Need some advice between 2 hurricanes - new or used and hp.

[Kbsurfer]

Hey guys I've really enjoyed reading a lot of info regarding all things hurricane. About to embark myself and would love some input.
Looking at
2007 hurricane 217sd with a 2007 250 Suzuki 4 stroke on the back with 88 hrs
Decent condition for the most part...some sun damage on seats and normal wear and tear but did you hear the 250 part??

2012 hurricane 217sd with a 150 Yamaha 4 stroke
Ton of extras and obviously beautiful with tan on black

We are coming from a 2012 22' Bennington pontoon...so we r used to new and nice and tons of room...with that we r very used to putting 6 adults and 4 kids on the boat regularly ...reason for the new boat is to pull things..normal situation for this would be 4 adults and 3 young children on board...so here is my question...my wife likes the idea of new because of the niceness and warranties. ...but ultimately she wants me to buy whatever I will not want to get rid of for some unfulfilled reason..so the obvious answer is not"whatever your wife wants" haha

Will the 150 do what I want easily enough? Or should I forgoe all the new boat qualities for the 250 and know that it will always do what I want even with a boat full of people?

Is the 150 enough??? Or will I feel underpowered pulling a wake boarder out with 5 or 6 people in the boat?

Thanks for all input...need a solution by Saturday

 

[Ernest T]

Re: Need some advice between 2 hurricanes - new or used and hp.

I've got the 217 with a Yamaha F150. I initially wanted to buy used, but all the used ones we looked at were priced so high that we ended up going with a new one. I've had no problems pulling a wake boarder with 5 adults on board the boat. I did go to a 4 blade prop and smart tabs to help get the boat up on plane quicker, and allow a slower planning speed for the wake boarder. The 217 starts to get crowded with 8 people on board, but I've hauled 8 around a couple of times (5 adults and 3 kids), and its pretty comfortable with that number. My top speed with the 4 blade prop is a little slower than with the stock 3 blade prop that came on the boat (42 mph versus around 39 mph for the 4 blade prop) with 2 adults and 1/2 tank of fuel. I'd guess that the 250 Zuk would easily put you over 50 mph.

I wanted the 200 hp Yamaha when I bought my boat, but it was over my budget. Now I don't miss it cause my wife will seldom let me use the upper end of the throttle range when she is on board. The F150 is a great engine and pretty fuel efficient, and has plenty of power for my uses. We've also pulled a Big Mable tube with it with 2 adults on the tube and 4 adults on the boat with no problem. I have not tried pulling a skier yet, so I don't know about that.

I'd definitely test the used one before you buy. I'd be a little worried about the weight of the 250 back there, which may keep the bow pretty high until you are on plane. Smart tabs really improve the handling of this boat, so I highly recommend them regardless of which way you go.

Tough decision. I was always told to get the most hp that I could afford when buying, but I'm pretty happy with the F150 on my boat. 3 years now and no problems. I'm doing all my own maintenance, and its pretty easy on this model.

 

[Kbsurfer]

Re: Need some advice between 2 hurricanes - new or used and hp.

Thanks for the reply...read several of your replies other places and was hoping you would see this...one thing I didn't mention but I have seen more since is that the used boat is overpowered...that boat is rated at 225... So I don't know what kind of issues may come up with the 250... I am immediately drawn to more power to know that it could do anything I ask...but no warranty vs 5 yr warranty is hard to ignore too....so you think with the tabs that I would be able to pull up a wake boarder with 6 or 7 in the boat with no problem? Or do you think that's pushing it?

 

[pbolden]

Re: Need some advice between 2 hurricanes - new or used and hp.

I own a 217sd that I bought used. If i had it to do over I would buy new. I haven't had any major problems, just some minor issues. I think it largely depends on the type of person you are. I take extremely good care of my stuff, the previous owner...not so much.

A windshield latch was broken which I replaced. The door handle to the head was broken which I had to replace. A rubber stopper from the aft boarding ladder was missing which I had to replace. And perhaps the worse was that the ski locker lid had been broken and carefully glued back together as to not be visible. Eventually the adhesive gave way and the entire lid needed to be replaced.

The boat itself looks great and performs well. These minor issues (some of which are only cosmetic) aren't a big deal, in and of themselves, rather they speak to the lack of care and commitment the previous owner had for my boat.

If you decide to buy used, spend a couple of bucks and have an accredited marine surveyor look her over.

My 2?
Paul Bolden

 

[Kbsurfer]

Re: Need some advice between 2 hurricanes - new or used and hp.

thanks...im just like you and know that i would end up trying to make everything look brand new...i also know i wont get a dime of that back...i am leaning towards new now also

 

[NelsonQ]

Re: Need some advice between 2 hurricanes - new or used and hp.

Thanks for the reply...read several of your replies other places and was hoping you would see this...one thing I didn't mention but I have seen more since is that the used boat is overpowered...that boat is rated at 225... So I don't know what kind of issues may come up with the 250... I am immediately drawn to more power to know that it could do anything I ask...but no warranty vs 5 yr warranty is hard to ignore too....so you think with the tabs that I would be able to pull up a wake boarder with 6 or 7 in the boat with no problem? Or do you think that's pushing it?

