If you are waiting and want to see new boats then there is no better then the Miami Boat Show in Feb.

<<..."If you are waiting and want to see new boats then there is no better then the Miami Boat Show in Feb."....>>

New would be sweet, but the economics dictate a used one at this time. When I said low 100's, I mean 100K, 110K, 120K, etc .... not 100s, 200s, 300s....

Good idea on taking a trip to LOTO sometime. Lots of go-fasts there, and they are fresh water boats.

Thanks.

Hey Newbie!

Post #10 looks like the type of boat that would fill all your needs and has nice graphics.

G Force:

Welcome to OSO.

For $ 100k you can get yourself a great boat. This is a buyers market. Like real estste get a survey. Check out www.nada.com for values. Try and get some rides on some boats at poker runs etc. Different boat manufacturers have different style rides. Cigarrettes will ride one way, Fountains another, etc. How much room do you want, how fast, cat or V hull... all questions you will have to answer. The type of use you intend is important. If just cruising bays and rivers vs. big water in the ocean running.

Good luck.

Wannabe

Thanks all. great ideas. Post #10 does look ike a nice boat. At this point, we're in the looking and research stage...trying to learn more about go-fasts. The economics, and the real estate business will also determine when we can make the move. For now we are sitting tight, but enjoying the looking and researhing.

One thing that the wife an I have told ourselves that the next boat wil have is A/C. We'd like to be able to spend some nights aboard over weekends, and it's too dang hot and humid here in the mid-Atlantic to even think about no A/C for summer sleeping. Plus, I'm a native RI'er, where the breeze almost always blows, and the heat isn't so bad. VA and MD are killling me in the summer.
A generator woiod be nice, too, but probably not a deal breaker. Just have to hook up to dock power if no Gen. There aren't a heck of a lot of go-fasts out there wiht Gererators, as they add weight, cost, etc. Saw one on a 382 Formula FasTech, but not a lot out there with gens..

As for engines, is there significant difference bewteen the 500 EFIs, and the 525s ? I have heard the 525's have closed coolinh ... that's good. The naming system of the Merc Racing (blue) engines seems really twisted some times. If I have this right, the 500's are really 502 cu in, but their horse power is 470? .......And 575 SCi's are actually 550 hp. And arent there two types of 525s? ..an "HP 525" and a "525 EFI"? I'm beating my head in confusion.
Is there a chart or something that someone can point me to that has a list of all the Merc Racing blue engines with what they are called, how many cu in, and what there hp rating is?

I got a lot of learning to do.

Thanks!

Walking the docks at a Poker Run would certainly introduce you to what is out there and allow you to get the feel for what boat brands tickle your buying bone. Jammin' on the James will have some nice rigs in July, and isn't TOO far from Herndon.

ALSO - spend some time in the Classifieds looking at the layouts/styles of the boats. Visual appeal is important!!!

I am guessing you will end up narrowing it down to a couple possibilities, but maybe this brief commentary can help:

Formula - More Luxurious go-fast - good overnighter. Might be the right choice coming from a Cruiser if you want to spend the night on it and have a decent Galley/comfort level.

Fountain - FAST hull design - Decent Overnighter

Active Thunder - Solid Boat - Decent Overnighter

Nortech - Probably more than low 100's

Outerlimits - Probably more than low 100's

Cigarette - Solid Boat - Some nice Twin Steps in this range - NOT a great overnighter. Great resale....

Dont forget Sonic for cabin room. If you need more cabin space than that look at Black Thunder.

If you want A/C in the cabin only some of the manufacturers have that available. Formula does. Most places have 110v dock hookup, so a generator is not really needed.

Good luck

wannabe

Thanks seafordguy and Johny g -

We have also considered taking a stop by Jammin' on the James for a peek at some rigs. Where would be the best place / stop to see them on that run?
I agree about Formula. Their PC cruiser and their SS line are pretty high quality, and they appear to keep up the quality level in their FasTech (go-fast) line.

As for roominess, what abut the Donzi ZX series? I see that the 38 ZX has full standup headroom, as compared to the lower profile ZR series. Looks like Donzt discontinued the 38ZX for '09.. Guess they weren't selling? Maybe they were too much to tow, with the 38ZX being 2,000 pounds heavier tham the 38ZR and a 9' 3" beam on the ZX. Are Donzis pretty solid boats in general? Love the looks of the classic Donzis from the Don Aronow days. Looks like they make some smaller ones in the retro classic style, but only up to 22 feet.
Wish we cold afford an Outer Limits. They're built on my old home turf of Narragansett Bay in RI, and buolt to go to war with. Very sweet rigs.

Anyone know of a good articel or chart to "decode" the meanings of all the various iterations of the Merc Racing series (blue) engones? Which are closed cooling, the cubic inches of each, the hp of each, which ones are supercharged, etc.
I am also not up to speed (heh!) on go-fast drives either. Coming from the cruising side, I know of Alphas and Bravo I, II and III, but don't know much about what XR, NXT, #6, etc all mean. Again, is some sort of article or chart showijg all the differences? Doing google searches just gives little tidbits of info here and there, but no clearly laid out info. Like I said, I have lots to learn about the fast side of boating.

Thanks all.