I've been looking hard at small bowriders and am pretty much sold on the Glastron GT185 for many reasons. Only question is the engine. I know this is a common topic and believe me I've read all the threads but still come away with no solid opinion for this 17.1' boat and my needs.
Prior to going to a dealer this past weekend I'd done a lot of forum browsing and some boat show talking, never about Glastron's specifically. My planned usage is to keep the boat at my cottage, drag the kids on tubes now (they're both under 8), wakeboards and skis later. When people are visiting we'll likely put 5 or 6 people in the boat (everyone wants a ride) and drag anyone who wants to go, possibly but less frequently get them up on skis. I'll also get my wife to pull my fat butt on a ski. We'd do the low speed sunset cruise of our lake most evenings.
I'd talked to a Tahoe salesman who said the 3.0 in the Q4SS would be too small for our growing family and steered us towards the V6 only available in the Q5i. A Larson guy we talked to about their 18' boat said 4.3. Most 4.3 vs. 3.0 posts come down to "get the bigger engine" or "if you pull a skier get the 4.3".
Then we fell in love with the Glastron GT185. After listening to the salesman tell us all the things I already knew about the boat, I said I was interested in the 4.3 assuming he would confirm my preference. He said he "strongly encouraged" we go for the 3.0 for this boat saying it was a better match. He cited the boat being 17' vs 18' and said the 3.0 would do all we wanted it to. A 4.3 on a 18-19' boat was a must he said but not on this one saying the increase in weight on the small boat largely offset the performance gain. He said if we were pulling a lot of "bigger people" and/or we were unsatisfied with the boat's performance then he'd gladly exchange the prop for one with better low-end as long as it wasn't dinged. He said he'd done that only once over the past few years of selling many MXs and GTs. I thought this was an issue of him pushing his 3.0-only inventory but he has more than one 185's with the 4.3 in-stock too. He went so far as to offer to setup a water test with a 3.0 where he'd don a wetsuit and with my wife and I in the boat, go for a ski. According to him he brings in the 4.3s to sell to people who are convinced they need them. I might be that guy. I'm not sure.
Our lake has no marina so every liter of fuel needs to be lugged in by yours truly so consumption is a double factor pushing for the 3.0 but overriding that is the need to buy this boat once and be happy with it for 15 years as the kids grow up.
Questions
1. What do you make of his comments regarding the smaller motor meeting our needs on this 17 footer?
2. Top speed cruising is *not* a priority for us. Is the lower pitch prop with the smaller engine a good option here?
3. For those with the 4.3 on the GT185 or MX or similar 17' boat, did you sell yourself on it or did an experienced dealer push you towards it?
Prior to going to a dealer this past weekend I'd done a lot of forum browsing and some boat show talking, never about Glastron's specifically. My planned usage is to keep the boat at my cottage, drag the kids on tubes now (they're both under 8), wakeboards and skis later. When people are visiting we'll likely put 5 or 6 people in the boat (everyone wants a ride) and drag anyone who wants to go, possibly but less frequently get them up on skis. I'll also get my wife to pull my fat butt on a ski. We'd do the low speed sunset cruise of our lake most evenings.
I'd talked to a Tahoe salesman who said the 3.0 in the Q4SS would be too small for our growing family and steered us towards the V6 only available in the Q5i. A Larson guy we talked to about their 18' boat said 4.3. Most 4.3 vs. 3.0 posts come down to "get the bigger engine" or "if you pull a skier get the 4.3".
Then we fell in love with the Glastron GT185. After listening to the salesman tell us all the things I already knew about the boat, I said I was interested in the 4.3 assuming he would confirm my preference. He said he "strongly encouraged" we go for the 3.0 for this boat saying it was a better match. He cited the boat being 17' vs 18' and said the 3.0 would do all we wanted it to. A 4.3 on a 18-19' boat was a must he said but not on this one saying the increase in weight on the small boat largely offset the performance gain. He said if we were pulling a lot of "bigger people" and/or we were unsatisfied with the boat's performance then he'd gladly exchange the prop for one with better low-end as long as it wasn't dinged. He said he'd done that only once over the past few years of selling many MXs and GTs. I thought this was an issue of him pushing his 3.0-only inventory but he has more than one 185's with the 4.3 in-stock too. He went so far as to offer to setup a water test with a 3.0 where he'd don a wetsuit and with my wife and I in the boat, go for a ski. According to him he brings in the 4.3s to sell to people who are convinced they need them. I might be that guy. I'm not sure.
Our lake has no marina so every liter of fuel needs to be lugged in by yours truly so consumption is a double factor pushing for the 3.0 but overriding that is the need to buy this boat once and be happy with it for 15 years as the kids grow up.
Questions
1. What do you make of his comments regarding the smaller motor meeting our needs on this 17 footer?
2. Top speed cruising is *not* a priority for us. Is the lower pitch prop with the smaller engine a good option here?
3. For those with the 4.3 on the GT185 or MX or similar 17' boat, did you sell yourself on it or did an experienced dealer push you towards it?
