Boat Shopping Help

[SteveRay]

Need some help, insight or whatever ya wanna call it looking for a newer boat. Wife and are are trying to get the biggest baot fro money and towing. Looking at a '06 220 Four Winns with a 5.0GXI/SX combo....Asking 29900. Was willing to offer 25 OTD....
Anyway some of the other brands we were looking at were Monterey 214FS, Regals 2200 or 2000, Sea Ray Sundeck, Chaparral 210, and a Crownline.
Thoughts insight? Thanks a bunch guys

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Boat Shopping Help

Question #1: What do you have for a tow vehicle? If you don't have one, what do feel you can live with? That question is asked because too often people buy a boat and then find out they don't have a tow vehicle capable of towing it. Yes -- the sales guy/gal will tell you anything you want to hear in that regard.

 

[Jdubb16]

Re: Boat Shopping Help

I have been shopping basically the same circle of boats as you and I went with the Chap 210. I am negotiating a great deal on an 08. You could look at a new 07, they are trying to dump them and I had a fully loaded Chap 210 new off the showroom floor for $29000 including everything (taxes, fees, registration, coast gaurd kit, life jackets, extended warranty).

Let them know you are looking at competitors.

Jon

 

[orion25]

Re: Boat Shopping Help

Also, what do you intend to use the boat for and how many people will you have aboard at any given time? If you plan on water sports with 4 people your requirements will be a lot different than if you want to overnight on occasion and carry 8 people while tubing at other times.............

 

[SteveRay]

Re: Boat Shopping Help

I have an '06 Tacoma with tow package rated at 6500#. It is just my wife and I with plans of a little one in the future...No huge loads at all. We rarely do water sports but like the option since a bigger boat will allow us to bring friends that can't fit on our previous boat...

That being said the admiral love the four winns 220 which I found used 06 with 5.7 GXi SX for 28900 which he said was negotiable......Like to get it below 25!
I also have found Sundecks around here but they are 200's...the 220 is too much for my Tacoma. The Sundecks all seem to have the 4.3 MPI which seems a bit small for that boat.

Any pro's and cons to either? It seems like a battle of openess vs seating....HELP

I also really like the Chap's, Crownlines and especially the Montery 214FS

 

[KCook]

Re: Boat Shopping Help

The openess of a design without the traditional sunpad is a plus for boat camping and entertaining. For watersports with a single family I don't think there is anything wrong with the old sunpad. The extra storage under the sunpad can be handy. Even though the cockpit room ends up a little less.

Used boat shopping is an exercise in patience!
Kelly Cook

 

[luckyinkentucky]

Re: Boat Shopping Help

I would go with a Crownline if you can afford one. I sold them for 6 years, and they are some nice boats for the money. In the Crownline boats you really get what you pay for. I like to compare them with the Cadillac of the auto industry. You have a lot of luxury items on board that hold up to weathering well, you ride smoothly, and you never have to take them to the shop.

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: Boat Shopping Help

Thats a lot of boat for a Tacoma.Make sure whatever you buy has trailer brakes!
The Tacoma can pull the weight but that short of wheelbase may cause problems.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Boat Shopping Help

Steve -- I have some good news and some bad news. The good news is that the Tacoma is a nice truck. The bad news is that it does not have a 6500# towing capacity. That truck requires the 4.0 V6 for maximum towing capacity which according to the Toyota web site is 3500# not 6500. You are up in big truck territory with 6500# loads. That load behind your Tacoma is a classic "tail wagging the dog" scenario. That said, check the boat weights carefully, add the weight of the trailer, fuel, batteries, and gear and you will find yourself at or over the 3500# tow limit.

 

[AguaSki]

Re: Boat Shopping Help

That truck requires the 4.0 V6 for maximum towing capacity which according to the Toyota web site is 3500# not 6500. You are up in big truck territory with 6500# loads.

I agree that the Tacoma seems a little small for the boats being considered, but the Trailer Boats Magazine towing database shows a Tacoma that can tow 6,500 pounds. I think anything over 19 feet should be towed by a full size vehicle.

I have pasted a link to the database, but I am not sure if the link will work. If the link does not work, then go to the Trailer Boats Magazine website.

http://www.trailerboats.com/towrati...e=Toyota&model=tacoma&min_tlimit=&max_tlimit=

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Boat Shopping Help

Just the Access Cab version is rated for 6500. Since all the others are rated 3500 I wonder what's special about the Access Cab that allows doubling the tow capacity. Tow ratings have become so rediculous these days it's no wonder people have horror stories about their towing problems.

 

[SteveRay]

Re: Boat Shopping Help

Actually I have the V6 4.0L equipped with towing package, class IV hitch, oil cooler, tranney cooler and the double cab is in fact rated at 6500# according to the website.
Trailer boats magazine did a test towing a 200 Sea Ray Select, thus named the Tacoma Tow vehicle of the Year for that size.....I understand about the wheelbase etc.
Am I missing something about the towing capacity?......Calling Toyota NOW!

 

[SteveRay]

Re: Boat Shopping Help

It is in fact 6500#.....You guys made me nervous


Any more info on boats? Going to look at a 200 Sundeck with 4.3MPI 2005 with 27hrs. tandem trailer, brakes 26K asking

 

[Willyclay]

Re: Boat Shopping Help

If momma ain't happy, nobody is gonna be happy!

 

[craig stevens]

Re: Boat Shopping Help

i currently own a 96 four winns 205 sundowner and have helped others with newer ones. i would stay clear of them and regret buying mine. there electrical is a farce. pour grade non marine wire. thin rear ends, windows dont seal for long and there trailers are a nightmare, mines been completly rebuilt twice.

 

[SteveRay]

Re: Boat Shopping Help

Craig....interesting viewpoint.....
I just realized that the 220 I was going to look at has the 5.0GXi /sx combo and not the 5.7 I thought it had.

 

[OhWellcraft]

Re: Boat Shopping Help

SteveRay, my brother in law whom I boat with quite often bought a Larson 22.5' lxi open bow, so far it has been a very nice boat. It has a very well thought out interior and a 11 person capacity which is huge for that size boat. It has the 350 mag with a duoprop plenty of grunt even when the boat is loaded. It will do 55mph easy here in utah at 4500' altitude which is pretty good in my book. I don't know what props are on it speed or power but it will yank out two of us on slaloms or cruise nicely when not skiing. Even though it is an open bow, the back U shaped bench seat is multi purpose. You can set a small table up and seat 5-6 easily or you can fill in the center of the U and make it in to a nice sized bed. All the acc. stow away under the engine cover and well out of the way. Plus there are coolers under the end seats that are actually good coolers that will keep ice well. Not saying any of the other boats you are looking at are not great rides just throwing another one out there that is pretty nice as well plus the lines of it are very appealing. Nice trailer with a swingaway tongue makes storage easier. It is three years old and he paid about what you are looking to spend for it it only had 128 hrs on it (if you believe the guage).