First boat...FW Liberator 241 or ?
 

hi guys I'm about to pull the trigger and buy my first ever boat.I'm looking for a boat that I can take in the river and also go out on lake michigan.I have been kinda looking at the 4 winns liberator 241 ,with twin 350 or 460. I have been kinda looking at baja outlaw 24 also.

I'm not looking to spend a mint on my first boat just something to go out have fun on and something that has a little cuddy cabin to it .should I take about 8000 dollars and find me a good to 241 or take the 8000 dollars and put a down payment on a nicer bigger boat .

Don't see those two cross shopped a lot :) Very different boats. If you want a usable cuddy, the liberator, if you want a faster hull the Baja. The 241 will be much better in rough water. I don't finance toys, so that would be an easy call.

I value ride quality and amenities so the Liberator would be my interest over a Baja.

I bought a brand new 24 Lib back in 86, was a good boat....I would not want a twin engine one or a 460 ford one either...if you could find A 454 BRAVO 1 would be great...not even sure if they ever made any....I know they made early 454 w/alpha, before switching to the cobra drives, would stay away from those because of parts issues now...might look at 25 checkmate, faster than either of the ones you asked about with the same power...plus much better built boat..

If a late Cobra drive is running good I wouldn't be afraid of it. I like the durability of the OMC Cobra's a lot. Drives usually fail when a Merc guy services a Cobra drive like a Merc. That means it is not full of fluid and will lock up, burn the upper gears or grenade. Properly serviced the OMC Cobra is easy to take care of and nearly bullet proof.

Rode on Hemidoc's Liberator with the 460 Ford and OMC Cobra drive in the Pirates of Lanier poker run yesterday. It did very well considering the water was so rough that some boats did not finish.

The river or Lake Michigan....sounds like you are in Wisconsin

That's the irony isn't it, the 90-up ones rate very strong and you can't get parts (cone clutch) and the older ones had all the issues and you can get parts fairly readily (dog clutch)... after 87 they went to OMC and every liberator after that has OMC. 87' and older have alpha's.

Here is a great OMC description one of the speed wake guys has posted in the past.
http://www.allamericandriveservice.com/OMCCobra.html