Re: Question regarding offshore boats
 

25 Active Thunder is a good choice.

http://adcache.boattraderonline.com/6/5/1/80548451.htm


Harder to find, but a 25 Powerplay with outboards might be a good choice as well.

http://adcache.boattraderonline.com/6/1/8/81058718.htm

As others have said, the Pantera is a great choice as well. These manufacturers will probably give the best ride "in their class", but will still not be exactly soft. If you need a soft ride, you're gonna have to slow down when it gets rough. A 25' boat is not going to be spanning many waves, it's going to launch at speed.

Re: Question regarding offshore boats
 

Chris,
In actuality, most go-fast boats DO have an 8' beam. Only a few run narrower beams. I believe Superboat runs a 7' beam. Anything less than 8 is definitely unusual.

Re: Question regarding offshore boats
 

your not barking up the wrong tree,, Most boats in the 22-26 foot range with 24 degree deadrise are an 8 foot beam. like I said, I had a 232 and thought it was a good combination of cabin, cockpit, handling, speed, styling, if you could find one w/ a MPI It should meet your $$ and space requirements, and is a fun boat all around.

Offshore cockpits are inheriantly small, with kids and what not I would also consider the baja islander, I never liked bow riders until I relaxed in one for the day,, they are actually quite convienient for getting out of the way of a cramped cockpit.

Re: Question regarding offshore boats
 

I feel like a Baja salesman. I own a Fountain by the way. The 25 Outlaw has a 8 foot beam, 24 degree deadrise and a respectable cabin. I posted at least one of those in one of my earlier posts. You reading this stuff??? :D

I also thought the 42k for the Fountain was in your price range?? Maybe I need to re-read..... :evilb:

Re: Question regarding offshore boats
 

Again, I want to "test drive" these boats in question to see if I like the feel. I am probably going to look at a older Pantera 24 next week with a "newer" 496 Mag. I will see it when I get there, but the cockpit looks super tiny. Looking at Baja's website, I am thinking realistically , the 232 outlaw or Islander is probably the way to go. Obviously I want to get out on one before I make my purchase decision. Another few questions:

I have a 5L V8 carb in my Bayliner. The gas sticker shock doesn't bother me, even at $4.00 a gallon. I have no idea the MPG numbers. By your best guesstimate, what would going to a 6.2 or even the 496 on a 24' do on gas use incomparison to the 21' Bay V8 I have assuming same amount of use. 10% more, 20%, double, triple the amount, just need a basis?

Going back to the doggy door access, are the cuddys worthless? I have a bowrider, bow is not used much at all. Thought was to goto a cuddy to have a tiny "den" for the kids and me to relax in to nap, read, whatever. Consider the Baja 232, is that a waste of space for the cuddy and should I focus on another open bow?

Maintenance: For my Bayliner, I won't say cheap, but inexpensive. Standard stuff; Tune-ups, oil changes, impellar changes, bellow checks, Throttle cable issues, ect. Anything more on an offshore as far as systems to maintain, or just a bigger engine means bigger expense.

Water Skiing: We use the Bayliner about 10% of the time for water skiing. How does the offshore hull and draft effect the wakes when waterskiing behind it.

Shipping: I am finding a lot of boats that interest me nowhere near Los Angeles. I saw the $5000 cost to ship from Florida. Is is roughly $1 per mile and should calculate that way if I see a boat. And that being said, do you guys trust out of state surveyers, or do you hop on a plane and fly there for the weekend?

This website has been a wonderful tool for learning, and appreciate all of the help.

Chris

Re: Question regarding offshore boats
 

guy next door has a 22 bottom liner w/ 5.0 L V8 burns about 20 gph at WOT, a 375 hp - 425 hp BB is going to burn around 35. I would assume a 6.2 would be around 30 gph.

Maintenace cost over your previous motor shouldn't be an issue.

Cabin space on my 232 was a wrap around half bench, with a small V-berth, cabin door had excellent access,, only doggie doors I know of were on the h2x, outlaw's, and performance seies have nice doors. It was o.k. for occasional overnighting, getting out of the sun but thats about it, not great but not worthless either, fine for kids and a couple of adults. Except for sonics most cabins in the 22-26 foot range are pretty similar, sonic by far has great cabins. My 288 cabin if very useful, plenty of room for 4 adults, sink, lockers, v-berth, comfortable.

