25 FT BR to 30+ Cabin Cruiser....experiences?

I currently have a 1997 Crownline 248 BR, 7.4 Liter, Bravo III... awesome boat and we use it A LOT in the short MN summer! It is in mint condition and in better condition than most 10 years newer. We will have new baby next year and the idea of upgrading to a 30+ foot cabin cruiser is an idea I have been playing with. Here are some of the reasons for each.

Pro Keeping the Crownline:
1) Paid off.
2) Great condition, nothing needs replaced, just put an awesome stereo and light system in it.
3) Easy to clean, maintain
4) I have a it at a private (friend) dock and the access is easy, if I upgrade to a bigger boat, i may have to pay for a much larger slip at a marina.
5) Easy of taking it out for just an hour if I want.
6) I am not handy at all and more systems (plus two engines) freaks me out a bit with paying for maintanence.

Pros for Upgrading to Cabin Cruiser:
1) Sleeping overnight with little kids and family/friends
2) Can stay out longer with kids (if they get tired they can just go take a nap)
3) We live 15 min from the St. Croix so we can easily stay overnight whenever we want
4) Summer camping on the beaches with kids and friends sounds like the dream
5) Different boating lifestyle

I am looking at the 1998 330 Sundancers on craigslist for about $45,000. I am just wondering if the extra cost (fuel, maintanence of systems and more boat) is worth it in the long run. I know this is a very personal question and no one can really make the decision for me but I just wanna know if someone else has done this move. My wife and I love boating and the idea of spending weekends camping out with friends just sounds awesome. Just wondering if this is big of a move is worth the extra money.

THANKS!

Re: 25 FT BR to 30+ Cabin Cruiser....experiences?

Lets see in Feb of this year I did a 21 foot bowrider to a 25 foot cruiser. There is good and bad.

The bad.
More fuel
No water sports
More of a project to take the boat out
Feel like I need to spend the night on the boat instead of just taking it out for a day
Less space for company (no open bow, just the cockpit to hang out in)
More systems to break (hot water heater, A/C, fans, stove, microwave, electric)
Needed bigger rig to tow boat with
Went from $300 payment to $600
More stress, breaking down on a lake is one thing breaking down on the ocean is another. I have not broken down yet but the fear is there


The good:
2nd home tax writeoff
Get to explore places that I could never go to before
I can spend the night/weekend on the boat
I have a nice place to stay on the water

Lessons learned:
Wish I got a built in generator but its not the end of the world.
Wish I got the larger motor
Wish I got a better trailer
Wish I spent the 15K more on the 28 instead of the 25.
I dont like coastal boating as much as I thought I would. The coast of North Carolina is no Chesapeake Bay

I have to say all and all I feel kinda meh about it. I never get to use it as much as I would like. The wife likes it but she is not like me who could spend every weekend on it. I feel like I have to use it to get my $600/month worth of boating. I know the bad list is much longer than the good list but keep in mind those goods count for allot(see blog link in my signature, good times). I did tell the wife we are going to hold on to it for next year and if I feel like I am not getting the use out of it that I would like its going to the glue factory and we are going to get a 24 foot Yamaha and I will start wake boarding.

Re: 25 FT BR to 30+ Cabin Cruiser....experiences?

agallant80 said:

Lets see in Feb of this year I did a 21 foot bowrider to a 25 foot cruiser. There is good and bad.

I never get to use it as much as I would like. The wife likes it but she is not like me who could spend every weekend on it. I feel like I have to use it to get my $600/month worth of boating. I know the bad list is much longer than the good list but keep in mind those goods count for allot(see blog link in my signature, good times). I did tell the wife we are going to hold on to it for next year and if I feel like I am not getting the use out of it that I would like its going to the glue factory and we are going to get a 24 foot Yamaha and I will start wake boarding.

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I recently did 32' to 17' to fish the backwaters and then to a 21' cuddy to get back into the ocean. I never had the payment blues as always paid cash for toys but enjoyed nights on the hook in the ICW or Atlantic. TRUE, the NC coast is not like the Bay-- but a 25'er can get out on the ocean many days and the ICW every day. Those dual engine maintenance costs are no longer missed by me.

Re: 25 FT BR to 30+ Cabin Cruiser....experiences?

Welcome to iboats! I see the boating 'lifestyle' as a journey. A different boat gives you the opportunity to try different things. If/when you get tired of the 30', or decide cruising isn't your cup of tea you can downsize. In the meantime, you've experienced another variation of the lifestyle. I've gone from 21' to 24' to 27'. A few years down the road I won't be able to keep the current boat any longer. I'll either have to downsize or move on to a new hobby. No regrets- we've had a blast.

