Re: Best Express Cruiser for costal So Cal Waters 26-28' range
I didn't think about the reverse chine issue...I wonder is the Larson Cabrio 857 has exagerrated reverse chines....Has anyone seen this boat yet at a boat show?
That's a beautiful boat, great style, but not the best cockpit for entertaining; Larson clearly traded cockpit space for a bigger cabin (not a bad thing, all boats are compromises, it just depends on your priorities). If you planned to slip the boat and use it like a weekend place, a big cabin/small cockpit would be a good thing. If you are trailering it and entertaining friends more than you are spending nights aboard, you want as much cockpit space as possible. Trust me, adult guests NEVER hang out in the cabin (kids love it though, regardless of the size).
This trade of cockpit for cabin is a big reason for my recommendation of the Amberjack. And yeah the Amberjack cockpit is not sexy, but in the real world that bench seat and wide-open deck are really the best way to go (L shapped seating looks stylish, but people can't really use both corner seats because their knees collide).
One other thing to note, full camper canvas makes the cockpit a great place to be in crappy weather. I think it's a must-have option and keeps the large cockpit/small cabin from becoming a liability when the rain starts. I enjoy using my boat in nasty weather with the canvas up.
