340 Vyper Pros and Cons??
 

I have set foot in a '99 Vyper but never ridden in one.

I am looking to move up and was leaning towards the Vyper.

Wondering if those of you in the know could give some input.

I trailer my boat everywhere and like to spend weekends out in the boat, so overnighting room is essential, along with a windshield.

I am limited to the 34 or 35 foot length for storage.

How would the Vyper compair to lets say a Baja 342??

Thanks in advance.

Mike

The Vyper is definitely hard to beat in that size range for overnight comfort. We use ours regularly for weekend trips and LOVE it! Plenty of freeboard so the kids feel safe too. The Baja 342 does not have anywhere near the headroom of the Vyper and the fit and finish is not near as good either. We trailer everywhere also and I have no problems tugging this boat around.

Diggin, thanks for the info.
We spend alot of time on the boat for weekends at a time and think that the 340 would be a great move up from our 280.
We absolutely love our 280 but always said "if it was just a bit bigger" when we weekend on it.
Running 80 mph with twin 496s would make for a great all round ride as well.
I like the fact that you have had both boats and can compare the two.

Had an '02 340 with HO's. I don't know of a 34' boat with a bigger cabin. But as I said in the 280 thread, the huge freeboard/high bow scrubs on ride quality. The Baja 342 was on my list when I was looking to move up from my 272, but there were none available locally to look at. Top end will be no comparison because of the twin step on the PQ.

Yes, they are capable of 80 with HO's, but only under perfect conditions. My biggest complaint was the chine walking. Can be controlled with tabs, but they scrub speed.

Depends on what you want. If you want a nice weekender this is your boat. If you want a true performance boat you might want to look elsewhere. Go take one for a ride in the snot...would be my best advice.

Oh, and do a search on here about this boat. They retooled the hull around '00 if I remember correctly to work out some bugs and make it faster.

Did they even make the HO's in '99?

Macklin, there are limited PQs in my area so trial runs are next to non existant so research on here is my only tool...
The 340 I have my eye on is a 2002.
I spend too much weekend time on the boat to go for an all out performance boat and I am not ready for the "cruiser" style yet......I think you are correct with this being the boat for me. My 280 chine walks a bit as well so nothing new there....

viper
 

I had the 28 the 34 and the 38 Size matters. The 34 was a fantastic move up from the 28. The space in the cabin was is great as we did a lot of overnight stays. The 2002 would be a good one as they fixed the bottom in 2001.

I had the hp500s and got it to 77 mph The guy I sold it to got 80MPH once on a perfect day.

The 38 was the best. The ride was rock solid, no chine walk no bow rise and out of this world handeling it had the 575'S and did 85 mph with less than the best props. With better props I believe it would have been an 88 MPH boat.

Good luck on your search, the 34 and the 38 are both fantastic. With either one you will be blown away!!!!

Jim

Hmmm, I believe the guy that finally bought mine (traded on the AT) lives in Canada. What colors?

Same graphics package as mine but colours are black instead of red.

This is the one.
2002 496 Ho's 345 hrs.
$89,900

This is just my uneducated response but that seems like alot of money for a 8 year old boat with 496 power (cast iron internals) and 345 hours.

Personally, I would rather save the $40,000 and buy this: http://www.boattrader.com/listing/19...carab-97448338
Looks like you would have to buy a trailer so maybe its $35,000 less but still....4 feet longer...twin 502 power (forged internals) and its a Michigan boat so its a freshwater boat.
I LOVE Powerquest boats but $90K for that Vyper seems like alot.

I know of a Formula 38 that is VERY nice for lots less than the 340. I agree, that price seems high.

viper vs formula
 

Formula is a nice boat but only for small folks. No cabin room at all

Jim

It is a buyers market out there for the most part. One of the biggest problems is there is a lot of junk out there for sale. Boats that seem advertised super cheap but need some serious tlc. By the time you go thru it and make it sea worthy, you have more than retail book price in it. All the junk is lowering the "shoppers" thought value of the nice boats. You usually have to step up a pay a little, otherwise you find yourself trying to polish a turd.

