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Century 2400 CC Review

Although the company experienced a few bumpy years before Yamaha bought it, Century now makes boats you can be prouder than ever to own.
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The white lapstrake hull and high-gloss varnished mahogany gleamed in the brilliant sun. I had just finished a complete refit of the 1953 Century Raven, including replacing every bottom fastener with a stainless thru-bolt. Even the marinized 210-hp Chevy 327 block had been rebuilt by my neighbor, the mechanic. At 15, I couldn’t have been prouder of my own “first boat.” That kind of experience always leaves its mark, and to this day, I have a soft spot in my heart for Century boats. Although the company experienced a few bumpy years before Yamaha bought it, Century now makes boats you can be prouder than ever to own.

Performance
It never fails to blow like stink during the Miami Boat Show in February. But that presents an all-encompassing challenge for a boat since we can run in flat water on the waterway and then test the boat’s mettle in offshore seas. The Century 2400’s twin 150-hp Yamaha four-strokes idling at 1,000 rpm carried us underneath the bridges at 4.5 mph with nary a trace of turbulence in the wake. At this slow-trolling speed, the engines didn’t even use enough fuel to register on the Yamaha fuel management gauges. We hit a top speed of 47 mph at 6,000 rpm using a total of 29.5 gph. The most efficient cruising speed gave us an impressive range of almost 400 miles at 26.5 mph (figuring 90 percent usable fuel). That represents a whopping 2.53 mpg. ****SPECIFICATIONSLOA 24 ft. 6 in. BEAM 8 ft. 6 in. MAX HP (2) 150-hp OB DEADRISE 20 deg. DRAFT 1 ft. 3 in. FUEL 175 gal. WEIGHT 4,300 lb. (w/o power) MSRP $68,194  (w/T150-hp four-strokes)**Century Boats **Panama City, Florida 850-769-0311 www.centuryboats.com
Unfortunately, the 14 1/4-by-18 props wouldn’t let us plane on one engine. However, on my boats, I make it a habit to carry a spare prop with a 2-inch difference for single-engine running that will surely get it up on plane.Turning the wheel hard over at cruising speed commands a sharp turn at first, while the boat bleeds off speed. After a point, the inside bow dips and the prop ventilates – keeping everyone aboard safely in their seats.If you prefer drift fishing, you’ll particularly appreciate how the 2400 drifts directly beam-to the wind and sea with an incredibly comfortable Yamaha 150-hp Four-stroke ** **TYPE Inline 4 DISPL 163 cid MAX RPM 6,000 HP/LB RATIO 0.32 FUEL SYSTEM Electronic fuel injection GEAR RATIO 1.85:1 WEIGHT 466 lb. ALT. OUTPUT 35 amps MSRP $13,140
roll moment.  It’s very short with supergentle transitions in the 3- to 4-foot seas at a period of about three seconds that we experienced when we ran the boat.Coming back through Government Cut with the wind against the tide is a challenge for any boat.  Down-sea, the broad shoulders at the bow provide loads of buoyancy. So when you  **NOTABLE STANDARD EQUIPMENT **? Leaning post w/livewell ? Lockable rod boxes ? Waterproof electrical connectors ? LED cockpit lighting ? Coaming pads ? Hydraulic tilt steering
overtake the back of a wave, the nose lifts up and over rather than carving into it, blowing out spray and risking a swerving turn. **IMPRESSIONS **A shiny, stylish boat that performs very well both running and fishing. It’s hard to argue with those kinds of credentials.

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****Fishing
**Century provides loads of rod storage in the lockable in-deck compartments, four in-gunwale rod holders and the five rocket launchers across the back of the optional T-top that just about everybody orders. The leaning post represents another terrific fishing feature since it contains a 40-gallon baitwell with an aquarium window, tackle drawers and cabinets, and a sink. Bowing to the demands of an increasing number of hard-core anglers, Century added a molded 60-gallon coffin box on centerline forward of the helm console. A great idea, but rather than lifting the entire top on a piano hinge, Century provides only a small hatch for access, making both ice management and loading/unloading large tuna problematic.

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   Three fixed bow cleats with one on centerline work exceptionally well for anchoring on a wreck or structure. Simply shifting the anchor line from one side cleat to the center to the other side can move your boat laterally an amazing distance along the bottom structure. I would prefer to see pop-up cleats, though.
The cockpit provides plenty of room for multiple anglers at once, and the transom is narrow enough to allow even shorter rods to get the tip out past the engines.

**Design and Construction
**I rather like the school of thought that says if you’re going to have aft seating, make it multitask. A 140-quart cooler by the transom has a cushion fitted for comfort. On the outer side of the transom, Century mounts an Armstrong ladder – a good ladder, admittedly, but no substitute for one deployable from the water. At the other end of the boat, the company builds an integral bow pulpit with a roller and a hawsehole in the foredeck for chain and line. Access to the locker is through a hatch in the forward bulwark.

The bow sports port and starboard dry boxes, and you’ll find a portable head in the console as well as a small berth for nonclaustrophobic types.

Century’s “V-Tech” hull system uses multidirectional fiberglass and transverse bracing for stiffness. Foam injection helps make it a quiet ride. The company also uses high-quality Cook Composites Armorcoat gelcoat and a urethane-composite transom. All this makes the boat good enough for Century to offer a 10-year, 100-percent transferable warranty on the hull and deck of every one.

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