i have to agree the Manatee 18 i had rode better as well.

Got to say I have never been on any 21 foot boat, and especially less that rode what I would call great in a heavy chop or bigger wave sets.
I have a titanium plate across three vertrabae in my neck and am very sensitive to ride.
The 233 Formula I rode in which was a center console it was head and shoulders above anything I had ridden in in a smaller boat before. But when we stopped and fished we rocked and rolled much more. Some find that very un-settling. For me it was worth the ride.
I rode in a older Sea Craft 20 CC and that had a very nice ride compared to the V., but not as sweet as the Formula.
The V and many others are what I refer to as do it all boats, built to give their owners a boat that can wear many hats, it may not do any of it as well as some others but does it all good enough to get the job done. My good friend has the 2550 Maycraft Pilothouse. Heavy duty boat with enough fishing room for a couple of sofas and a ping pong table if you like and my V rides better at 5 feet less but his will do things the V cannot.
The V does keep you drier than most any other boat in its class, it will hold a lot in its huge cockpit and let you do a twenty mile run off shore or go into some pretty skinny stuff when you want. In head seas it will do pretty good until you get above four to five footers at which time you better watch as she will tend to stuff the bow. Especially the cuddy model with so much weight forward.
It is a compromise boat for an all around seaman, if you want a really good ride get yourself a full displacement hull type of boat and go 8-12 knots everywhere and enjoy the worst the water can throw while sipping coffee or get yourself a 26 and above Regulator or Contender and plan on being above 25 knots everywhere you go.
Or do as we all do here and learn to get the most you can out of a great boat that will do it all, just have to slow down a lot in really rough seas as I do especially because of my neck. But usually it means I just get back a little later.
On another note with this I will tell you many years ago I used to go out and fish with an old timer named Sam Russo, he made his living in the old country fishing in smaller boats and in some rough seas to do it. I was running after a day of fishing to get back to the marina and the normal afternoon winds had kicked up heavy on the bay and the 2-4 chop was in full force.
He just sat there and said nothing as we pounded pretty good and I finally asked him what would he do in seas like this, he stood up and took the helm and said nothing, he turned the boat at an angle to the wave sets off our destination, played with the throttle a little to find the sweet spot and we were now riding pretty darn smooth, he got down a little ways and cut the helm in another direction angling across the wave sets for a awhile and we rode all the way back in as smooth as a babys behind.
Sam didn't say a word until I told him thanks, he said the sea tells you how it wants to be run, the Captain just has to listen.
I loved that old coot.

Good point, Willy (hat tip to Sam). There is no substitute for experience.

I've been in all kinds of boats and gotta say the V-20 cuddy at the right speed ( varies with conditions ) is the driest boat of it's size I know of.

In a short chop,...it glides across the top but, solid as a rock. I've also brought it in from offshore in 8-10 seas and felt safe nuff to not worry about making it in.

Hey Willy, I have metal fused to bone too,,,,broke my neck in 1997 shattering C-5 and C-6. I know, I shouldnt be walking,,,I feel your pain.

I rode offshore last winter 9 miles to do some sheephead fishing in a 21 Contender and on the way back it turned to sh!t. The capt is a guy I know who beg me to take him to some good sheephead #'s. He beat me to death on the ride back,,,,I seriously thought about ***** slapping him at the dock. I told him to learn how to drive that boat and use the trim tabs.

I have been impressed so far, and I can say I have pushed it pretty hard since last summer. I think if I had trim tabs I would be really impressed. The V does rattle pretty good in a chop.

Tabs...you won't believe it til you try it... :beer:

quick de-rail: Reel, do you have the bennet 0r lenco? i would love to have tabs, but am really scared to drill 15 or 20 holes in my transom.

i'll sell you my 9x12 lenco's for a great price. 2 years left for warranty.

Why are you selling them?...were they installed?...

As far as Lenco electrics vs Bennet hydraulics?...I like my Bennets just fine...they operate great...

A good friend has Lenco's on his Everglades and his work great, too!!...

I guess it's gonna boil down to personal experience w/electrical vs hydraulics...both are PROVEN systems...

And phatdaddy...get a tube of 4200 (small tube will do it) and fill each hole before the final run-in of each screw...and before installation, run a solid bead around the contact face of the attachment bracket...you won't have any problems after that...

yep they were installed and used 3-4 times in the water, im selling because i need to finish my hydro-stream and im on a budget while studying for the series 7