I sure do wish it was as easy as jumping in one or the other. A buddy of mine told me that was one of the worse things he had to do, which was travel across the country just to look at a boat. I guess that's one of the things to add into overall costs of owning a boat......

The only HP boats I have ever ridden in was my 24' Outlaw and a 33' Donzi ZX so I really don't have much to compare these boats to. I will be going to LOTO to see Steve H's Bullet so maybe if I am lucky there will be a Cafe or a Mistress to compare it with. Thanks for helping me out with all of this guys. Being a "CIG Brother" is going to be a blast. I can tell already.:D

Chuck

make the stretch... interest rate will be less and longer term if your financing

http://adcache.boattraderonline.com/6/2/0/88327320.htm

Trust me bro' I wish I could "make the stretch". I have been wanting a TG for a few years now but I simply can't pay more than 85k for a boat. I am pushing it with that already. On a 100k boat the sales tax alone would be close to 10k. I am going to settle for something I can really afford right now and I will probably move up to a TG in a few years.

You will be impressed by Steves the pictures don't do it justice its top notch. One of the best redos out there.

Thanks Dustin, that's what I keep hearing. I am going to see it and if it's half as nice as people say it is it will be my next boat. :party-smiley-048:

I may know of a 1992 Top Gun. 525SC & TRS. In the mid $70's. If that interests you let me know.

By all means...Do tell......Pics and specs?

The boat belongs to a friend of my dad's. He has had it along time (8 or 9 years) and doesn't use it much. He was talking about buying a T/S the other day. I'm trying to get the pics from him, hopefully in the next couple days. Those are the only details I know so far other than it may be a carbon fiber boat. It's kept inside a dry stack. I'll keep you posted.

Cool bro. Thanks for looking out. Anymore info would great.
Right now I am leaving all options open.
Thanks,
Chuck

those r 99k asking prices... offer 80k and see what happens

this will probably pizz a few people off but if you buy a trs boat you will most likely take a beating on it when you try and sell down the road unless you buy it very very cheap.

Yep!! :hitfan:

Don't look down on a Bullet. They ride like a much bigger boat!!! There are still times when I would rather still own my old Bullet rather that the Top Gun that I now have. :cool-smiley-011:

Right or Wrong this was advice I took to heart during my boat search. The TRS boats seem to be noticeably cheaper and for a reason - they are harder to resell and will become more so as time goes by.

Unless you upgrade to konrads.
If this formula was correct, i'd buy a TRS boat.
$TRS boat + $konrad conversion = $bravo boat.

That formula does work, but you have to buy it right....

You guys are making this decision much harder for me to make.:D
There seems to be an equal amount of people on each side.
I guess I will have to just go out and test drive a few different Cigs to see which one I like the best.
Here's a question....If TRS drives are so crappy why are there so many on most of the older Cigs? I know they probabaly came from the factory like that but we are talking about boats that are 15-20 years old. They can't be so bad that there are still so many on boats today.....What gives?
What makes a TRS drive so undesireable????

Actually, from what i've heard, the TRS are good drives and can handle the power that bravos can, possibly more.
They shift much smoother. CG is a abit more forward on the boats built TRS. Bravos could be a bit faster w/ the higher X dimension. Word is, TRS parts are hard to come by.
But I've also heard there ARE places to buy them, you just have to know the right people.
Buy a TRS boat right, run it till you get a drive failure, or till you're ready to pony up some cash, and make the bravo move.
2 i'd talk to... LS(or jr) and Mr Cig.

I am thinking maybe I can find a boat with TRS drives and like you said run until failure and then do a swap out with Konrads. I have 4 months to search and research everything I can about what it is I am going to want/need in a boat. I guess right now it is the size that I have to pick. I have been looking at a few TG's but the ones in my price range all have TRS's. Keep the advice coming guys. It has been a tremendous help with all things considered when buying a really expensive toy!!:D

While researching, check to see who your local Konrad dealer is, and see what an install would be. I'm guessing $13-15k per side w/ standard 540s.
Also, try to do a search and find the guys who've done the swap for opinions.

If you keep under 5-600hp a side, and don't drive it like a ski boat, you probably won't blow a TRS drive. They were origianally designed for work boats, and are stronger than Bravo's. True, parts are getting harder to find, and they are a little slower, but I'm still a fan.

Secondly, the only TG I've ridden on had Bravo's and the boat was "nose light" (not sure how the drives and tabs were set). I've "heard" the non-step TG hull was designed for the forward engine placement of a transmission drive, and therefore those ride better. Simply passing along hearsay and my limited observation. Don't take it as gospel, but do consider it.