The overpowering of 25HP in my opinion won't be that big of a deal. I'm guessing (without checking) that the 225 and the 250 are built on the same powerhead, etc so the weight difference of the engine and the extra 25HP should hurt the boat. Best to ask the Coast Guard is it violates the max rating for the boat and that might be an issue with them (and even perhaps your marine insurance) Two things I'd verify.

As for the part of will it pull a wake boarder with 6 or 7 in the boat? I think Ernest T is the best to judge that but my guess is it shouldn't be a problem. I have a different Hurricane with a 200 and I can with 10 in the boat so I'd be surprised if it wouldn't. I agree with Ernest T as well on the trim tabs. I think that would make that even more enjoyable to get the boarder out of the water and on plane quicker and maintain on plane at a lower speed.

Good luck and let us know what you decide. And as always, we love pictures.

 

[cjjjdeck]

Re: Need some advice between 2 hurricanes - new or used and hp.

I've got the 217 with a Yamaha F150. I initially wanted to buy used, but all the used ones we looked at were priced so high that we ended up going with a new one. I've had no problems pulling a wake boarder with 5 adults on board the boat. I did go to a 4 blade prop and smart tabs to help get the boat up on plane quicker, and allow a slower planning speed for the wake boarder. The 217 starts to get crowded with 8 people on board, but I've hauled 8 around a couple of times (5 adults and 3 kids), and its pretty comfortable with that number. My top speed with the 4 blade prop is a little slower than with the stock 3 blade prop that came on the boat (42 mph versus around 39 mph for the 4 blade prop) with 2 adults and 1/2 tank of fuel. I'd guess that the 250 Zuk would easily put you over 50 mph.

I wanted the 200 hp Yamaha when I bought my boat, but it was over my budget. Now I don't miss it cause my wife will seldom let me use the upper end of the throttle range when she is on board. The F150 is a great engine and pretty fuel efficient, and has plenty of power for my uses. We've also pulled a Big Mable tube with it with 2 adults on the tube and 4 adults on the boat with no problem. I have not tried pulling a skier yet, so I don't know about that.

I'd definitely test the used one before you buy. I'd be a little worried about the weight of the 250 back there, which may keep the bow pretty high until you are on plane. Smart tabs really improve the handling of this boat, so I highly recommend them regardless of which way you go.

Tough decision. I was always told to get the most hp that I could afford when buying, but I'm pretty happy with the F150 on my boat. 3 years now and no problems. I'm doing all my own maintenance, and its pretty easy on this model.

Earnest has great experience with this model and great advice. One of the benefits of the lesser deadrise angle is the boat having an easier time planing (and maintaining plane) and usually with less horsepower over a higher angle deadrise. I've seen lots of Hurricane owners on this forum that are far from maxing out their horsepower on their model and are very happy with the performance. My model max'd out at 320 HP and I'm very satisfied at 260 HP. Either way you go (I'm kinda voting on the new side too), I think you'll really appreciate the way the boat performs over the "toon".

Gee Ernest, that Big Mable pic sure looks familiar.......football and all! LOL!

 

[Kbsurfer]

Re: Need some advice between 2 hurricanes - new or used and hp.

again, thanks for the replys...drove the used today and again it took several cranks to keep the motor running...not a big deal but we were over it pretty quick...moved the deposit over to the new model based on sea trial next week...got a question about that center windshield...do you drive with it "open" often...we have kids that will be running back and forth from front to back and i dont want to have to close it every time we get under way...also , can it be removed via the hinge?...i'll post a pick soon

 

[pbolden]

Re: Need some advice between 2 hurricanes - new or used and hp.

We very seldom have ours closed. 99% of the time it stays open. We're on the great lakes on often travel from the U.S. mainland across to Canada and back and rarely have had it closed.

Paul Bolden

 

[Kbsurfer]

Re: Need some advice between 2 hurricanes - new or used and hp.

awesome...even wide open with chop -no issues?

and earnest if you see this do you have issues with your rear ladder hitting your smart tab?

thanks

 

[Ernest T]

Re: Need some advice between 2 hurricanes - new or used and hp.

I really think you will be fine with 6-7 and a wake boarder with the F150. The key for wakeboarding is popping them up then maintaining a steady speed to keep them happy. You don't need gobs of power to do this, since you are probably talking about speeds around 22 mph max. With my kids, who are intermediate skilled boarders, the perfect speed is somewhere between 17 and 21 mph. With the 217 one of the early problems that I ran into was that the boat planning speed was around 19 mph. This made it very difficult to pull a wakeboarder, since this speed was right in the "sweet" spot for pulling them, and the boat was constantly falling on or off plane. With the addition of the trim tabs, and a 4 blade prop, I reduced my planning speed to around 14-15 mph and it became much easier to maintain a constant speed. The trim tabs were the biggest factor, and I think I would have been happy with them alone. The 4 blade prop just adds a little extra hole shot, and probably helps pull the planning speed down 1 mph or so. Bottom line, is try some tabs as a first step, and I think you will notice a significant improvement. Check out this report that I did: http://forums.iboats.com/hurricane-...-2100-217-yamaha-f150-432277.html#post2988530

We leave the windshield open 90% of the time with no problems (running typically 25 mph or less). I think there is a warning label there that says you should not leave it open, but you will not have a problem unless you are running at high speeds, choppy conditions or very windy days. Then I'd close it to prevent it from possibly getting caught in the wind and slamming shut.

