Saltwater Boat Recommendation for a Family?

[GDM]

Any recommendations for a boat that fits these specs?

- Family of 5
- For the Northeast, ocean
- All-around use: fishing, beach, relaxing, etc.
- 18' to 22'

Greatly appreciated!

 

[JoLin]

Re: Saltwater Boat Recomemndation for a Family?

Re: Saltwater Boat Recomemndation for a Family?

Hi- welcome to iboats.

First, 18-22' is kinda small for ocean use in anything but very calm weather, and then only 'near shore'. That said, if I wanted an all-around recreational boat suitable for 5 people, and capable of fair weather ocean running, I'd look at 'dual console' models. Similar in function to a bowrider (do NOT buy a bowrider for ocean use), they generally have a more seaworthy hull. Self bailing, deep-v, high freeboard. Manufacturers of center console fishing boats often build dual console and walk-around cuddy models on the same hull.

I'd also lean toward your upper range - 22'. Better accommodations for 5.

Good luck!

 

[Grand Larsony]

Re: Saltwater Boat Recomemndation for a Family?

Re: Saltwater Boat Recomemndation for a Family?

Not sure of your budget, but you may want to look inland to avoid buying a salt water boat... especially if you're looking at lower priced craft. I'm not a salt water boater, but I hear they take a beating.

I also echo the comments about hull style and size. Get something big, deep, flared, and self bailing. Likely a walk-around or smaller cuddy. Thinking Grady White.

GET A SURVEY !!!! You'll be sorry if you don't, even if it costs a few hundred dollars and you walk away... you still win.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Saltwater Boat Recomemndation for a Family?

Re: Saltwater Boat Recomemndation for a Family?

What you describe is exactly what a walk around is designed to accommodate.

Head out the inlet with the boys on a hardcore fishing boat in the morning. Come back in. Rinse the blood out of the cockpit, put the cushions back on the seats and your ready for to cruise over to your wife?s favorite waterfront restaurant for the evening.

Go down and look around at your local marina. I?ll bet you?ll find more than a few workarounds there.

 

[ufm82]

Re: Saltwater Boat Recomemndation for a Family?

Re: Saltwater Boat Recomemndation for a Family?

dingbat beat me- a walkaround is the ideal boat for the dual purpose requirement. High freeboard, closed bow to avoid waves over the front, storage space and generally a dry ride as you can duck behind the large windshield/console. Plenty of room in the rear end for a bunch of people. They tend to be bigger and beamier than comparable center console or bow-riders. Great fishing boats, great people boats, etc. My next boat may well be a walkaround- have a center console now and like the functionality of the W/A.
UFM82

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Saltwater Boat Recomemndation for a Family?

Re: Saltwater Boat Recomemndation for a Family?

the down-side of walk-arounds and cuddy's is that you loose a lot of space. Many people, especially summer family boaters, find they never use them except for storage. Winter-time boaters, however, love them.

Start every boat search with new boats and walking around marinas to pick your size and design, then start looking for used ones. Check out Sea Hunt, Grady White and Carolina Skiff on-line. Look at the center consoles with bow seating (as opposed to the Parker, for example, which is sparse for seating and comfort).

Among experienced boaters here, the center console is the best all-around family boat. Dual console versions come next. If not their first boat, it will usually be their second. And mid-Atlantic boating is similar to North east, since we have an extended season through December for stripers.

A 19' is a good starting size for most new boaters; 21 is getting up there and 23+ is too big. My sister's family of 4 (2 teen girls) has a 19' Grady CC with a 150; perfect fit and the 15 year old drives it. Nice thing about used boats is that it is easy to move up.

Do not worry a minute about a salt water boat. Neglect doesn't care. But boats designed for outdoor boating can handle salt water use.

from my pier at home I can see 13 boats under 22'. One cuddy, one walk-around, one dual console and the rest centers. I know that all are used for general family boating, except the Parker is mostly teenaged boys fishing and skiingm, and the DC family doesn't fish much.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Saltwater Boat Recomemndation for a Family?

Re: Saltwater Boat Recomemndation for a Family?

the down-side of walk-arounds and cuddy's is that you loose a lot of space. Many people, especially summer family boaters, find they never use them except for storage. Winter-time boaters, however, love them.

Center consoles have no seating in the front except maybe a cooler seat and the space behind the helm is really chopped up. In the illistration below you have seating for 4. A lot of them have nothing more than leaning towers for seating.

