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Another What Boat Should I Buy Thread

Old 02-15-2017, 12:01 PM
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Originally Posted by Ing
I did not see an older 28 Sunsation mentioned. For your needs don't bother with any 24/7 boat. I had a 24 Pantera and the cockpit is tiny. The boat did one thing exceptionally well and that was run hard in the rough but creature comforts for 5 pax was non existent. A lot of great boats mentioned but dont buy anything without a sea trial and survey for water since all the boats mentioned have wood in them. Good luck.
ya good luck finding a decent 28 sunsation for $12k!

I think all the popular ones have been listed. could toss in 27 Pachanga into the mix, although those would likely be more than $12k...and not necessarily the "prettiest" of the bunch. as far as Erie goes in my experience deep V is important but you also need weight, the heavier the better.
I think for your price range a Formula 242LS (or SS if you want more cockpit room) would fit the bill nicely.
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Old 02-15-2017, 12:22 PM
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Yeah, a $12K 288 Sunny would be a turd. Cockpits aren't the roomiest either between the bolsters and rear bench.
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Old 02-15-2017, 02:04 PM
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an old Chris Craft Stinger 260 w/twin small blocks is a pretty heavy boat. Chaparral Villain IV with twins is cool and can be found cheap but it's 30'. One of my personal favorites in this size range is the early 90s 26 Nova Spyder. Very hard to find tho!
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Old 02-15-2017, 02:41 PM
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Ok I'll add my comments

I feel your pain - we too were limited with our initial boat on Lake Michigan - Can't agree more that the Great Lakes are very unforgiving and can turn on a dime.

A couple of years ago we "upgraded" to a 226 Cobalt - open bow. Now this is NOT a boat that one can just announce I'm going to Lake Michigan and go - all the stars have to align to have a great time --< 1-3' waves are an absolute must and a good forecast. The interior of our Cobalt has plenty of room - typically we have 4 in the boat plus all the "stuffs" - usually food and beverage. Ours does not have a head so we have to time stops accordingly-- I bring a plastic bag just in-case!

What I'm trying to say - we all have very limited budgets - but don't think you need to go huge to have a good time. If you have had success in your current boat something just a little larger could easily fit the bill. I know when we looked I also considered a closed bow - but thinking of the amount of space that is given-up (since we would never sleep on the boat) it didn't make a lot of sense for us. Also the "missing head" was not something that we really put much value in since we are typically boating on an smaller inland lake.

There are a LOT of very nice boats out there within your price range - it just takes a lot of patience to find the one that's right for your budget and family.

I looked at a number of boats - and some that were listed as pristine by their owner looked as if a cow gave birth in it - Rot in an older boat is a problem - while it may sound simple to fix - and for the folks that do that - hats off to you - the last thing you want to do is buy a boat and spend most of its' time being fixed. I swear that you tell bunches about the boat just by looking at the condition of bilge and outdrive - if they look like heck - the rest of the boat most likely will follow suite. Once you get serious - you may want to consider a survey -

All the very best

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Old 02-15-2017, 04:51 PM
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https://akroncanton.craigslist.org/boa/5977497349.html
https://detroit.craigslist.org/mcb/boa/5990501454.html

Boats like these would fit the bill.
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Old 02-15-2017, 08:27 PM
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Gonna agree with 3pointstar on the notion that you do not need a high end boat to have fun. My last boat was a 1988 Baja 240 sport. Basically a 24 Outlaw before they were named that. Had that for about 10 years and many many good memories. It was a solid one owner boat when I purchased it and took care of it the best I could. As some have pointed out, the older boats are prone to rot due to wood used in the construction. Pay attention to the condition of the boat overall. I wish you luck. Have patience and enjoy the looking process. The right one will come along. I was actually looking for about 3 years before I came across my current boat.
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Old 02-16-2017, 03:53 PM
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Wish you were closer, however I would need at least 16K for the 97 Fastech HP500 now bored to 509. apprx 32 hrs on new motor. 380 hrs on hull.

PM me if you need pictures or other questions.
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Old 02-22-2017, 06:16 PM
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I spoke with the guy that has that 242ls and I am going to look at it this weekend. A cabin is a must as we wish to take it to the islands on occasion. I definitely would get a survey on any purchase over 4 grand just to be sure. I had a 233ls that I couldn't give away due to all the rot.
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Old 02-22-2017, 07:07 PM
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Originally Posted by 97FASTech
Wish you were closer, however I would need at least 16K for the 97 Fastech HP500 now bored to 509. apprx 32 hrs on new motor. 380 hrs on hull.

PM me if you need pictures or other questions.
Wish I saw this about a week ago!!
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Old 02-22-2017, 07:09 PM
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I'm partial to a Formula with the age and budget you're looking for. That is my experience with the boats in my area at least. I appreciate all makes, models, and age just as much as any other powerboat enthusiast, however, certain boats will hold up to abuse or neglect better than others which is the biggest factor when look at the age range you are. Good luck with your hunt! Look forward to seeing the results.
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