When I bought my fountain I was told that the Velocities ride high on there pad at speed, and could get a little squirlly, I don't know this to be a fact i have never driven one. On a side note Soldier I will be in the islands the last week of August if you want to get together, I briefly met another 27 Fountain at the poker run but forgot to get his name, it would be fun to get a few of us smaller guys together for a run.

I would agree with SR71 for a first performance boat I can't think of very many things that suck more than buying a new toy, being all amped up & ready to go then having the boat break. Especially if it is something expensive like a drive, etc. I would in that respect probably look at stock power for that reason also. All the hot rod stuff can be added in time. JMO Randy

i have an 03 velocity 260 $25,499. I realize it's $500 higher than your range, but nada is $34k w/trailer. If interested do an ebay search for velocity 260, mine is the white with silver/red graphics.

You heard incorrectly. The Velocity hull happens to be one of the most stable riding of most of the v-bottoms. Infact you could never spin it out like a stepped bottom Fountain. Fountains are a production boat. Velocity's are more of a custom built boat. The fit and finish is beautiful.
I'm sure you will love and enjoy which ever you buy. I just want to clear up the "hearsay". All brands are bashed by owners of other makes.

What ever boat you decide to buy find something with low hours and warranty if possible. There is nothing worse then stretching your finances to buy a boat and then have issues that will cause you down time and a bunch of cash.

I may have the boat to fill your needs..... 2000 powerquest 237 - 7.4 mpi

I picked up a 30' Formula its the only reason im selling it

The boat is great shape. It needs nothing done to it

I had a survey done two years ago when I bought it , I would have to look for it if you want to see it...

I plugged the merc tool in to check the hours when I bought it and they were 170ish.

The only issue I ever had with it was once I stopped to fast and water came up the thru hull exhaust, I added the rubber flappers it, and bought 3in risers for the elbows but never needed them... ill toss those it in too.


$15,500

Whatever you do, make sure you get a boat that you won't want to replace with the next size up immediately. I had a 22 footer for a while and wanted to start looking at 25 footers almost immediately. I ended up replacing the 22 footer with a 29 footer and I now know I made the right choice. The 292 Islander may be out of your price range but if you want a MCOB with a unique layout and a nice ride in rough water it may be worth a look. I'll readily admit that Formula makes a better built boat but Baja isn't bad. Just as with any used boat, get it looked at by a professional. In my opinion it's more important to have a well-maintained boat than a newer boat.

What he said...

While my Velocity doesn't have a warranty, it has a 496 Mag Black motor, which when taken care of (as mine has) can run up to 800-1000 hours without need for major overhaul. Mine is also including a spare bravo lower unit.

Velocity are built very well. I have enjoyed many, many hours of trouble free fun on mine. I think for the money Velocities are some of the best deals around. What bothers me as a Velocity owner is a similarly equipped Baja Outlaw 24 or 25 (similar year) sell for much more than the Velocity, yet are not built with the same quality. I am NOT knocking Baja in anyway, baja owners...... I am just stating the facts. Just comparing the cabin interiors speaks volumes to the difference between custom built and production boats. Because of name recognition, the average Joe will buy a Baja (and pay more for it) because it is a recognized name. Again, don't get me wrong, Baja Owner(s). I am NOT trying to start a debate, as a matter of fact, I prefer the classic looks of the Outlaw over my Velocity...... I think the Outlaw has a timeless look to it that will never go out of style. With Baja Outlaws selling for $5k-$10k and even more than a similarly equipped Velocity, that makes the Velocity a great bang for the buck (not to mention the Velocity will be faster than an equally equipped Baja )

Velocity is great bang for the buck. What you said about Baja is correct, it is a good boat, but Velocity (and Formula) are better built. The problem is that Baja has better name recognition which makes them easy to sell. In the runabout world is a Sea Ray built as well as a Cobalt? The answer is no, but here in the midwest people believe Sea Ray is as good as gold. It's a good boat, but there is better out there for the same money and same goes for my Baja. Resale on the Baja will be easier than the Velocity as they are not well known in certain areas of the country and the styling is not as appealing to some customers.

All very good questions.

Never, ever buy a boat without a survey. Most likely you will need one for insurance coverage as well. Find an accredited NAMS or SAMS surveyor in your area at these websites:
http://www.namsglobal.org/
http://www.marinesurvey.org/

As to how many hour are too many hours? That is a very difficult question to answer. Some still consider 75 hours per season as normal/acceptable usage. However you need to consider the manner in which the boat was cared for. A "high" hour motor that has been babied before/during/after the boating season, and runs and looks as such is a different story than a lower hour motor that was thawed out for the Spring, run and put away wet and then winterized. Hire a pro to check everything (compression test, moisture readings, etc..) and it will be the best money you have ever spent. If it works out, you know your new boat better right out of the gate. If it doesn't, you just saved yourself a ton of money aggravation and lost quality time on the water.

What he said!!

a stock MPI motor should run for around 500 hours if maintained properly but that is the problem.. many are not and there are a lot of people out there wanting to give their problems to someone else. Verify everything by a marine surveyor and more importantly IMO get a MARINE mechanic to take a look at the boat, not someone you know that works on cars in their spare time. It will be the best money you ever spend! Just a leaky exhaust can cost tens of thousands to rebuild the motor and replace exhaust. The important engine stuff... compression, leakdown, pressure check exhaust, check for metal in drive on magnet and in oil, run the boat then check again... Get them to run a scan on the motor to make sure the hours on the meter matches the motor and that their isn't any codes. Stay with stock power too as this being your first boat, get a few years under your belt driving and handling the boat before you go fast. The other thing is the maintenance and repair go up exponentially... believe me I am an expert on breaking stuff!! Enjoy looking, it's fun.