Best choice for recent cruiser in mid 30ft range?

I'm looking to buy a boat in the mid 30ft range that is a couple of years old (i.e., 2011) and want to know what the best boat would be? It would be used mostly in the bay waters of Miami for day-boating, but with an occasional weekend cruise. I'd like a boat that will be reliable & durable with low maintenance and depreciation. I'd also like it to have a joystick for easier docking.

Although, I'm not sure how they measure up, some of the boats that are in this class are the Regal 35 Sport Coupe, Formula 34 PC, SeaRay 350/355 Sundancer, Jeanneau Leader 10, Larson Cabrio 370 & Monterey 340SY. Of course, there might be other boats that should be on the list, that I've missed, so feel free to let me know if there is another I should consider.

I know this is a question that calls for competing opinions, but value this forums participants' opinions and know they will make choosing easier. Thank you all in advance for input.

Richard

Re: Best choice for recent cruiser in mid 30ft range?

I think in that class of boat they are all going to be pretty much the same. It will just be a Ford/Chevy type thing where it is which one do you like the best. If you buy a boat like that new, as I am sure you will know there will be a huge hit in value. not a big deal if you want new and plan on keeping the boat. I know you said used but boats like that tend to sell much slower than what most people have here. My 2013 Bayliner 255 sat on the dealer lot for about 6 months before I bought it. I was looking at Searays at Marine Max and they had a few new 2011 boats that were never sold. They slashed the price on them to get them off of the books. The searay I was looking at was 110K new (it was a 2011) and late 2012 they offered it to me for 78K with a trailer 74K without the trailer. You may want to check new unsold 2010/11/12 boats. The dealers tend to take the hit to move them.

If I had my choice on a boat that size I would go with Volvo over Mercruiser but like above I think that is a Ford/Chevy type thing. Both offer the joystick. Remember like any new relationship you will have little problems in the first 5 years or so then things are going to start to need attention. Just remember what ever you get spending the amount of money a boat that size costs get a proper survey. I would at the very least have the engine codes scanned to see if there are any issues.

With that said congrads on your upcoming boat. What ever you end up getting you will surly love it and enjoy your time on the boat.

Re: Best choice for recent cruiser in mid 30ft range?

agallant80 said:

It will just be a Ford/Chevy type thing

Click to expand...

But, a certain model Ford or Chevy may be more reliable and hold its value better, right? After all, in cars, there is so much information out there - like Consumer Reports that can tell you how reliable a car should be or Edmunds.com to give you a true cost of ownership (the cost to operate, insure, maintain and depreciation).

Re: Best choice for recent cruiser in mid 30ft range?

RichardLS said:

But, a certain model Ford or Chevy may be more reliable and hold its value better, right?

Click to expand...

Well, not really. An excellently maintained boat/power package of what some might consider to be a "second tier" brand has a better chance of holding its value than the best of names.

Boats by nature will decline in value not appreciate hence the term for:
Break
Out
Another
Thousand

Since you are looking at a size where twin engines will be the norm, really your best best is to start talking with the owner, dealers and brokers at the local marinas to see what the choices really are at that location which may be totally different than say here in SoCal.

Mark

Re: Best choice for recent cruiser in mid 30ft range?

MarkSee said:

An excellently maintained boat/power package of what some might consider to be a "second tier" brand has a better chance of holding its value than the best of names.

Click to expand...

Mark, thank you for your reply.

Generally speaking, you think a comparably maintained "'second tier' brand" than a "first tier" one? I was under the impression that some of the first tier boats have a greater first year depreciation, but if you are buying used that comparably maintained first tier boats should hold their value better. Is this not accurate?

And, of course boats (like cars) are typically depreciating assets. So, it's not a question of not depreciating, but trying to minimize it (and the other costs of boat ownership).

Thanks again for the input. I look forward to more...

Re: Best choice for recent cruiser in mid 30ft range?

Richard, what is your boating experience? I'm a bit surprised that you haven't looked closely at any yet or formed any opinions on what you prefer. Which boat(s) has/have the power, interior, amenities and liveability that you want?

In the I/O world, your choice is Mercruiser or Volvo-Penta. Like agallant said, it's Ford vs. Chevy. I've had V-P on 2 boats, but that's mostly because the boats I wanted came with 'em. I like my V-P's, but nothing wrong with a Bravo, either.

If you're looking for general observations, mine would be that in that size class, my preference would be diesel (not gas) inboards (not I/O's).

My .02

Re: Best choice for recent cruiser in mid 30ft range?

This is where you would need to step back and do some analysis on what you are looking to do with your purchase.

Keep it for say 3 years or keep it for 10+ years?

A 5 year old twin in the mid-30 foot range can easily go over $200k depending on the propulsion, electronics, popularity, supply/demand etc.

If I were looking at a boat that size/price, I would be looking at it for a long-term purchase not something to trade in a few years.

Hence the results of the mechanicals and hull surveys would be on the forefront of my list, along with layout, not the specific brand.
I would gladly buy a comparably equipped and maintained second tier boat and save $50k over a tier 1 name any day.
That $50k will buy a lot of fuel and maintenance.

Doing an assessment of your situation with what you might want the end goal to be, where you're going to spend your time and what's available in that market may be the place to start instead of trying to narrow down brands.

Back in the mid-80's, the guy I bought my Sea Ray 210 cuddy from wanted to upgrade to a 37 footish Bertram. He couldn't find a decent deal anywhere on the West Coast. He found what he wanted at the right price in Florida, had it shipped and commissioned it here in Newport Beach and saved himself thousands by not buying locally. He decided what he wanted then went in search of how to get exactly what he wanted and the price he wanted to pay.

Mark

Re: Best choice for recent cruiser in mid 30ft range?

Slip Away said:

Odd that a buyer willing to spend that much cash ($200K+) does not even have a preference as to
which boats/builders he likes. Seems to me, I would find the boat I liked best, then ask specific
questions about the choice. I guess it's a "different strokes" thing in todays' world.

Click to expand...

Seems to me he is doing exactly what he should do. Some research before he starts looking. Nothing worse than going on a lot with absolutely no knowlege of anything. Especially if he is a new boater.

Granted, I do not have a 30 plus footer, but when I started looking I already knew quite a bit about boats. You get as much info as you can before you go look, then you go pick something nobody ever even mentioned. LOL.

The fact is that most boats nowadays are built similar. Yeah, the amenities are differant, some built a bit strudier, but the guts are the same. The key is to take it out on the water and see if you can live with it. I have had Mercruiser Alphas on the last 2 boats. I have been happy with them. If maintained they will last. I am assuming that at that size, your boat will have Bravos, so even better. My buddy has a Volvo, and has had to put a 3 trim pumps in within 3 years. I think it is because his switch keeps getting stuck, but the drive itself is strong, so I wouldnt worry about it.

Looking at a boat on the showroom floor, all boats are stable. Put them in the water and they all have differant characteristics. So make sure you take it on the water. Stop in the water and walk around. Feel how stable it is. Will it work for your boating? Make a list of what is important to you. Pick 2 or 3 models you like, and pick the best deal.

Like has been discussed, Ford vs Chevy, although it might be Ford vs Chevy vs Toyota vs Hyundai in this case. It seems like the more expensive the boat, the more they lose in value too. When I was looking, a 2 year old bowrider didnt matter if it was a Bayliner or a Sea Ray, all seemed to be pretty close in price used, within $4k to $5k of eachother, but huge differance new.

I looked for the most boat for the least amount of money, and have been very happy with it.

Re: Best choice for recent cruiser in mid 30ft range?

JoLin said:

The reason I questioned Richard's boating experience. Sounds to me like a new boater. I do wish he'd come back- we aren't coming down on you, Richard.

Click to expand...

I have been boating for more than 25 years and most recently had the unlimited use of a absent owner's Sunseeker Portofino 40 that I maintained in their absence for several years.

I simply thought it would be better to get others' thoughts/input prior to taking the time to look. After all, aren't I better off having as much knowledge possible while looking instead of reaching a less educated preference? If I decided I liked a certain boat and then was told by many of you that they were poorly made and likely to cause significant issue or resale problems, I'd be kicking myself and wondering why I didn't ask for feedback on the front end.

I appreciate that this is much of a chicken/egg conversation, but for the way I think, I like to have as much information before I embark on something like this.

Re: Best choice for recent cruiser in mid 30ft range?

Bubba1235 said:

Some will disagree but I think you would be hard pressed to find a better boat than a Bayliner for the money. Do NOT think today's Bayliners are the same low quailty boat they were 30 years ago.

EDIT: As a side note, the "look and layout" of the newer Bayliners is second to none. I still say they do a better job of using available space than just about anyone.

Click to expand...

I'm with you there. The Bayliner 285 is the ONLY express cruiser under about 33', that has cabin space and 'camping' accommodations roughly equal to my 16 year old, 27' Four Winns. None of the others are really equipped for weekending anymore. They're set up pretty well for selling generators, tho...

Re: Best choice for recent cruiser in mid 30ft range?

Hi, Richard. Thing is... none of them are 'bad boats.' They all use powertrains from the same couple of manufacturers, as well as toilets, galley equipment, air conditioners, etc., etc. In other words, we won't be able to give you much general advice, because the general advice is... boats in the same price range are all pretty similar. You might want to browse the manufacturers' websites and start zeroing in on the ones that look good to you.

A second issue you'll find on this particular forum is that we just don't have many 'big boat' guys here. Heck, mine doesn't even have a genny!

My only bit of advice has already been posted- if I planned on dropping a ton of cash on a boat I planned to keep, I'd be looking at diesel powered inboards first.

My .02

Re: Best choice for recent cruiser in mid 30ft range?

Bubba1235 said:

Some will disagree but I think you would be hard pressed to find a better boat than a Bayliner for the money. Do NOT think today's Bayliners are the same low quailty boat they were 30 years ago.

Click to expand...

I might be living in the past. I've always thought of Bayliners as lacking quality durable construction, while looking good and being less expensive as a result of cutting corners in quality of manufacturing and components.

Re: Best choice for recent cruiser in mid 30ft range?

JoLin said:

You might want to browse the manufacturers' websites and start zeroing in on the ones that look good to you.

Click to expand...

Although I was short on time, I did take a quick look at some of these boats at the Miami Beach Boat Show on Monday. If they are all "pretty similar," based on looks and online research I'd start looking for a used Regal 35 Sport Coupe. You can see a video review of the boat here: 35BoatingReview on Vimeo

Re: Best choice for recent cruiser in mid 30ft range?

Some edits here, guess some members have bigger feet than I.

Regal 35 SC is a nice boat. I was on one at the boat show last Sunday. Very nice layout and fit and finish. See what you think about the Monterey boats, I have
been extremely happy with both our cruiser and bowrider we have owned. Their customer serivce is also outstanding. No comment on B-liner from me.:joyous:

Re: Best choice for recent cruiser in mid 30ft range?

JoLin said:

in that size class, my preference would be diesel (not gas) inboards (not I/O's).

Click to expand...

MarkSee said:

That $50k will buy a lot of fuel and maintenance.

Click to expand...

The difference in the cost of a similarly equipped diesel and gas boat in this size range is probably near Mark's number. To help clarify my upcoming comment, I have been in the diesel engine business my entire 30+ year career. I love them, breathe them, lust for them. I like the smell, the sound, the heft, the look, I drool over turbochargers and a decent idle rattle makes me all fuzzy inside. But . . . most pleasure craft owner's fuel use will never pay back the investment, so to me diesel is an emotional decision not an economic one most of the time. If you run a boat 8 hours a day, I feel 100% the opposite. But other than safety it is hard for most recreational boaters to make the case.

Re: Best choice for recent cruiser in mid 30ft range?

10/9/12: Brunswick Boat Group announced Tuesday that it will stop building and selling Bayliner cruisers in the United States so the brand can focus on its core bowrider and deckboat models, as well as new categories, such as the jetboat segment.

Click to expand...

Link

Re: Best choice for recent cruiser in mid 30ft range?

Not to hijack the thread too badly, but Bayliner has moved all their equipment out of the plant, and it is now in Brazil. US production of B-liner cruisers stopped months ago. Brunswick also has Cabo and Hatteras up for sale, as they are getting out of the Sport Fish business. Also, the Knoxville plant has been closed(where B-liner's were made) and employees (200+) have been let go.

Link 2

Yes you can still find some closeout specials on existing B-Liner cruiser inventory here in the US for attractive pricing.

Re: Best choice for recent cruiser in mid 30ft range?

Exactly what I said. Go to the dealers, or even private owners with amunition. Knowlege is the key to finding a nice boat.

Re: Best choice for recent cruiser in mid 30ft range?

I was aboard the new Sea Ray, Regal coupe and Jeauneau at the boat show. The only one that really stood out was the Jeauneau. The Regal and Sea Ray weren't bad by any means, but just kind of blah and normal. The Jeauneau seemed to have some innovative design ideas that might have worked well in application.

I think your on a good path in doing some research first, I'm just thinking this site might be more geared towards do-it-yourself type guys with smaller cheaper boats than is being discussed. It doesn't discount their opinions, but I don't think you will find many if any owners of those particular boats.

Re: Best choice for recent cruiser in mid 30ft range?

25thmustang said:

I was aboard the new Sea Ray, Regal coupe and Jeauneau at the boat show. The only one that really stood out was the Jeauneau. The Regal and Sea Ray weren't bad by any means, but just kind of blah and normal. The Jeauneau seemed to have some innovative design ideas that might have worked well in application.

I think your on a good path in doing some research first, I'm just thinking this site might be more geared towards do-it-yourself type guys with smaller cheaper boats than is being discussed. It doesn't discount their opinions, but I don't think you will find many if any owners of those particular boats.

Click to expand...

+1 from what I noticed this site has more people with a DIY thing going on. I think it would be interesting to see how many people on this site have large boats. Is there anyway we can start a poll?