There's no practical justification for a bigger boat, just as there's no practical justification for a boat in the first place. If it's something you can afford and want to try you should try it. You can't make lifelong memories from the things you didn't do.

My .02

Re: 25 FT BR to 30+ Cabin Cruiser....experiences?

I still think for me its money well spent it just adds another level of reasons I should be on the boat.

Re: 25 FT BR to 30+ Cabin Cruiser....experiences?

SkiPharmer said:

I currently have a 1997 Crownline 248 BR, 7.4 Liter, Bravo III... awesome boat and we use it A LOT in the short MN summer! It is in mint condition and in better condition than most 10 years newer. We will have new baby next year and the idea of upgrading to a 30+ foot cabin cruiser is an idea I have been playing with. Here are some of the reasons for each.

Pro Keeping the Crownline:
1) Paid off.
2) Great condition, nothing needs replaced, just put an awesome stereo and light system in it.
3) Easy to clean, maintain
4) I have a it at a private (friend) dock and the access is easy, if I upgrade to a bigger boat, i may have to pay for a much larger slip at a marina.
5) Easy of taking it out for just an hour if I want.
6) I am not handy at all and more systems (plus two engines) freaks me out a bit with paying for maintanence.

Pros for Upgrading to Cabin Cruiser:
1) Sleeping overnight with little kids and family/friends
2) Can stay out longer with kids (if they get tired they can just go take a nap)
3) We live 15 min from the St. Croix so we can easily stay overnight whenever we want
4) Summer camping on the beaches with kids and friends sounds like the dream
5) Different boating lifestyle

I am looking at the 1998 330 Sundancers on craigslist for about $45,000. I am just wondering if the extra cost (fuel, maintanence of systems and more boat) is worth it in the long run. I know this is a very personal question and no one can really make the decision for me but I just wanna know if someone else has done this move. My wife and I love boating and the idea of spending weekends camping out with friends just sounds awesome. Just wondering if this is big of a move is worth the extra money.

THANKS!

Click to expand...

Well all I can say is you rarely see anyone down sizing when it comes to boats. We owned 19 different boats over a 53 year period, yes we had the 2ft it is. We raised our kids on the water and loved every minute of it.
Do it, you will never regret it, especially if your wife loves boating also.
I would strongly consider an aft cabin as you will have a little more privacy when staying overnites.

Re: 25 FT BR to 30+ Cabin Cruiser....experiences?

I'm in a similar situation. Right now I have a 22 foot bowrider and I know than within the next two years I plan on replacing it with something larger. I definitely want a head, and after spending more time on the water I think I am ready to step up to a cruiser, and I am faced with the some of the same pros/cons.

We don't do any water sports, I have a wake board and a tube, neither of which have been used in over a year. We tend to cruise the river, raft up with others, or just sit on the hook by ourselves, and we're thinking a small cruiser would fit our needs perfectly. I'm also wanting to make the boat more of a weekend activity and not just a day activity and having the ability to camp right on the boat (with a toilet and shower) makes it sounds pretty appealing.

Re: 25 FT BR to 30+ Cabin Cruiser....experiences?

TimBobCom said:

I'm in a similar situation. Right now I have a 22 foot bowrider and I know than within the next two years I plan on replacing it with something larger. I definitely want a head, and after spending more time on the water I think I am ready to step up to a cruiser, and I am faced with the some of the same pros/cons.

We don't do any water sports, I have a wake board and a tube, neither of which have been used in over a year. We tend to cruise the river, raft up with others, or just sit on the hook by ourselves, and we're thinking a small cruiser would fit our needs perfectly. I'm also wanting to make the boat more of a weekend activity and not just a day activity and having the ability to camp right on the boat (with a toilet and shower) makes it sounds pretty appealing.

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I have moved from a 17ft Hydrostream to a 20 ft Wellcraft CC, 26ft Wellcraft express, 31ft Chris Craft CC to a 34ft Silverton COnvertible....I love the overnights, a/c in the summer, and the ability to cruise anywhere and be self sufficient. Yes there is more maintenance on 2 motors but washing down after a long day is quicker as you dont have the bottom to clean or a trailer to clean. The added expense over my 31ft cc is marginal....

Re: 25 FT BR to 30+ Cabin Cruiser....experiences?

