Starter Speedboats?

Who here knows about boats?

My new house is lakefront, with a small dock out back. I'd like to get a basic boat to cruise around for under an hour or so at a time on the lake, with the family (4 total) and guest(s). Figure something in the 16'-20' range, that'd hold about 5+ people and is pretty easy to navigate.

I've been thinking in one of two camps - bowriders or jetboats. Also, I'd prefer something that is not maintenance intensive, in relative terms.

Any suggestions?

 

http://www.chriscraftboats.com/our_boats.aspx

 

What type of boat depends on the conditions in the waters you use it in and what you want to do with it. Joyride, ski, wakeboard, fish? There are specific boats for each. Check out what your neighbors have. Remember these two facts:

1. A boat is a hole in the water to pour money into.
2. The two happiest days in a boatowner's life are the day he buy buys and the day he sells.

 

Well put.

 

HEY JEFF

HOWS IT GOING?? GUS KEEPS ME INFORMED ABOUT HIS EX-HADDONFIELD NEIGHBOR....

ANYWAY TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION..

I GREW UP ON LONG ISLAND AROUND BOATS

SOMETHING EASY, MAINTENANCE FAIRLY FREE, SAFE, AND COST EFFECTIVE, I WOULD RECOMMMEND STRONGLY....

A MAKO 22

OR A BOSTON WHALER

EASY TO MAINTAIN, SAFE, AND REASONABLE UNTIL YOUR READY TO UPGRADE YOURSELF

GREAT 1ST BOAT...GOOD LUCK

REGARDS
BRUCE

 

Unsinkable!

 

Bruce! Great to hear from ya! Thanks for the advice. To answer earlier questions, the area I'll be boating on is pretty self-contained. Lake Wylie is a lake that spans North and South Carolina, and was created by damming the Catawba River. Basically, you've got the lake, a northern dam and a southern dam, so you can travel at most 90 minutes before you run out of area to explore. I get bored with fishing, don't have anyone I want to tow on waterskis, and don't want a party barge, so I'm looking for a pure pleasure speedboat to take multiple people on, and back it up with a wave runner for solo outings.

I'll check out the Mako and Boston Whaler offerings. I love Chris Craft's boats, especially the throwback runabout they offer, but I think that may be overkill - I'd rather save it for the 328 belt service fund.

Also - anyone have experience with Glastron?

I'm guessing that boats really come down to the powertrains, and it seems like Mercury and Volvo are the biggies.

 

Living in Minnesota I have extensive experience with boating (I live on a lake and my cabin is on an island). I currently own a Boston Whaler (outboard) and a Four Winns ( bowrider,inboard-outboard i.e. IO).
Based on how I am understanding your boating needs (sunny day boating), I would recommend a fiberglass deckboat with IO power. Any of your major brands will build this type of boat. Stay away from heads (toilets) and plumbing (sinks, etc) and this will help keep your maintenance down. I currently have a Volvo stern drive, and would highly recommend it. I have also owned OMC and Mercruiser stern drives. The Mercruiser is a solid option also. The modern power plants on the new boats are really user friendly and reliable (much like the new car power plants).
In terms of brands, Glastron is a good boat. What you get with more upscale brands (Four Winns, Cobalt, Larson, Chaparal, Sea Ray, etc.) is better fit and finish, often a stronger hull/stringer system, and more bells and whistles. Based on how I believe you will be boating, I think any major brand of boat will provide you with solid service (I have personally put Glastrons through some brutal conditions and have no issues with hull/equipment failures). Basically, all the brands are powered by the same equipment, therefore engines and lower units are not an area of difference.
The reason I am recommending an IO (and also not recommending a Boston Whaler) is because for cruising with family and friends the IO is quieter and more of a comfortable boat to sit and ride in. The Boston Whaler and any other center console boat is much more of a "SUV." This is the boat I would recommend for heavy weather/seas and using more as a utility boat. Based on my boating needs, I use the Boston Whaler the most (awesome boat in the heavy stuff). However, if I am cruising the family or friends to dinner then I will take the Four Winns.
Boating is enjoyable and can be low maintenance if you do your research and understand what you are getting into. Keep the boat simple (no plumbing, carpet, fancy seating surfaces, etc.) and you will have less systems to maintain, less items to break, and a cheaper boat to operate.
Good luck, I would be happy to answer any other questions you may have.

