On the Water
by Rich Barrett

STEIGER CRAFT 21 MONTAUK CENTER CONSOLE

      Al Steiger has been a fixture in the Long Island boatbuilding community since the 70s, manufacturing popular sport fishing and commercial craft from 19 to 25 feet in length. For Y2K, Al and his crew have introduced a revitalized version of their popular 21-foot center console, complete with a new deck and liner, a revamped mission and a fresh handle - say hello to the 21 Montauk.

A PERFECT LIGHT TACKLE PLATFORM

The original 21-foot Steiger Craft center console, the 21 Long Beach, is a good running platform that offers a friendly 14-degree aft dead rise running bottom. It is easy to power and features a moderately sharp entry angle forward that enables it to cut through a tight afternoon bay chop with minimal difficulty. Al Steiger borrowed this proven hull and married a separate full-length liner and deck assembly to create welcome underdeck storage, with plenty of cockpit and toe space for this eight-foot beam platform. without compromising any of its excellent running qualities.

STEIGERLAND

 I met Al Steiger down at the Bellport (his home town) Town Marina and was impressed to see at least 20 Steiger Craft fishing boats of every conceivable type and vintage tied up to the neighboring slips. The boat we were going to sea trial belonged to one of his customers who had purchased it a few months earlier, rigged to the nines with an optional leaning post/ rocket launcher setup, plus a high quality Birdsall T-Top. Even though this added weight and windage was a liable to slow us down on a windy Bellport Bay, the hull was capably rigged with a Merc OptiMax 150 outboard, sporting a 14.5 x 17 three-blade aluminum wheel.

Once we cleared the marina's breakwater, we were greeted by a steady cadence of tight and white two-footers that were riled up by an edgy 20-knot afternoon sea breeze. The 21 Montauk literally jumped on plane as if shot out of a catapult, exhibting absolutely minimal bowrise and requiring scant seconds to get up to its maximum wide open throttle speed of 36.5 knots. Al then turned the bow into the chop and amazingly, there was little discomfort as the hull knifed through the slop, throwing water neatly out to the sides and away from the cockpit.

Backing the Morse controls down to a more sedate 4000 rpm the Merc 150 PotiMax provided a respectable 27.5 knot cruising speed with a fuel burn of approximately 8 -gallons per hour, which nets out at over three nautical miles per gallon of fuel. At this speed and fuel efficiency, the standard 60-gallon tank will offer over 160 nautical miles of range, based on 90-percent of the stated capacity. Even without tabs, the Steiger 21 Montauk has a predictable manners at a slow speed cruise, turning 17.3 Knots at only 3000 revs, for good rough water performance.

One of the fringe benefits of the Montauk's 14-degree aft deadrise modified vee hull design is a fairly straightforward tracking, even in a crosswind. Try as I could to turn this 21-footer at 45-degree bow angles to the crosswind, the chines did their job and kept wind blown spray on the outside and away from the occupants, where it belongs. Looking at other cruising settings, given the ever-changing sea changing conditions, the Montauk will hit 21.8 knots at 3500 rpm and 30.8 knots at 4500 revolutions. Based on this data and the Merc 150 Opti's fuel consumption habits, this hull and motor combination offers peak fuel efficiency at 4000 rpm, right where it should be. With the motor shut down and the rudder amidships, the drift is fairly predictable, with the stern angling into the wind at a slight angle.

LIGHT TACKLE LAYOUT

The layout of the Steiger Craft 21 Montauk Center Console is fairly conventional. There is a bilge access hatch situated under the cockpit sole aft of the standard twin pedestal helm seats, and a pair of flush -hatch fishboxes that measure 28-inches long by 16-inches wide by 10-inches deep on the outboard side of each seat. A cavernous fish box/ storage locker forward that measures a roomy 42-inches in length, with a width of 20-inches and a depth of 17-inches. The sole is crowned at the center with drains on either side that run aft to two large scuppers with flaps that prevent outside seawater from backing in to the sole. All hatches feature raised lips and drain channels to minimize any cockpit water from entering.

There is a recirculating livewel tucked into the port corner, with a lift-out baitbox that offers easy access to the rigging down below to starboard. The mid-sized console offers access to the rigging station below to starboard. The mid-sized console offers access to its internal storage space via an aft swing-out door or by lifting out a fiberglass box under the front console bench seat hatch. The batteries and sitches are conveniently located under the console, which makes rigging and wiring a breeze.

The internal depth of the one-level cockpit floor is 21-inches aft and amidships and 26-inches forward. Notable standard features include 100-percent hand-laid fiberglass construction, high -quality Accon pull-up cleats for a minimum of snags, Hynautic hydraulic steering, two Lee's flush-mount rodholders, twin vertical rod holders on either side of the console, a pair of three-rod poly racks under each gunwale, a powder-coated low-profile stainless steel bow handrail, plus no extra charge for your choice of hull color.

The Steiger Craft 21 Montauk is an attractive light tackle angling platform with an attractive price of only $29,000 prerigged with a high-efficiency Merc OptiMax 150 outboard.