Buy what you can and grow into it. Buy what you want and what excites you.

The AT and OL are two different worlds. You need to figure out what you want in a boat. The AT is a SUV, a really nice SUV and the OL is a Ferrari. The OL does not have as much room but is a absolute blast to drive.

A boat is a emotional purchase. It's all about how it makes you feel. Get what you want and don't listen to negative Nellies.

Personally for a ocean boat I would go with a east coast manufacture that has experience testing in the big blue.

MP

I have a 33 Powerplay and think that would be too much for a first time boat owner. I would go with a 30ft Activator, single motor.

The 298 Nor-tech Sport fits every requirement you specified and will make life way easier in the salt with the Verados and a layout that you can just hose down. 185 gallon fuel capacity too. You can put way more people on it than the standard sport boats and the girls have as good a time as the guys. It is almost a 10 foot beam and designed for the ocean.

I seriously do not understand WHY some people are advising this guy to buy something "other" than what he wants... first boat or not, BUY WHAT YOU CAN AFFORD in the style that pleases you! He's not stepping into an open class race boat, he's interested in a performance pleasure boat!

Are the Lavey Craft guys still building boats?.....they build a huge 29 and are great rough water boats....kind of in your back yard as well

Ya good point, thats a great boat for the ocean and great guys.

MP

Hmmmm......

33 active thunder

If you regularly plan on ocean boating, you need to have a reliable twin engine boat, period.

Let me know what I can answer for you on the 33AT. We have a very custom one under construction right now.
92 mph with 525s
~94 mph with 565s (boat under construction will have first pair of 565s in 33 hull)

The 33AT is literally a 9/10 scale model of the 37AT. It works, very well.

I'd love to have you go for a ride on one of our boats.
We'll spend as much time in the boat with you as you want/need to get used to the hull.
If you want the Tres Martin Performance Boating training, we have that relationship established as well.

Let me know what else I can answer for you.

You have lots of great options with that budget. You also have to decide if you want to buy new or used - that will narrow your options a bit . My first boat was a 33 ft PowerPlay with triple engines (O/B). I bought it because that is what I always wanted. Before that I had only driven much smaller and slower 21' - 30' rented boats. Buy what you want and what you can afford to maintain. Then take your time and learn how to do things right and safely. I took the Tres Martin course before I ever got behind the wheel of my PowerPlay. It's money well spent. After that, take your time, learn the boat and by all means resist your need for speed and the urge to "showoff" until you really know what you are doing. Common sense is all you need. If I was in your dilemma (how I wish I was), there are several Cig Tigers on the market for far less than your budget. I would scoop one up with the quickness. But that's my dream boat. Find yours, then make the leap.