Re: Best 7000# cruiser?
Buying a bigger boat & trailer it too? ( cruiser ).
My wife and I just went through this all last summer of 2010.
We went from a 19? open bow to a 25? pocket cruiser.
We wanted a boat big enough to sleep on and handle tougher water to and from wherever.
We ended up with a Four Winns 248 VISTA. I?m 6? tall and can stand up in the V-birth cabin. It has microwave, bath / shower combo, small fridge, stove, sink, AC and we bought a small space heater for it.
At this size the fridge is the only item that runs on 12 volts. The rest works at the dock while plugged in. You?ll have to get a bigger boat if you want a generator.
The longer the boat, the wider the boat, and more weight. Remember, all US States have limits on how wide you can travel on the roads and freeways. Our boat comes in at around 7000 lbs. including the trailer. A larger boat has larger gas tanks and holding tanks. The lbs. can really add up.
Our trailer has two axils, but only one has brakes on it. I would go with brakes on both axils next time. The trailer weighed in around 950 lbs.
At this size, 25? most are only one motor, at the 30? size most have two motors. Somewhere between there you have a choice of one or two motors. Here is how we looked at it. We don?t go off shore very much at all, and where we usually boat has lots of tow boats and CG Aux. around. No ocean boating ever. One motor is ok for us.
If you go farther off shore and /or not many tow boats around, I?d go with two motors. You can always limp back home on one motor if needed to. Two motors will use more gas and adds more weight also. Each V-8 is around 800 lbs. to 1000 lbs. or so, I think.
Ours came with the small V-8, 270 HP. Most of our cruising is around 20 or 25 mph, or so. This works well for us and uses less gas. If you?re the type that likes more speed and the gas mileage does not matter as much, stay with one motor but get the middle V-8. If you like speed, horse power and have more money for gas, go with the largest V-8?s and go for two of them, and have some fun.
Our boat will do around 43 mph or so. Not all dealers work on all brands of motors. Make sure your favorite dealer can work on what motor and options you buy.
Go with the full camper canvas. Have the dealer put it on for you and see if you can stand up all the way to the back. Some models the camper top slops down in the back. If you can?t stand up back there it is wasted space. Make sure it has screens and large enough windows to see around good. One all the way across the front above the windshield. One on each side and a good size window across the back. Can you stand up and drive with the canvas completely on, and see everywhere you want to?
Our hatch up front has a screen as well as all side windows and the door to go into the cabin like your porch door at home. There is also a solid door to the cabin. On those nights where it is just the right temp where you don't need the AC or heat, it is nice to sleep with the screens keeping out the bugs. ( no camper canvas up at the time either ).
The seat in the aft cockpit is like a big ?C? shape. We have filler cousins to make it almost a queen size bed. I?ve sleep out there many times with the canvas on and windows open for a nice breeze in the night.
Under the cousins we can stash duffle bags, coolers, extra life jackets, camera bags, etc. The dogs love that big bed while cruising around. They can see everything, except to the front. Some times they go under the seat to get out of the sun or to take a nap without being bothered by us walking around. They think they will miss something as we walk by.
It will sleep 4 adults somewhat comfortably. The V-birth is narrow at one end, that is because the bow is sort of pointy in the front. Daa! The rear birth is really big, like a king size bed, except it has a low ceiling. You can just about sit up straight back there. Well, lay down, it is for sleeping you know, right? I have slept back there a few times also. It is just fine. Kids love it back there like a fort, or little house.
If you are buying used, go to any dealer and find the boat you want. You can add options to used boats most of the time also. Like AC, heat, stereo, TV etc. Check the boat out really well, pay and have it surveyed and you will know what you are buying better. Once you buy the boat, you can have your favorite dealer do the maintenance, add options, etc.
If you are buying new, check out the dealer really well first, then look at the boat closes to what you want. The same boat a year newer or older might have a different floor plan. Ask the dealer what else he can get from other dealers if what you want is not on the lot at the time your looking.
We bought our little boat new ( 19? ) at Marine Max. They are a chain of dealers with about 80 Marine Max dealers throughout the US. There is a corporate office to complain to if needed. We never had a need to do that. If you travel and have a problem, you may not have to go far to get it fixed.
Our big boat ( 25? ) we bought used, it is what we wanted, but we will not go back to that same dealer again. It is a one owner dealer, and they slipped in a crappy old trailer on us and did not fix the things they said they would. Hatch lock, radio, V-bed, etc. They did not answer our calls and no reply to e-mails. No corp. office to complain to. After the sale, they are done with us.
I said a lot, but as soon as I end this I will think of more tips on buying a bigger cruiser boat.
If you come up with more questions, e-mail them to me and I?ll try and give you answers.
Lucky Dogs 2 ?
I'd like to consider something that's realistically less than 7000# loaded so I have room in the truck to pack the family & some gear (ie, for camping). What kind of boat would I be looking for? What length and style? I like the thought of a small cruiser that'd be suitable for ~8 people or possibly 4 of us over the weekend. 
