Personal Dive Boat (Catamaran)

[ryoung99]

Thanks again everyone.

David, great day in 2003, we wrapped up the POPRA P4 Title that day with a win, in fact we beat a 42' Apache with twin 1400 hp engines that day. We were the smallest boat on the water with the least hp and smoked the competition.

The girl in the photo was the girlfriend of the guy I race with, and best friends with my wife.

Nice photos, thanks

 

[dlndavid]

Thanks again everyone.

David, great day in 2003, we wrapped up the POPRA P4 Title that day with a win, in fact we beat a 42' Apache with twin 1400 hp engines that day. We were the smallest boat on the water with the least hp and smoked the competition.

The girl in the photo was the girlfriend of the guy I race with, and best friends with my wife.

Nice photos, thanks

You're welcome, best thing about the Pittsburg Seafood Festival is the race. My wife and I go every year. Got a bunch more photos from the 2003 race.
David

 

[engine]

I have a 27 ft. Grady White Islander with twin Yamaha 200 2 cycles, cabin (walk around), with most of the features you mentioned, and I bought mine used.

They are more for fishing, but I rigged mine for diving as I do not know that much about fishing. I take this one offshore in SE Florida.

I shopped for boats for about 6 months and didn't know about Grady's reputation, and really wasn't looking for one because I didn't like the lines that much. Found out later that their reputation is seaworthiness and high reliability- like a used Mercedes or Toyota.

I don't know about Glacier Bay or those other makes, but you won't go wrong with the GW. And, buy used....never buy a new boat.

Love the 4 cycles, but they are more complicated engines. It's a toss up to me....but boy are they quiet!

BTW, Tom Winters....I am in Delray. Perhaps we could go out sometime, or put together a caravan for the Bahamas?

Now, back to the thread.

 

[mike_s]

BTW, Tom Winters....I am in Delray. Perhaps we could go out sometime, or put together a caravan for the Bahamas?

The problem with the bahamas trips now is the $300 customs fee per boat.

The Bahamian government has got to be killing the tourist revenue in Bimini by raising the customs fees so high.

 

[Tom Winters]

I looked at the Bahamas government web site. it looks like the $300 cutoff is 35' and over. Under that is $150. My vessel registratation says 29'6" just in case they ever make the cutoff at 30'.
I've never been to the Bahamas, but Bimini sounds like a great place 20 years ago. There sure are some unreal destinations still in the Bahamas though. The customs fees probably have not affected boaters too much. Fort Lauderdale has a severe shortage of docks big enough for megayachts, and sales have never really faltered that much. It sure makes the used boat market very attractive though.

 

[jrk]

Those are all good boats, although I would pass on a Grady White cat. They have their loyal adherents - I'm just not a big Grady White fan.
You can't miss with either a Glacier Bay or the ProKat. Towing in your area will be a challenege though with all those elevations to consider. Whatever hull you get will be ok, but choose your engines wisely. There are some large outboards that I would tend to avoid and some that I would jump on in a heartbeat.
Again, these are all my personal choices - other people love the stuff that I would avoid like the bubonic plague.
Have fun with the cat though - great dive boats!

I'm in the research phase of a boat purchase...mainly for diving. Money always the issue, I want as much boat for the money as possible. I don't plan on serious offshore, but would like a hull that handle a little more that flat calm. I've been looking at the Twin Vee and would very much appreciate feedback if anyone has any experience with these, second or first hand. I would gladly welcome alternative manufacturer/model opinions as well.
Sincerely appreciate everyone's time,
Randy Kight
Richmond, VA.

 

[Tom Winters]

Twin Vee has some righteous bang for the buck. They are not top shelf boats, but they made no bones about going after the lower end of the market either. That big 36' Twin Vee CC in the Suzuki 4-stroke magazine ads is a mouthwatering dive boat. Looking at their website, the 36' list is $89K which is peanuts for anythig new over 30' these days. The smaller Twin Vees are ok, although they seem to run a little narrow in the beam.
I'd still take something like that to the Bahamas across the Florida Straits, but I'd watch the weather pretty closely too. For normal coastal waters, they'd be great.

 

[engine]

The folks who have twin vees swear by them. I'd look into it if I were you.

Like to know what you all end up getting, and once you get it you know you'll like it.

I have heard about problems with Suzuki engines, but that was about 2 years ago.

 

[jrk]

Thanks Tom and engine...
I'm currious, in your opinions, what would be a step up in durability, as this is truly the most important factor for me. I don't care about finish. I was looking at their 26 pilot console.

Randy

 

[Tom Winters]

I finally got to see a C-Dory catamaran - the 24' Tomcat - this past weekend. It was used sitting on a trailer on the west cosat of Florida, and I sure thought it looked great. My wife had a slightly different opinion, someof which consisted of various permutations of the word "ugly".
It only had twin 115 FICHT's which are not my first, second, or third choices for motive power.
Suzukis had an on again/off again reputation for a while, but they have one of the longest warranties afloat. I looked at some in the 90's that came with a 6-year warranty.
Their 4-strokes have some strong adherents these days. I have an old pair of 250 Yamaha Salt Waters on my Century. They're loud and smoke like a forest fire when you start them up, but they are also paid for. I would love a nice set of new 4-strokes purring away, but mine have ALMOST the same fuel economy as the new Yamaha 250 4-strokes.
Something to consider when you power up.