Tunnel vs V bottom for family cruising.
 

Hey guys. I am thinking about buying a Magic 28 Scepter. We have a 25 ft Bowrider now and I want something a little bigger. The boat looks great but I have never been in one and we use it mainly for family outings. It is a mid cabin which I like the idea of but I am just wondering if this would be a boat that we would enjoy as a family with kids. We would still want to pull them on the tubes and wakeboards but Im wondering if its propped right if it would still work well for this? It has a 525 SC in it. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

You will most likely want to get a prop better suited to watersports, but that's no big deal.

Be sure you look into insurance before you pull the trigger. It will be eye opening. Are you looking at the deck boat, or the sport version?

Welcome to OSO!

You will probably find the boat does not want to plane at speeds low enough for watersports. I pull my kids on a tube occasionally and it seem to be real tough on the boat. I have to lower my tabs way down and I still never get completely on plane.

And I almost forgot.... Welcome! :drink:

get them good life jackets, nose plugs and pull them faster??

:party-smiley-004:

Cats are for going fast. No matter how you spruce it up to accommodate more people, the hull is still designed for one thing... going fast. They don't like to go slow.

:lolhit:

Wow. Thanks for the quick replies. I am looking at the 28 Scepter with the mid cabin and open bow. We regularly have up to 8 or 9 people on board and having the extra room is important. The 25 ft is just too small and I seem to move up in size every year. I thought 25 would be good but NOPE. Need bigger. Im sure I will say the same next year and want even bigger. Does that ever end??? haha. Ive just never had a tunnel hull before nor have I ever even sat in one. Top speed means nothing to me and doing 85 mph wont happen anyway with the kids on board so I am thinking I could prop it for an easy hole shot and have it still work for tubing etc but I may be wrong. The boat will strictly get used on smaller lakes. What are the tunnel hulls like to load and unload from the trailer? Any more difficult than a V hull?

Insurance here is just based on HP and declared value. Boat size / type doesnt matter so at least that wont be a shocker.

LOL, I know what you mean, I'm on my 3rd boat in 2 years and all I can say is you will love the ride of a cat. They are so smooth compared to a v-hull. As far as loading on a trailer I think the cats are easier because the tunnel just guides you right on the trailer. Good luck and let us know what you decide:)