First post.....

We've just moved to a new area, too close to the Illinois chain of lakes to not get another boat.

Looking for...
seating for 8
80 mph lightly loaded
$80,000 budget

Plan to boat lakes where it appears the chop will be < 2ft typically (not quite offshore I know)....May venture onto Lake Michigan but only if the conditions are favorable.

Appreciate you input...
Derek

Seating for 8 is going to be tough. Sounds like a fast bow rider to me but will you have passengers up front at high speed? Tsk tsk!

Watching this thread, interesting.

RR

Get one of those Bajas with the 4 bolsters and the back seat,, I think that set up starts about 33', and buy a 10 year old for less than 50K

Advantage Victory 32s have four stand up bolsters....
Except this one-
http://www.boattrader.com/listing/20...ctory-98800762

But, bright side- at $60k asking price, you have enough of that $80l budget left for labbed props, a fourth bolster, and maybe a nice Mitcher T paint job to cover up the current er...um.... "design".

Here's another one-
https://www.popyachts.com/boats-for-...-victory-38579

More hours, but better graphics, freshwater use.

Having run at the front of a center console before, I don't think I'd want to sit in the front of a bow rider at high speed ( high speed to me is over 55).

If we have family and friends aboard 55 is plenty, for occasional trips with just 2-4 of us, running harder is fun. We previously had center consoles (great for a crowd, but lacks ability for occasional high speed runs). We had a Sunsation 288 for a few years, loved the boat for fun runs, but that was before kids and we were really limited to 4-5 when running and really 2-3 to socialize.

My first thought was another Sunsation, a Mcob vs the closed bow we had before kids. Or perhaps, a West Coast style open bow cat?

Keep the ideas coming...

http://www.offshoreonly.com/classifi...al-o62389.html

http://www.offshoreonly.com/classifi...ed-o62043.html

Look at some west coast Advantage, Eliminator, Magiic, Domin8tor, several of them built a bowrider or open cockpit walk thru they exisit

You guys forgot one of the 80s.......the mph 80

Sonic made some with the 4 bolster set up ~36' range. Probably be harder to find than the Bajas.

There are a couple of Donzis that were made with with "MCOB", but not sure you will find one for that price point.

I've been on 'drejustice's twin OB DCB, and I'd say that would be a perfect boat for the Chain, and occasional perfect day on the big lake, but you will also have trouble finding one at that price point.

I've had 11 people in the cockpit of a 37 Active Thunder for 1 poker run leg, but it definitely wasn't comfortable. 6-7 is doable though. (BTW, the 33 AT has the exact same cockpit size). Again, price may be the issue.

You can't beat those 32 and 33 Bajas with 'school bus seating' for cockpit space though, especially if you opt to pull out the second row of bolsters at times.