Boat advice
 

My boating has always been on the river but I'm wanting to make some ocean trips. If I tell you want I'm thinking maybe someone can steer me in the correct direction.

My plan is some trips off shore around Florida. I've been making trips there with a small boat and jet skis but I'm thinking trips to and around the Bahamas.
What I want, enough room to sleep on the boat. Doesn't need a kitchen or shower just a place to spend a night or two.
Two engines, I can't see being 50 miles from shore and having only one motor.
Cruising speed of 40+
Under 40' overall would be great, it would fit in my barn.
Doesn't need to be new or close to new but I'm not looking for a project.

So far the only one I've looked at is a Scarab, haven't seen the cabin in person, not sure how big they are?
A 34' twin drive is for sale near me, around 30 grand, about my upper limit on cost.
Ocean worthy? What about MPG? A cooler and grill get me by for a weekend trip?
So any advice would be appreciated.

.


this looks like a nice boat, asking $37K

fresh water use

twin motors

big comfy cabin

posted 1 day ago...

https://loz.craigslist.org/boa/d/199...314915767.html





.

I know nothing about this type of boat, like which brands have weak spots or do better in rough water. It is nice, those curtains would have to go, little too much color.

For that type of running look at 302 scarabs and stuff of the like. 30+ center consoles with twin outboards. 302 sport, 31 fountain, baja made one in that range, donzi also. Just have a survey done and make sure the hulls are solid. The ones I listed have small cabins with a vberth which can be slept on but a lot more room in the cockpit. If you just want a twin engine inboard go fast style I'm all for it. But sounds like island cruising is what your after more than speed and a 30ish cc with 4strokes will give you much better economy.

Darr....... do I win a prize? ;-)

The cabin in my scarab is small, but doable for me and the wife no problem.

Thanks for the info. I'm leaning toward a go fast style boat. I've seen from the posts on here I'll never have what's considered a fast boat but I'd like to get where I'm going and not take all day doing it. A couple big block chevy motors would be better for me than outboards. I worked as a mechanic for 30 years and I can rebuild them easy, the lower units shouldn't pose much of an issue either. Outboards, they sometimes just need a new long block. My jetskis cost more to fix motorwise than a new crate motor from GM.

Understandable, but you asked about efficiency and twin big block boats are never efficient. Also the service life on the outboards seem to be amazing these days. Especially the newer 4 stroke stuff. They will damn near run forever if maintained.

I kind of didn't want supercharged engines. My ski is supercharged and uses much more fuel than the non charged one. I have to admit the last outboard I had was a 2 stroke mercury and it used as much gas as the 502 inboard I have now. What kind of life is a four stroke good for 1000 hours?

Ive seen several for sale with 1500+ hour and great compression still. I don't think there is a magic number for them, but 1000 hours seems not problem for them.

And I feel you on supercharged stuff. I went from twin 625 hp whippled 454's efi's to the scarab with 2 stroke 225 efi's. These are considered "thirsty" motors in the outboard world and I just laugh. Feel like I own a prius now.

41 apache easy to own and maintain. Go big or go home

no rude 300 v8s are thirsty. Your motors not so much

You can't compare your SC jet ski to new outboards, 4 stroke or 2 stroke, they are super efficient and can run over 1,000 hours easily. They are more efficient than stern drives partly because of the engines themselves but twin big blocks weigh, well over 1,100 pounds each, whereas big outboards are 500 to 650 lbs. But, having said that, sounds like you want a go fast, 30 footer. I like singles up to 29 ish but you could go 26 - 28 foot, single engine and it would be better value, a little easier to handle and maintain but still be able to camp out in. Formula 272, Fountain 27 and 29, Powerquest 27, Mirage 257 Trovare, etc. Scarabs are an option but they haven't made good boats for a long time, so they will be pretty old. Go and look at some in those size ranges and go for rides if you can.

How's Paradise RM..........:ernaehrung004:

Thanks for all the advice, it's appreciated. Saying going fast in this group puts the price tag way out of my range. But yea, top speed of 65-70 would be great. I really just wanted two motors for the one to bring me home if I have one fail. I've had a jetski leave me 15 miles from the dock and that was no fun. I have a little river jet boat now with a 502 in it, the fuel it uses isn't bad at all. But it has no use in rough water, even a big lake is too much for it. The thoughts of island hopping and spending a few days at a time on lake Cumberland have me looking.

Those Scarab engine bays are VERY tight to work in. The crossing to Bimini is actually best to make in summer when it is flatter and a Apache ($) isn't needed. I haven't made it yet but I'd be comfortable doing so in my '96 Baja 302. They sell in the $30k range, on plane as low as 25 mph, most efficient cruise speed 42 mph, will touch 65 mph top end, 150 gallon tank. Check Baja's thoroughly for rot, they're known for poor sealing at the factory.

The performance sounds perfect to me. What kind of MPG at 42 MPH? I just want to know what to look for and the wood rot certainly is something I want avoid. I've had fixer upper boat before and they always take twice the work and money I thought going in.

Mine has '96 7.4 LX Mpi's, while haven't figured MPG I get 24 running hours to 3/4 tank. That's around 35 mph cruise typically. Good info and test video here https://www.boattest.com/result/Baja/Any_Type/Any_Size