I've included a photo to show the ladder clearance with the tabs. I've got the protroller bracket on my tabs, so I can flip them up when I take the boat back to the marina so that the fork lift will not hit them.........very important part of my after ride prep is to remember to put these tabs up so they don't get damaged. When the tabs are down, which is how they would be when someone is using the ladder with the boat in the water there is plenty of clearance. With the tabs up your toe will hit the tab on the second rung of the ladder.......not a problem since I only use the ladder in this condition when the boat is on the rack at the marina, and I just flip them down out of the way.

 

[Kbsurfer]

Re: Need some advice between 2 hurricanes - new or used and hp.

thanks again for all the info...2 more questions please...1) how did you know how far from the side of the boat to start the smart tab?...that was a little confussing to me...2) i have read a few complaints regarding the smart tab changing the wake for a boarder...how much does it change it? and if you disengage the tabs (like you stated for the lift out) does the wake go back to normal or is it still affected?

thanks again for all the info

 

[pbolden]

Re: Need some advice between 2 hurricanes - new or used and hp.

Call me timid (LOL) but anything much beyond a two foot chop and we're dockside. At two feet or less we never take much spray over the bow. I think that the main purpose of the windshield door is to help deflect air away from the cockpit and aft area of the boat on colder days. We tend to boat only on warmer days...(GOSH I'm feeling like a wimp).

Paul Bolden

 

[Bamaman1]

Re: Need some advice between 2 hurricanes - new or used and hp.

I too have a 2012 24' Bennington tritoon with a F150 Yamaha. We've seen some other pontoon owners switching over to Hurricanes online, but they often come back to pontoon/tritoons because of the better ride and available room. Complaints have been mostly with Hurricanes' ride quality. (Sorry guys, but it's the truth.)

My Bennington tritoon will run 40 mph, and pulls tubers effortlessly. Fortunately, a cousin next door has a SkiNautique if we really want to get serious on water sports. I've also seen good straight inboard ski boats for $7K to $9K.

If you switch, I just hope you'll get triple top dollar for your Bennington. I seldom see them on the used boat market, as Benningtons equipped correctly are a hot commodity on the used boat market.

 

[Kbsurfer]

Re: Need some advice between 2 hurricanes - new or used and hp.

I too have a 2012 24' Bennington tritoon with a F150 Yamaha. We've seen some other pontoon owners switching over to Hurricanes online, but they often come back to pontoon/tritoons because of the better ride and available room. Complaints have been mostly with Hurricanes' ride quality. (Sorry guys, but it's the truth.)

My Bennington tritoon will run 40 mph, and pulls tubers effortlessly. Fortunately, a cousin next door has a SkiNautique if we really want to get serious on water sports. I've also seen good straight inboard ski boats for $7K to $9K.

If you switch, I just hope you'll get triple top dollar for your Bennington. I seldom see them on the used boat market, as Benningtons equipped correctly are a hot commodity on the used boat market.

thanks for the input...your situation is very different than mine in just a couple of words though...pontoon vs. tritoon and 90 vs. 150....your going 40 and im going 20...i would venture to guess if you topped out at 20 and then went down to 15 or 16 when you had a boat full you might be looking also

 

[Ernest T]

Re: Need some advice between 2 hurricanes - new or used and hp.

thanks again for all the info...2 more questions please...1) how did you know how far from the side of the boat to start the smart tab?...that was a little confussing to me...2) i have read a few complaints regarding the smart tab changing the wake for a boarder...how much does it change it? and if you disengage the tabs (like you stated for the lift out) does the wake go back to normal or is it still affected?

thanks again for all the info

1. You want the tabs as far outboard as you can get them. If you look at the photo I posted above, you will see that there is a ridge in the transom right above the bracket for the tabs. I pulled the tabs in just enough to let the bracket seat below that ridge.

2. The tabs do change the wake, but my kids say it for the better since it creates more of a ridge on the outside of the wake for jumping, so I guess its a matter of opinion as to how you would want to run them. To my eye the effect at the distance the kids are behind the boat the effect on the wake is pretty minimal, but evidently noticeable to them. With the tabs in the up position the boat is basically back to stock form. They have no effect on the wake in the up position.

 

[Kbsurfer]

Re: Need some advice between 2 hurricanes - new or used and hp.

awesome..youve been a huge help, thanks!...boat being bought on Sat and will order tabs within days...thanks again