Waterskiing should not be a problem,, most boats in this size will stay on plane in the 20-24 mph range,wakeboarding was a little tougher because ideally I liked to be going 19-21 mph, tabs helped this aspect.

We had a 24 pantera on the local lake here and the cockpit did seem pretty small compared to the baja's.

Checkmates also seem to be well laid out, I have seen several 25's and would take a look.

Re: Question regarding offshore boats
 

The purpose of my post was to give you an idea of what can be had. Further, one can assume that these prices are negotable, so you should get in for less. If you test drive boats that are local and like the ride but not the deal, then you can buy from afar. You can go to Powerboat.com or boattest.com and get reviews that discuss storage and talk to fuel costs. Boatest shows this for the 25 Outlaw for example-


RPM MPH Knots GPH MPG NMPG Range Range dBa
700 4.3 3.7 1.5 2.93 2.55 251 218 69
1000 6.7 5.8 2.5 2.71 2.36 232 202 67
1500 8.5 7.3 4.1 2.09 1.81 178 155 77
2000 9.2 8.0 6.2 1.48 1.29 127 110 77
2500 24.4 21.2 8.4 2.92 2.54 249 217 81
3000 28.8 25.0 10.7 2.69 2.34 230 200 86
3500 41.1 35.7 15.3 2.69 2.34 230 200 89
4000 55.0 47.8 21.0 2.63 2.28 224 195 90
4500 60.8 52.9 30.2 2.02 1.75 172 150 93
4800 65.6 57.0 31.7 2.07 1.80 177 154 93

You can compare these numbers to your boat. The tune up costs and other standard stuff is similar in price. Oil might be a bit more and with EFI tuneups last longer.

I am not familar with the 232 but knowing what the 24 Outlaw's cabin looked like I would think it too small. I like cabins. Don't think I'd read in them, but they have their advantages over bowriders. The 232 and the Islander are not Offshore boats by the way.

If you like the wake your Bayliner makes for water skiing, the other boats will work too.


Used Formula's and Fountains will hold their value better than a Baja.

Re: Question regarding offshore boats
 

I must be wrong on model numbers. I thought the 232 was etiher Islander or Outlaw, I stand ocrrected. I would prefer the outlaw hull per your suggestions regarding the deadrise issue. I forgot two more questions, and pretty soon, I will be an offshore salesman too!:

Windshield: Am I crazy to want a windshield? I am assuming it shave a couple of MPH off the top end, but not getting bugs in my teeth or teary eyes is well worth it. What am I missing here. Can any boat be fitted with a windshield as an option, or are they limited to particulalar models.

Exhaust: Coming from a prop hubbed exhaust on my Bayliner, I know if I go with a through hull exhaust, the first time I turn it on, my wife will punch a hole in the boat and sink it. That being said, all are through hull exhausts LOUD? Is there a quiet version, or is the prop hub exhaust the quiet version. And how does Captains call play into this. I have read previous posts and I am still on this issue lost.


Chris

Re: Question regarding offshore boats
 

There is the performance series of Baja's, like 232, 275, usually w/ windshields, outlaw series have fairings, but I have seen a few performance seires boats w/ fairings. The windhield on my 232 was fine for looking through sitting down but driving it 90% of the time standing up, you were up in the wind anyway. People will argue, but IMO there is hardly any difference in ride between the ride of a 25 outlaw and a 272, which are basically same length hull.

The exhaust issue can be solved w/ captains choice, it directs it through the prop just like your gayliner when the wife is aboard and when you wanna race around with it in the open position, it's switchable, and many of the boats that you are looking at will have it already installed. Mufflers also work but IMO not as well....

Re: Question regarding offshore boats
 

Windshield or fairing doesn;t matter. What matters is can you see and how does the boat deflect wind at speed. My Outlaw had a small windscreen while my Fountain has a windshield. The Outlaw had less air (and bugs) blowing through than the Fountain.

Captains call or Silent Choice gives the option (flip a switch on the dash) of directing all of the exhaust through the prop, or some of the exhaust through the hull and some through the hub.
You go from very very quite to loud - your option.

Only having through hull exhaust (without mufflers) is not what you want as it is way too loud. Don;t think it's even legal in the Golden State. There are mufflers that can be added though.

Through hull and muffled should be fine (you should listen - some are louder).