Boat Recommendations?

[CBulla]

The marina I am restoring my boat at (and getting parts through because this guy is amazing at finding deals!) has boats that range from about $1500 through 20k.. the 1500-15000 will get you all different kinds and sizes of boats. The one for 20k is a 33' sport fisher with a great big cabin and twin inboards - the old guy who owns it is just to old to play anymore and it needs a new person for some TLC.

For perspective, I'm one of those who enjoys hands on work - its a relaxer for me. My wife and I bought a 1967 Chris-Craft Commander 27, 27' inboard with mid-cabin that sleeps 4 comfortably and has a galley. I picked the beastie up for $500, found the hull in excellent shape and have stripped it down to refurbish it with vintage parts, new motor and some modern electronics. Currently, I'm below my projected cost of restoration and should have her totally in the water in a few months with a total investment of less than 4k.

My buddy just picked up a 23' mid-cabin (the model eludes me right now) from the same marina for $3500. We'll be diving off of it in the next few weeks as we break in the newly rebuilt motor and get her set up for carrying dive gear.

 

[quimby]

http://www.yachtsurvey.com/engines.htm
This guys website is pointed more towards larger boats but his commentary is as straight as Ive seen and some of his articles go for smaller stuff also. It goes on and on and worth the time to explore
My personal opinion, is what your looking at is too small to justify diesel, and I/O are or seem to be a great idea gone bad, Ive had'em and looked at em and am not enthused by em. The four stroke OBs (honda etc) seem to be the trailerable ticket. As far as boats go a used maybe twin vee might be a good ticket; stable, light, mucho room and even a few amenities. Otherwise I'd look to Dusky and the look alikes for a good solid hull

 

[zboss]

Budgetwise, I'm thinking about 50K max. I could go a bit higher if needed. (Now you can tell me I'm dreaming!! )

Zboss, what kind of range can you get out of the cats?

Some of their models have ranges of 130 miles but others can go as high as 450 or so, the specs are on the website.

For a boat you are going to overnight on, at least for the weekend, you might want to consider a used boat for under 50K.

 

[zboss]

http://www.twin-veeboats.com/tvmodels.html

Those aren't the ones I've seen around here, but look very close. The models here are starting in the 50k range.... WAY more than I'll ever pay for any kind of boat.

I guess my needs are very different... my number one concern has been a utility boat. These boats might not look great but once you get one on the water you have to wonder what use 500 hp and 80 gallons an hour get you in a deep vee. They are also extra inexpensive to upkeep and fix... try replacing an entangled/bent prop 20 miles from shore in 5 foot seas on a deep vee boat with the sun going down.

You are very right, however in telling him to look at used boats.. they can be great bargains.

 

[CBulla]

Time to start thinking of a transmission - any of ya'll have a suggestion for gear ratios?

 

[CBulla]

zboss, at that point I'd be setting anchor and calling it a night and using the radio to call in and report we're safe, but have an issue that can't be fixed until morning.

I have pics to my work in progress in this thread:
http://scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=53632&page=1&pp=10

Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against the cats, I learned to sail the hard way on a 15' hobie and can attest to a number of positive attributes in the design. I'm just dont like to spend a lot of money on something I can get for a lower price and provides the same functionality.

Quimby, you hit the nail on the head with the four strokes. I recently did some dives from a guide boat (it was a public service type of dive, so boat types were what people showed up with) and I learned first hand that the four strokes got 2x the gas milage as the two strokes and as an added bonus were 1/3 as loud.

For me to help steer to a type of boat though, some questions need to be answered: over nighter? how far off shore do you plan to run? Multi-usage to include wanting to fish, ski, or just cruise and dive? I've grown up boating on FL's west coast, so I can make a few suggestions depending on what you want to do. I wanted to do two different things for a while, thus had 2 boats! One for deep sea and off shore fishing, one for flats/back water fishing and skiing.

 

[zboss]

zboss, at that point I'd be setting anchor and calling it a night and using the radio to call in and report we're safe, but have an issue that can't be fixed until morning.

I have pics to my work in progress in this thread:
http://scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=53632&page=1&pp=10

Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against the cats, I learned to sail the hard way on a 15' hobie and can attest to a number of positive attributes in the design. I'm just dont like to spend a lot of money on something I can get for a lower price and provides the same functionality.

