Can't figure out what to buy!

[gtochris]

We are in a unique situation and borderline need couples therapy.
Past boats:
1997 Stingray 190- Kept it for 3 years.
1999 Wellcraft 20' Excalibur 5.7L, kept 10 years.
2014 Sea Ray Sundeck 220 5.0L MPI- sold it after only 9 months.

My husband liked the Sundeck but both of us felt the extra 2' was all used up in the swim platform and not in the boat, the 5.0L MPI was miserably underpowered IMO and constantly needing to move passengers to plain off was my final straw.

We started to think larger (24') bowrider with a 5.7L or larger, we LOVE the quality of the Cobalt but finding a used one within 2-300 miles is the challenge. I also favor the Baja 24' Islander but they are rare. Something with some good lines and decent performance.

Having had 3 I/O sportboats in a row there is an excitement to try something "different" and we are entertaining a pontoon or an outboard. This would be best for the entertaining and general cruising we do with friends and family- however for 2 guys in our 30's it feels very old/ mature, no lookback really to a pontoon, the minivan of the water.... I'm struggling with the idea of no fiberglass.

I'd like to try maybe an outboard bowrider- I liked the Monterey M225 at the boat show but being larger outboard bowriders werent around as much until recently there is few available for our budget.

Our budget is around 50K, so used it is, pre covid we would have had a zillion more options I feel for the money. On the new side our friend sells Barletta and quoted us over 60K for a basic 20' pontoon. Tracker is down the road and sells a 24' pontoon with a trailer for under 40 but I know they are really cheaply made. On the bright side maybe I'd buy an inexpensive used ski-boat for my fiberglass needs/ runaround then? (2 boats)....

I'm exhausted from this search and losing my mind. I want to find something and be happy for another 10 years. Any suggestions?

-Christopher

 

[briangcc]

I'd look at other deck boats as most these days are offered with an outboard. I like the Hurricane models with full windshield but that's my personal preference.

 

[gtochris]

I'd look at other deck boats as most these days are offered with an outboard. I like the Hurricane models with full windshield but that's my personal preference.

The last few days I've been thinking outboard more. Do you have any experience with Hurricane? I'm not sure what to consider the quality level of them.

 

[briangcc]

I don't have any personal experience with them. I would consider them maybe mid-tier. Not bottom of the pack but not top of the heap either.

From what I've seen in past boat shows, the quality is good on their builds. Beats anything you'd find at the B Pro's/Cab's - those are low tier/entry level in my book.

Almost every builder has some sort of deck boat in their stable. If you've written off Bayliner because of the naysayers/stigma from eons past, you should give them another look. They've upped their game in recent years and would deserve another look.

I personally loved my Honda outboard. Whisper quiet at idle, smooth as could be, built like a tank - weighed like one too. My uncle has a 2 stroke Yamaha which has been flawless and I'd consider a 4 stroke variant. I have a thing against Merc - yes I own one and I don't like it, sounds like a blender shifting and who puts a shift interrupter in the darn mix?

FWIW...my cousin has a SeaRay deckboat - 200 I think? - with 5L v8. He doesn't like it either but not for the lack of power, rather that it's an I/O. He's managed to destroy the outdrive - hit something submerged, and sucked a fishing net into the cooling system - don't ask me how, he has talent. IF it wasn't for his admiral and girls it'd be gone for an outboard.

 

[southkogs]

I ran a Hurricane with a Yamaha outboard down on the ICW for about a week several years ago. I liked the boat well enough. Not sure how it would do on rougher water, but in the bays and such it was a nice boat.

 

[mr 88]

Dock neighbor pontoon does 55 gps mph . Don't exactly remember what's hanging on it HP wise . Guy is 75 years old , so it's not like someone went crazy powering it up . He tells me he loves passing these guys in there 454s 26' speed boats with Great Gramma on board for extra smiles . They are also excellent fishing platforms that can be and are decked out and used for Charters. . No shame in that and no I do not own one . Fish to much in 4-5 ' and crappy conditions ( hard top , radar ,) to go that route .

 

[gtochris]

FWIW...my cousin has a SeaRay deckboat - 200 I think? - with 5L v8. He doesn't like it either but not for the lack of power, rather that it's an I/O. He's managed to destroy the outdrive - hit something submerged, and sucked a fishing net into the cooling system - don't ask me how, he has talent. IF it wasn't for his admiral and girls it'd be gone for an outboard.

3 years ago I was cleaning a 24' Sundeck and slipped/ fell into the ski-locker. I lost a tooth over it (of course had it replaced). It was stupid of me to have bought a Sundeck after that as it as my dislike of them seemed to not fade after owning one. lol.

We are more focused on an Outboard now however they are still less common to find than I/O. It's primarily Mercruisers around here and I"m fairly comfortable working on them however I've ventured into considering a Volvo Penta as it seems that powers 1/2 the boats despite the lack of service & support in our area.

Chris