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Desperado
Boats Testimonials
Are you a proud Desperado Boat
owner?
a testimonial to post on the website.
My wife, Kathryn and I arrived at Bernie's one
Saturday morning in January of 2008 as I had decided it was
time to re-power the 11 year old Gulf Coast. We had asked
for Dennis and as he was busy, we did what everyone does at
a boat store.......we looked at boats. Dennis finished up
with his customer and it was then that the conspiracy began.
It did not take long for Dennis and Kathryn to gang up on
me. First it was one of the newer Gulf Coast 23's and then
somehow the word Desperado began popping up. Kathryn of
course wanted to know; "what is a Desperado"?
It just happened that Dennis was getting ready to deliver a
recently completed Desperado Outlaw 22 to a customer in Port
O'Connor. She was very shiny and very well appointed and she
had loads of storage space and she was very well thought
out; obviously she must have been designed by a fisherman
with some help from a friendly female. And of course the
answer was: "well yes said Dennis, I designed the boat and
my wife Barbara definitely provided input".
Dennis is probably a better fisherman than boat dealer as he
had us "hooked" in less than an hour and a half! We left
Bernie's that Saturday afternoon after leaving a $2,000
deposit so that we could get in line to have one made; it
would take the better part of 5 months. We also arranged,
with significant encouragement from Dennis to meet him in
Port O'Connor the next week-end, as he wouldn't sell us the
boat until we had a demo-ride on his own Outlaw.
Test ride day came and it was a dreary, cool mid-coast day
with a light 10 to 12 out of the southeast; a mid-chop.
Dennis arrived soon after us and we were quickly on our way.
Down the intracoastal and quickly out into one of the many
bays that Port O'Connor is so well known for. We turned
right, we turned left, we ran shallow and shallower. We
stopped, we walked from one side to the other and then back
again......very, very stable. We got up in some really
skinny water with no effort and then headed north for the
open bay across from Pass Cavallo and it was here that the
Desperado really showed its colors.....what chop? The boat
was incredibly smooth and dry, something that was a must as
we fish from Rockport and often make long open bay runs to
get to our favorite spots.
After an almost two hour boat ride demonstration, we
returned to the dock in Port O'Connor and only had one
question.......when would our Desperado be ready?
Eleven months after taking delivery in late June of '08, we
are just as excited today as when we hooked on to her and
left Bernie's last summer. Our Outlaw is equipped with a
Yamaha HPDI 225 and simply is an incredible boat. We
typically run 35 - 40 MPH across the open bay; all the time
getting 3.8 - 4.0 MPG's and have yet had any issues with
shallow water; just jack her up and go. And if you are in a
hurry, the Outlaw will top out at more than 55 MPH.
Being primarily a wader, I really appreciate the "wet"
storage bins in the back and Kathryn just loves the large
front "dry" storage for her camera, clothes and who knows
what else. The fit and finish on this boat is nothing short
of perfection and so was the rigging job that Dennis and his
crew did. Everything and I mean everything is "just exactly
right"......none of this "well, it will work fine like
this". With Dennis, it's either right or it doesn't leave
his shop.
These boats are made one at a time, by hand in Port Lavaca
so it takes a bit of a wait, but the only thing that limits
your abiity to customize the boat to your exact needs is
your wife and your wallet.
Everyone that we have experienced at Bernie's shares Dennis'
insistence on doing things right and are darn right helpful.
Kathryn and I highly recommend both the Outlaw and Bernie's
Boats and Motors! I do want to point out that this is a
"big" boat, almost 22' and very wide, so if you're looking
for a scooter this isn't your boat. But if you are looking
for a professional fishing platform that will provide
comfort and safety while still going very shallow, then you
need to make a Saturday morning trip to see Dennis at
Bernie's Boats and Motors in Victoria.
Ted and Kathryn Nelson
Rockport, Texas
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