 

http://www.seadoo.com/en-US/SportBoats/2006/Speedster.200/

Easy choice. Buy it before the end off the month and it comes with a 3 yr extended warranty.

 

although all boats depreciate resale has been pretty tough on jetboats recently. I like the offerings from Cobalt, Sea Ray, and Crownline.

Check out the Cobalt at www.cobaltboats.com 20 foot BowRider is in the low $40K range to start. Sea Ray can be found at www.searay.com 20 foot bow rider is in the $35K range. Crownline boats can be researched at www.crownline.com and their 200LS bowrider starts at $34,500 with Merc power and $34,900 with V/P power. I had a Crownline several years ago (first boat) and I had the boat that is the older sibling of the 200LS with a Alpha drive and a 350 FI engine that I skated around Lake St. Clair in. Great boat for inland lakes gets a little squirley on the larger stuff though.

Good luck!

 

Get a boat with a year or two of someone elses ownership, depreciation is a *****. Try boattrader.com. Mako and Boston Whaler are for the ocean. Get a nice used Sea Ray, and you cant go wrong.

 

Another from Minnesota... I have a lake cabin, and have gotten the most use out of the pontoon. Safe for kids and pets, relaxing. I have taken the kids tubing behind it, and they have a blast. Somebody said deckboat; never tried one but it would be a good option.

We also have an older speedboat which hasn't been in the water for 2 years.

 

I bought a '96 Mastercraft Prostar 205 a few years ago. Even though it is a competition ski boat (I don't ski at all!), it serves very well as a runabout sport boat. It is 20' feet long, and holds up to 10 people. Mine has a Vette LT-1 motor in it, with 310bhp. It'll top out at just over 45mph. You can probably find a nice one for about $20k.

As a footnote; if the lake you are on gets very choppy, a ski boat will not handle that all too well, really best on calm, or fairly calm water.

 

A pontoon is an excellent choice. The "minivan" of boats. Even with the increased horsepower equipped pontoons, I was hesistant to recommend a pontoon because it was mentioned that he would be cruising for up to 90 minutes to cover the lake. I felt a more conventional monohull would cover the lake more efficiently. One nice thing about aluminum pontoons is that the aluminum does not stain like a fiberglass hull (therefore less maintenance and/or detailing).

 

Not a fan of boats generally but the old all wood 1920's sppedboats are beautiful.

http://www.chris-craft.org/Awards.html
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i would reccomend a bow rider, something light but with an outboard motor, preferably a yamaha HPDI motor [ 200 hp ] put that on the back of 18 ft bowrider and you'll hawl ass !!!!!! outboards are easy to work on and have more torque than a inboard or I/O motor. atleast the 2 stroke motors [ out board ]

 

YOU DONT KNOW WHAT THE F YOUR TALKING ABOUT............ MAYBE HE SHOULD PUT OUTRIGGERS ON IT ALONG WITH A 24 MILE RADAR. HEY I HEAR THE WHITE MARLIN ARE RUNNING ON THE LAKE IN MID JULY. YA CRACK WHORE.....

 

MAYBE HE SHOULD BUY AND GET A RAY JEFFERSON SHIP TO SHORE RADIO, GO ON CHANNEL 6 OR 16 AND TELL THE COAST GUARD THAT HE SEES YOU BUTT- F"ING A GUY ON THE DECK OF YOUR PATOON CHEAP BOAT AND YOUR BUILDING UP A CROWD AND BLOCKING THE CHANNEL....YOU GAY HORE BASTID C-CK LOVER...........

 

Actually, I could do that anyway before I get the boat. I'll just stand on my dock and make the call.

 

LMFAO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

NICE COMEBACK, YOU MENSA DROPOUT..........

 

are you calling me a clitty clot ???????
that reminds me, this dude has hair like you ------------
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LMAO!!! Tomorrow night should be interesting...

 

I HAVE ALLIGATOR HANDS AND ALLIGATOR TAXI SERVICE..THIS TIME .CHEAP PRIC

 

i have money says, when the bill comes- augustine will just happen to be in the bathroom............
dont worry bruce, remember---- augustine is on a diet !!!! LOL LOL LOL ........
i ll make sure the only thing he orders are the crumbs that fall off my plate................... speaking of crumbs, are we sure ben is going to show up ?????????????? i also call dibs on the seat next to bruce... augustine- F U.. you 'll wait in the ****ing car for us while we all chow down ...