Transom walk thru bowrider

[OutforFun]

I am looking at a used 2009 Regal 2000 that has a transom walk thru. Would like to know if there are other boats with similar transom walkthrough in the same tier that folks would recommend. No longer than 21ft. That is unfortunately the limit at the lake.

 

[89retta]

I have an 2004 Caravelle 187 BR with a walk thru transom and swim platform. Has the 4.3 Volvo GXI 225 hp. Love the space and walk thru on it.

 

[Dave-R]

Not sure if Cobalt makes one that small anymore. The Regal boat I owned was a 2005 20' and it was every bit a quality boat as the Cobalt boats that we've bought since. I also like the walk through transom boats. Cobalt, Regal, Chaparral, Bryant, Searay are to me quality boats. Dave-R

 

[tpenfield]

Not sure I understand your question. . . But a Regal is definitely on the same tier as a Regal

Length overall is stated at 20' 2" so it complies with a 21' length restriction.

 

[bajaunderground]

I looked at Regals when I purchased my Cobalt. I would put them at the top of the list as well. The walk-Thru transoms are nice if you have a swim platform...keeps people's feet off the vinyl when they jump off the back or hanging out.

 

[OutforFun]

Not sure if Cobalt makes one that small anymore. The Regal boat I owned was a 2005 20' and it was every bit a quality boat as the Cobalt boats that we've bought since. I also like the walk through transom boats. Cobalt, Regal, Chaparral, Bryant, Searay are to me quality boats. Dave-R

​Out of the boats you mentioned, what made you go with a Cobalt and what model did you get. I didn't like the Caparral for the exhaust on the side (I know that sounds petti but it looks cheap to me).

 

[jkust]

My Chaparral has a walk through which I like having come from a no walk through bowrider. It has a horizontal and vertices filler cushion to turn the walk through into a seat if needed. I've never used it. On the flip side my neighbor just bought a 2017 Glastron 225 at the beginning of the season which is about as low end as you can buy but he has a cushion that flips up on a hinge over the walk through as part of the sun pad which is common on many boats now. Guess what, nobody ever flips it up and his upholstery takes a beating. The walk through might as well not be there because people are too lazy to flip the cushion up. Not comparing the quality because the Glastron is so amazingly cheapo and the Chap is not. Chap makes the smaller boats that Cobalt stopped Making around 2002 but that chap now does so in a lower level line that came about due to the economic downturn several years back but still made their SSI series with small loa's for several years after cobalt stopped and up to the economic downturn.
.

 

[harleyman1975]

I have an 03 Regal 2000 with the walk through. Love the boat! I plan on keeping it for the long term. it does not have a jump seat that fills in where the walk through is but I am going to remedy that this winter. also plan to add docking lights as well.

 

[Dave-R]

Out for fun: That was an easy choice for me. First cobalt was a 1996 190 with a cracked block.We bought it about 8 years ago for 5000.00 and our kids are still running it today. The next Cobalt was a 2001 226 also with a cracked block. Bought it at an IRS auction, and we were the only ones there. Minimum bid was 9000.00. That was about 4 years ago. Last year we bought a 2011 Cobalt 232 . It sunk on it's maiden voyage. We paid to much for it 20,000.00 I fell in love with it and paid dearly for that. Why Cobalt ? Everything about them is very well thought out. No graphics to peel and fade, the gel-coat is as good as it gets, as are all the fabrics in the boat. They have great storage everywhere, and they use great hardware.They have backing behind every cleat and ski eye.They use some kevlar in the hull construction, not sure if that's something that is more marketing or really structural. Maybe not top of the line but close. I would like to try a Formula boat one time, but they are very pricey. Dave -R

 

[jkust]

Out for fun: That was an easy choice for me. First cobalt was a 1996 190 with a cracked block.We bought it about 8 years ago for 5000.00 and our kids are still running it today. The next Cobalt was a 2001 226 also with a cracked block. Bought it at an IRS auction, and we were the only ones there. Minimum bid was 9000.00. That was about 4 years ago. Last year we bought a 2011 Cobalt 232 . It sunk on it's maiden voyage. We paid to much for it 20,000.00 I fell in love with it and paid dearly for that. Why Cobalt ? Everything about them is very well thought out. No graphics to peel and fade, the gel-coat is as good as it gets, as are all the fabrics in the boat. They have great storage everywhere, and they use great hardware.They have backing behind every cleat and ski eye.They use some kevlar in the hull construction, not sure if that's something that is more marketing or really structural. Maybe not top of the line but close. I would like to try a Formula boat one time, but they are very pricey. Dave -R

Ha ha you just described all of the chaparrals I've owned. I've always thought the Kevlar hull was a gimmicky sales mention as well but really don't know the benefit except for when I am taking gun fire. My issue with in gel graphics is the repair process to fix them. The 150k, 22 footwake boats are all over my lake and are only in gel graphics and fixing dock rash and gouges is expensive and the fix is obvious given the complex gelcoat designs. I love in gel graphics until the fix comes but at the same time decals on a boat make no sense to me either but are easy to replace relatively speaking.

 

[harleyman1975]

Uh...don't hit the dock! I have fenders on the boat and tires on the dock. the only scratches are from hit and run boaters who bumped boat when no one was around.