deck boat recommendations please

pbolden · Feb 7, 2010

Hello everyone.

I am need your recommendations for a deck boat. The sea-doo islandia had been my first choice based on the features but seasonal docking is not recommended for this boat so its out.

What I'm looking for: changing room/porta potty, bimini top, running lights.

ob or i/o but I need to wet slip it seasonally on the great lakes.

Anyone with any deck boat (non-pontoon) model recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Paul

tashasdaddy · Feb 7, 2010

Re: deck boat recommendations please

99% of the 22ft and above, offer those items. there are many to choose from. i prefer outboards, but in that size deckboat, they are hard to find. just sold our 23 ft Chris Craft Deckboat. it was fantastic boat. went bigger, cuddy, fishing friendly.

pbolden · Feb 7, 2010

Re: deck boat recommendations please

Actually you would be surprised at how many don't have a changing room/potty. looking for 18' to 24'

thanks,
Paul

sharps45 · Feb 7, 2010

Re: deck boat recommendations please

Good luck using the porta potty anyway! We have never used ours, though I guess it's there for emergencies. We use the space for storage, mostly. (Also, having a sink allows us to deduct the interest as a second home mortgage) Like Tasha, I have a 23 ft Chris Craft, and love it. If I were to do it all over, I'd go with a little smaller one, 21 ft probably, (mostly for the weight reduction for towing). I've never been a big fan of Bayliner, so I'd go with the Chaparral or another top-line.
Just my opinion.

z284u2try · Feb 8, 2010

Re: deck boat recommendations please

Splendor boat if you have the money.

JimMH · Feb 8, 2010

Re: deck boat recommendations please

Larson Escape 234, Glastron GLS235, Hurricane Sundeck 2200 OB and I/O. All very well made boats.

Craigmri · Feb 8, 2010

Re: deck boat recommendations please

Agreed about the Hurricane deck boats. My brother has the Hurricane Sundeck SD 2200 with Yamaha 150 4 stroke....Nice boat!

I vote for an outboard if you plan on wet slipping. You can raise it entirely out of the water and no rubber bellows to fail and potentially sink your boat like an I/O.

Craig

DaNinja · Feb 8, 2010

Re: deck boat recommendations please

We have a Starcraft Aurora 2415 that came with our LOTO house.
A deckboat wouldn't have even made my list if it hadn't come with the house purchase, but the boat has been great fun. It can carry thirteen comfortably and does 53mph with just me and a full tank of gas.

Here's Starcraft's current selection of deckboats.
http://www.starcraftmarine.com/Showroom/Overview.aspx?TypeId=7&Type=Deckboat

golf101 · Feb 8, 2010

Re: deck boat recommendations please

I recommend the Four Winns 224 and the Crownline 240EX. I had the first until recently and loved it (moved up to a bigger boat), and my brother has the Crownline and loves it. As to the porta potty space, different people have different views on that. We don't use it a lot, but when we do, we are glad we have it. It makes for good storage space after the ride for life jackets and other gear we want to leave on the boat, and it makes for a good place for a kid or two to hide if rain comes in unexpectedly. Good luck with your purchase. (BTW, if you look at the Four Winns, look at one with the 5.7 DP. I had a 5.0 DP, and it was okay unless we had a full load.)

RotaryRacer · Feb 8, 2010

Re: deck boat recommendations please

pbolden,

For reference sake here is the thread you started back in Dec. when you asked essentially the same question about boat/power choices.

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=366628

There are a lot of great boats out there. I would say that if you have a couple of specific boats in mind it may be better to ask on here for a second opinion than it is to leave it so open ended.

woodee148 · Feb 10, 2010

Re: deck boat recommendations please

We were wet slipping it for a couple of years at Fifty Point marina on lake Ontario and we have stern drive. we have the sea-swirl Deck boat 217 5.0 merc. its been a great boat for us (when we get to use it) holds lots of people and has sufficient power when fully loaded. swim platform with ots of room for sitting on both front and back is great and I would not trade for an outboard. we only use our change room for storage. this boat was originnally built by genmar but has since been discontinued so they may be a bit harder to find. good bang for your buck so far as the research that we did.
good luck

woodee148 · Feb 10, 2010

Re: deck boat recommendations please

also bimini in pics can be half or full with or with out sides...it's the bomb! we actually camped in it while we did the trent waterway one year

mike343 · Feb 10, 2010

Re: deck boat recommendations please

JimMH said:
Larson Escape 234, Glastron GLS235, Hurricane Sundeck 2200 OB and I/O. All very well made boats.

Good choices, these were the ones we looked at (plus others) in 2002. If you aren't looking for new the Glastrons are DX235 which we bought. Changing room is an exaggeration but probably OK for anyone under 6 ft and 200 lbs in a pinch. It's also the porta-potti location.

pbolden · Feb 11, 2010

Re: deck boat recommendations please

Thanks for the replies everyone. After finding out that I couldn't wet slip the seadoo it was back to researching again. You guys' real life recommendations have been invaluable as there are far to many boats out there to just randomly choose from without any real basis. Your responses have helped tremendously to narrow the field.

BTW...as far as the porta potty. I'm 6'1" and some of the porta potties inside these enclosed heads that I tried were totally undo-able for a guy my height. This is one of the reasons that the seadoo islandia was so nice. Big roomy changing room/ porta potty. I have yet to see another boat in this class with that feature being that nice.

Thanks once again!
Paul

scamoot · Feb 11, 2010

Re: deck boat recommendations please

i fell in love with Ebtides boats when my wife and I spent a week at a resort in poconos, pa. got to ski behind it and joy ride a bit....it was a blast. The boat was an i/o and just seem to hum nicely and we could talk at a normal level while cruising....very comfortable...
when i get the money, it will be the brand i look for, hands down.

golf101 · Feb 11, 2010

Re: deck boat recommendations please

pbolden said:
BTW...as far as the porta potty. I'm 6'1" and some of the porta potties inside these enclosed heads that I tried were totally undo-able for a guy my height. This is one of the reasons that the seadoo islandia was so nice. Big roomy changing room/ porta potty. I have yet to see another boat in this class with that feature being that nice.

Chances are you aren't the one that will need the head. In my family, the onboard head is for the kids and the wife. Not sure I've ever even been inside the head on mine other than when I bought it, and it was a tight fit even for me at 5'9". I'm not sure you will find a head on a deck boat that will be comfortable for you at 6'1".

samagy16 · Feb 11, 2010

Re: deck boat recommendations please

My vote is for Hurricane.

I am the proud owner of a 26' Hurricane Sundeck (Model SD260 03'') small cabin/changing room with vaccuflush toilet with room for one or two regular sized people to lay down completely or maybe the kids to nap. I agree that the potti is only used by the wife /women and kids on board. Strict rule no men.

This boat is roomy, is rated for up to 16 passegers although that would be impossible unless they are all midgets. Mine is dual outboards which is also nice. I have had this boat for 4 years now and I am very pleased with it.

Hurricane is known for its outboard powered deck boats. You should look closely at this brand. The SD2400 is also a gorgeous model.

jackd1023 · Feb 11, 2010

Re: deck boat recommendations please

I would personally look at the Chaparral sunesta, Has a real deep V, for the great lakes chop. all i/os i believe all the options you cold imagine,

deck boat recommendations please

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