Help !! Big decision ahead

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piconroy

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I posted this earlier today but in the wrong forum.

I am making the move from inland rivers and lakes to The Florida ICWW & Gulf. I have been researching 22-26' OB-WA-CC. I like what I see in Grady Whites, WellCraft, Sea-Pro, and a few others. Any of these would be a good start for me. However, I have learned from experience to research it all carefully before you jump in. Afterall, I want every day to be a happy day, not just the day I buy and the day I sell my boat

I am very rusty on anything other than lake boating where I have spent the last 20 years in a Bayliner Capri and a Parti-Craft Pontoon.
So, I will spend the next 2-3 years geting up to speed on more serious boating, ie rules of the road, charting, weather, etc. I won't venture to far out into the Gulf for while but I would like to be able to cruise the coastline

My question is .. If you have any suggestions or recommendations I would love to hear them whether they be on boat selection or your experinces on coastal cruising

Thanks,
PAT
 
That's a pretty broad question, Pat. A good start would be a drive down to the Miami boat show to see all the boats first hand and talk to the manufacturers. It starts on 2/15
 
Pat, start with this question. What do you want to do with the boat?

Fishing, cruising, overnights, lots of people onboard, few people on board...
 
I agree, the Miami show is a great place to learn about what’s available. Plan to spend several or more days. Plan to be overwhelmed with choices.
 
I am doing the shows BUT I would like to hear from others who have gone where I intend to go.

PAT
 
Pat, I am here on the Gulf Coast of the Panhandle of Florida.

I used to have a 1996 Trophy 2509 that I believe would do exactly what you would want. I used it extensively to fish out the Destin Pass in the Gulf and also along the Intracoastal. The Trophy is certainly not a fancy boat but did everything that I asked it to do. Mine had the hard top, marine head and twin Merc 150's. Was very seaworthy, easy to handly and to cleanup after a fishing trip. Also worked well for a day boat with a few friends. A Bayliner made boat is often scoffed at by people, but I have had two and no complaints.

The only reason that I sold it was to upgrade to something bigger. Which somehow I have failed to do. UNFORTUNATELY!!! Still have those intentions.

G
 
quote:
Originally posted by Maxwell Smart

Pat, start with this question. What do you want to do with the boat?

Fishing, cruising, overnights, lots of people onboard, few people on board...

Click to expand...


So?
 
More info Okay.

First, this boat will have to serve on 2 waters.
For 2-3 years primarily summers on a 60 mile shore line fresh water lake in MD, The lake has a size limit of <27'. In the winter in Florida. So she has to be trailerable behind my Silverado 1500 with tow pkg. Eventually this could become a 2500 or F250 and eventually if all goes as expected then I would probably do what most do upgrade from 22-26 to something more like 30-36 which would be in the water fulltime or boateled

Second, I am not looking to entertain many people on this boat. Day time limit of 4-5 max. Overnight limit is 2, my wife and me.

Also I think a WA/CC is easier to have set up to just get in and go. I am willing to trade off comfy cushions for spartan features to keep from having to cover it up each time I quit for the day. I am sick of wrestling with Sumbrella at the end of the day.

I don't expect much cabin space but what space that is available should be functional as possible. I don't like having to crawal over to many thigs to get to something else. If it sleeps comfortable (I am 5'11" 200 lbs, my wife is 5'5" 105 lbs), offers a comfortable refuge from quck changes in weather, and has room for gear to be properly stored then that is about all I can expect from this type and size.

I believe I want an OB vs. IO. Why? Ease of (self)service? Beaching? Cockpit/deck space? Maybe I am wrong if so tell me so.

I also would like to have a single OB vs dual OBs. Why? Up front cost, Economical operations, duals is just over kill for the summer situation. Like I said for a while (sure !!) I won't venture to far into the Gulf so why would I need dual OBs ????? Are the dual OBs more of a safety issue offshore or just for pt A to Pt B power/speed? Is a single OB to underpowered? Does a single limit me to , 26' ???

Manufacture's Quality. Are their differences? or have they all pretty much become equal. Which brand is more dependable? Is Grady White that much better than WellCraft, Sea-Pro or others? Are there pre-owned years or models to avoid???

I will proably buy pre-owned. How do I do this intelligently. Do you have a 22-26' Surveyed ??

Are you happy with 2 strokes, or do I rule out good boats to hold out for a 4 stoke? Holding out for a 4 stroke really rules out a lot of otherwise decent boats.. My only experiences with OBs is with a Force 125 (has been Flawless)and a Merc 40 on the pontoon which has been a pain in the ...So what about the newer mercs' or hold out for a Yamaha or Honda?????

Which boats handle better and won't upset your confidence (ie spook the wife) in rough waters or wind?

Well that is a few questions that come to mind. I hope this helps you all to see what I am thinking about.

I must admit I can get caught up in analysis paralysis but I really want to make a good decision and one that I would like to make before summer '07.

Thanks Much
PAT
 
I'll leave most of the replies to others but you can't go wrong with a Grady if you can afford one.
When your at the boat show you can pick your choices apart with closer inspection. If your not in a rush you will start to weed out the boats that fit your needs and budget. This is a great forum to get real feedback from owners as you weed through them.

