments.

    A quiet boat like this one is not a bad thing either. At 25 or 30 or so You are able to hold a normal conversation in the bow seating area as are you able to do the same behind the console and at the rear seating areas. At "No Wake" speeds the boat is quiet enough you can just talk, from one end of the boat to the other; without all the having to just give up talking like you have to do on a lot of other boats. The reason for this, whether or not it was Tidewaters intention or not, is that the transom area is basically a large, sound absorbing box. Even with a monster 2stroker behind one of these, the effect of the box is to reduce the sound getting into the seating area and such. The guy who works the rear platform while trolling will actually notice the difference in level of engine noise from being on the platform to being back down in the boat - there is a very noticeable difference in volume. It makes for a better day when you are able to talk without having to raise your voice or just plain having to repeat yourself all the time.

Give Mark a call at 941-716-4200 to arrange a sea trial of this boat!

   I am sure you will be equally impressed with this slick little fishing machine.