boat advice
 

hey guys, I need your opinions on a few boats. would you rather have a 1999 22' powerquest a 1997 22' scarab or a 1997 24' outlaw? all have 454's. why?

thanks!

the outlaw

bigger, dropout bolsters

Where do you boat?
Do you plan to overnight?

I'd probably go with the Baja given those choices as it's definitely bigger. Make sure you "use the same yardstick". The 24 Outlaw is a true 24' long boat. Other boats have a molded in swim platform and count that as overall boat length when it's really not.

Get the outlaw. Best of both worlds you can use it on big and small lakes. It also has the old school offshore look to it. It'll become a collectors boat as well.

I don't really know about that, they made a ton of them.

The one that is the cleanest and most well maintained, with service records to prove it. All three are good boats, the Baja and Scarab will probably have better name recognition among the new boaters that will buy it when you get the dreaded two-foot-itis.
Now if all things maintenance-wise are equal, I'd personally choose the Powerquest. I've looked at all three (and ridden in the PQ and Scarab), and the PQ seemed to have the best build quality of the three.

My only hang-up on the Scarab and PQ is the tiny cabin opening. You have to be a contortionist to get in and out of the cuddies on those things! The Baja wins hands down in the comfort category, but comfort isn't really what it's usually about.

I don't know what your budget is or where you are located, but I'll add another option or two anyway.... there are 2 Sunsation Agressors listed in the Midwest, one at a dealer in Lake of the Hills, IL, and another at a dealer in Harrison TWP, MI. I haven't checked out either in person, but Sunsation builds a helluva boat, and both are around $27k. There are three Active Thunder 25 Tantrums listed, one in New York, one down south, and the location of the third escapes me right now.... All three are listed high 20s-low 30s, and AT also builds one helluva boat.

..... And before I get flamed, none of the listed boats are mine, I'm not a broker or salesman, I just got 2-foot-itis already and have been bouncing around the Internet lately.

good info guys! I figured the outlaw would be first choice. I also think the PQ is the better built boat but would like the size of the outlaw better. I just wish the outlaw was a 25 so it had the bigger door going to the cuddy. I have 2 outlaws located. one has a wrap but the interior does not match the new colors on the wrap. that kinda bugs me but it really doesn't hurt anything. the other outlaw looks brand new inside but the exterior looks a little dated due to the 1997 graphics but I can deal with that no problem but more worried about the power plant which is a 540 / 550hp and its reliability.

Not only is the outlaw larger than the other two, it also has more deadrise. Both of these factors will make it ride substantially better. I'd also be all about the one with the 540, a 454 in that hull is really not enough engine.

one of those AT's is near me and I agree with you on those other boats but my budget isn't that big. I would have to sell one of my other boats, which I don't want to do at this time. I had a killer deal on a sonic 260 but while I was trying to find a trailer for it, someone else snuck in and snatched it up.