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

Absolutely!!!!! once you get that far that is

Wow, thanks guys! This is all really helping me out. I'll save Ed's number for sure.

OK, I think I really want an MCOB for around Tampa. Opinions on Nordic vs. Donzi ZXO vs Sunsation MCOB? The Donzi and Sunsation MCOB's are really hard to find in price range. Are one of these 3 boats far superior to the other 2?

Here's a Sunsation example below. How many hours is too many on a boat like this? 462 hours is a lot on this one, right?

http://www.powerboatlistings.com/view/45891

Stock black motors will run a loooong time if properly maintained and cared for. You'll need to do compression, leakdown, and engine scan to see how it's been ran. Usually that requires a Merc technician, surveyors rarely get involved in mechanical checks, aside from letting you know if they work or are broken.

I think the top speed may be a typo in the ad... This article puts top speed at 64. If that boat listed really only runs 52, I'd want to know why before I put money down.

https://www.boats.com/reviews/fresh-take/

Nothing necessarily "bad" -just not ideal... sub optimal weight placement and potential balance issues.
More complex, more failure points, more plumbing
- if built today 2 evap canisters..

If they did switch them over and you can get a single belly tank thats how I'd go...

Id normally throw Lavey Craft in the mix, but I dont think you'll find anything in your price range.



UD

Cozzi will do an hr read and report as well as a basic go over with the engines. on stock blacks I feel good with what his service provided

I have been in both the Nordic and Sunsation 28's. They both ride rougher than a night in jail. I have not been in the Donzi, but I suspect it would be far superior in the quality of ride in the rough.

Thats pretty funny!

Is the don a 24 degree v?

UD

You have some really great boats in your sights but there's a reason why outboards are so popular these days. Reliability and ease of maintenance. If you are in saltwater compare the difference in how easy outboards are to maintain vs. IO's. Hook a hose up to the receptacle on the cowl and you've flushed the outboard. Done. Good luck!

Agree 100% about outboards but is there anything outboard powered in the size and budget to suit the o.p?
Even new boats today, very little to chose from if you want outboard power, except cc's and cats of course.

RR

Magnum 27 sport. You want a ride get old school resin bucket that has some weight to it and 24*

You may want to check this link out for surveyors in your area, and all over the country.
http://www.marinesurvey.org/index.html

Good luck with your search. :boat:

Just call Ed and you're good.

I have a super Clean 2000 Shockwave 29' Magnatude, 500 EFI Merc. racing engine, full fresh water flush, loader and ready to go, Brokered thru Complete Marine in Pompano, search on Boat trader and Yachtworld, needs nothing, already in Florida, 4-hours total in salt water!, link
http://www.yachtworld.com/boats/2000.../United-States

Not sure if this boat is still for sale but it fits your criteria. We owned one for seven years and loved it. These boats are well built and are a good value. Nordic makes a great looking boat but I've been on a Rage in the ocean and the front passenger seat was ripping the base out of the floor! Probably a better fit for inland lake boating. In your price range hydraulic steering and HP tabs would be nice to have.

http://www.powerboatlistings.com/view/38658

I just sold and identical 288 MCOB two years ago w/just under 400 hrs. Sold mine at $43k so I think he is priced about right, I would not worry about the hours I moved to a 32' Sunsation with 496 HO's and was concerned about buying one with 475 hrs, I am now at 540 hours without issue. As someone else mentioned get a compression and leak down and make sure the readings are where they need to be might also have the engine scanned so you can see the RPM range and how the boat has been ran. I spent hours researching how many hours you can get from a 496 and from what I could find here on OSO the general consensus was 800-900 hours with proper maint. I even found several in cruisers with well over 1000 hours. I would not be concerned about 462 hrs. if the engine checks out and the boat is in good condition. You willlove the MCOB its a great set up.

Great boats but again....Traditional closed bow boats around here (especially not big ones) kind of stink.

A MCOB for this area is a great choice.

They do make the 270 in a MCOB as well. Just harder to find.

Seen a few of them and if he could find one that would be a big win. Checkmate is a good boat built well.

Thanks, I like the look of the Sunny 288 MCOB's a lot. I just wish they'd put the 496 HO in them versus the 496 Mag. On a boat that large, the extra power is probably needed.

I have owned two of the boats talked about. The 25 Nordic Rage is a light boat and really feels closer to a 23' boat. With a 496HO it is a 80 mph boat on fairly smooth water. It is a fun boat on fairly smooth water. Not so much of a good ride on rough water. The 29' Shockwave is a really comfortable ride. It handles the rough water very well. It has the feel of a larger boat. Lots of freeboard and a huge midcabin area. Mine had a mild 540 and it was a good 65 mph boat. All of my driving of boath boats was on Arizona lakes.

Nordic and Shockwave (for the most part) add the swim step when molded in - into the length of the boat.
So it probably is a 23ft boat.
Shockwave goes back and forth how they measure and most often include the swim step in length.

Its really hard to gauge what you are buying as so many vendors measure their boats differently.

UD

Many were built with the HO. With the MAG it is a low 60's MPH boat in fresh water at @660 ft. above sea level. i think I saw 63 MPH in the one I ran.

It is one of the better layouts as well with good room split between all 3 sections. The bow area is deep so it is secure for young ones. No finer gel/mold work than on a Checkmate.

The Shockwave 29' Magnatude is a full 29' boat. It does not have a molded in swim platform. They usually have bolted on ones. As I recall, the 25' Rage measured about 24 1/2' including the swim step.

Looks like alot of the owners of the boats you are lookat into are chiming in. Remember to also go to their specific forums to ask the same question as you may get others opinions as well.

FWiW when I was shopping last year I found FL boats to be atleast 33% higher than those in other parts of the country, that goes for the surveyor's and mechanics as well, prices are lower on the FL West coast as opposed to East. Hell I had my boat bought in MS (Fresh water) transported it to New Port Richey FL 1st for vinyl work then came back 3 weeks later to ultimately take delivery. Still saved $8k+ as I would have buying in state. Also, you're pretty much guaranteed salt usage with a FL boat and in your price range it's going to be an older unit like mine that gets you thinking.
If you do buy out of state get the survey, get a sea trial and engine diagnostics and go see the boat for yourself, something I didn't do but ultimately it didn't have a negative impact. Remember the boats up north are requiring winterization at this time of the year so you may be able to "steal" one from someone not looking to incur the cost and definitely use that fact as a bargaining chip. If you need a transporter down the road mine was excellent and was around $1.25/mi.

PM sent CLASSIC

They do! I had one and it was a great boat. I do miss having a MCOB.

To the guy who ripped on the sunny and Nordic, ignore him. That's no different than a ford vs Chevy argument. What I will say is the Nordic is a 22 degree dead rise bot versus the sunnys 24. That aspect alone will provide a better ride. The Nordic are nice but I went sunny based on the cabin alone. For where I boat and how I boat I liked the ability to close it down versus the open flow through I had seen on nordics.

Forgot to mention that mine was a 496 Mag as well ran 62/63 every day the HO is only 50 more HP and the 288 HO boats seem to be about 5 -7 MPH faster. I really wanted the HO too but found the right boat at the right price when I bought my 288. If you find a Mag boat you really like its a simple conversion if you have mechanic skills just a cam and computer reflash, not sure it makes sense if you have to pay someone but its an option.

Surprised nobody mentioned Active Thunder. The 25 Tantrum for sale in classifieds is a great boat and a great deal at $25,000