I'm also in the market for a boat and the feedback here is priceless.

Best of luck, Mark
 
I'd also suggest a look at Dusky. They are a manufacturer out of Dania Beach, Florida and sell directly only, no dealers. I have toured their manufacturing plant wand was impressed by their build quality. It's a pretty no frills boat but well built and you can option it however you want from basic to fully stocked. Their website has all the pricing laid out and they have several models to choose from. Looks like a lot of bang for the buck.

Seaswirl Strypers are also nice boats. I looked at them closely at one point and liked what I saw. They have some nice Walkarounds.

Gradys are very good, and you pay for it. But they also hold their value really well.
 
hard to go wrong with a grady-
sounds like a w/a will be a good choicefor you.
2 or 4 stroke both are great.
i wouldnt have a problem going either way.
yamahas or hondas ...mercs.
single engine on a 23 4 or 5 footer should be
ok. and honestly i dont think i'd ever buy any boat again w/o a survey no matter what the size.

just my 2 cents.
 
by the way...
your'e going to LOVE the boating down around venice!!
 
I have a Grady 1994 sailfish 27' ,twin 200's. Love the boat, same as you, just me and my wife, and thats about all that is really comfortable on it. We had friends stay nights but the cabin is small, so our friends sleeped out on the fishing deck in a 6 foot tent, worked well. A dome 6x6 two person tent fits just right on the back deck. Things I don't like about Grady's , for what they cost the wireing is sloppy, they could spend a little more time neeting it up and holding it down. What I love about it, we spend a lot of time offshore in Maine fishing, top speed on rought water 10 knots, well maybe 15 if not to bad. But have a lot of power to spare. Sometime too much power is bad, lanuched a few times off a wave or two , hit like a ton of bricks, my teeth still feel it. But Grady's are a boat that you can count on and will allway hold up , and get you home. ( well allway got me home, had to change my shorts a few times, and the wife was mad for a week once)but a good boat. Gas useage I got 210 gallons, keeping it back and just trolling can be lite, balls to the wall ,flat out open, about 40 gallon per hour, twins 200's. But it fun if sea let you. But with a single , would be what ever the motor uses. Hope this helps.[:-eyebrows]
 
What is the towing limit on your Truck? That likely could limit the size boat that you buy. Most trucks in the size category that you state yours is will not pull the boat trailer package that I had. Oh yes, it would pull it, but it was over the manufacturers recommended limit. That Trophy 2509 would probably be on the lighter side of 25' boats.

G
 
Look at HydraSports Vector series. 25' WA on an aluminum trailer will be all your truck will want to do. They are easily as good as a Grady, and hold up very well used, the hull is built with Kevlar re-inforcement. This is an excellent offshore boat, but you may want to re-think the twins option. A 25' will work with a single 300, but it works better with twins, since once you get up to this size boat, the amount of prop in the water starts being an issue, not to mention the safety factor offshore with twins.
 
Hey Guys

Thanks for the info. Keep it coming

I hear you on the trailering with a 1500 it will be close. As long as I am at or under 7,000 lbs I "think" I will be okay. But I see a 2500 in my future.

I am going to look at a '97 - 24' Wellcraft Excell today. A '04 25' Sea-Pro next week.

I am reseraching Trophy. I have seen them before. There is one on the lake but always seemed a bit narrow in the beam.

Grady Whites do hold their value and seem to always be ranked high by JD Powers. I will look at some next week but for now they may not be in the budget or another way of looking at it is that $ for $ I get get more out of anther make.

I hear yo on boating off of Venice. I have been on board as a guest and it certainly got the juices rolling.

Once again thanks and keep it coming.

PAT
 
Hey SURPRISE

Thanks for the tip on Hydra-Sport. I have book marked their site and will look at later.

Off to see the Well Craft

later
PAT
 
Keep one very important thing in mind Pat, it's not a question of whether the vehicle can pull the boat. Almost any truck will be able to get it moving, what you need to be concerned with is whether it can stop the load. Be sure to factor things like fuel, ice, people, equipment, etc into your total weight and DO NOT exceed the recommended tow weight for your truck.

And of course trailer brakes are a good idea.
 
Welll… you stated that you don’t care about a big cabin, but you’re obviously planning to overnight on the boat since you want it to comfortably sleep a big guy like yourself. But nowhere in your posts do you say that you’re going to do any fishing on the boat. Why go for a WA rather than a cruiser? Unless you’re planning to fish, that seems like an awful waste of deck space to me.
 
quote:
Originally posted by Maxwell Smart

Keep one very important thing in mind Pat, it's not a question of whether the vehicle can pull the boat. Almost any truck will be able to get it moving, what you need to be concerned with is whether it can stop the load. Be sure to factor things like fuel, ice, people, equipment, etc into your total weight and DO NOT exceed the recommended tow weight for your truck.

And of course trailer brakes are a good idea.

Click to expand...


"And of course trailer brakes are a good idea."

I think that they are more than just a good idea if you are anyway near manufacturers recommended limit.

G
 
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