I did the jump like you are debating. I love the cruiser and spend many many nights on it. I have a partner on the boat who has a 1 year old. IMO If you want to continue boating with an infant the cruiser is the way to go. An on-board generator is a must. When out on the water the baby can be put downstairs in the AC for a nap and mom and dad enjoy themselves upstairs with a baby monitor. On the water with the motion of the boat and the soft hum of the generator that kid will nap for 3 hours, the Mom starts asking when we can cove out about 5 minutes after breakfast. (Obviously read about generators on the water, make sure your Carbon Monoxide detectors are up to date, we added a new one about 2 feet from where the baby sleeps for peace of mind).

The big drawback, it is a LOT more expensive. I mean exponentially more expensive than your basic runabout. Fuel, maintenance, all of it just costs a lot more. Cruisers have more that can go wrong. I'm fairly handy and seem to frequently doing small repairs to different systems (last weekend the A/C quit, sucked up some derbies and was easily fixed by back flushing, before that the toilet clogged, before that the generator would shut down). Money wise the maintenance hasn't been very expensive, but I've done it all myself.

I do miss the ease and portability of a runabout. I still have one and do use it from time to time. On our lake my 19.5 footer can't handle the water on the weekends so it's very limited. I do really enjoy the water sports still.

Re: 25 FT BR to 30+ Cabin Cruiser....experiences?

We did the 20ft. cuddy to 28 ft cruiser to 31ft. cruiser. Had cruiser's for 8 years. last year downsized to a 20ft. bowrider and traded in the 31ft. cruiser.
The times we had on the cruiser were memorable as far as family time, staying overnight on the boat and friends we met at the marina's. The expense of
slip fees, maintenance and storage costs were not so memorable. The $4k we spent on slip,storage and maintenance is being put to better use in our opinion
with traveling to different lakes, staying in nice resorts,hotels and cottages. It also buys plenty of boat gas for 20 footer.

With small kids, and a wallet that can afford the expense, a cruiser is an acceptable way to spend your boat bucks. If you can do it, go for it while you can.
You can always get out of it when circumstances or needs/wants change.

Re: 25 FT BR to 30+ Cabin Cruiser....experiences?

I will bet even with a boat that is kid friendly a new born and boating are a tough mix, and most, not all , but most just wont use the boat regardless of what you buy. That's a bunch of "change" and cash to see if it will work out and be used. Have you ever camped with an infant? spent the weekend on the water with one? Will your wife really be OK with this type of situation or will she want to be at home that first year (or two) then jump back into the boating world? I think I know what most moms would do, and it has nothing to do with boating. Like you said it really is a personal choice.

I would keep what you have and accept the fact that you will not be on the water quite as much for that first year. Chasing a boat that might fit the future is a tough position to be in, but paid for and convenience are really high on my list when boating. If you had already planned on upgrading, then this will be easy to justify, but I personally wouldn't upgrade just to accommodate the new size of family.

Re: 25 FT BR to 30+ Cabin Cruiser....experiences?

greenbush future said:

I will bet even with a boat that is kid friendly a new born and boating are a tough mix, and most, not all , but most just wont use the boat regardless of what you buy. That's a bunch of "change" and cash to see if it will work out and be used. Have you ever camped with an infant? spent the weekend on the water with one? Will your wife really be OK with this type of situation or will she want to be at home that first year (or two) then jump back into the boating world? I think I know what most moms would do, and it has nothing to do with boating. Like you said it really is a personal choice.

I would keep what you have and accept the fact that you will not be on the water quite as much for that first year. Chasing a boat that might fit the future is a tough position to be in, but paid for and convenience are really high on my list when boating. If you had already planned on upgrading, then this will be easy to justify, but I personally wouldn't upgrade just to accommodate the new size of family.

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As the owner of the boat without the kid. I agree, wait till they are a little older. Boating weekends are tough on the parents and Mom stays home a lot. The amount of stuff required for an infant amazes me. It's a good thing I pack in a backpack when the baby comes. The baby is also incredibly easy to have around, much easier than your average baby, and it's still a lot of work for the parents.

I have another friend that has a cruiser and they use it much more now that their little girl is 3 going on 4.

Re: 25 FT BR to 30+ Cabin Cruiser....experiences?

While some have done the baby on a boat thing successfully, it sounds like a tremendous hassle to me. I have 3 children but didn't get a boat until the youngest was 7 so I can't speak directly to that point but I can say that putting a baby in the mix complicates life in ways that you haven't even imagined yet. In a few years the baby and possible siblings will be interested in water sports where your current boat would be better anyway.

Re: 25 FT BR to 30+ Cabin Cruiser....experiences?

Have a 30ft now and would like to go to 40 but anything over 30 you become dependent on storage facility's and marina's.
Remember the bigger you go there's more expense and work. So in conclusion i am staying at 30ft. It's still tow-able even if it's a little wide.