People who went from stern drive to inboard?

[hostage]

Our OP needs a "universal" boat. Until he finds one, if he wants to go boating, he's going to realize/deal with the fact that a boat is a series of compromises, big ones, that start at the front of it, and often extend well beyond the transom....

I do own a boat and understand there are compromises, there is a reason I am asking this question on this forum. I think it is much wiser getting peoples opinions than just buying a boat and realize I bought the wrong boat like I have seen many do. I do wait years before I ever buy something to make sure I purchase the right item for my needs. All boats are different and there is no perfect boat, though there are boats that can be a perfect match for people. I am looking for the best match and before I can do that, I like to know the thoughts of people who have been down that road.

 

[ahicks]

If you want anything in the way of usable help, you need to focus on asking specific questions. Generic questions, like the one on topic here, need MUCH MORE INFO FROM YOU to yield advise that's going to be worth a darn!

A MUCH better feel for how big a boat your considering, how much power, how and where you plan on using it, your budget, etc. etc, will very likely give you some info you can use.

Generic questions yield generic answers. Useless if you're serious about collecting info you can use to make informed decision.

 

[harleyman1975]

I have owned several different configurations and at the present we boat a large inland lake. We have a smaller 16' ob fishing boat that the mother in law calls the knock around go to an island boat and a 20' I/O bowrider that we use for excursions and sunset cruises.

 

[hostage]

If you want anything in the way of usable help, you need to focus on asking specific questions. Generic questions, like the one on topic here, need MUCH MORE INFO FROM YOU to yield advise that's going to be worth a darn!

A MUCH better feel for how big a boat your considering, how much power, how and where you plan on using it, your budget, etc. etc, will very likely give you some info you can use.

Generic questions yield generic answers. Useless if you're serious about collecting info you can use to make informed decision.

I am not looking to purchase tomorrow or even a couple of years. I am doing nothing but testing the waters. IOs are generally always less expensive compared to a v-drive it is hard to even get a budget, when the prices can vary between the two. I am not looking for new and if I go with another IO or a V-Drive it will be 20-23ft. With 4 adults, two children, and a full tank of gas it is hard to get my 19ft cuddy on the plane with the 4.3L Mercruiser. Depending on what I drive, what my friends use, and what my family likes can all have an impact on what I purchase. While a 20ft v-drive wakeboard boat would be what I want, it might not be the best for my family. I like my boat, granted I am working on it more than using as of late, though it is getting a bit small. Things were different and not as tight when it was just my wife and I.

 

[oldjeep]

I am not looking to purchase tomorrow or even a couple of years. I am doing nothing but testing the waters. IOs are generally always less expensive compared to a v-drive it is hard to even get a budget, when the prices can vary between the two. I am not looking for new and if I go with another IO or a V-Drive it will be 20-23ft. With 4 adults, two children, and a full tank of gas it is hard to get my 19ft cuddy on the plane with the 4.3L Mercruiser. Depending on what I drive, what my friends use, and what my family likes can all have an impact on what I purchase. While a 20ft v-drive wakeboard boat would be what I want, it might not be the best for my family. I like my boat, granted I am working on it more than using as of late, though it is getting a bit small. Things were different and not as tight when it was just my wife and I.

Couple thoughts on this
1) how heavy is your boat? While my Bayliner 195 was not a cuddy it did have a 3.0L and had no problem getting on plane with 8 people in it. (Skinny MN people)
2) A 20ft v drive has so much more space inside than a standard bowrider. (People and junk storage) Some of that is due to the width and most to the wrap around seating arrangement and the way the rear compartments tie into the side seating bases. In our 20ft Malibu I carry 2 inflatable paddleboards, paddles, 2 slalom skis, extra prop/bag, 4 bumpers a kneeboard, cover, 8 life jackets, anchor and a cooler just in the compartments. That doesn't even count what we can carry in the board/ski racks on the tower.
3) Price is a huge issue. Hard to get a 20-21ft v-drive for under 45K - and for that you need to be willing to go fairly old (early 2000's)
4) Don't let anyone con you on resale. Yes ski/wake boat resale stays pretty high, however I sold my 9 year old Bayliner 195 for 2K less than I paid for it brand new. Condition is king, not brand or style.