The helm on a walkaround is pushed forward and in doing so you get a large space behind the helm. You end up with seating for 6 with a 7th "sunpad' position on the front of the cabin and large open space behind the helm. On mine, you can get two full size chase lounges in the cockpit. A buddy of mine has a Grady 24' and he puts a picnic table in the back of his from time to time. Try that on a center console. The walkaround also allows for a full hardtop. No problem getting 3-4 guy out of the rain. Can't see that happening with a CC trampoline.

If max seating is your desire, the DC is the only way to go

 

[Solittle]

Re: Saltwater Boat Recomemndation for a Family?

Re: Saltwater Boat Recomemndation for a Family?

I'll cast my vote for the 22-23' center console cause I have one and my boating here in south Florida is as you describe. There is a huge difference between an 18'er and 22-23'ers in ride, comfort and handling especially when the wind picks up or the ware gets rough.

You also need to consider your tow vehicle. You won't be towing a 23'er behind a 4 cyl Honda.

Oh and WELCOME.

 

[silveraire]

Re: Saltwater Boat Recomemndation for a Family?

Re: Saltwater Boat Recomemndation for a Family?

Take a look at sea hunt "ultra" line of center console's. Good mid tier quality boats that are priced right. The ultra versions of their cc's are a more family oriented version of a center console. No matter what you get, I would stay with something in the 21 - 22ft range min.

chad

you can always go with my fav duel console boat, a scout dorado 222. worth giving a look also. There will be one sitting in my driveway if I ever find an extra 60k or so laying around.

 

[blifsey]

Re: Saltwater Boat Recomemndation for a Family?

Re: Saltwater Boat Recomemndation for a Family?

At first I wasn't favoring a CC because of seating layout. So far, it has worked fine for 6 of us in a 19' bay boat. Its rated for 7 and have had that many with 4 of them being younger kids. Perhaps our family and friends don't need as much personal space because I've always read that a 22' or 24' minimum to be comfortable with 6 on board. On our previous 20' bowrider we usually had 6 to 8 and no problems. We do shower everyday

I looked at the Sea Hunt Ulta and really like it but decided on a bay boat. We went with Tidewater bay boat and a removable back rest across rear deck area also serves as full width seating.

 

[Chris-R]

Re: Saltwater Boat Recomemndation for a Family?

Re: Saltwater Boat Recomemndation for a Family?

What do you mean by ocean? Are you planning on fishing 20 miles offshore or are you near a bay such as Narragansett, Buzzard's, etc. whereby you will be staying in the bay most of the time except for the occasional trip to Martha's Vineyard, Block Island, etc.? If it's real offshore fishing, then you want an offshore hull. If you're staying in bays for the most part, then lots of boats will fit your specs. Visit a bunch of marinas to get an idea. In my opinion, for general family use and in the size range you're thinking about, an open boat with a head works best. Through the years, I found that a cuddy simply became a big storage unit and therefore wasted space.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Saltwater Boat Recomemndation for a Family?

Re: Saltwater Boat Recomemndation for a Family?

The Ultra is a great lay-out for family boating and a very well designed hull for seaworthiness.
The recommendations about boats being cramped or not is a function of interior design. If you are loaded up with padded seats, side padding, individual seats, curved windshield and dashboard, and an I/O doghouse, you are way more cramped than an open design such as the ultra.

And Dingbat, you are incorrect about CC's not having bow seating. Many designs, probably the most popular, have extensive bow seating, to which you can add cushions or not, that holds lots of people comfortably. I put 4 adults up front, two more seated on the helm, no problem and the back seats are available, too. On a 21' CC.
Meanwhile, people seldom sit on the rear seats in your designs, especially with an outboard. When choosing a boat, I suggest disregarding them. But they are nice for sunning while anchored, cruising slow, etc.
I've never said that cuddy/walk-arounds are a bad design, but I know that many new boaters think the cabin will be a benefit and then find it a negative feature overall. It's merely something to think about--and try out.

At first I wasn't favoring a CC because of seating layout. So far, it has worked fine for 6 of us in a 19' bay boat. Its rated for 7 and have had that many with 4 of them being younger kids. Perhaps our family and friends don't need as much personal space because I've always read that a 22' or 24' minimum to be comfortable with 6 on board. On our previous 20' bowrider we usually had 6 to 8 and no problems. We do shower everyday

I looked at the Sea Hunt Ulta and really like it but decided on a bay boat. We went with Tidewater bay boat and a removable back rest across rear deck area also serves as full width seating.