Perfect all-around boat???
 

The perfect all-around boat??? ( post 1 of 1)
I am thinking about getting a new boat, and would like some opinions as to what the perfect all around boat might be. v-hull? cat-hull?

I live in the Seattle area so I have access to small lakes, a very large lake that gets rough, and the ocean that has a bunch of small islands that are fun to go visit around Puget Sound.

I have a family of five kids, so I think a bow rider of some type is a must.

I like to be able to tow the kids and/or wake board and ski.

I definitely have the speed bug and like to go fast at times. (90-100 would probably suffice)

If it is too big, it wont be fun on the small lakes.
If it is too small, it wont handle the rough well enough.

What do you think?

Chris

Chris,

Welcome to my world! I was looking for the same thing 5 years ago - I may almost be there.

Tubing fun diminishes when the tow boat is over 27'. Older kids like an aggressive tubing ride and longer boats just can't turn tight enough. We use a waverunner now for tubing. My 32' works fine as a ski and wakeboard boat. I'm re-rigging to bravo XR's (going from surface drives) and should gain a little low speed manueverability.

The need for speed does make watersports a little more difficult also. You're going to need strong drives that can take the kind of launches you need to pull up a skier.

Now that I have the 32 I would not want to go shorter - I like the better ride in rough water.

Maybe the boat you are looking for is out there, but you may need to lower your expectations regarding either top speed (90 - 100 mph) or family towing fun. Good luck :)

Not sure what happened to my previous post, but your reasons are some of the same that I had, and that is why I went with the Sunsation 32 SS MCOB. It has a mid cabin along with an open bow, therefore if you have a lot of people you can fit them on, along with the fact you still have the offshore performance and speed, somewhere in 80's. Its a great boat.

Chris,

Your situation is very close to mine as I have four kids myself and we like to do it all. We needed a boat big enough to hold the family and friends as well. We wanted to tub, wake board, ski, and then be able to participate in poker runs as well.

We have rivers, smaller lakes, big lakes and offshore ruff water here as well..

The ideal boat for us was (and is) a Sunsation 288 MCOB. Overall the boat does everything we need to well enough to keep everyone happy (even me).

Not saying that the Sunsation is the solution for everyone, but the MCOB style boat is a fantastic all around package. There are several manufacturers that make an MCOB style boat and depending on your area, price and options you require im sure you can get what your looking for.

If you decide to go that route, give Sunsation a look, you can't beat product quality and the customer service is second to none.

Hope that helps.. Good luck with your search.

you beat me to it 07D... LOL

Well, lets be honest, its probably the best boat built!!! PERIOD!

Well, the Sunsation would be a good recommendation! :cool-smiley-011:

A 90mph toon would fit your requirements perfectly:evilb:

Active thunder 28 with big power. About as big as you can get and still keep single engine for pulling and turning quick. Real offshore boat. Large cabin and deep cockpit. Easier to tow than twin screw boat. 800hp and konrad ace should be fast enough for you. Dont know what else to say except its the boat i have givin much thought too.

disclaimer-I wont be pulling anything or anybody behind it.

I think this is the best all around boat concept. 30 foot cat, open bow/fun deck. Set it up with a pair of 300XS and you have a great 90 to 95 MPH package. Many manufactres make them.

http://www.eticketboats.com/
http://www.dcbracing.com
http://www.eliminatorboat.com

Are you going to trailer the boat or keep it at a marina ?

What fuel grades are easy for you to get 87 89 92 oct. ?

What do you want to spend ?

Any boat that is set up to go 100 mph is not going to be a good 28 mph wake or ski or tube boat. Boats are like golf clubs, you need about 10 to play the game.

I like some of the new center consoles out there now. 2-3-4 big outboards will get you into the 80's mph mark with most of the good ones depending on size. So if you don't have a problem spending 250-500k I would look at the Deep Impacts, Midnight Expresses, Intrepids. They are all custom builders and can do pretty much anything you want and those 3 are great big water boats. There are many other great builders like Donzi and Concept and others that are semi custom.

And unless the west coast is different than the east a Cat will cost about twice what a V hull to insure unless you lie about how fast it go's or slip it into you house or car policy then just watch what happens when you have a problem.

You need two boats. a relatively cheap 24' open bow for the family fun days, and whatever your budget allows for the big water/poker runs. That's what I'm going to try to do in a year or so. :D

I just went through the same decision process. Simular situation, but out here in So Cal. I decided on a Cobalt 302 w/ twin 496 HO's producung 850hp total. That makes it a boat you can play with, ski behind, and seat 12 people when need be.

