Best and worse manufacturers???

[GXL205 Deke]

Re: Best and worse manufacturers???

I concur with JD Power
http://www.jdpower.com/Boats/ratings/small-runabout-(16%E2%80%9319-ft.)-ratings
http://www.jdpower.com/Boats/ratings/large-runabout-(20%E2%80%9329-ft.)-ratings

I don't buy into anything JDPowers has to say. I listen to other boaters directly. Read many sources, and do a little old fashioned research and make an informed decision. I believe strongly that if you buy a reputable major manufacturer and "actually" really do all the necessary maintenance in its entirety you will get long life from most any serious boat you invest in whether it be a high end, mid tier or a value tier boat. Just my 2 cents.

 

[SSScout]

Re: Best and worse manufacturers???

I've owned several boats, and my Scout is great! Looking to upgrade to a Flats Boat, and the Scout Costa is highly probable, but looking for feedback.

 

[northernmerc]

Re: Best and worse manufacturers???

The last time I went boat shopping for a fiberglass boat was in 1992. After looking at dozens of brands, we bought a SeaRay 4.3 litre. At the time, we were told that the SeaRay was the "Cadillac" of boats. It certainly had a heavier hull, nicer lines, and a higher quality interior than anything else we looked at.

It was money well spent as the boat is still almost like new. That was just after the big restyle, when SeaRay went to the curved windshield and sleeker design. People still come up to us and comment on the "new boat." Of course, keeping it in a garage when not in use helps a lot. Even the nicest boat will look like **** in a few years if left to sit outside all the time.

 

[northernmerc]

Re: Best and worse manufacturers???

PS - IMO, other high quality boats in the twenty foot or smaller size range include Larson and Glastron.

The worst and ugliest boat I have ever seen is something called a Glascon. I haven't seen one for a while and hope they don't make them anymore.

 

[spudshaft]

Re: Best and worse manufacturers???

Where are the Ebbtides? Looking at 2440 open bow. If you go to ebbtideboats website and listen to "Words from the President" it is pretty convincing. I have also heard others compare them to Cobalts and Sea Rays.
What do the my fellow foot soldiers think or know about these?

I have, but I am trying to unload it, a 1982 Eddtide Catalina. Great boats. In 1982 at least, they were still full of wood. I don't really want to sell it, but the deck is super rotted. I can walk on the deck and gas shoots out of the fill tube. I guess I could fix it, but I am leaning toward letting it go.

 

[HollaGeo]

Re: Best and worse manufacturers???

There are soooooooooooooooooo many boat companies; past and present. You can't answer this question.

 

[RickJ6956]

Re: Best and worse manufacturers???

Well, in this market, one of the most important things to know is how solvent the company is.

Stay away from Genmar Marine, a collection of numerous boat makers. They are so far in debt, many companies are going down the tubes forever. Big names... like Wellcraft, Seaswirl, Four Winns, Hydra Sports, Glastron, Triumph and many more.

Genmar is so bad, and debt is so high, bankruptcy might not help.


Here are some of the brands: http://www.genmar.com/brands.cfm

Your information is about 4 months out of date. Genmar and most of the brands were purchased by another company that intends to maintain all of the brands and keep the factories open. The remaining two brands that weren't part of the deal (Carver and Marquis) were purchased by Irwin Jacobs. Jacobs ran Genmar for 33 years prior to the recession that caused the bankruptcy.

In any case, this means that all of the brands will continue -- and they are some of the top-quality names on the market. Also, as others have said, the current state of a company can't affect the quality of products that were sold in years past.

 

[QC]

Re: Best and worse manufacturers???

Your information is about 4 months out of date.

Yeah, and his post is 5 months old . . .

 

[GXL205 Deke]

Re: Best and worse manufacturers???

Come to think of it, I have never heard anyone bash a well cared for, frequently used boat of any brand in here. It seem to always be somebody from the outside looking in.

 

[91kuhndog]

Re: Best and worse manufacturers???

I must pipe in on this topic. I have two boats, a Scout Dorado 222 with a 250 Yamadog on the back. My beast is a 1992 McKee 14' w/ a 70 Johnson. Let me say this.....the best boat on the water is the one you just dropped a buttload of money on, PERIOD! That's why you bought it. If your shopping for a used boat, look for a boat that's been propery maintained, covered or stored inside, and has not had structural repais made to it. I read one post that said McKee's are cheap.....and I laugh. A lot of the smaller boats are built using the same materials, just priced toward different markets. Here's my 2 cents. If your going to run in salt water, stay away from the inboard/outboards. Stick with an outboard, cost a little more to run but a lot less to repair. If you doubt me, just ask your local dealer what a set of exhaust risers cost to replace. You'll replace those every 2-3 years. My opinion...One of the prettiest boats on the market (and extremely well built) is a newer boat called a Pioneer. Their built in South Carolina and I've been told they have close ties to Scout and Key West Boats. All three of those brands are worthy of ownership. I'd buy another Scout Dorado in heartbeat!

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Best and worse manufacturers???

A lot of people don't like Bayliners, never have figured out why. I've owned a couple and they have been good boats at a great value.

 

[wbc1957]

Re: Best and worse manufacturers???

The topic has already covered the fact that most brands use the same engine designs. Therefore, the key is in the quality and design of the boat builder's product to make it destinctive, lasting in quality, functional, and reliable. The best way to find that answer is to look at the boat these manufacturers have in use after 10, 20, and 30+ years. These boats are the benchmark of what quality is all about. Saying that an owner would trash a Cobalt just as easily as a Bayliner, is just not true. The fact that the price difference is extreme, keeps the majority of lazy idiots away from the quality. Granted, I own an '82 Cobalt CS7, one of the older quality boats, but the fact still remains that the older boats still in use reflect the quality of the line. Just my honest opinion. Bill

 

[Kracken]

Re: Best and worse manufacturers???

When I was out looking for a boat 7 years ago I came to the conclusion, I like all boats. That is probably why I spend so much time on this horribly addictive site. Boats all have their positives and their negatives. Some fit my needs some don?t, and just because a boat doesn?t fit my person needs doesn?t make it a bad boat. While there were many boats that fit my needs, the boat I purchased had one thing that was most important to me; a lifetime warranty on the hull, stringers, floor and transom.

To answer the question: What is the best boat? One needs to identify what are the most important things to the buyer.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Best and worse manufacturers???

Most people wouldn't know a good quality boat from a bad quality boat if the good quality boat walked up and introduced itself to them.

Cooler and fish boxes that drain into the bilge Hatches that do not seal or don't have drains in them. Zinc or plastic hardware instead of SS.

Tear the deck up. Is the underside of the deck fully encapsulated? Is every square inch of the inside hull encapsulated in epoxy? How are the stringers tied into the hull?

None of this matters one bit to someone who's only qualification of a good boat is that its shinny, seat 5 passengers and attracts females. To a purest, anything less than the best in construction and materials is not acceptable.

 

[Andy'sDelight]

Re: Best and worse manufacturers???

Best or worst, who knows. What I do know is it is my life's mission to own a Grady White.

 

[tjf]

Re: Best and worse manufacturers???

Where is thompson rated? 91