The 340 for 90k seems a bit steep though. There were a couple for 60k earlier in the year that seemed like a good buy.

All the talk of a less than great ride of the 340 is getting me concerned. I had one on the top of the next boat list but now my mind is wandering. If anyone boats on Lake Michigan Chicago/Indiana area I would love to go for a ride.

My thoughts are the same specialk, some say the 340 is a great ride and others say differently....
As far as the Formulas go the graphics that are eye catching a few and far between that I like.
I like the depth of the cuddy in the Vyper.

What would a fair market price be on this unit??

viper
 

If you go for the Viper you have to have at least the HP500'S THATS TRUE FOR BOTH THE 38 AND THE 34 The Viper is a great boat but if you can swing it go for the 38. Size matters

Picture is my 1999 Viper

viper
 

forgot pic

Say what?! :eek:

My 340 sold for that three years ago. Granted AT just wanted it gone, but still...

Haven't been in a 34 but I've been in a 38 at LOTO Shootout weekend and it was a wave crusher. If you are going to be boating in big water go for the 38.

$89,900 is asking price, havent negotiated final numbers...

Too big for the garage but the 34 will fit...:drink:

Nothing a sawzall and a 6-pack won't take care of. :drink:

lol:eek:

Build on to the garage and buy the 38, you will have no regrets. Or you could just build a garage like mine, I wanted one big enough to back into and that I would not have to unhook. I went 80 ft long, its about right :coolcowboy:

Stop teasing!! My garage is attached to the house, long bay is 40'-0" deep. I should have gone 50'-0" deep by the sounds of things!! There is stone and brick around the garage so I am limited to 34-36 feet!!:eek: Damn!!

You might want to measure the 34 then, mine sitting on the trailer is 45 from front to back. That is with the drives tucked down. the trailer I sit on is a Manning and it sits high enough you never have to lift the drives. I would call the dealer and ask them what the overall length is. Plus if you made it 40 ft did you drywall it oir OSB? if so sometimes by the time you get it finished you may only be 39' 8" after the door is shut as well.

Just order some more brick and make it 50' you will be happier so you can then walk around to the other side.

LOL...or just keep my 28 :eek:

The 34 I am looking at will fit, the dealer has measured it, but the length and height would be the deal breaker if it didnt measure out according to my measuring tape.
If I go 38 then it will have to be left outside covered with a full length cover......it would bug me to leave it ouside covered all summer!!

Showoff. :angry-smiley-038: Now get that thing running so it doesn't just sit in that big azz garage! :drink:

here kitty kitty.......................

I am working on that, just have a few more important things going on at this point. Should hopfully be this next year though

My 340 takes up 38 ft. 2 in. sitting on a Manning tri-axle aluminum trailer. This is with the drives tucked. My garage measures 42 feet from back wall to garage door. It is perfect because I can have 3 1/2 feet of space to work on boat in the rear of the garage when needed. With a 40 foot garage you will not have much fudge room but if it will fit thats what counts. I also do not want mine to sit outside. My 280 did for one season and man I hated it!!!

When Cumberland measured for me it was just under 37' sitting on that trailer, I dont know if it was a very accurate measurement or a "close enough". Height was at 8'-8", again how accurate?? dont know.
My garage is a drive through so I can always open the front and rear door to work on it.... but I am limited in length!!
I really do not want to have the boat sit outside either....that will just kill me!!

:eek:
Perhaps this will help... http://www.extenze.com/

^^^^^^ Lmfao

:Score-101010::Score-101010:

:eekdrop: That was friggin' hillarious, lmao!!!

I've got my eyes on you...lol
Your secret is safe with me....955!!!:ernaehrung004:

Thanks for the info, I am leaning heavy on the 340, the 38 would have to sit outside!!