Quimby, you hit the nail on the head with the four strokes. I recently did some dives from a guide boat (it was a public service type of dive, so boat types were what people showed up with) and I learned first hand that the four strokes got 2x the gas milage as the two strokes and as an added bonus were 1/3 as loud.

For me to help steer to a type of boat though, some questions need to be answered: over nighter? how far off shore do you plan to run? Multi-usage to include wanting to fish, ski, or just cruise and dive? I've grown up boating on FL's west coast, so I can make a few suggestions depending on what you want to do. I wanted to do two different things for a while, thus had 2 boats! One for deep sea and off shore fishing, one for flats/back water fishing and skiing.

That might be an option but more often than not, where we dive we need to be dependent on ourselves to get the boat going again. One of the primary requirements for even ve master is too be able to repair engines on the fly. This can mean replacing a prop or fixing sparks, fuel supply problems etc... all easier with an ooutboard. I do agree with your assessment of four vs.two strokes but the new evinrudes may turn head... still a two stroke but with all the advantages of a four stroke also.

 

[9driver]

"For me to help steer to a type of boat though, some questions need to be answered: over nighter? how far off shore do you plan to run? Multi-usage to include wanting to fish, ski, or just cruise and dive? I've grown up boating on FL's west coast, so I can make a few suggestions depending on what you want to do. I wanted to do two different things for a while, thus had 2 boats! One for deep sea and off shore fishing, one for flats/back water fishing and skiing."

Colin,

Thanks! I would like overnighter capability, but I'm flexible. I don't plan to run more than a few miles offshore. From the Naples area to the Keys, and I might trailer over and go to Bimini if that's feasible. That's about it. I'm not a big fisherman(yet), so I'm thinking mostly cruise and dive, with fishing capabilies being a distant 3rd.

I've spent alot of time today looking over the Glacier Bay Cats online, and they seem to be a very real possibility(but $$$, even the used ones). Given your experience with the area in question, what other boats might you recommend? I totally expect to purchase used, and have no hangups with that. My other boats/waverunners were used purchases. And I managed to sell em for close to what I bought em for, so I understand and like that concept.

 

[CBulla]

zboss - totally with you on the self sufficiency. I mention my boats duality in roles, well, they both were used for pulling my stone crab traps depending on which one I wanted to take out and exercise. Keep in mind, this is when this area was a smaller quieter community and not the "trying to be just like Ft Lauderdale" look and cost of living they are trying to do now. I still can't afford someone else to work on my boat!

9driver - your talking my speed of boat totally! Thats exactly why my wife and I settled on the 27' we have now. As a cruiser, its fat and wide for stability and comfort, with a straight inboard for a power plant (not i/o, straight through hull drive). Its also got a big cabin with a little galley area so have the option of over night and cooking, etc.. The deckspace starts at mid-vessel and is completely open. No silly wrap around benches or obnoxious stylish coolers.. which leaves us the room to put in more comfortable fold out deck chairs or set up tank racks for diving, cooler bench seats, etc., that leaves my options for every day of boating open to what we want to do, not what the boat was "designed specifically for".

For what your talking about doing, a 24'-30' mid-cabin would be more than ample. I was looking for a pictoral example to help demonstrate and found the site for the Chapman School of Seamanship. They have boats for sale on their site, but for this purpose, I am referring you to the Cabin and Cuddy cabin vessels as illustrations of some of the styles that would serve you very well for local boating that would allow you to the keys and back from the local area.

http://www.chapman.org/boats/index.html

This was ironic that the site showed up in my search since I was going to recommend you take a boating course to learn the rules of the water in regards to the intercoastal and interational waters which you'd be traveling here as well as get to meet some other local mariners to help you get your bearings with resepect to the waterways you'll be navigating!

Hope this helps you get started and dont feel shy to pipe up with a question!

 

[KeyLargoBrent]

the 25' Parker's, Dusky's and Grady White's for trailerable outboards, and the 26' Shamrock's and Dusky's for trailerable inboards.

I'd go for four-stroke over two-stroke, diesel over gas, and straight inboard over inboard/outboard, within budget constraints.

Happy Hunting!