Alright guys, I have a dilema. This is no mechanical dilema but none the less, I don't know what to do. I have a spotless 1997 272 boss with a Procharged 502 mag. I don't have a complaint about the boat and it has, and still runs flawless. Well, I was just shooting the bull with some buddies about looking for something different this winter and didn't think much of it. Now I have a guy that wants my boat pretty bad. He calls twice a week wanting to know if I am ready to do something now. My position is that I am happy with what I have. I can't replace my speed and a slightly larger boat for the same money. I thought I wanted twins but do I really want to maintain 2 motors. I usually boat on lakes so I really don't need any larger boat. My options as far as what I was looking at were: 29 Outlaw(is the 30 Outlaw, when it comes out, going make the 29's value die), 32 Active Thunder, 32 Sunsation and I'll even throw Sonic in there. I know it's my decision but what I am after is those of you that went from a single engine to twins......were you happy with your decision or not? At the same time I'm looking at taking a $385 boat payment to probably $650 or so with a trade.

Confused,
Mark

I know what your talking about !!! We also have a 97 272 with a 502, and are in the same spot,, I really like my boat,,, but you always want more.

Same thing though, do Iwant to take care of twins,,, plus ours is paid for, so that means going from no payment to whatever. And the 100k we would spend in additon to our boats value couldbe spent of a summer place in the ozarks that wont depreciate like the boat will !!

Can I be nosy and ask what you are selling yours for, just so I know what they are going for.

I can answer your question about whether the advent of the 30 Outlaw will kill the value and market for the 29's.

The advent of the 25 Outlaw did not kill the value or the market for 24 Outlaws. The price of 24 Outlaws has held and the market for them reamins. Perhaps because a 24 is going to cost you at least 20% less than a 25 with equal power.

As far as 29 vs 30, next year you can go out and buy a 2003 30 Outlaw with twin HO's for probably $135,000 or you can get a 29 like mine with HO's for $97,000. (If I upgrade over the Winter, $97,000 is probably what I would seek for mine).

Additionally, the 29 Outlaw has something the 24 Outlaw did not have. They possess a relatively new hull and design (5 years). The hull and design of the 24 Outlaw dates back to the mid 80's.

MILLERLITE88,

As much as it pains me to say it. If someone wants it that bad and is willing to give you what you want for it I would have to part with it. There are alot of used boats for sale that just take forever to sell. Keep in mind a well kept clean and good running boat should not be a problem to sell. When you decide to move up you may not beable to move it fast enough or for what you want with it. Tough choice to make. Best of luck to you.

Frank

Mark,
I have a friend with a boat just like yours that he is trying to sell. It had the procharger and all. If your friend wants to buy one, and you don't want to sell yours, then let me know. I can put him on a boat that I know is very well kept.

Thanks for the replies guys!!!

Obnoxus,
I told guy $48,000 when he asked what I would want for it and he called me 2 days later and asked if i would take $47,000. I was like...."hold up man" I don't know that I really want to sell just yet.

29 Outlaw,Great point on the comparison of the 24/24 Outlaws. Seeing as how you have one of the boats I would consider, What have you liked and disliked about yours? Did you go from a single to this boat and if so, what do you think? I would not look forward to changing the center spark plugs. I priced a 29 earlier this year and our local Baja dealer priced it at $86,999 + trailer. After looking at prices, that seems almost to good to be true. He also said around$117,999 + trailer with 500hp's. These prices seem out of wack compared to the rest of the market.

Hey MillerLite88,

There are only 2 things I don’t really like about my boat but neither has anything to do with the fact that it’s a 29 Outlaw.

#1 – I dread having to clean the transom. I strive to keep my boat looking like it’s never been in the water and I think I’m successful but that transom is a *****. It’s a maze of K-planes, trim hoses, steering rams, stainless steel, etc. but any twin is going to be that way.
#2 – The engine room is tight. To find a twin engine boat with an engine room that’s big enough to climb inside you will have to go 36’ and over. For me, that’s not in the foreseeable future.

Things I like include:

#1 - The cabin. It’s very plush. Plus, I can sit on the bench seats and still have 5” of room over my head.
#2 – Cruising speed. With 27’s on my boat I can see 45mph at only 2900rpm!!
#3 – A 29 Outlaw is the perfect boat if you want the twin big-block experience and only have $90,000-$120,000. Look at your other choices – there are none. There are other twins available in that size range but you can’t get any of them with big-blocks.

If increased fuel consumption is scaring you, it shouldn’t. Over the course of an entire day, my current boat does not burn much more gas than my old 24 Outlaw. There are a few reasons why.

#1 – My 24 Outlaw had a mildly souped-up 502 which required 93 octane gas. My current HO’s run fine on 87 or 89 octane. This saves you 10-15 cents per gallon.
#2 – My current cruising speed is so much better. In my 24 I needed 3700rpm to see 45 mph. In my current boat, I see 45 mph at only 2900rpm.
#3 – The high-tech HO’s I have are a heck of a lot more fuel efficient than the low-tech 502 that I had in the 24.

As far as a 29 Outlaw with 500HP’s – I wouldn’t do it. Everyone I’ve talked to about HP’s in a 29, reports 80-82mph tops. With the 27’s that Bronson Hill is setting up for me, I expect to see an honest 78mph. I don’t think the extra 2 mph is worth the extra $20,000+ that the HP’s will cost. Heck, if you had an extra 20K burning a hole in your pocket, try to find a 33 with HO’s.

At any rate, if you end up parting with your current boat and are looking for a twin this winter, come on up to Maryland and take a look at my boat. It looks drop-dead new. It was a factory order specifically for me. Never had any balls-to-the-wall demo rides and it sat on the dealer’s lot a total of only 4 hours.

29 Outlaw.
Thanks for the information!