Please Help Narrowing the Field

RayRay'sToys

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Joined
Jul 31, 2007
Messages
20
New member and sorry if this information is somewhere else in the forum as I have searched and found nothing. Also, I apologize for the long thread but your help is appreciated. I know many might suggest I don't buy any of the following boats as my first boat but looking beyond that please provide me with your advise. This is what I have determined so far and I don't mean to offend anyone.

Center Console:
Venture is fantastic but it seems not worth the tons extra money.
SeaVee: seems like the one to buy. Great looking boat and the fit and finish is cleaner then say Contender.
Conternder: approximately the same price as SeaVee but as mentioned above seem to get a little more for the money with the fit and finish
YellowFin: Seems like a great boat but since headquartered on West Coast of Florida and me located in S. Florida it would be difficult to see one and would be difficult to address warranty covered issues.
Jupiter: Don't know much about them but may have been told by others that not really in the same category/class as SeaVee, Venture & Contender.
Island Runner: same as Jupiter

I am also considering going with a larger boat like a Cabo or Viking. I determined with the help of a Cabo sales person that I might be more interested Cabo's Express model versus their Flybridge model. If some of the experienced boaters can confirm. A flybridge model boat gives much more living space then a non flybridge yacht but I have a young, smaller family and don't need tons of living space right now. Since I am fairly young I will probably doing as much entertaining as fishing on this boat. The express model with its helm deck blending right into the cockpit allows me to stay close to where my friends and family are hanging out. A flybridge model will keep me above where family and friends will be as I control the boat. Can anyone recommend other equivalent or better manufacturers for either style boat whether larger or the center console style? Would true custom boats for either style be a better option and how would a true custom boat builder effect the cost? Any custom boat builder recommendations are also welcome.

Thanks again for your help.
 

KCook

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Jan 24, 2002
Messages
1,624
Re: Please Help Narrowing the Field

All of those center consoles are hard core fishing machines. Poor choices for entertaining. If you just prefer the style of the CC types, then the more posh CC models come from Grady-White, Intrepid, Pursuit, and Stamas.

Good point about the helm on an express putting the captain more "in the scene" with his guests than up on a fly bridge. However, some of the fly bridge sedan designs also have an inside helm station. Obvious advantage for the sedans is air conditioning. IMHO this choice is largely size driven. For boats under 45' an express is pretty easy to deal with. To get a usable area in a flybridge you're looking at boats over 35'. Which does leave an overlapping range of sizes.

There are lots of nice express models to choose from. Also take a look at Albemarle, Alden, Fairline, Formula, Sabreline, San Juan, and Tiara.

Here are some more threads that may help -

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=62749

http://www.thehulltruth.com/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=42426

http://my.boatus.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=51546

Kelly Cook
 

RayRay'sToys

Cadet
Joined
Jul 31, 2007
Messages
20
Re: Please Help Narrowing the Field

kcook: Thanks so much for the advise and the links, they really provide some great information. I am guessing at this point that I will be in the 30-40 foot range I may keep looking at the express style boats for some of the following reasons. I wanted to add that I have a 3 year old and we will likely have one more child. I sounds like it would be easier for young children to get up on a flybridge style boat but I doubt I want my young kids climbing any ladders at all. I am sure they will every now and again but I figure it will be more the exception then the rule. I will also have my somewhat elderly parents on the boat so they too will likely never climb the ladders. I figure I will only climb those ladders when I want to get away from the crowd down below. The somewhat cramped quarters of an express style boat will likely not bother my wife since she really has nothing to compare to besides smaller 20-25 foot fishing boats with barely a head in the center console. My next boat decision will become easier through my experience, the kids getting older and the wife becoming more intune with her wants in the living quarters. I would guess then a 40-50 foot flybridge would seriously get considered.

Any other advice from others is welcomed.

Regards
 

KCook

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Jan 24, 2002
Messages
1,624
Re: Please Help Narrowing the Field

The ladder up to the bridge is a concern for some boaters. Besides the usual open cockpit cruisers, there is also the "pilot" type. Which is in effect a cruiser with a cockpit enclosure. Which can make a big difference in difficult weather. But still no ladder worries. For example -

http://www.sabreyachts.com/motor_yachts/sabreline38_express/index.php

Kelly
 
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