I actually downsized slightly when I got the WX1910 from previous boats I’ve owned, and it was also a move into more of a walleye-style boat than one that’s optimized as a casting platform. I did this for a few reasons:
– I’m getting old(er), and wanted a smoother riding deeper-V for rough water
– as my son starts getting to fishing/boating age, I wanted a deeper cockpit
– as he grows older I will want to be able to pull tubes and skis
– my muskie fishing is split almost evenly 50/50 between casting and trolling
Things I Like:
– ride in big water: I’m very confident in this boat getting me there and back under any reasonable weather condition, and my back feels good too. My wife enjoys it enough to say “Yes” to a fishing invite.
– cockpit: It’s huge, so you don’t feel crowded with multiple people in the boat and my son’s bobber casts don’t pop me in the head. When trolling this is unbelievably comfortable and roomy. I can get all the way to the gunnel in the full cockpit, especially nice when trolling and family panfishing.
– storage: I have a lot of gear. A lot. But I still can’t figure out what else to put in the boat to try and fill all the empty storage space.
– rod storage: the center locker is good for up to 8’ers, and it’s great to have the side locker to hold the long 9-10′ rods out of the way. The side holster is tighter than advertised, but if you use rod sleeves and a dash of patience with bulky reels, you can fit 5-6 combos in there pretty easily.
– big front deck: Easily handles two guys casting muskie lures, and it stays wide all the way to the front. Boat is very stable at rest even in waves so you can get close to the edge during figure-8s, and plenty of room to dance when fighting a big fish.
– tracking: The keel design was intended to help drift evenly cross-wind and current, this is a nice feature when basin casting suspended fish. It’s also interesting while trolling; I found the boat is a bit slower in sharp turns as a result, but straightens out of the turns that much faster. I had to ease into my turns a bit earlier, but can snap out of them sharply.
– step/cooler: Being able to grab an ice water from the driver’s seat is great.
– flat gunnel tops: The Traxtech tracks I added are flush and smooth with no overhang, giving it a very secure mount that looks purpose-built.
– x-tra tall windshield option: I’m tall, and air-ride seats sit higher, so this lets me keep my hat on. And if you’re going to have a windshield, get one that blocks more of the wave. Combined with a 4-stroke motor, you can even hold normal conversations while running WOT. These are also at an almost idea height for mounting GoPro cameras to capture boatside action to either the front or back of the boat.
– built-in bow navigation lights: It surprised me how nice it is to not have to walk up and put that pole in for the bow light.
– bluetooth radio: Love, love, love this design to run music and ballgames off my phone without the need a radio cluttering up the dash. The stock speakers seem better than in previous boats I’ve owned too, including my last Skeeter in which they were downright poor. Great system that operates as it should and adds enjoyment to my days on the water.
– seats: This was the first year we didn’t crush and destroy the seats during our fall trolling trip. A smoother ride plus sturdier, wider seats was a very welcome change.
– fit/finish: As good or better than any boat I’ve owned or been in, bar no brand. All the edges are smooth, the gelcoat is even and crack-free, the stripe lines are sharp, all the wires are bundled nicely, the interior lighting and cupholders are top notch.
Things I’d Improve: (or did)
– rear deck: It’s smallish. I mitigated this by putting my muskie Lakewoods along it to extend it and I’m satisfied since I’d have those in the boat anyway. I added a custom-cut pad beneath them so they’re flush to the deck height. Moving the side storage locker doors forward 4″ and adding 4″ to the rear deck would have been perfect.
– bow trim/tilt switch: It’s located between the trolling motor plug and the gunnel. It would be way easier to operate by foot if the location was swapped with the trolling motor plug. That engineering had to have been done by someone who doesn’t fish.
– screws on the windshield center support bars: The screw points are exposed inside the cockpit, and they shake loose. C’mon man, use bolts with lock nuts already.
– dash angle: The gauge cluster is inset around the steering wheel base, and angled slightly IN towards the dash. As a result, rainwater collects at the bottom of the inset with no way to drain out. Making the bottom edge of the inset flat rather than angled would have allowed the water to escape.
– stock/recommended rigging: One downside of buying a new design is that no matter how good of a game the advertising videos and salesmen talk, no one really knows the boat’s performance characteristics yet. The included 80lb trolling motor is underpowered for a boat this heavy, and the 60″ shaft is too short for a hull this deep in even moderate waves (I upgraded to 112lb, 72″ shaft). Likewise, a 9.9hp kicker isn’t responsive enough for frequent power turns while trolling 4mph (I’ll be upgrading to 15hp this winter with an extension jack-plate). Learning and re-buying these items costs real money.
– battery charger in floor: I like to look at my charger after plugging it in to check everything is on, and again after charging to see battery status. The in-floor location from the factory is a pain in the arse. When I upgraded to a 36v system, I put the 3 batteries in the floor and moved the charger under the port jump seat – way easier to check it now and I don’t miss the small storage bin that was there one bit.
– removable carpet: The cut-outs around the driver and front passenger seat posts should have an open seam to the sides. As designed, you have to remove the seats in order to remove the carpet. With air-ride seats, that’s a pain in the arse. Again, not designed by someone who puts carpet in and out of an actual fishing boat multiple times each year based on weather conditions and type of fish being caught – I want it in for family panfishing, out for easy cleaning after great lakes chromers and summer muskies, in again for late fall muskie trolling with snow/ice in the boat…
I LOVE my boat, as it’s the right set of compromises for the various things I want a boat to do. At the same time, it is not the ideal muskie casting boat. Those limitations are easily mitigated by modern long rods and some relatively easy adjustments, but if I was a casting-only muskie guy looking for a fishing-only boat for use in the summer I’d be looking at an MX2040.
The WX1910 is a very very good match for the range of ways I use a boat, which includes family time, summer casting, and late season trolling in big water/poor weather conditions. It runs rough stuff extremely well, it’s plenty capable as a casting platform, and it really shines as a trolling rig. Being comfortable and staying dry on long runs enables me to go anywhere I want to go, and fish effectively when I get there.
I’ll try to work on a few videos before the holidays, I’ve got some footage of casting, figure-8 fish, and fall trolling too.