As far a speed, I'm thinking she'll be a 60mph+ boat with strong out of the hole performance. It's tough to get 90-100mph in a boat that can be considered a family boat.

I've owned 6 boats from 32' to 60' and have always heard Cobalt is the BMW/Mercedes of boats. She's was also $250k loaded with every option, which is not for everyone. We'll see.

Good luck with your decision. Mine took for ever.

On the flip side....its hard to get real offshore performance and ride out of a "family" boat.

Agreed

I would think that any one of the cat hull based deck boat builders will put a ski tow on there for ya. Single or twin motor. How about an eticket with 525's? Haul the mail, haul the people, little cabin space...nice. Not sure how good a wake it will lay down for wake board.

I've hashed through everything that has been said here. All good points. I think Chris's questions were innocent enough, but family boat and 90-100 mph are a tough combination. He did not say he wanted to bring along friends and their five kids too, or I would have suggested a boat like mine. :D

The problem with the sport deck version of many low profile cats and vees is that the front seating is just too shallow for children. Any speed over say 40 mph (depending on conditions) and you're going to want all the kids (5 of them) back in the cramped cockpit with you! The Envision offers a lot of depth up front - so I can put a bunch of kids up there and run safely at 60 mph. I don't think Chris would want an Envision because it would take $$$ to make it go 90 mph.

If I had to do it over again I would look at one of the high performance toons or deck boats, or a center console - or have two purpose built boats, one for speed and one for watersports.

oh' please...

CB.
I been and still in your shoe.
Let's cut through all the BS and admit it. There is no such a thing. Period. No matter what you get it will be a compromise. That's boating. You want speed, forget the family outings.
Towing, in and out of lakes, rivers, oceans, etc. forget large fast OS boats. Skiing, tubing, samall. fast, planty of torque.
Family style, pleasure boat, grat for sking, tubing, etc. you won't be happy with Poker Runs.
Solution... you need more then one boat. or figure out what's the most important and stick to it.
Boat buying is in fact similar to car buying. You can get a sport coupe, but you won't be going off roading, and camping with 4+kids, and the family pup.
All that being said. a 27' to 32' "V" bottom, may be mid cabin, is the best "over all" combo. Sunsation, Formula, even the new Challangers. Donzi, (but Donzis a bit porky for ease of routine towing. Envision, Older but OK all around boats, Mach 1. etc.
Biggest descesion maker will be the $ you want to spend.
Good luck. Let us know what you end up.

Wow! I appreciate all the responses. Especially since I was sleeping while all you guys are "up and atom" on the east coast. I posted this over on Speedwake yesterday morning and got some good answers also. I really had my heart set on something like an Ultra 27 Shadow, but was told that it wouldn't do as good towing kids or out in the ocean around Puget Sound....... How about something like a Howard 28 Bullet, or a 28 Nordic Heat. Both can be fitted with a mid-cabin and open bow.... Is a 28 too big for small-medium size lakes? I will be trailering the boat.

Chris

Chris,

Not bad choices - just check out the depth of seating up front. Remember if the water gets rough you'll have EVERYONE in the back with you.

Take a look at the Concept, great boat. I have some what of the same problem,when living up in NY had the performance boats Sonic, Baja's. Moved to FL. talked my fater, and family to move,will go out fishing beach's everyweekend.But can't do that with a Sonic so could not find my self buying a fishing boat.Found the Concept and fell inlove with the boat. Great all around boat 30cc twin 300hp verados or xs will do mid 70's or wait till the 350 verados come out this fall should be low 80's. Small v bunk cabin fit 8-10 people on the boat and will do everything you looking for a boat to do.

Chris, check out a Howard 28 Bullet.

You could look at the Trident. It is a 28 deck boat..but gets insured as a run about...has the performance speed of a cat...apparently jumps on plane.. seats about 12. From what I have read about them as well, they handle the rough pretty well.

You probobly need something like we have:

1. A 15' Seadoo jetboat, 155hp, 50 mph, great for tubing/sking/canal cruising, and drinking, ( the wife is the DD and I do the drinking!)

2. A 35' Nordic, when we want to haul alot of people, haul the Mail (80 MPH) and run in big water.
Works great for us.
Good luck,
Dean