Good 1st Performance Boat for $25-35K?
 

1) Boat will primarily be used in the Tampa/Clearwater area (salt use).
2) Looking for 24-30FT, single drive, fuel injection, and big-block.
3) I'm unsure if I want an MCOB or not. For the Tampa area, any opinions on this?
4) I see a ton of Baja's in my price range, but I wouldn't mind getting another brand and being different. Scarab, Fountain, Sunsation, Formula, etc?
5) Due to salt use, anything I should be aware of with this type of I/O machine? You see so may outboards nowadays....

I've always liked the look of the Nordic Rage 25-28FT. Are those good boats? Other options for me in this price range?

I've always like the Nordic Rage (25FT) and Heat (28FT). What would be some comparable choices to those boats? I've seen a couple 28FT Sunsations with MCOB that I like too. Again, this would be my first performance boat and it would be used in salt water. Does anyone know when Nordic went to Closed Cooling for the Rage and Heat? I've seen them with both 496 and 502 MPI engine options.

I was in the same price range when buying at this time last year. Whatever you do take into consideration your cockpit and engine room areas. I was looking at a '97 Scarab and damn glad I didn't purchase it as the engines would have been impossible to work on due to very tight quarters. I'm very happy with my choice. Boat is valued in the $30k range and landed it for $18.5k. Get a survey and sea trial done by a professional at your cost prior to making an offer. First boat I sea tested wound up having an unadvertised blown engine. Cost me $400 which pissed me off and gave the seller a piece of my mind for not telling me the issue prior. Point is, it could've cost me more.


Most here will beg you to get freshwater cooling as that will prolong your engine block/heads life in salt, they're right. Other than that flush engine/drive, wash engines, hull, engine room, bilge after every use. I run Salt Away through the engines, and hit the outdrives and trailer brakes with it after every use as well. Make sure your zinc's are in tip top shape. Spray the engines down with CRC 656 after each use and keep electrical connections sprayed with the same or the like.

Thanks for the input. Is there a nationwide company that does the surveys? Or do you just have to Google it and find someone local to that particular boat?

MCOB is great...remember we never really get in the cabins here and I know no one that sleeps on theirs unless it's a cruiser. So more cockpit and people room, the better.

Look for closed cooled (I loved my 496 H/O) and really if you can get twins but not the end if you don't. I am not a Baja fan but they are a good boat, just too many around here.

Thanks Nate. Do you think a Nordic Rage 25 would be a decent boat for going around Clearwater and St. Pete? Can it handle the rough water OK?

Try and go with the 28 heat if you can but if not the 25 will do well. There is days you will get beat up out there (especially near the skyway) but over all you should be ok running to say 3 rooker or in the bay

FWIW - at one point I think nordic may have switched the heat over from side tanks to a belly tank

Its not known to be a rough water boat.

UD

I've heard this too. Excuse my ignorance, but what is so bad about the side tanks? Just better to have the fuel weight lower in the hull versus higher in the hull?

Performance Marine Surveyors
Ed Cozzi, 954-895-4633