Best 27-31' sunbridge cruiser for rough water?

[redneck joe]

Ive had my eye on this one, Ive always liked the 3100 Open, and the price is right !,...its going to need some attention to the cockpit area and some new tops, but the rest looks surprisingly nice.

https://www.popyachts.com/express-cr...aryland-105206

not a fan or popyachts. Older ads on no longer avail boats. And do not give them your contact info.



The 3100 looks nice, has square windshield in the extremely rare event of a glass break. Other than that, all can be made new if it breaks. Door are wood or plastic or fiberglass etc. Might take work but it can be done. Hinges, door pulls, lights are all avail. Only thing to worry about on old boats is drive train parts avail ie omc, ford, old volvo penta. I've had zero issue for getting parts for my 40 year old mercuiser.


How many people in the family?


Look at old Carvers if you want good handling, but then probably have more work than your budget indicates you want to take on. I've probably got $25k including trailer rebuild on the one in my sig line, but is essentially brand new now. Plus I hired out probably half the work so could have done a lot cheaper. Handles rough very well - with tabs set right I'm on plane at about 14 mph w/nose down slicing thru it.



Saw a pretty looking 26' (which would be 28-30 in today's terms) for cheap, same era / style as mine so would ride very nicely. But, lots of work needed you might not want to do. Could get lucky and find someone that had brought one back to life as l did. If you were closer I'd sell you mine...



https://nashville.craigslist.org/boa/5788005059.html

Up to early 90's the hull still rode nice, before they got to be big pigs that chug chug along. Have a friend with this same boat. A bit wider than mine, smaller cockpit with more cabin. This has the integrated swim platform so although shows at a foot longer than the above, the 26' will actually be bigger (but thinner).




https://nashville.craigslist.org/boa/5765340518.html

Should you look at older boats remember they were typically skinnier than the ones today. Part of the reason they ride better in rough.



Two motors for sure, whether two mains or one and a kicker. IMO most of the time twins would need to be more than 4.3. Most of the time. If a kicker remember this; when people have twin mains they always start both and if one breaks down the other is running. Most people with kickers never start them until they need them and you never know if it will actually start at that point. I start mine ever time I go out, while still at the dock. I'm inland on mostly nice lakes so I would go out without it starting but in big waters I would not go out without two working engine at the beginning.








Now this won't set any speed records but this style would handle rough quite well at a good clip and (around here) right at your budget and should be plenty of space....


https://nashville.craigslist.org/boa/5806703406.html

 

[shaw520]

This is actually a very poor example.

http://www.flyingmag.com/wrong-worry...versus-singles


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Obviously that does not directly apply to boats, although a similar effect might happen with inboards.


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edit:


I did not even think about that or checking dates. My apologies, feel free to delete this post.

I agree that airplanes are a poor example,.. The 'twin vs single' screw argument has been long standing and the variations are many, but from personal experience I prefer the maneuverability, oh,... and Ive come home on one engine more times than I care to talk about.