Need a Boat

[planters]

Shifting gears here.

This coming spring the family plans an adventure down from Canada through the Connecticut River Basin and across to Long Island; in several stages! Don't want new. Don't want to build (another one). Not too big as in deep draft, lumbering double axle when on the trailer. Not so small or shallow that any chop is a nightmare. Thinking about something like a 17" Boston Whaler Montauk as a starting point.

Any opinions, experience or advise?

[Bradfo69]

I'm partial to bow riders. Always have been. 17' feet is not a lot of boat though when you say "family". That would be my only concern - particularly since this sounds like longer trips. I'd be leaning towards 19' if you can and it meets your requirements.

[mixedgas]

Just watched a family of 6 on a 17' BW get soaked from low freeboard and the wrong bow shape on a bay in Florida transiting to the Peace river. In less then 3 foot waves.

While I was on a 15' BW getting my teeth jarred out on the bow seat with two people in the back.

My impression was they are too short for a long trip.

Boston Whalers are great boats, built like a tank, but pick the right one if your going to be in chop.

Steve

[Bradfo69]

Yes, built like a tank and not unlike riding in one. They do tend to beat you up a bit.

[Pockels]

Does it have to be a hard hull? Boston Whaler's aren't cheap.What about an 18 foot RIB? Used commercials can go fairly cheaply and are designed for open water applications. If they're good enough for oil rig work, then plenty good for inshore.

[buffo]

I had a 1995 Bayliner Capri 2050 LS for 9 years, and I loved it. Bought it used in 1999, and sold it for more than I paid for it in 2008. Say what you will about Bayliners being cheap, I used the shit out of that thing (150 hrs + each year) and I really enjoyed it. Rock-solid Merc 4.3 V6 with an Alpha-one outdrive. Easy to work on, easy to maintain, and damned reliable. Also lots of room for toys like skis, tubes, wakeboards, kneeboards, and guests. With a single-axle aluminum drive-on trailer with SS disc surge brakes, it was easy to tow and launch, even all my myself.

I agree with Brad - a bowrider gives you a lot of boat for your money. True, a Whaler or a Scout might be tougher, but they also ride like shit and will beat you to death in even a 2 ft chop. Plus they don't have much seating room.

As for the lower freeboard of a bowrider, consider this: if you are in a 17 ft boat, you have no business being out in 3 ft seas anyway. It's called "small craft advisory" for a reason. That being said, some of the later bowrider designs have a lot more freeboard than my old Capri did. (The Bayliner Classic series is a good example of this.)

Check out boattrader.com for deals. You can get something pretty decent for as little as $6000 these days. Example: http://www.boattrader.com/listing/20...0-Capri-353576 (Granted, that one is in Florida, which is a bit far to go for a boat deal, but you get the idea...)

Adam

[planters]

I had heard about the reputation that BWs had for rough and wet rides and the "excuse' that is frequently given is that they are so dependable/safe that they are always compared to bigger boats. "You'll take a 17 foot BW out when no one else is going out in less than a 19 foot boat"

I have owned a few 3-5 meter inflatables and I liked them for puttering around the harbor or exploring shallow rivers. I have never owned a RIB and these are appealing to me, but I'm finding the price is even higher than the Bostons especially since you need a couple of additional feet to equal the passenger room of a conventional boat. If they were affordable I would probably buy one of these. I do like them.

I am surprised to hear nice things about a Bayliner. I had written them off because of their reputation for low quality. I've never actually looked at one closely. I'm looking to stay under $10,000 and probably no more than 20 feet. I like the convenience of an outboard or at least an IO. We aren't into water sports or even fishing: rather exploring.

Should I avoid the recreational jet boats?

[slicklasers]

Hi Planters,

I am an avid boater, and have been my whole life. I currently own 3, and if you are into exploring, I would suggest a 21ft-23ft with a cuddy cabin. It would give you enough room for your family, give you a safe, dry space to store your gear, and camp on if you want as well. Open bows are ok for calm lakes, but in chop you do not want to be sitting up front, and there isn't a good spot to store your gear. For your budget, and for the sake of saving on gas $$$ I would get a 21ft Maxum or Bayliner with a Mercruiser 3.0L 4 cylinder motor. I had a 2001 21ft Maxum and put well over 4000 hours on it (I had to put a new motor in at 2400hours, and 1 outdrive replacement when I hit a deadhead and sheared off the outdrive), but they are solid boats and handle rough water VERY well(and it was on a single axle trailer).

Hope this helps you out!

Rick

[dsli_jon]

..Uh, why don't you just buy each of them their own Laser? ..Heck, there's even an ILCA! ....sorry, just had to put out the corny-joke..

..thumbs-up for Bayliners.. Family had one and yeah, alotta fun.. Or, just break the dang piggy-bank and get a Jeanneau http://www.jeanneau.com/system/html/...1-07b7d261.jpg

...I've personally given-up on ever owning a big house again, especially being back in Cali, now, where you can barely buy a cracker-box for less than $5-600K ..so, that's my 'sekret-dream retirement plan'.. Jeanneau 37.. *sigh* They are just gorgeous..

j

[RGbee]

I've had boats since i was 18. Bowriders loose some of the structural ridgididy of closed bow craft, so they tend to flex slightly in waves aboove 3 feet, but for river use they are great. Rick is right, 21ft and over will obviously give you a better ride at speed. Check the bow strakes when looking at a craft on a trailer. The higher up the sides they are, the quicker it will get on the plane and the smoother the ride. My last boat was a 17ft Fletcher Arrowbeau with a 3.7 mercruiser. A word of caution with these motors if coupled to an Alpha 1 leg. The powerplant must be lined up exactly in line with the driveshaft. Mine, as it turns out, was slightly out and on one trip the engine ate the coupling leading to an embarrasing tow back to port.
How about a jetboat? I had one of those too. no props, so great for kids