Couple quick comments, sorry if I am mentioning stuff you already know but just thought I'd save you some research time - TRS drives actually have a seperate transmission that sits between the front of the transom and the back of the engine. This does indeed move the center of gravity forward in the boat but also increases the weight by a fair amount on both sides of the boat. In general, my understanding, is that the TRS drives are probably able to handle more power than the Bravo's since the transmission is not in the drive, like the Bravo's are. I would guesstimate that you add 200 pounds to the boats overall weight. Supposedly TRS components are getting scarce but you sure seem to see a LOT of boats with those drives which leads you to believe there are plenty of parts available. You would not be able to "easily" switch over the TRS drives to Bravo, as this would necessitate re-mounting the engine, and drilling new holes in the transom as the X dimension is different on the boats. The Konrads, at 15k each side, are the only realistic replacement for the TRS drives. They are a relatively new drive but have seen very few failures from what I have read on the board.

I went with a Bravo boat - 30k buys a LOT of used Bravos and or rebuilds.

Thanks guys......this is going to be a long and exhausting process:angry-smiley-044:

You said you want 75mph boat, it will be easier to come by on a bravo boat(less weight and no tranny) A friend of mine had a bullet and it was a great boat, it does everything really good and will surprise most in rough water. I have a Cafe and have always loved them. The one thing I will give advise on is try to buy a boat that has already been gone through. If you buy an older TG or any boat that is all original it will nickel dime you to death. I redid everything mechanical in my boat including transom assemblies and you could not believe how things get after 10-15 years in water. Find something that someone has $100k+ into and buy it for$75K. I would not concentrate on length check out the TG, Bullets and Cafe's and find one that has been loved and will enjoy it more than having a boat you are working on. By the way you are making a great purchase with a Cig and yes they do ride better mot boats on the water!

Thanks Frank....The saga continues.....

too bad ls's old tg isn't for sale.
That is a great lightweight 38.

If I could find a TG in the 85k-90k range I might be able to swing it. The problem is finding one that I like and that I won't have to sink a
sh!tload of money into for that price.

Have you contacted "GRIMMY" on the boards? Robert is his name, he's got a nice early 90's Gun with newer power that runs in the mid 70's for around what you want to pay. It's a really nice ride. I THINK it's still for sale.

Roberts # 702-683-7656

Also, call Kurt (Biggus) 715-410-0735 for info on Konrads. Everything I"ve heard about them is that they are worth the money. The drives hook up to the TRS gimble ring so that will save you money off the bat. I believe you're looking at 10k a side with out the rings to swap to Konrads.


And I agree with most. If your price range is 75k, you're most likely looking at a TRS boat. But the TRS's most likely (if properly cared for) will last you a long time and you wont have to worry about it.

Also, I don't know if it's been broght up, but you can get an AWESOME Cafe Racer (35') for around 75k. Cafe's are great boats, virtually same cockpit/cabin layout as Top Guns and run awesome. Most Cafe's you'll find will have Bravos on them.

I wouldn't be so keen to buy a Bravo Gun or Cafe though. Cigs are Bravo eating machines!

Thanks Tank. I think the best bet would be to buy one with TRS's and if/when they fail do the swap to Konrads. I know people say the Bravos are faster but I am looking for reliabilty more so than speed.
Yes I do want to go fast but I also don't want to change a drive every few months. I also think your call on a Cafe over a Gun would be the best choice for now.
I do plan to upgrade to a bigger boat in a couple of years so I might as well get a really nice Cafe or Bullet and wait on the Gun until I can get what I really want.

Any cig would be a good choice. I love my bullet. It has 540's, huber trans, and trs. I haven't had any problems. Mark

Hey Mark what kind of speeds are you getting with that setup?
Thanks,
Chuck

Trust me you defiantly want to buy one that has had alt least 85% worth of upgrades done to it. I have redone a few of these things what that helps me is having a place to do it and doing things myself. I have friend that wanted my boat that said it was to high in price so he bought one cheap 28k all original and trs he is already past what I wanted for mine and he still needs to spend another 10k-15k to get it where he wants not including all the hours he has in it. He told me the other day I should have bought yours.

buy the tg.....

HA HA! I'll sell you my Bullet for $75K. I'll even throw in a couple of Claymates! :D

Here are some pics from Sunday...

http://pages.sbcglobal.net/claywashington/gifs/LD01.jpg

http://pages.sbcglobal.net/claywashington/gifs/LD02.jpg

P.S. Friday pics will be in the uncensored section! :eek:

Sh!t Clay you big pimpin over there in Austin!!!! I hope you have some pics for the uncensored page!!! I know where I'll be headed for a trip next year.:D And no I don't want to buy any girls...I want to get it for free!!!!!:party-smiley-048:

Chuck

You read my mind!!!:p

Come on now Clay....Don't let us down!!!!:cool: