Looking for boat advice

[Dave in PA]

The trailers that dealer sells with the boats have disc brakes on both axles, but it is also a bunk trailer, not roller, as far as I could see. I may be another year or two from a new Parker, so I will end up with a smaller used Center console or Dual console in the near future while saving more of a down payment. Of course, the dealer also offered to keep his eyes open for a used one a couple of years old. I did a quick online search and only showed 4 of them used for sale across the country, average price was 40k (which is better than 60 for a new one) The smaller boat won't get me to the Bahamas but it beats looking at a picture for a couple of years!

 

[Ana]

The trailers that dealer sells with the boats have disc brakes on both axles, but it is also a bunk trailer, not roller, as far as I could see. I may be another year or two from a new Parker, so I will end up with a smaller used Center console or Dual console in the near future while saving more of a down payment. Of course, the dealer also offered to keep his eyes open for a used one a couple of years old. I did a quick online search and only showed 4 of them used for sale across the country, average price was 40k (which is better than 60 for a new one) The smaller boat won't get me to the Bahamas but it beats looking at a picture for a couple of years!

Just make sure you don't jeopardize the savings for that down payment, life has a funny way to interfere with plans sometimes, then you settle for whatever center console you end up with and tell yourself "it is just as fine", after all 90% of the small boats in Florida are a center console and their owners love it.

It took my husband and I almost two years of wait also, it felt forever but I'd like to think it was worth it, it sure feels good to know the average price for resale is that high. While we were waiting we had the opportunity to visit their factory... oh it was very rewarding, seeing with your own eyes each step of their manufacturing process helped greatly.

We also took that time to design and redesign the perfect ladder, along with planing and re-planing the location for the dive flag, and what to use to hold the tanks, and what electronics to use, and don't forget about the name of the boat... if like us you already thought of a name, then what font will you use? where will you place the name?
All those thoughts along with a couple of charter dives a month, preferably different charters,that way you can see different boats and examine where do they put their O2 bottle, or the EPIRB or the whatever.

Anyway, good luck getting the Parker, for sure you won't regret diving off that boat.

 

[Glock Diver]

Dave,

I was in your shoes 2 years ago. Ask yourself- Will you you REALLY USE THE CABIN for overnights? Do you do much camping now? If YES, then youre on the right path. But if your answer is NO, then remember that on a 21-23 ft boat, those cabins become closets, and take up valuable deck space.

I thought I wanted a cabin, but needed to stay under 24 ft. So I went with a center console, and I'm glad I did. (BTW, boats are heavier than you think. My 23' CC is 5100 lbs with a full tank of gas. And trailers for this size boat will be around 1000-1100 lbs).

Good luck with your search, let us know what you get!

 

[Zieg]

Dave,

I was in your shoes 2 years ago. Ask yourself- Will you you REALLY USE THE CABIN for overnights? Do you do much camping now? If YES, then youre on the right path. But if your answer is NO, then remember that on a 21-23 ft boat, those cabins become closets, and take up valuable deck space.

I thought I wanted a cabin, but needed to stay under 24 ft. So I went with a center console, and I'm glad I did. (BTW, boats are heavier than you think. My 23' CC is 5100 lbs with a full tank of gas. And trailers for this size boat will be around 1000-1100 lbs).

Good luck with your search, let us know what you get!

Yes, but a Parker has usuable deck space, you don't have a console stuck in the middle being a pain to get around, and the cabin does not feel like a closet. I haven't found it to be hot in the summer and during the winter I enjoy the looks from the poor smucks bundled up and hunkered down behind their console. Besides, I'm fair skinned and got a full canopy put over the deck, I'm able to stay out of the sun. My wife takes some serious naps in the cabin on the way out and back.

 

[Capt.Gene]

In a close chop like we have in the Gulf of Mexico the Parker will be a very rough riding boat.
That big working deck comes at the expense of moving the cabin and helm very far forward.
Try setting forward of the center console while underway in a center console boat before you buy a Parker.

 

[Ana]

In a close chop like we have in the Gulf of Mexico the Parker will be a very rough riding boat.
That big working deck comes at the expense of moving the cabin and helm very far forward.
Try setting forward of the center console while underway in a center console boat before you buy a Parker.

Well I can't challenge your comment, my experience in the GoMex is limited to my Parker or bigger boats, so I don't know how smooth is the ride on a CC when it gets choppy. Most of the dive sites I go off Panama City are an hour or more from the pass. Even when diving South Florida where the sites can be as close or far away to the inlets as you want them to be, still takes me close to 40 minutes from our dock to the inlet. If I had a center console I would just be a fair weather diver.

The philosophy of some boaters to go all open, even if the people on board are getting beat up, aggravates me to no end. If seas are rough it will take me longer to get to my destination, that's just it for me.
Since I am a wimp, it helps having the cabin for protection. If seas are rough, chances are it is windy too and if I'm on my way back from a couple of hours diving, it would be pure misery to be exposed to the elements without an option.

Before buying the Parker, boats were tools for work time and a way to get to dive sites for the free time, after diving a few times from it, suddenly I actually like to just cruise and I can't think of anything better to do when not diving, than taking a nap while anchored somewhere under heavy rain. We can actually hang 2 hammocks from the frame of the canopy.

I could go on and on about how much I enjoy my Parker, but obviously some people are just as happy with their center console. With such a high price tag the potential buyer should definitely be sure of what is getting.

 

[a22shady]

Once you figure out what you want or need let me know i might be able to help. Most of peter's advice is sound especialy with the trailer. One thing to keep track of if your goin to be doing a lot of in/out with the boat in salt water take care of the alumium trailers as they will rust quickly if not hosed off and taken care of.

Both brakes is a good idea and price increase is not that much more. Also most people will always fill up before going in the water as again stated earlier the cost is a lot more on the water. also another thing to add if your new to boating is guide rails, basic long poles on each side of trailer to assist in backing up. I also have a cherokee and have towed several boats with it in/out of water and short distances. But also use an F250 turbo diesel for the bigger boats.

Another thing if your planning on doing over nights make sure the boat has the ammentites you want and that they are included in your weight calculations such as (Gen set, AC,Mascerator, overboard, etc... and any other things you might like) I have been out on many boats small ones with nothing small ones loaded and same for bigger ones.