Re: Bruno's and Cari's Boating Adventure (iboats owners)
Bruno,
Thanks for sharing your adventure! I do have two questions.
1) what were your determining factors in choosing that style of boat.
2) Are you sleeping aboard or going to hotels?
Thanks
Kelly
1. There were a number of things that were important to me in deciding what style of and specific boat brand to buy. Here was my list.
- Must be very well built, handle heavy seas well, and have a great reputation.
- Must have a very good dealer who knows and services this specific boat and engines in the area where I will boat most of the time.
- Must be able to deep sea and bottom fish with good space to do so in stern section....versus more cabin space but no fishing area.
- Must have comfortable cabin area with head, shower, sleep 4+, good kitchen and dining for 4-6+ adults.
- I wanted 2 big outboards versus inboards for speed, long range for canyons fishing, very shallow draft, extra storage for fish/stuff in aft sections (versus inboard engines).
- Must have excellent electronics...radar, sonar, GPS charts, auto pilot, Termal camera, large spotlights etc. (these can be put onto most boats.)
- Must have excellent generator to handle the serious electronics, AC and heat at both helm and in cabin, frig., freezer, various pumps, etc.
- The range the boat had at normal cruising speed was important. Many boats I looked at had small fuel tanks with 1/2 to 2/3 the range I have.
- The Manufacturer of the engines became a BIG issue when I found out that some brands required ONLY premium gas be used, my Yamahas do not.
- I wanted a good feeling about the boat I got. Spending time at the Miami Boat Show gave me the chance to be on a LOT of this type boats...that helped a lot.
2. We are sleeping aboard the boat every night. The very roomy head with large and powerful shower and the floor-to-ceiling storage closet for linens, toiletries and towels really helps. Since most of the time there are just the two of us living aboard as we are traveling on this 70+ day trip, we decided to sleep in the mid-ship double birth area and keep the forward table and large comfortable cushioned area set up for reading, using computers, eating, and visiting together instead of making this forward area into a very large bed every night and then stowing all the bedding each morning before we got underway. Itg has worked out very well for us. Others would do it differently, of course.
Kelly, I hope this helps.
